Apple's Surprise and Shine event under new CEO John Ternus introduced the foldable iPhone Ultra above $2000, variable aperture cameras and Reference Image on iPhone 18 Pro models, Apple Watch Series 12 with 60x more frequent heart monitoring, AirPods 5 with ANC at $129, iOS 27 with Siri AI beta, and Apple Care One Family. The announcements emphasize imaging authenticity, health tracking, and ecosystem expansion in the AI era.
Apple's Surprise and Shine event, its first under CEO John Ternus, centered on imaging advances, health sensing, AI capabilities, and entry into foldable devices.
The company unveiled the foldable iPhone Ultra priced above $2,000, while both iPhone 18 Pro models received a variable aperture camera previously expected to be limited to the Pro Max.
Both iPhone 18 Pro models will feature a variable aperture camera. The company created an assembly of six laser-cut blades, each thinner than a human hair, that automatically adapts to scenes and admits approximately 50% more light in darker conditions while enabling post-capture cinematic effects and 60 fps half-speed video.
Variable aperture reaches both Pro models.
The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will include a smaller Dynamic Island capable of displaying up to three simultaneous Live Activities. Apple introduced Reference Image on the iPhone 18 Pro to cryptographically authenticate that camera photos have not been altered by AI afterward, allowing users to view the digital negative if changes occurred.
Reference Image creates cryptographic proof of original captures.
The Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 feature an upgraded health tracking system that measures heart rate every five seconds. That represents a 60x frequency increase over previous models. The devices add a new readiness score, Audio Intelligence with sound recognition, live rewind transcription, and Siri recaps while running on the new S11 chip.
The new models share an upgraded heart rate monitor as the centerpiece of their health sensing system.
Apple launched AirPods 5 featuring up to 50% more noise cancellation than AirPods 4. The entry-level model starts at $129 while the wireless charging version is $149.
AirPods 5 deliver 50 percent more noise reduction than AirPods 4.
Apple will release iOS 27 on September 14 featuring Siri AI as an English-only beta, with additional languages slated for October. The update includes a Liquid Glass opacity slider, refreshed app icons, extra large widgets, a smaller Lock Screen clock option, and separate volume controls for different audio categories.
Siri AI represents the major upgrade that had been previewed in earlier briefings before being held back.
Apple introduced Apple Care One Family, allowing one monthly subscription to protect all Apple devices across an entire household. The plan will initially be available only in the US.
Under new CEO John Ternus, Apple combined a halo foldable product with tools that address AI-generated imagery concerns and expanded premium features to more affordable devices in its ecosystem. The upgrades to health tracking, earbuds, and software reinforce the company's position in wearables, services, and daily utility.
This marks a significant moment as he steps into the spotlight with a new halo product.
Apple received FCC authorization on 2026-09-09 for Wireless Earbud model A3532, the Surprise and Shine event was the first iPhone keynote led by Ternus, and the standard iPhone 18 may slip to next year amid rising costs.
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