Apple's "Surprise and Shine" event on September 9, 2026 opened with the event's quietest but most consequential moment: John Ternus on stage for his first major product keynote as Apple CEO. The hardware announcements were wide-ranging. Here is what matters and what it costs.
iPhone Duo: Apple's Second Foldable
Following the high-end iPhone Ultra foldable announced last month, Apple introduced the iPhone Duo — a more accessible take on the form factor at $1,999. It opens to a 7.6-inch inner display and closes around a 5.4-inch outer screen. It runs iOS 27, adapts to multiple orientations and folding positions, and supports Apple Pencil. Preorders begin October 16; availability follows on October 23.
At $500 less than the Ultra, the Duo is Apple's attempt to prove that the foldable form factor has a mainstream audience, not just a premium-tier one. Two foldable iPhones on sale before the end of 2026 is a bet on the category that has no precedent in Apple's history.
iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max
The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max round out the lineup. Preorders open September 12 at 5:00 a.m. Pacific. Full specs — chip, camera, and display details — have been rolling out on Apple's product pages since the event.
AirPods 5
The new AirPods 5 keep the open-ear form factor but deliver 50% more active noise cancellation than AirPods 4, along with acoustic improvements Apple says work across a wider range of ear geometries. Available for preorder as of September 9.
Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4
Apple Watch Series 12 and the Watch Ultra 4 were both announced and are available for preorder. The Watch lineup continues Apple's push to make the wrist its primary health monitoring platform, though the specific new sensors and health capabilities weren't the headline of this particular event.
Software Dates
Apple announced release dates for its full 2026 software stack: iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS Golden Gate, tvOS 27, watchOS 27, and visionOS 27 are all coming this fall. Apple also set a date for the next phase of its Siri AI rollout — the more capable, context-aware assistant the company has been building toward since the Apple Intelligence launch.
The Ternus Era in Practice
Ternus ran the show at a noticeably leaner pace than the Cook era's sprawling productions — direct, product-focused, and without the biographical detours that became a hallmark of big Apple events. Whether that is personal style or a deliberate signal about how Apple plans to present itself going forward is a question that takes years, not keynotes, to answer.
What is clear is that Apple enters fall 2026 with its broadest hardware lineup in years — two foldables, a new flagship, updated wearables, and a full OS refresh — and a new CEO whose first public test passed without incident.