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Surprise! We found Apple

Macworld Excited about Apples Surprise and Shine event on Wednesday? Cant wait to hear about the iPhone Ultra, Apple Watch Series 12, and other new products? Wish you could read about the announcements before theyre, well, announced? Then youve come to the right place. As is traditional at this time of year, we sent a team of crack reporters down to Apple Park, and after a few hours of rummaging in the bins, they hit paydirt: the script for Wednesdays presentation, rehearsal tapes, marketing videos, everything we need to construct a minute-by-minute preview of the entire event. And were excited to present it here, to you. (For the avoidance of doubt, none of that is true; this is for entertainment purposes only. But other than a few silly jokes and fake names, what follows is our genuine prediction, based on rumors, leaks, and a long history of covering these events. Return to Macworld on Wednesday to follow all the announcements as they happen and see how we got on.) Heres John Ternus! 9:59 am PT : Were up and running! Black metal fans will recognise the toe-tapping sounds of Leviathans Vesture Dipped In The Blood Of Morning. Thats a California band, of course. Perhaps John Ternus is a fan. 10:00: Speaking of heres the man himself, in trademark t-shirt and sneakers. Weve seen Ternus present at events before (notably covering much of the iPhone Air segment last fall, alongside since-departed design hotshot Abidur Chowdhury), and hes a confident, relaxed speaker. But this is a different ballgame. Will we see his usual blend of positivity and technical detail, or will he default to vague platitudes in his new role as compre? 10:01: Today, were going to be hearing about three Apple products that have changed the world, Ternus says. The AirPods, the Apple Watch, and the iPhone. 10:02: Technology is all about priorities, he says. And at Apple, we believe in logistical efficiency, upsell marketing, and delivering sustainable value to shareholders amid economic headwinds. Over to Neil. John Ternus, the new boss. Apple AirPods 5 10:03: Heres a new face, likely the first of many following Apples recent exodus of senior talent . Its Neil Overall, AirPods marketing VP and a rising star at Apple Park. 10:04: The AirPods are one of the most iconic tech products in history, says Overall. But here at Apple, we refuse to rest on our laurels. This year, were going to make the best wireless earbuds in the world very, very slightly better. This is AirPods 5. 10:05: Were seeing a product video. The new AirPods look yes, exactly the same as the 4th-gen models. No redesign. Which, to be fair, was what we expected following the revamp we got on the AirPods 4. They still dont have silicone eartips. No sign of alternative color finishes either. It ends on the marketing slogan: AirPods 5: Who Cares? Youll Obviously Buy Them. 10:06: But heres a solid upgrade: the AirPods 5 get a new H3 chip . Thats a bold step, because the AirPods Pro 3 and AirPods Max 2, obviously both more expensive than the standard AirPods, remain on the H2 unless theres more news to follow! Overall says the H3 will give the AirPods 5 better active noise cancellation (which is important since they dont have the physical, passive noise cancellation of the AirPods Pro eartips) and access to Siri AI features. 10:07: The H3 chip also means improved battery life . The ANC version now lasts up to 6 hours with ANC enabled, up from 4 hours on the previous model. Obviously, thats for just the earbuds; youll get more battery life by topping up in the case (which appears to be unchanged). 10:08: On to health, and the standard AirPods are getting a temperature sensor , which will enable them to feed more data into Apple Health. But it looks like they still wont have a heart rate sensor. Thatll help Apple continue to upsell the AirPods Pro, which do have that sensor. 10:09: And were done: no sign of H3-equipped AirPods Pro or Max. (Or any AirPods with cameras .) AirPods 5 are available to pre-order on September 12, Overall announces, and will ship on September 18. Theyre $179 with ANC or $129 without, so phew, theres no price rise. Back to you, Tim, he adds. Er, I mean John. The AirPods 4, which look exactly like the AirPods 5. Petter Ahrnstedt New Apple Watches 10:10: Ternus is summing up the AirPods announcements. We think youre going to love them, he says. Ive spoken to our accountants, and its just so exciting to work at a company that makes this much money. 10:11: Whats up next? Its the Apple Watch. Ternus says Tim Cook has forwarded to him dozens and dozens of letters and emails from people whose lives were saved by health notifications on their watches. And frankly, Ternus adds, I couldnt care less. I wish people would stop sending these messages. 10:12: Another new face, this time from the Apple Park design department: Georgia de Giungle, Apple Watch product manager. We know you love Apple Watch, she says. We love Apple Watch too. But we think youre going to love the new Apple Watch even more, and pay us money so you can have it. 10:13: Product video time. Lots of visuals of happy thin people doing sports. It looks like the basic design is unchanged . (Those of us whove been doing this for a while will know that the endlessly rumored redesigned Apple Watch is always just around the corner .) But there are clearly lots of new colors and new band designs . 10:15: The video ends on the inevitable slogan. Apple Watch Series 12: Realistically The Only Option. 10:16: Were thrilled to welcome back Apple Watch Edition , gushes de Giungle. This isnt the ludicrously expensive 18-karat gold model from the initial launch, we should note, but the somewhat more recent ceramic model. Itll still be expensive, though. It looks nice, and comes in white and dark gray. 10:17: The Series 12 comes with an S12 processor , so as suspected, Apple is skipping the S11 generation. (The Series 10 and Series 11 both came with an S10 chip. Not that these designations matter a great deal.) Apple isnt making any claims about performance here, despite the nominal double upgrade, and we wouldnt expect a noticeable speed bump. It will just make things a little easier for Siri AI and similar on-device processing tasks. 10:18: For millions of our customers, Apple Watch is the health device they rely on most, says de Giungle. Heres Boswell to explain how Apple Watch Series 12 will take that to the next level. 10:19: And heres Dr. Boswell Boyce, Apple Watch and Health Product Marketing VP, to discuss health features on the new watch. Thanks, Georgia, he smiles. 10:20: The major upgrade is an all-day heart sensor . It will track your heart rate continuously, whether youre working out or not. Boyce says this is going to be a game-changer for health data and will help millions of people to diagnose potential medical problems at an earlier and more treatable stage. 10:21: Boyce is walking us through the redesigned health and fitness apps on the watch, which now offer a wider range of metrics. 10:22: Thats the new health features on Apple Watch. We think youre going to love it. Back to you, Georgia. 10:23: Now de Giungle is moving on to Apple Watch Ultra 4 . This looks to be largely the same as the Series 12: no physical redesign or new buttons, an S12 processor, and continuous heart-rate tracking. 10:24: And thats it for the Apple Watch: the SE isnt getting an update this year. Both new models will be available to pre-order on September 12 and will ship on September 18. Series 12 starts at $429 and the Ultra 4 at $829 , which in both cases is a $30 increase on the last generation. Not ideal, but it could have been worse. Two Apple Watches from the 2025 batch. David Price / Foundry iPhone 18 Pro (and 18 Pro Max) 10:25: Were back with John Ternus. Its time to talk about the iPhone, he says. Every year we release a new model and tell you its our best iPhone yet, and thats always technically true. And this year is no exception. Here is iPhone 18 Pro . We think youre going to love it. 10:26: Weve segued into a marketing video. The new phones look as attractive as ever, but (with apologies if this is getting repetitive) the designs appear to be the same as last year. The only obvious difference is that Cosmic Orange has been killed off , very sadly, and replaced by two new colors : light blue and dark red . The latter is called Dark Cherry and is sure to be the most popular option this year. 10:27: Heres the slogan: iPhone 18 Pro: So What If It Cant Fold? 10:28: Over to you, Bill, says Ternus. Thats iPhone Marketing Manager Bill Whittlingham, for those who arent familiar with the personnel at Apple Park. 10:29: Whittlingham says iPhone 18 Pro is designed from the ground up to deliver market-leading performance. The A20 Pro processor is Apples most powerful mobile chip, optimized for our best-ever AI computation and even stronger battery life. The company is claiming that the new chip is 10 percent faster than last years model. 10:30: As expected, and like the A19 Pro, the new chip has a 6-core CPU , with two performance and four efficiency cores. Pre-event rumors indicated the A20 Pro would be a 2nm chip (unlike the A19 and A19 Pro, which were 3nm chips), but that hasnt been confirmed. Read our A20 Pro preview for more info. 10:31: To get specific, that battery life Whittlingham mentioned has gone up from 33 hours of video playback on the iPhone 17 Pro to 36 hours on the 18 Pro. On the Pro Max model, its gone up from 39 hours to 44. These are smaller improvements than last year (when Pro went from 27 to 33 and Pro Max from 33 to 39), but it all helps. It isnt clear at this point how much of the increases are down to the new processors and how much is affected by battery capacity. There were rumors that the batteries would get bigger this year , but as always, Apple is keeping quiet about this spec. 10:32: There are more upgrades inside the 18 Pro. It gets the C2 cellular modem with mmWave for the first time and the N2 wireless networking chip , which brings unspecified battery life improvements. 10:33: Were getting to a crucial part of the presentation: the cameras. Whittlingham is handing over to Finbarr Saunders, Manager, iPhone Camera Architecture, for more information on that topic. 10:34: Saunders says hes proud to announce the biggest improvement in iPhone photography since the iPhone 4 got a front-facing camera. Which means the rumors were true and were getting a variable aperture on the main camera. 10:35: With this new feature, iPhone owners will be able to manually adjust the amount of light reaching the sensor, allowing for far better depth-of-field effects and more artistic control. This puts the iPhone on a par with high-end cameras and gives iPhone users the same capabilities as professional photographers, Saunders claims. But its worth bearing in mind that most iPhone owners use the Camera app on the default automatic settings, so this may affect only a small proportion of the user base. 10:36: The main camera isnt the only lens to get an upgrade. The telephoto lens is getting a wider aperture, which should result in improved low-light performance. 10:37: We cant wait to see what you do with these cameras! says Saunders. And now back to Bill. 10:38: Whittlingham is wrapping up. Ah, heres a catch: while both 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max get the upgraded telephoto lens, the bento box displaying the new features indicates that only the 18 Pro Max gets the variable aperture. Both models will be available for pre-order this Saturday, September 12 (for reasons discussed elsewhere ) and will ship on September 18 . 10:39: This part could be painful. Yes, were looking at substantial price rises on both models. The iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,249, and the iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at $1,399 . Ouch. A pre-release render of the iPhone Ultra. Foundry iPhone Ultra 10:40: Were back with Ternus, who is summing up the iPhone 18 Pro announcements. Its our fiduciary responsibility to pass on increased manufacturing costs to the consumer, he smiles. 10:41: But were moving on. The screen darkens. Something dramatic is happening. 10:42: Product video time! Yes, its the foldable iPhone . And for the first time this morning, were seeing a completely new design . For Apple fans, of course, its a completely new product category. 10:44: As we revealed some time ago , the phone is available in just two color finishes : silver/white or Indigo Blue. But the plateau housing the camera module on the back is always black; it isnt matched to the main color. 10:45: The folding iPhone appears to have the stubbier dimensions that were leaked several months back; more passport than paperback. This is becoming an increasingly popular format (Samsungs Galaxy Z Fold 8 uses it, possibly inspired by Apple ) because it results in an unfolded screen thats rectangular rather than square. 10:46: And heres the slogan. iPhone Ultra: Offensively Expensive. So Apple did decide to go with the Ultra branding. Even though this may be a controversial choice . 10:47: To tell you more about iPhone Ultra, Ternus says, heres Barbara. Thats Barbara Lighthouse, Industrial Designer, iPhone, for those who arent familiar with her work. 10:48: Lighthouse is talking about the screen. This segment is reminiscent of the iPhone Air launch last year; Apple is making a special effort to anticipate and pre-empt customers concerns about the design . In this case, the company knows that anyone whos used or even seen a foldable will be wary about marks or creases appearing on the screen over time, but Lighthouse insists that Apple has solved the crease using ultra-thin glass and optically clear adhesive . The glass is thinner at the fold point to reduce stress during repeated use. 10:50: Just to cover the numbers, the Ultras screen specs are as follows: 5.4-inch (2088 x 1422) outer screen, 7.8-inch (2713 x 1920) inner screen. For comparison, the largest screen previously seen on an iPhone was the 6.9-inch display on the Pro Max. The Ultra (when unfolded) is pushing towards tablet territory; the first five generations of iPad mini had 7.9-inch screens, barely bigger at all. 10:51: The Ultras hinge (another potential concern for wary buyers) is made out of LiquidMetal , a zirconium-based alloy which is used for small, high-precision, high-performance parts. (Apple bought worldwide rights to this material 16 years ago, yet has found very few applications up to now: SIM ejector tools and possibly some watch parts.) 10:53: As a result of this unique advantage, the iPhone Ultra has the most durable hinge in the entire foldables market, says Lighthouse. The company has tested hundreds of thousands of folds, she says. 10:54: On the inside of that carefully designed chassis, the iPhone Ultra has some, but not all, of the capabilities of the iPhone 18 Pro. It does get the A20 Pro, so (depending on the RAM allocation, which Apple never announces) it should offer extremely fast performance. It also gets the C2 modem. 10:55: But the cameras arent quite on a par with the Pro models. The main camera is a dual- rather than triple-lens setup. Theres no telephoto lens and no variable aperture . 10:56: And theres no Face ID . The Ultra unlocks using a Touch ID sensor hidden in the power button. 10:57: Lighthouse says the Ultra contains the largest battery weve ever put in an iPhone. And talks about software optimisations which should ensure users get all-day life despite running two screens. Nevertheless, as we saw with the iPhone Air last year, the numbers are mildly disappointing for what is likely to be a very premium product: the Ultra lasts up to 34 hours , less than the 18 Pro, and a lot less than the 18 Pro Max. Still, its more than the 17 Pro (33 hours) and a lot more than the iPhone Air (27). 10:59: Talking of a premium product, heres the most important number. The iPhone Ultra starts at $2,199 . And heres another bombshell: it isnt available right away. Apple says only that its coming later in 2026. There had previously been rumors that it might arrive in December despite being announced in September, so well have to wait and see. 11:00: Were back with Ternus, whos wrapping up the iPhone Ultra announcements. If its too expensive, he says, you dont have to buy it. 11:01: But you will, he adds. 11:02: It seems the event is drawing to a close. Except Apple One more thing 11:03: Those three little words : One more thing 11:04: Time for another video. Whats Apple got in store for us? Were seeing screens: screens on the wall, screens on shelves, screens sitting on the nightstand. Their owners are using them to FaceTime, talk to Siri, check the weather, search the web, control the lights, and adjust the heating. Some are just being used as clocks. Its Apples long-rumored smart home hub . 11:06: Heres the slogan: HomeHub: Because What You Really Need Is Another Screen. 11:07: John Ternus is pumped. Apple is excited to push into the smart-home market and diversify our revenues going forward, he says. 11:08: The HomeHub comes in two versions, both based around a 7-inch screen . The more slimline version is essentially just the screen and can be hung on the wall (theres a magnetic attachment for this purpose); the second mounts this screen on a half dome like a HomePod mini cut in half. 11:10: Theres a clever feature based on facial recognition : the device is able to determine whos looking at it and adjust preferences in real time, with apps and content displayed that vary according to the user. It has Center Stage, of course, and looks perfect for videoconferencing. 11:11: The HomeHub costs $349 and is available to pre-order from September 12. It will ship on September 18. 11:12: Weve got lots more smart-home products on the way to drive growth metrics, says Ternus. And that wraps up the event for today. Foundry Welcome to our weekly Apple Breakfast column, which includes all the Apple news you missed last week in a handy bite-sized roundup. We call it Apple Breakfast because we think it goes great with a Monday morning cup of coffee or tea, but its cool if you want to give it a read during lunch or dinner hours too. Trending: Top stories 6 ways the fall iPhone event will Surprise and delight Apple fans. With an eye for hardware and a passion for smart design , John Ternus is the perfect CEO for this Apple era . Apples loaded September kicks off with huge launch this week . Mahmoud Itani explains why Apples folding iPhone will be Ultra in name only . An iPhone Ultra stylus would be a colossal mistake . Apple finally hits a VR home run . Podcast of the week Apple is set to reveal new iPhones on September 9, so on the latest episode of the Macworld Podcast, we talk about what to expect: the iPhone 18 Pro, new Apple Watches, and a new folding iPhone. You can catch every episode of the Macworld Podcast on YouTube , Spotify , Soundcloud , the Podcasts app , or our own site . The rumor mill Apples loaded September kicks off with huge launch this week. Apple Watch Series 12 features leaked ahead of Apples fall event. iPhone 18 Pro leak claims the A20 Pro will have dramatic GPU gains . Software updates, bugs, and problems iOS 27 will actually speed up your old iPhone heres the proof . And with that, were done for this weeks Apple Breakfast. If youd like to get regular roundups, sign up for our newsletters , including our new email from The Macalopean irreverent, humorous take on the latest news and rumors from a half-man, half-mythical Mac beast. You can also follow us on Facebook , Threads , Bluesky , or X for discussion of breaking Apple news stories. See you next Monday, and stay Appley.

7 Sep 2026 3:15 pm