In short: 4 things to remember
- 1. iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max — A20 Pro chip on 2nm, 48MP camera with variable aperture (a first), under-display Face ID.
- 2. The first foldable iPhone — titanium, ~4.5 mm open, no visible crease, Touch ID (not Face ID), $2,000+.
- 3. The standard iPhone 18 is NOT coming now — it’s delayed to spring 2027, alongside the 18e.
- 4. A new CEO — John Ternus, at his first keynote, plus the new iOS 27.
How to watch the keynote
- • When: Tuesday, September 9, 8:00 PM (Romania).
- • Where: live on apple.com, Apple’s YouTube channel and the Apple TV app. It’s pre-recorded — it starts right on time.
- • Pre-orders: Saturday, September 12 (moved off Friday, since September 11 is a sensitive date).
- • Deliveries: around September 18–19 for the Pro models.
iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max — the flagship
The Pro models remain the workhorse of the launch and, unlike the foldable, they’re upgrades you can recommend without reservation. Here’s what changes, point by point.
A20 Pro chip, on 2 nanometres
The biggest change „under the hood”: the move to TSMC’s 2 nm (N2) process — the first iPhone on 2nm. From leaks, the A20 Pro would have a GPU with 7 cores (up from 6 on the A19 Pro), a 6-core CPU (2 performance + 4 efficiency) and a 96-bit LPDDR5x memory interface — 50% wider than the previous generation’s 64-bit. In short: more performance, especially in graphics and AI, at lower power. This also brings Apple’s own C2 modem, the second generation, which keeps replacing third-party parts and optimises signal and battery life.
Camera: 48MP with variable aperture (a first)
The big photography news is a variable aperture on the 48MP main camera — for the first time on an iPhone. In practice, you control depth of field and how much light comes in, exactly like a „real” camera: more natural bokeh, more creative control. On the front, the selfie camera jumps to 24MP (double the 12MP on the iPhone 17 Pro Max), with improved sensors.
Display: smaller Dynamic Island, under-display Face ID
Apple moves the Face ID components under the screen, and the Dynamic Island shrinks noticeably — more usable screen and a step toward the „all-screen” design. Face recognition stays (unlike the foldable), the sensors just become nearly invisible.
Design, colours and storage
The premium titanium build stays. Colours circulating in the press: Desert Gold Titanium, Space Black, Natural Titanium and, possibly, a new warmer/more expressive shade. Expected storage tiers: 256GB, 512GB, 1TB and 2TB.
Price (estimates from reports, not official)
The iPhone 18 Pro Max could start at ~$1,399 (vs $1,199 for the 17 Pro Max — a ~$200 bump), amid rising production costs (reports mention +40% on some components and higher DRAM/NAND memory prices). Official Romanian prices are announced after the event and are higher, with VAT and import.
See also our dedicated analysis: iPhone 18 Pro Max — the M16 display, LTPO+ and the repair impact.
The first foldable iPhone ever
After years of rumours, Apple is finally entering the foldable world. It’s a „book-style” phone (like a Galaxy Z Fold): it opens from a normal phone into a mini-tablet. The unofficial names circulating are iPhone Fold or iPhone Ultra. According to reports, it’s Apple’s most ambitious hardware in years — and the most expensive iPhone ever.
How Apple tackled the crease: according to reports, the company pursued eliminating the visible crease „regardless of cost”. The inner display is supplied by Samsung, and the metal plates beneath it (from maker Fine M-Tec) are attached via a laser-drilling process, precisely to distribute stress and „hide” the fold. The hinge is redesigned (there’s even talk of a liquid-metal hinge), and the whole assembly combines ultra-thin glass, a reinforcing structure and special adhesives.
The first-generation trade-offs: to fit everything into a ~4.5 mm body, Apple dropped Face ID (back to Touch ID in the button) and the telephoto lens (just two cameras). It’s technically impressive, but it remains a first-generation product, with a top-tier price and the reliability unknowns common to any new foldable.
Who it’s for: enthusiasts, early adopters and those who want „the newest and best” — and have the budget for it. For everyone else, an iPhone 18 Pro or an iPhone 17 remains the rational choice.
⚠️ What’s NOT coming on September 9: the standard iPhone 18
The year’s biggest surprise: Apple is splitting its launch in two. September brings only the Pro models and the foldable. The standard iPhone 18 and the affordable 18e are delayed to spring 2027.
Why? Analysts cite three reasons:
- 1. The A20 Pro chip is limited (2nm, expensive to produce) — Apple prioritises it for high-margin models.
- 2. A clean marketing moment — no internal cannibalisation, each line gets its own spotlight.
- 3. Two sales windows — the Pros catch the holiday season, the standard brings a second wave in spring.
What it means for you: if you wanted a „regular” iPhone, you won’t find it now. You have two realistic options — wait until 2027, or buy an iPhone 17 now, which is still excellent (and which we repair, set up and fit with a genuine battery/screen anytime).
Apple Watch, AirPods and smart home
Apple Watch Series 12
A new chip (S12), but the star is health: a leap in blood-pressure monitoring, with a doubled sensor array (reports mention ~8 sensors) for more accurate hypertension detection, plus AI wellness features and better battery life.
Apple Watch Ultra 4
A faster chip and expanded satellite features — from maps to sending photos via Messages over satellite — plus fitness improvements for endurance athletes.
New AirPods + smart home
A new AirPods generation and a few smart-home products are expected. In total, up to 6–8 devices on stage.
Software: iOS 27 and the new AI Siri
The new phones run iOS 27, which arrives in the fall for compatible older models too. The biggest change is a fully redesigned Siri, with generative AI — it behaves more like ChatGPT or Claude than the old assistant, more contextual and more personal (an English beta comes toward the end of 2026). Apple Intelligence expands: better writing tools, image generation via a private cloud model, Safari organising tabs into topics and monitoring pages for changes, Photos with „Spatial Reframing” editing and improved Clean Up. The „Liquid Glass” design gets refinements, and the foldable runs a version adapted for the large screen.
Watch the security/parts side too: iOS 27 brings 3 new iPhone locking systems — especially relevant if you buy a second-hand phone.
The new CEO’s first keynote: John Ternus
Beyond the products, September 9 is a historic moment: it’s the first keynote delivered by John Ternus as Apple’s CEO. Ternus took the role on September 1, 2026, after 15 years of Tim Cook leading the company (Cook stays on as executive chairman of the board). Ternus has been at Apple since 2001, led hardware engineering and oversaw major launches such as iPad and AirPods — a „product” person, at exactly the moment of a record-setting launch. Fittingly, his first keynote is also the one where Apple makes its biggest design leap in years: the first foldable.
What it means for you, in Romania
- • Prices: official RO prices appear after the event. With VAT and import, the final price is higher than in the US — the foldable will most likely be the most expensive phone on the market.
- • Availability: the Pro models and the foldable arrive in waves; the „regular” iPhone — only in 2027. If you need one now, the iPhone 17 is the logical choice.
- • Repairs: a foldable brings real challenges (hinge, ultra-thin glass, titanium chassis, Touch ID in the button), and the Pro models continue with parts pairing and, via iOS 27, expanded component locking. We track every generation closely, so we know exactly what can be repaired and how.
- • If you keep your current phone: the best cheap „upgrade” is often a genuine battery or a new screen. We keep your iPhone like new until you decide.
Wait, buy now, or get the foldable?
You want „safe and sure”
iPhone 17 (now) or iPhone 18 Pro (after launch). Proven reliability, available parts, easy service.
You want the brand-new
The foldable. Spectacular and unique, but a first generation and a top-tier price. For enthusiasts and early adopters.
You want a „regular” iPhone
Be patient until 2027 — or get an iPhone 17 now. The standard 18 simply isn’t coming in September.
We won’t tell you what to buy — we give you the facts, you decide. And whatever you choose, we’ll maintain your device properly.
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Sources: Apple Newsroom (CEO transition), MacRumors, Macworld, AppleInsider, MacRumors — iPhone Fold, MacRumors — iOS 27. Details about products not yet officially announced are reports and rumours and may change at the event.