Apple has taken its online store offline ahead of tonight's "surprise and shine" product launch event, signaling imminent updates to its retail lineup.
Visitors trying to access the store at around 12:10pm BST were greeted with a notice reading: "Be right back. We're making updates to the Apple Store. Check back soon." The landing page also provided a link for users to watch the upcoming presentation.
The temporary closure sparked instant reaction among fans on X. One user wrote, "The Apple Store is officially down! We are in the END GAME," while another noted that the store had entered "maintenance mode." A third user joked, "APPLE STORE IS DARK. The annual ritual of digital purgatory has begun."
The event begins at 10am California time (6pm UK time) at the Steve Jobs Theater inside Apple Park, the company's headquarters in Cupertino. Press and invited guests will attend in person, while others can stream the broadcast on the Apple Events page, Apple's YouTube channel, or via live coverage.
Tonight marks the first product launch presented by new chief executive John Ternus, 51, who officially succeeded Tim Cook on September 1. Cook stepped aside after 15 years as CEO to become executive chairman.
Industry analyst Paolo Pescatore, founder of PP Foresight, noted that "Apple events typically do not disappoint, and expectations will be sky-high this time around." Rebecca Crook, chief executive of tech consultancy MSQ DX, described the date as Apple's "most significant in years," citing both the expected hardware changes and the leadership transition.
Foldable iPhone Ultra debut
The flagship announcement of the evening is expected to be Apple's first foldable smartphone, reportedly named the iPhone Ultra. The device represents the company's first major design overhaul since the original iPhone launched nearly two decades ago.
Industry sources suggest the handset will match the form factor of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8, featuring a 5.3-inch outer screen and a 7.7-inch folding inner display. When unfolded, the inner display offers an aspect ratio similar to Apple's largest iPad tablets.
According to Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, the iPhone Ultra will not include a telephoto camera lens found on other premium smartphones. However, leaks indicate the device features an improved, nearly creaseless display with enhanced durability, available at launch in black and white.
The ultra-premium device is expected to carry a price tag exceeding $2,000 (£1,470). Design leaks surfaced one week prior to the event, offering an early glimpse of the proposed chassis.
iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max upgrades
Apple is also set to introduce the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, serving as successors to the iPhone 17 Pro Max. The new models are expected to feature an under-display Face ID sensor, removing the black notch cutout from the top of the display.
Mark Gurman reported that the flagship handsets will deliver the largest camera hardware upgrade in recent years, highlighted by a variable aperture telephoto lens. The mechanical lens allows precise control over incoming light for improved photography in extreme dark or bright environments.
Under the hood, the iPhone 18 Pro series will feature upgraded processors designed to execute demanding artificial intelligence workloads. Ben Wood, chief marketing officer at CCS Insight, said Apple will heavily promote software enhancements such as Siri AI and Apple Intelligence, though "it is the hardware that will grab the headlines."
AirPods 5 line and camera rumors
The event is expected to feature the unveiling of the AirPods 5 alongside a version with Active Noise Cancellation, replacing the AirPods 4 introduced in 2024. The new wireless earbuds are anticipated to offer refined audio quality, extended battery life, and updated health monitoring features.
The release follows speculation generated by a leaked macOS 26.7 RC video published on August 18 by developer @aaronp613, which showed camera-equipped earbuds utilizing Visual Intelligence for Siri context. The leak divided observers, with some raising privacy concerns and labeling them "PervertPods."
However, Mark Gurman clarified that camera-enabled AirPods are not scheduled to launch until at least 2027, making tonight's update a standard hardware revision rather than a radical redesign.
Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4
Apple is expected to update its smartwatch lineup with the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4. The Series 12 will introduce a faster processor, improved energy efficiency, new watch band options, and the return of a premium ceramic case option.
The Apple Watch Ultra 4 is rumoured to include upgraded health sensors for increased accuracy and lower power consumption. Reports indicate a new blood pressure alert system may be included, though Apple's long-rumoured blood sugar monitor remains in development and will not appear.
HomePod Mini 2 smart speaker
Six years after releasing the original HomePod Mini, Apple is expected to unveil the HomePod Mini 2 to complement its expanding artificial intelligence tools. Code references discovered by MacRumors in the macOS 26.7 beta list an unreleased device under codename "B525," following the original model's "B520" designation.
The updated smart speaker is expected to feature a new chipset capable of processing local AI tasks and supporting an upgraded version of Siri.
Five decades of Apple history
Apple was founded on April 1, 1976, by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne, launching with the hand-built Apple I computer kit. The company released the mass-market Apple II in June 1977, before Jobs became chairman in 1981.
In 1984, Apple introduced the Macintosh during a Super Bowl television advertisement, officially unveiling it on February 6. The Macintosh was discontinued a year later, leading to Jobs' departure from the company. Apple released its first color computer, the Macintosh II, in 1987.
Jobs returned as interim CEO in 1997 after Apple acquired NeXT software for $400 million, assuming the role permanently in 2000. Under his leadership, Apple introduced iTunes, OS X, and the original iPod on October 23, 2001, which held up to 1,000 songs.
Apple revolutionized mobile technology with the launch of the original iPhone in 2007, followed by the iPad in 2010. Jobs resigned due to illness in 2011, naming Tim Cook as CEO before passing away from pancreatic cancer in October of that year.
Under Tim Cook, Apple expanded into wearables with the Apple Watch in 2014, acquired Beats in 2015 to launch Apple Music, and introduced the 4-inch iPhone SE in 2016. That same year, Apple resolved a high-profile legal dispute with the FBI over an encrypted iPhone linked to the San Bernardino shooting, after federal agents unlocked the device via a third party on March 28.
The company introduced Face ID and an edge-to-edge screen on the iPhone X in 2017, added screen-time management tools to iOS 12 in 2018, and reported its first revenue decline in a decade in January 2019 due to slowing sales in China. Retail locations outside China temporarily closed in March 2020 amid the coronavirus pandemic.
In April 2021, Cook pledged that Apple would achieve carbon neutrality. The company added car crash detection sensors to the iPhone 14 in 2022, brought back the HomePod smart speaker in 2023, and launched Apple Intelligence in 2024 before handing executive leadership to John Ternus on September 1, 2026.
