CNBC and Reuters reported that Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) will hold its next product launch event on September 9 at Apple Park in Cupertino, marking incoming CEO John Ternus’s first major event since taking over from Tim Cook. He became executive chairman on September 1.
Analysts expect Apple to reveal the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, its first foldable iPhone, and new Apple Watch models, along with a new AI-powered “Siri AI” assistant. Bank of America analysts wrote in an August note that “Ternus could cement Apple’s device dominance in an AI enabled era.” Samsung Electronics currently dominates the still-niche foldable smartphone market, and a Samsung mobile executive told CNN that broader competition in the category would help, saying “the more visibility there is on the category, the better.”
Bull Case
The foldable iPhone could become a genuine new revenue and margin driver rather than another incremental refresh. Analysts expect the premium device to lift Apple’s average selling prices and margins, giving the company a new high-end product category instead of another year of iterative Pro-model upgrades.
Even Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)’s biggest foldable rival is publicly welcoming its entry. Samsung’s own mobile product management executive said more players in the category would increase visibility and help the market overall. It suggests Apple’s foldable could expand total demand rather than simply redistributing existing Samsung sales.
The iPhone 18 launch also gives new CEO John Ternus an opportunity to show Apple’s hardware and AI strategy from the outset of his tenure. Expected upgrades such as the 2-nanometer A20 Pro chip could strengthen the iPhone’s performance and AI capabilities. Bank of America described Ternus’s leadership as an opportunity to cement “Apple’s device dominance in an AI-enabled era.” A successful launch could therefore give investors greater confidence in Apple’s ability to compete in AI-powered devices.
Bear Case
The CEO transition creates more scrutiny around this year’s launch. Ternus has never led an iPhone launch as chief executive, and investors will closely evaluate his messaging, product strategy and ability to build confidence during his first major public event in the role. A weak reception could therefore attract disproportionate attention during an already closely watched leadership transition.
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) is entering the foldable category as a follower, years after Samsung has already iterated through multiple generations of devices. Samsung’s continued dominance of that “niche but growing” market means Apple’s foldable, however anticipated, must differentiate itself against a mature competitor rather than defining the category from scratch.
This cycle’s lineup is narrower than a typical full refresh, limiting near-term volume upside. Reports indicate the standard iPhone 18 will not launch until next year, meaning this event covers only the Pro and Pro Max models plus the foldable, a smaller update to Apple’s mass-market volume driver than investors might otherwise expect from a September event.
Years of anticipation have set an unusually high bar for the foldable’s reception. A product this widely covered and long-awaited faces a higher threshold for what counts as a successful launch, and any shortcomings in price, weight, or software polish could generate an outsized negative reaction precisely because expectations have built up for so long.
Hedge Fund Data
Insider Monkey’s database shows Apple was held by 169 hedge funds in the second quarter of 2026, essentially flat from 170 in the first quarter. Microsoft, the closest large-cap technology peer by fund ownership, was held by 273 funds, down slightly from 282 funds a quarter earlier.
Conclusion
This product launch gives Apple a big opportunity to strengthen its hardware and AI strategy. However, market expectations remain high. A foldable iPhone could open a highly profitable new premium revenue stream, while AI-centered upgrades give new CEO John Ternus a chance to prove his leadership with a strong product cycle.
Still, Apple enters the foldable category behind Samsung, and investors will closely inspect both the new leadership and the products. The launch has upside, but Apple must deliver enough innovation to justify the heavy expectations already built into the stock.
READ NEXT: Amazon (AMZN) is About to 6X Its Drone Delivery Footprint to Compete With Rivals Like DoorDash (DASH) and Alphabet (GOOGL)’s Early SpaceX (SPCX) Investment Skyrockets 100-Fold to $94 Billion Over a Decade.
