Apple’s ‘Surprise and Shine’ Event: What to Expect from CEO John Ternus’s First Keynote

On September 9, the lights will go up at the Steve Jobs Theatre in Cupertino for what Apple is branding as its “Surprise and Shine” event. It isn’t just another product launch; it’s the first public stage for the company’s new CEO, John Ternus, who officially succeeded Tim Cook a week earlier.

Ternus is not a newcomer to Apple’s hardware‑centric culture. Over the past two decades he’s helped shape everything from the Cinema Display to the iPhone Air, and his résumé is peppered with successes that blend industrial design, silicon engineering and user experience. That background fuels a lot of speculation about what he’ll actually bring to the table this time around.

First on most fans’ wish‑lists is a foldable iPhone. Rumours have been swirling that the device will be dubbed “iPhone Ultra,” a name that would echo the company’s premium branding while signalling a radical shift in form‑factor – the biggest since the iPhone X scrapped the home button in 2017. If Ternus follows the pattern he set with the iPhone Air, the foldable will likely be more than a hinge‑and‑glass experiment; expect custom‑engineered chassis, bespoke silicon and a seamless integration of the modem, all aimed at delivering an experience that feels uniquely Apple.

Alongside the foldable, Apple is expected to roll out the next generation of its flagship line – the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. These models will probably stick to the design language we’ve grown accustomed to, with only subtle tweaks such as a slightly smaller Dynamic Island or refined camera modules. The usual “standard” iPhone 18 and the rumored iPhone Air could be delayed until the spring of 2027, hinting that Apple might be splitting its release cadence for the first time in years – premium devices now, more affordable ones later.

But the event won’t be limited to phones. Apple’s ecosystem of watches, earbuds and smart‑home gadgets usually gets a shout‑out, and industry insiders suspect a new Apple Watch iteration or an upgrade to the AirPods line could slip in. Even if the announcements are modest, the underlying theme will be how Ternus balances operational discipline with the push for fresh categories.

In short, the September 9 event is a litmus test. Will Ternus steer Apple toward steady, incremental upgrades, or will he use his first platform to make a bold, form‑factor leap? Whatever the outcome, the tech world will be watching – and, quite frankly, so will most of us who line up for the next Apple product frenzy.