iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Ultra: Bloomberg analyst tips likely Apple launch date

It seems pretty clear at this point what we can expect from Apple’s September 2026 event. In addition to the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, the new Apple CEO will likely spend a lot of time presenting the first foldable iPhone, which could be unveiled as the iPhone Ultra or iPhone Fold. Also, the Apple Watch Series 12 and a new Apple Watch Ultra 4 are expected to launch as well but not the iPhone 18 and iPhone Air 2, which are likely to be postponed until spring 2027, if previous rumors and leaks are to be believed.

Bloomberg’s Apple analyst Mark Gurman has already emphasized this on multiple occasions. Last weekend he also commented on the most likely September launch date in his weekly Power On newsletter. According to him, there can really only be two dates for Apple’s next major event after the summer break: either Tuesday, September 8, 2026, or Wednesday, September 9, 2026. Apple s opted for September 9 in each of the past two years—once on a Tuesday and once on a Monday in 2024.

Whether Gurman's prediction for 2026 are correct will likely not be officially confirmed until a week before the launch date, though there could still be some surprises. In the years prior to 2024, the September launch events also happened earlier or later - according to Gurman, it’s usually the first Tuesday or Wednesday after Labor Day in the U.S. If September 8 or September 9, 2026 turns out to be correct, pre-orders are likely to begin on September 11, the iPhone 18 Pro generation and in particular the iPhone Ultra are likely to be significantly more expensive though.