Apple has confirmed the date for its next major iPhone event: September 9, 2026. The company is expected to reveal new iPhone models, with a foldable device at the center of attention and the iPhone Ultra among the possible announcements.
The event will be livestreamed on Apple’s website and YouTube at 1PM ET, giving viewers a direct look at the company’s next iPhone lineup. Apple has not confirmed every product planned for the presentation, but the expected range of devices points to one of the biggest changes yet in the iPhone family.
A foldable iPhone may lead the show
The rumored headline product is a foldable iPhone. Apple has been laying the groundwork for a foldable device in the iOS 27 code, and that detail has added weight to the expectation that the company is preparing a new form of iPhone.
The device may be called the iPhone Ultra. Its expected design would give it iPad Mini-like utility while allowing it to fold out into a tablet-style format, combining a phone-sized shape with a larger display when opened.
That format would give Apple a new way to separate its premium iPhone models from the rest of the lineup. Instead of offering only different camera systems, screen sizes, or materials, the company may use the iPhone Ultra to create a device that changes size during use.
Apple may also split up the iPhone 18 lineup further this year. The possible range includes the iPhone Ultra, iPhone 18 Pro models, and possibly the iPhone Air 2, iPhone 18e, and base iPhone 18.
That list is not a final confirmation of every model, but it shows how broad the next iPhone family could become. The September 9 event may clarify which names Apple will use and how each model fits into the lineup.
AI will be part of the bigger Apple story
The foldable iPhone may draw the most attention, but AI is also likely to be a major topic at the event. Apple’s WWDC keynote in June focused on a unified, cross-platform ecosystem built around Siri AI and Apple Intelligence.
That focus gives the iPhone event a wider purpose than a product launch alone. Apple is developing new products tied into the same ecosystem built around Siri AI, including iPads, a revised HomePod mini, Apple TV, and a smart display.
The company’s approach connects its devices through shared AI features rather than treating each product as a separate tool. The September presentation may show how the next iPhones fit into that broader plan, especially if Apple links the foldable model to Siri AI and Apple Intelligence.
Apple’s June keynote established the direction: a unified experience across its platforms, with Siri AI at the center. The September event will offer a closer look at how that direction carries into new hardware.
A leadership change will shape the event
The event will also mark a change at the top of Apple. It will be the first event with new Apple CEO John Ternus at the helm, after he takes over from Tim Cook on September 1.
That timing puts the iPhone presentation just eight days after the leadership change. Ternus will therefore oversee Apple’s first major iPhone reveal as CEO, with the company facing attention around both its product lineup and its future direction.
The September 9 event brings those threads together: a possible foldable iPhone, a wider iPhone 18 family, and a stronger focus on AI across Apple’s devices. The livestream begins at 1PM ET on Apple’s website and YouTube.
For Apple, the presentation may define more than the next iPhone models. It may show how the company plans to connect new hardware, Siri AI, Apple Intelligence, and its growing range of devices under one ecosystem.
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