Apple’s September 9 Event: What to Expect From the iPhone 18 and Apple’s First Foldable

Apple’s September 9 event could be one of the company’s most significant iPhone launches in years. Alongside the expected iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, Apple is widely rumored to introduce its first foldable iPhone, potentially called the iPhone Ultra. The event will also mark the first major Apple product launch hosted by new CEO John Ternus.

The regular iPhone 18 may not arrive at the same time, with reports suggesting Apple could move the standard model to spring alongside a possible successor to the iPhone Air. That would make this September event much more focused on Apple’s premium lineup.

Apple’s Foldable iPhone Could Blur the Line Between iPhone and iPad

The biggest question surrounding the event is obvious: what exactly will Apple's first foldable iPhone be?

Rumors suggest the device could open into a much larger display that approaches the size and proportions of a small tablet. That immediately raises an interesting question about Apple's software strategy. Will the foldable simply run an expanded version of iOS, or could Apple create an experience that sits somewhere between the iPhone and iPad?

Apple already has years of experience building software for larger displays through iPadOS. A foldable iPhone could give the company an opportunity to combine the portability of an iPhone with some of the productivity benefits people expect from a tablet.

It would also fit Apple's tendency to create products that occupy the space between existing categories rather than completely replacing them. The iPad once filled the gap between a phone and a laptop. A foldable iPhone could now occupy the space between an iPhone and an iPad.

Siri AI Could Finally Become More Useful

Hardware may dominate the headlines, but iOS 27 could be just as important to the overall iPhone experience. Apple has been working on a significantly improved Siri, with new AI capabilities designed to make the assistant better at understanding requests and responding to more complicated instructions.

Early testing of the iOS 27 beta has reportedly produced encouraging impressions, particularly around Siri's ability to understand natural language more effectively. That matters because Apple's AI strategy does not necessarily need to turn Siri into another chatbot. For many users, simply having Siri understand what they mean without requiring carefully worded commands would be a meaningful improvement.

If Apple gets this right, Siri could become one of the most useful parts of the iPhone 18 experience rather than another AI feature users try once and forget about.

Could the iPhone Air Have Been a Preview of the Foldable?

Another interesting possibility is that Apple's ultra-thin iPhone Air was more than just another product experiment. Its slim 5.6mm design could have helped Apple develop the engineering needed for an even more challenging foldable device.

Samsung followed a somewhat similar path by introducing a slim Galaxy S25 Edge before bringing that design philosophy to its foldable lineup. Apple could be taking a comparable approach, using the iPhone Air to demonstrate how far it can push thin smartphone hardware before applying those lessons to a folding design.

If that theory is correct, the iPhone Air may eventually look less like an isolated product and more like an early chapter in Apple's foldable story.

iPhone Ultra Accessories Are Already Giving Us Clues

Apple has not officially shown its foldable iPhone yet, but accessory makers may have accidentally provided another glimpse at what is coming. Dbrand has already listed skins for the rumored iPhone Ultra alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max.

The designs appear to reflect the wider form factor seen in recent leaks, giving potential buyers an idea of what Apple's foldable could look like before the official announcement. Of course, accessories are not confirmation of Apple's final design, but they add another interesting piece to the growing collection of clues.

What Consumers Think About a Foldable iPhone

There is clearly curiosity around Apple's entry into foldables, but interest does not necessarily mean consumers are ready to spend flagship-plus money on one.

A CNET survey found that 25% of US adults were interested in buying a foldable iPhone. The bigger problem for Apple could be price. Respondents said they would spend an average of $781 on such a device, while current estimates suggest Apple's first foldable could cost around $2,000.

That gap could become one of the biggest challenges for the iPhone Ultra. Apple may be able to generate enormous interest with a completely new form factor, but convincing customers that the premium is worthwhile will be another matter.

A New iPhone Also Means a Bigger Data Transfer Job

For anyone planning to upgrade to a new iPhone, there is another practical consideration that rarely gets as much attention as the hardware: moving everything from the old device.

Photos, videos, contacts, documents and other personal files can quickly turn a phone upgrade into a lengthy cleanup and transfer process. A dedicated file sharing tool can make it easier to move the content you actually want instead of manually handling individual files.

For users who are particularly concerned about privacy, secure file sharing is another important consideration when moving personal information between devices. And if you are switching between platforms, having a simple way to copy phone file data can make the transition much less frustrating.

Smart Transfer is designed around this part of the upgrade experience, helping users move important personal data between devices while keeping the process straightforward. That can be especially useful when moving to a new iPhone after years of building up photos, videos, contacts and other files on an existing phone.

What We Want From the iPhone 18 Pro

The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max are expected to receive their own set of improvements, and there are plenty of features users would like Apple to address.

A return to a darker, more understated Pro color option would be welcome for people who found the bold finishes of the previous generation a little too loud. Camera controls are another area ripe for improvement. A dedicated Pro mode could give experienced photographers more control without making the standard camera experience unnecessarily complicated.

Battery life is another major question. Apple increased battery capacity with the iPhone 17 Pro, so the challenge now is finding ways to improve endurance without making the phones substantially larger. Silicon-carbon battery technology could potentially help, although there is no confirmation that Apple plans to adopt it.

And then there is the price.

Will Apple Keep the iPhone 18 Pro Affordable?

Price could be one of the most important details revealed at the event. Reports have suggested that Apple may increase prices across parts of the new iPhone lineup, potentially pushing the starting price of the Pro models higher.

For customers already paying premium prices, even a modest increase could change the buying decision. The foldable iPhone will likely sit in an entirely different price category, but Apple still needs its conventional Pro models to remain attractive to customers who do not want to spend thousands on a folding phone.

Ultimately, September 9 could answer more than just what Apple's next iPhones look like. It could show how Apple sees the future of the iPhone itself, whether that means a smarter Siri, a thinner design, a new foldable category or simply a more refined Pro experience.

After years of rumors, Apple's foldable experiment is finally close to becoming real. The interesting part now is seeing whether Apple's version of the idea feels like a new chapter in the iPhone story or an entirely new product category.