Surprise and Shine Apple Event Bingo
Apple’s annual September event is here! A foldable iPhone, the possibility of a ceramic Apple Watch, and new home devices could make this a big one.
On Wednesday, August 26, 2026, Apple announced their September event, which for more than a decade has meant new iPhones & new Apple Watches are set to debut. This will also be the inaugural Apple Event with new Apple CEO John Ternus at the helm.
This year, all eyes on on whether Apple will announce the long-rumoured foldable iPhone, alongside the iPhone 18 Pro lineup and a new generation of Apple Watches. And there’s even the possibility that a ceramic watch case is set to return after a 7 year hiatus. There’s even the possibility that a ceramic Apple Watch case could return after a seven-year hiatus. But there’s still plenty we don’t know about the event, including whether Apple will finally unveil its long-rumoured Home accessories.
This Bingo Board represents my picks for what Apple will showcase during the event: a mix of rumours, dark-horse candidates, stagecraft predictions, and things I simply want to be true despite having absolutely zero evidence to support them.
Follow along, have fun, and enjoy the Surprise & Shine event!
BINGO 101
Winning in Bingo means completing a specific pattern on your card, in this case, a row, column, diagonal, or the entire card. The "Good Morning Free Space" in the centre is already marked and can be part of any winning pattern.
Suprise & Shine Bingo Board
The Bingo Board is available to download as a PNG or PDF, and I've added a more printer-friendly PDF so you don't end up using all your toner printing this card (but if you're at work during the event, you have my permission to print the full-colour PDF).
Picks Explained
The predictions for this board were collected between August 30 and September 03rd and finalized on September 04, 2026.
AirPods 5 Announced
Apple has a pretty good track record of releasing new AirPods alongside the iPhone. In 2022, the second-generation AirPods Pro debuted alongside the iPhone 14, followed by the USB-C refresh a year later at the iPhone 15 event. AirPods 4 arrived alongside the iPhone 16 in 2024, and last year, the AirPods Pro 3 were also announced at the September iPhone event.
If Apple does decide to release AirPods 5 at this event, they could come with updated chips, perhaps that heart rate sensor the Beats and Pro 3s got, and a handful of improvements to things like noise cancellation, audio quality, and battery life.
Event duration: +90 minutes
Each year, I try to predict the runtime of Apple’s iPhone event. Over the last nine events, the average has landed around 91 minutes, with the online years generally coming in shorter than the in-person shows.
This year feels like it could be a packed one. Between the foldable iPhone, the iPhone Pros, new Apple Watches, and the possibility that Apple’s long-rumoured home accessories finally make an appearance, I’m putting my money on the event running just shy of 90 minutes.
September iPhone Event History:
2025 Apple Event was 72 minutes
2024 Apple Event was 99 minutes
2023 Apple Event was 83 minutes
2022 Apple Event was 95 minutes
2021 Apple Event was 79 minutes
2020 Apple Event was 71 minutes
2019 Apple Event was 102 minutes
2018 Apple Event was 107 minutes
2017 Apple Event was 116 minutes
iPhone 18 Pro gets Apple's C2 Cellular chip
Apple has been slowly rolling out its own cellular modem across more of its devices. The C1 chip first debuted in the iPhone 16e in 2025, before being followed by the C1X later that year, which has since appeared in the M5 iPad Pro, iPhone 17e, and M4 iPad Air. Apple’s modem efforts have been received favourably so far, particularly for their lower power consumption and the battery life improvements that come with it. It wouldn’t surprise me if this is the event where Apple finally brings its own cellular modem to the Pro iPhones as well.
Note: It’ll be interesting to see whether Apple debuts the C2 chip in markets outside the US while continuing to use Qualcomm modems stateside, as Apple’s cellular chips still don’t support the mmWave 5G bands used in the United States.
At Least One iPhone 18 Pro Model Gets a Variable Aperture
There are rumours that Apple could introduce a mechanical aperture with this year’s iPhone 18 Pro lineup, bringing a feature to the camera system that Apple has mimicked through software since introducing Portrait mode with the iPhone 7 Plus.
A mechanical aperture would allow the camera to physically control how much light enters the lens, while also giving photos a more natural and customizable depth of field than what can typically be recreated digitally.
I had wondered if this might end up being a Pro Max exclusive feature, but a MacRumors article from earlier this year suggests it will land in both Pro models.
Apple Finally Updates the HomePod mini
By the time the September keynote rolls around, the HomePod mini will have gone 2,156 days without an update. Similarly, the HomePod itself will have gone more than 1,300 days without a refresh.
With Apple rumoured to have held back several of its home devices while it worked on rebuilding Siri AI, it makes sense that, if the company does announce a broader smart home initiative at this event, devices like the HomePod mini could finally get a long-overdue update too.
iPhone 18 Pro & iPhone 18 Pro Max Announced
In a shift from Apple’s long-established release format, the company is expected to announce only the iPhone 18 Pro lineup, and possibly its long-rumoured foldable iPhone, at this event, saving the standard iPhone 18 for a separate launch in the spring of 2027.
Apple has long been rumoured to be moving toward a biannual iPhone release cycle, with its most premium models arriving in the fall and the rest of the lineup following sometime in the spring.
So for this event, we’re fully expecting a refresh to the Pro lineup, though no major changes to the overall form factor are anticipated. That redesign happened last year.
Lil' Finder Guy Makes an Appearance
We saw the briefest appearance of Apple’s lil’ mascot at WWDC, so I’m swinging again on the hope that another Lil Finder Guy Easter egg gets snuck into this event somewhere.
Apple Unveils a Foldable iPhone
At long last, we might finally see Apple’s first foldable device. Expected to start somewhere between $2,000–$2,500 USD, the device is rumoured to feature a book-like design with a 5.5-inch external display that opens into a nearly creaseless 7.8-inch inner display, resembling an iPad mini.
How Apple will handle software on the foldable remains to be seen, but at WWDC we saw Apple update iPhone Mirroring to allow dynamic window resizing, strongly hinting at Apple's upcoming foldable device.
The iPhone Fold, or iPhone Ultra as it’s often referred to, is expected to come in Silver and a darker colour, using a titanium/aluminium construction and a thin design similar to what Apple debuted with the iPhone Air last year.
A Secret Location is Accessed via Whimsical Transition
In addition to the expected drone footage around Apple Park, at some point, we'll transition from one place to the next via a fancy corridor, a tricked-out golf cart, an escape hatch, a portal, or a secret underground tunnel accessed via the fountain inside the courtyard of Apple Park.
Foldable iPhone is US Only at Launch
I really don’t want this one to be true, but with Apple expected to produce a relatively small number of these devices at launch, there are some whispers suggesting that the first wave of foldable iPhones could be exclusive to the US, with Apple expanding the device to other markets in the future.
iPhone Foldable Uses Touch ID Biometric Authentication
Face ID has been an authentication method on Apple’s iPhones for nearly a decade, dating all the way back to the iPhone X. But with Apple’s upcoming foldable, the company is rumoured to be making a return to Touch ID. That could simply come down to keeping the device as thin as possible, but there’s also a more practical explanation: with both an external and internal display, Touch ID would give you a consistent way to unlock the phone regardless of how you’re using it.
Sky Blue iPhone 18 Pro Colour
Sorry, Cosmic Orange lovers, but it looks like your favourite colour may be on the way out. Sky Blue, and possibly a Merlot Red colourway, are expected to take its place in the new iPhone 18 Pro lineup.
Both colours have been rumoured for months, with Sky Blue looking all but confirmed after Apple released an event invite heavily adorned in the colour.
Foldable iPhone is Called iPhone Ultra
Although the name of the device isn’t currently known, my pick, and one that’s commonly floated online, is that Apple’s foldable will be called the iPhone Ultra.
Base iPhone 18 Pro Lineup Price Increases by $200.
RAMmaggedon has forced nearly everyone to dramatically raise their prices. Everything from memory sticks to decade-old consoles has gotten more expensive just to keep up, and Apple is no different. On June 26, Apple dramatically increased prices across nearly its entire product lineup, with two notable exceptions: the iPhone and Apple Watch. With nearly everything else Apple sells seeing double-digit percentage increases, except the Polishing Cloth, which somehow got cheaper, it's entirely expected that the iPhone 18 Pro lineup and Apple Watch finally get their turn this year.
Apple has disguised price increases before by removing the lowest storage tier. For example, Apple could eliminate the 128GB option and make 256GB the new base model at the same price the 256GB model already sold for. Technically, the price of that configuration hasn’t increased, but by removing the cheaper model, Apple also eliminates the option with the smallest margins and requires everyone buying the base device to spend more. With the iPhone 17 Pro, though, 256GB is already the base storage tier at $1,099, and I have a hard time seeing Apple eliminate it entirely and jump straight to 512GB, which currently costs $1,299.
Current Prices (in USD)
iPhone 17 Pro:
256GB iPhone 17 Pro: $1,099 (Base)
512GB iPhone 17 Pro: $1,299 (+200 over base)
1TB iPhone 17 Pro: $1,499 (+400 over base)
iPhone 17 Pro Max:
256GB iPhone 17 Pro Max: $1,199 (Base)
512GB iPhone 17 Pro Max: $1,399 (+200 over base)
1TB iPhone 17 Pro Max: $1,599 (+400 over base)
2TB iPhone 17 Pro Max: $1,999 (+800 over base)
Apple Watch Ultra & Series 11:
Apple Watch Ultra 3: $799
Apple Watch Series 11 42mm Aluminium: $399
Apple Watch Series 11 42mm Aluminium + Cellular: $499
Apple Watch Series 11 46mm Aluminium: $429
Apple Watch Series 11 46mm Aluminium + Cellular: $529
Apple Watch Series 11 42mm Titanium: $699
Apple Watch Series 11 46mm Titanium: $749
Apple Watch SE 3 (not rumoured to be updated):
Apple Watch SE 3 40mm: $249
Apple Watch SE 3 40mm + Cellular: $299
Apple Watch SE 3 44mm: $279
Apple Watch SE 3 40mm + Cellular: $329
Apple Unveils a Home Device with Screen
Apparently, this thing has been sitting around waiting to debut for years. The hardware has reportedly been ready, but Apple’s stumbles in overhauling Siri have delayed the product time and time again. But now that Siri is now working incredibly well, and this event could be a golden opportunity for Apple to show off the beginnings of its growing home strategy with a Home Hub–like device.
The Home Hub is expected to be a seven-inch tablet that can either mount to a wall or attach to some sort of speaker docking station. It would display information and widgets from your devices, while also providing quick access to Siri, smart home controls, and other lightweight interactions throughout the home.
Apple TV is Updated
The Apple TV has now gone more than 1,400 days without an update, and to complement any broader home announcements, including the expansion of Siri AI to more products, Apple could use this event to refresh the Apple TV with updated chips updated Siri experience.
2NM A20 Chip Announced
It’s pretty much a given that if Apple is releasing a new iPhone, it’s also going to debut a new chip. Last year we got the A19 and A19 Pro, and it only makes sense that this year the A20 Pro will arrive with the iPhone 18 Pro lineup and, if I were betting, Apple’s foldable device as well.
The A20 Pro is also expected to move to Apple’s two-nanometre chip architecture, similar to what we saw with the M6 in the new Mac mini.
iPhone Series 12 Gets a Ceramic Finish
Forget the foldable iPhone, forget the iPhone 18 Pro, and forget the new cheaper polishing cloth, because Apple is rumoured to be bringing back a ceramic case for the next Apple Watch!
Apple last released a ceramic Apple Watch Edition with the Series 5, featuring a beautiful pearlescent white zirconia case that not only looked stunning, but was also incredibly durable and scratch-resistant. Having worn the ceramic Series 5 for more than half a decade, I can confidently say it was my favourite Apple Watch and absolutely one of my most prized Apple possessions during the time I owned it.
Ceramic Apple Watches were also positioned as premium offerings, with prices starting north of $1,300. It’s still unclear whether Apple plans to revive the old Edition branding or introduce a new premium tier that sits above its already expensive stainless steel models.
Foldable iPhone begins at $2,249
Samsung’s current flagship foldable, the Galaxy Z Fold 8, starts at $1,899 for 256GB of storage and climbs to $2,499 for the 1TB model. Foldables are already incredibly expensive to manufacture, and with the price of memory and storage these days, that cost only gets pushed higher. Rumours suggest Apple’s first foldable could start somewhere between $2,000 and $2,500, so I’ve planted my guess right smack dab in the middle at $2,249.
Foldable iPhone Supports Split View
If Apple is going to debut a foldable iPhone that opens up to roughly the size of two iPhone displays, there’s no way in hell they’re not going to offer some sort of split-screen multitasking on the device.
A New Band Style is Announced
The Apple Watch has seen over a dozen different band styles over its decade-long history, everything from the Alpine Loop to the Woven Nylon band. But it's been a couple of years since we saw a new Watch band style debut, so why not new colours, which they'll undoubtedly do, but also a brand new style of band.
* for this pick, I'm not counting the Hermès bands.
Foldable iPhone Supports Split View
If Apple is going to debut a foldable iPhone that opens up to roughly the size of two iPhone displays, there’s no way in hell they’re not going to offer some sort of split-screen multitasking on the device.
iPhone 18 Pro Lineup Sees Improved Battery Life
With rumours that the iPhone 18 Pro line could get a little bit thicker, see improvements to the vapour chamber, and adopt new chips like Apple’s C-series cellular modem, there’s a pretty good chance the updated iPhones will also see a noticeable bump in battery life.
Foldable iPhone has a Later Release Date than iPhone 18 Pro
Making the prediction that the rumoured production challenges and limited launch supply of the foldable iPhone could result in Apple giving the device a later release date than the iPhone 18 Pro lineup. We’ve seen Apple do this before with the iPhone X in 2017, when preorders didn’t begin until six weeks after iPhone 8 preorders opened.
One More Thing...
With some of the products rumoured to launch at this event, there's a chance that we might hear the infamous "One more thing..." line used by John Ternus during the event.
