Huge launch next week, says Apple CEO John Ternus in first memo: Details

Apple has scheduled 'Surprise and shine' event for September 9, where the company is likely to launch iPhone 18 Pro series, along with its first foldable iPhone, which could be called the iPhone Ultra

Apple has a leadership change, with John Ternus taking over as chief executive from Tim Cook on September 1. In his first memo to employees, Ternus referred to a major product launch planned for next week and thanked Cook for his leadership. "We have a huge launch next week that's going to be phenomenal," Ternus said in the memo, according to MacRumors.

 

Ternus became Apple's CEO on September 1, while Cook moved to the role of executive chairman. The leadership change marks a shift from Cook's operations-focused background to Ternus, who has spent much of his career at Apple working on hardware engineering and product development. Meanwhile, Apple has scheduled its "Surprise and shine" event for September 9.

 

 

Ternus begins with focus on products

 

Ternus said he was honoured to take over as CEO and described Apple as "the greatest company in the world". He also said the company had products already in development as well as others that have yet to be imagined.

 

His comments underline the product-focused background Ternus brings to the top job. He joined Apple in 2001 and most recently served as senior vice president of Hardware Engineering. Apple had earlier announced that he would succeed Cook as CEO from September 1 as part of a planned leadership transition.

 

The first major test of his tenure will come with Apple's September 9 event. Ternus's reference to a "huge launch next week" points to the upcoming event, which will be his first Apple event as CEO.

 

Apple has scheduled its "Surprise and shine" event for September 9, where the company is likely to launch the iPhone 18 Pro series, along with its first foldable iPhone, which could be called the iPhone Ultra. The presentation is scheduled to take place at Apple Park in Cupertino.

 

Different leadership background

 

Ternus also represents a change in leadership profile for Apple. Cook, who became CEO in 2011, had a strong operations and supply-chain background. Ternus, in contrast, has spent much of his Apple career working on hardware and product development.

 

Apple's board had described Ternus as a leader with deep technical knowledge and a strong focus on products when it announced the succession plan in April. The company said his appointment followed a long-term succession process.

 

As part of the transition, Johny Srouji has taken over as Apple's chief hardware officer, leading the Hardware Engineering organisation previously headed by Ternus. Apple has also made changes to its product design and engineering leadership. 

 

Smart glasses could become a bigger focus

 

Ternus's arrival also comes as Apple is reportedly reassessing its approach to wearable computing. According to a news report, Apple is preparing for a shift in its wearable strategy, with smart glasses reportedly receiving greater priority than the Vision Pro headset. The company is also said to be working towards its first AI-powered smart glasses, potentially for launch in 2027.

 

The reported change comes alongside a restructuring of Apple's Vision Pro, Siri and software teams. More than 200 positions have reportedly been cut across these groups, including about 100 roles in the Vision Pro organisation, according to a Bloomberg report cited by 9to5Mac.

 

Apple's 'Surprise and shine' event: What to expect

 

This year's iPhone launch is expected to follow a different schedule. Apple is reportedly splitting the iPhone 18 series into two launches, with the iPhone 18 and iPhone Air models expected to arrive in the first half of 2027 rather than at the September event. Here is what to expect:

 

iPhone Ultra: The biggest expected addition to the iPhone lineup is Apple's first foldable iPhone, which could also be the first Apple product to get the "Ultra" branding. The device is expected to use a book-style foldable design with a 5.5-inch outer display and a roughly 7.8-inch internal display. The foldable iPhone could feature an under-display camera on the internal screen, while the external display could use a punch-hole camera.

 

According to a previous Bloomberg report, the foldable iPhone could feature a dual-camera setup on the rear, comprising primary and ultra-wide-angle cameras. The foldable iPhone is also expected to bring Touch ID back to the iPhone.

 

iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max: The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will likely accompany the iPhone Ultra at the September event. The devices are expected to be powered by the new A20 Pro chip, based on a 2nm manufacturing process, along with Apple's C2 modem.

 

Camera upgrades are also expected. The iPhone 18 Pro Max could feature a variable-aperture main camera, while Apple is also reportedly working on under-display Face ID technology. The overall design is expected to remain similar to the previous generation, with changes focused more on internal hardware and cameras.

 

The standard iPhone 18, iPhone 18e and iPhone Air 2 are expected to follow in the first half of 2027 as part of Apple's reported split launch schedule. 

 

Apple Watch and AirPods: Apple is also expected to refresh its smartwatch lineup at the September event. The Apple Watch Series 12 is tipped to receive a relatively limited update, with a new health sensor and changes to the band attachment system among the reported possibilities.

 

The Apple Watch Ultra 4 could also be introduced, with reports pointing to design changes and additional sensors. Details about the expected upgrades remain limited.

 

Apple could also introduce new AirPods at the September event. The company is reportedly working on a new generation of AirPods Pro, with camera-equipped earbuds among the features under development. Reports have suggested that cameras on the earbuds could work with Apple's Visual Intelligence features, allowing the system to interpret objects and surroundings.

 

However, Apple could launch the new AirPods Pro next year and instead introduce the AirPods 4 at the event.