Apple's new CEO John Ternus teases a major September 9 product launch

Apple's newly installed CEO John Ternus has used his first internal memo to employees to highlight a major product launch scheduled for September 9. Ternus formally succeeded Tim Cook this week, while Cook moved into the role of executive chairman. Apple has already announced the September event, which is expected to include the iPhone 18 Pro family and the company's first foldable iPhone.

The timing gives Ternus an unusually high-profile first week: rather than beginning quietly, he will immediately front one of the most closely watched hardware launches in consumer technology. His background as Apple's former hardware-engineering chief makes the transition particularly relevant to the iPhone roadmap. Apple also faces pressure around artificial intelligence, App Store regulation and competition from increasingly sophisticated Android foldables.

Ternus inherits enormous financial strength but relatively little patience from investors expecting new growth categories. September 9 will therefore serve both as a product event and as the public beginning of a new leadership era.