Apple’s biggest event of the year is finally here. On September 9, the company is hosting its “Surprise and Shine” keynote — a launch expected to introduce the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, Apple’s first-ever foldable iPhone, a new Apple Watch, and possibly a fresh AirPods lineup. It’s also a milestone event for another reason: it marks John Ternus‘s first keynote as Apple’s CEO. Here’s a complete, easy-to-follow guide covering when the event starts, how to watch it live, what’s expected to launch, and how much the new iPhones could cost in India.
When Is the Apple iPhone 18 Event and How to Watch It Live
Apple’s September 9 keynote kicks off at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time (1:00 p.m. Eastern), which translates to 10:30 p.m. IST for viewers in India. As always, the presentation will be a polished, pre-recorded video rather than a live on-stage keynote, though members of the press have been invited to watch in person at Apple Park.
You don’t need an invite to watch, though. Apple is livestreaming the event through multiple channels, so you can tune in using whichever is most convenient:
- Apple’s official website — head to apple.com/apple-events and click the live stream link
- YouTube — Apple’s official channel will carry a live countdown and the full stream
- Apple TV app — available on smart TVs, streaming boxes, iPhone, iPad, and Mac
- Apple Store app — also mirrors the live keynote
No sign-up or subscription is required, and the stream works fine in any modern browser, including Safari, Chrome, and Firefox.
What’s Expected to Launch: iPhone 18 Pro, Pro Max, and the Foldable iPhone
The headline act is the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, which are rumored to keep a familiar design language close to last year’s iPhone 17 Pro models while sharpening the details. Leaks point to a new Apple A20 chip built on a 2nm process, a smaller Dynamic Island (possibly swapped for a pinhole cutout), and a triple 48MP rear camera setup with a variable aperture — a first for the Pro Max. New finishes are also expected, including whispers of a Dark Cherry shade for the Pro Max and a Blue option for the standard Pro.
The bigger story, though, is Apple’s long-rumored foldable iPhone — widely referred to as the iPhone Ultra (some leaks have also floated the name “iPhone Duo” or “iPhone Fold”). It’s tipped to arrive in a book-style, horizontal folding design with a roughly 7.8-inch crease-free inner display and a 5.5-inch outer screen, putting it in direct competition with Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold series. Camera-wise, expectations are more modest than the Pro line, with reports suggesting just a dual 48MP setup and no telephoto lens. Given how new the manufacturing process is, supply is expected to be extremely limited at launch, with some reports suggesting Apple’s assembly lines are producing only a few hundred units a day.
Alongside the phones, Apple is also expected to refresh its wearables lineup with the Apple Watch Series 12 and possibly an Apple Watch Ultra 4, along with updated AirPods — potentially a new AirPods generation and an AirPods Pro refresh with a shared USB-C charging case across the range.
iPhone 18 Pro Price in India: What to Expect
While Apple hasn’t confirmed pricing, multiple leaks ahead of the launch suggest Indian buyers should brace for a price hike. According to tipster Yogesh Brar, the iPhone 18 Pro could start at around ₹1,44,900, roughly ₹10,000 more than the iPhone 17 Pro’s ₹1,34,900 starting price. The iPhone 18 Pro Max is tipped to launch at approximately ₹1,59,900.
The foldable iPhone Ultra, unsurprisingly, is expected to be Apple’s most expensive smartphone ever in India, with leaks pointing to a starting price of around ₹2,49,900 — comfortably ahead of Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, which currently retails at ₹1,99,999.
On the specifications front, listings tracking the iPhone 18 Pro point to a 6.3-inch OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, 12GB of RAM, 256GB of base storage, a triple 48MP rear camera system, a 48MP front camera, and a roughly 4,288mAh battery running iOS 26 out of the box. It’s also expected to support Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0, and dual eSIM.
Final Thoughts
Between a redesigned Pro lineup, Apple’s first true foldable, and a keynote led by a new CEO, this year’s Apple event carries more weight than usual. Availability could be a challenge initially — especially for the foldable — with the US likely getting first dibs and other markets, including India, following in a staggered rollout. If you want to catch every announcement as it happens, set a reminder for 10:30 p.m. IST and head to Apple’s website or YouTube channel to watch the “Surprise and Shine” event live.