Apple launches new hardware wave

What's happened

Apple has unveiled a wide set of devices at its September keynote and signalled a hardware-first strategy under new CEO John Ternus. The company has revealed the foldable iPhone Duo, iPhone 18 Pro with the A20 chip, AirPods 5 and two refreshed Apple Watch lines while previewing upgraded Siri and a stretched product roadmap through 2027.

What's behind the headline?

What changed

• Apple has shifted visible emphasis back to hardware under John Ternus, who has led the September keynote and highlighted a catalogue of new devices.

Why this matters

• The foldable iPhone Duo will reposition Apple inside a segment dominated by Samsung and Huawei. Apple will use premium pricing to signal status and drive margin recovery after recent price moves.
• The iPhone 18 Pro’s A20 chip and longer battery life will extend Apple’s performance lead in flagship phones and will force competitors to match both silicon and power efficiency.
• A broader Siri rollout that integrates on-device and cloud features will make AI feel like a device capability rather than a separate product line.

Who benefits

• Apple’s hardware suppliers, custom silicon partners and high-end retail channels will capture the first gains; investors have already driven the stock higher on product excitement.
• Rivals that sell foldables and premium devices face renewed pressure as Apple will use design and ecosystem advantages to take share.

Risks and limits

• High price points for the foldable Duo and memory-driven component cost pressures will constrain unit growth and will keep the category niche in the near term.
• Delivering AI features across older devices will be limited by existing hardware, so Apple will rely on newer handsets and services revenue to monetise the upgrades.

What comes next

• Apple will roll out these products and expanded Siri through late 2026 and into the first half of 2027. That will increase revenue from device upgrades and will force competitors to accelerate foldable designs and on-device AI optimisations.

How we got here

Apple has been preparing a run of new device categories since the leadership transition announced in April. John Ternus has taken the CEO role and Apple has scheduled major product releases across late 2026 and the first half of 2027 to push hardware innovation alongside AI features.

Our analysis

Bloomberg covered the product reveals and the company’s longer roadmap, noting that Apple has "a lot more in store for this year and the first half of 2027" and that releases "will vault Apple into whole new areas, such as smart-home screens." Bloomberg reported the keynote details, saying the iPhone Duo appeared toward the end of an "nearly 80-minute-long presentation" and that Apple touted upgrades to "its artificial intelligence-powered Siri." Bloomberg also highlighted technical specifics: the Pro models use the speedier A20 chip and offer "the longest battery life in iPhone history." The Guardian provided colour on the leadership handover and public debut of CEO John Ternus, quoting him saying he is "profoundly grateful" and that he is excited about the products already in the works. The Guardian framed the event as a symbolic start to a new era under Ternus and noted his long tenure at Apple. Al Jazeera emphasised the strategic logic behind Ternus’s promotion, arguing his hardware background signals a renewed focus on devices and reporting that Apple is planning to ship foldables and expand Siri with more personalised features, including scanning personal messages for context. TechCrunch and the Independent underlined that Ternus will centre hardware and that Apple is preparing a wide pipeline of new form factors beyond traditional iPhones and Watches. Together the outlets show a common narrative: Apple has pivoted visibly to hardware innovation under new leadership, launching flagship silicon, a foldable device and upgraded services while signalling a steady cadence of releases through 2027.

Go deeper

• How will Apple price and distribute the foldable iPhone Duo globally?
• Which existing iPhone models will support the upgraded Siri features?
• How quickly will competitors respond with new foldable or AI-optimised devices?

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