Apple sets September 9 iPhone launch event at Apple Park, first under CEO John Ternus

Apple announced Wednesday that its next iPhone launch will take place on September 9 at 10 a.m. PT in the Steve Jobs Theater on the Apple Park campus in Cupertino, featuring the “Surprise and Shine” tagline and marking the first Apple event led by new CEO John Ternus.

Apple confirmed on Wednesday that its upcoming iPhone launch will be held on September 9, with the official invitation bearing the tagline “Surprise and Shine.” The event is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. Pacific time and will be streamed live from the Steve Jobs Theater on the Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California. The company posted the details on its public events page and sent media invites that showcase a glowing Apple logo.

The September 9 gathering will also be the first Apple keynote delivered by John Ternus, who assumes the chief executive role on September 1 after Tim Cook steps down to become executive chairman. The leadership change was outlined in Apple’s April press release, which highlighted Ternus’s engineering background and his vision for the company’s next chapter. Industry analysts see the transition as a pivotal moment for Apple’s product strategy and for the broader Southern California tech ecosystem.

The launch will take place at Apple’s headquarters in Cupertino, specifically in the Steve Jobs Theater on the Apple Park campus, and will be broadcast worldwide via apple.com and the Apple TV app. The official Apple Events page lists the date, time and tagline, and invites viewers to add the event to their calendars. Media invitations note the “Surprise and Shine” branding and a glowing Apple logo on the invitation.

John Ternus will preside over the keynote, making this the first Apple event under his leadership. The transition to Ternus as CEO was announced in an April 20 press release that confirmed Tim Cook will become executive chairman on September 1, 2026. The release emphasized Ternus’s 25-year tenure at Apple and his engineering credentials, positioning him as the next steward of the company’s product roadmap.

The event’s timing, 10 a.m. PT, aligns with Apple’s historic launch windows that maximize global media coverage. Cupertino’s proximity to Los Angeles means many local journalists, analysts and suppliers will travel to the campus, reinforcing the region’s role as a hub for technology announcements and related business activity.

Analysts expect Apple to unveil a suite of new hardware, beginning with the long-rumored foldable iPhone, which would be the company’s first entry into a flexible-screen form factor. In addition, the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are slated for announcement, though sources suggest they will be iterative upgrades rather than a full redesign. The standard iPhone 18 is reportedly being held back for a later release.

The watch lineup is also expected to expand, with the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra likely to debut alongside the new phones. A new version of Siri, dubbed Siri AI, is slated for launch and will incorporate large-language-model capabilities that let the assistant interact with apps such as messaging and calendars. The event may also feature new smart-home devices, though details remain sparse.

Beyond hardware, Apple is anticipated to reveal launch dates for its upcoming software platforms, including iOS 27, iPadOS 27 and macOS “Golden Gate.” These updates are expected to showcase deeper integration with the new hardware and the AI-driven Siri features, continuing Apple’s pattern of synchronizing software releases with flagship product announcements.

Los Angeles’ tech and media community will feel the ripple of Apple’s September 9 launch, from local suppliers who support Apple’s hardware pipeline to the dozens of journalists who travel to Cupertino for coverage. The event also marks a leadership shift that could influence hiring, partnership opportunities and venture activity across the Greater Los Angeles area, making it a key moment for regional stakeholders.