When Is Apple's Live Event Today? Here's How To Watch The Sept. 9 iPhone Launch For Free Online

CUPERTINO, Calif. — Apple's biggest product event of the year is taking place Wednesday, Sept. 9, with the tech giant expected to unveil its latest iPhone lineup, including a widely anticipated first foldable model, along with new Apple Watches, AirPods and other hardware.

The event, titled "Surprise and Shine," begins at 10 a.m. Pacific time from Apple's headquarters in Cupertino, California. That translates to 1 p.m. Eastern time, 12 p.m. Central time, 11 a.m. Mountain time, and 6 p.m. in the United Kingdom. The presentation starts three and a half hours after the U.S. stock market's opening bell and roughly three hours before its regular close.

Apple has confirmed the event will stream live across multiple platforms, including the company's own website at apple.com, the Apple TV app, and YouTube Live, giving viewers several free options to watch the keynote as it happens regardless of what devices they have access to. No subscription or purchase is required to view the livestream through any of these official channels.

Wednesday's presentation marks the first major product event hosted by John Ternus since he formally succeeded Tim Cook as Apple's chief executive on Sept. 1. Cook, who led Apple for more than a decade, announced his decision to step down from the role in April, setting the stage for Ternus, previously the company's senior vice president of hardware engineering, to take over both operational leadership and, starting with Wednesday's event, the public-facing role of unveiling the company's newest products.

As of the days leading up to the event, Apple had not officially confirmed the specific products or pricing it plans to announce, maintaining its typical practice of withholding details until the presentation itself. Even so, extensive reporting from outlets including Bloomberg, MacRumors, 9to5Mac and CNET has offered detailed predictions based on supply chain sourcing, ahead of the official reveal.

The centerpiece of Wednesday's event is widely expected to be Apple's first foldable iPhone, reportedly set to be named the iPhone Duo rather than the earlier rumored "iPhone Ultra" branding. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the device is expected to start at roughly $2,000 for a 256-gigabyte storage configuration, with higher-capacity versions reaching approximately $3,000. The foldable is expected to feature a 5.5-inch external cover display alongside a larger 7.8-inch internal display when unfolded, combining a smartphone and small tablet into a single device.

Alongside the foldable, Apple is expected to unveil updated iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max models, which analysts widely expect to carry higher prices than their predecessors, driven in part by an ongoing global memory chip shortage that has raised component costs across the smartphone industry. The current iPhone 17 lineup ranges from $799 to $1,999 depending on the model, giving some indication of where the new baseline pricing might land before accounting for any increases.

Beyond the iPhone lineup, Wednesday's event is expected to include new Apple Watch models, potentially including a Series 12 with an added audio recording feature and an updated Apple Watch Ultra 4, along with new AirPods 5 earbuds. Some reports have also floated the possibility of additional product announcements, including an Apple HomePad smart home device and an updated Apple TV 4K streaming device, though those details remain unconfirmed ahead of the presentation.

For viewers hoping to follow along beyond the official livestream, several technology outlets, including CNET, Tom's Guide and The Verge, are expected to run their own live blogs and commentary throughout the event, offering real-time analysis and reaction as Apple's announcements unfold. These outlets typically provide free, no-login-required coverage accessible through their websites, offering an alternative for viewers who prefer text-based updates alongside or instead of the video livestream.

Wednesday's presentation arrives amid a notably challenging backdrop for both Apple specifically and broader financial markets. Apple shares closed at $319.97 on Sept. 4, down 2.51% for that session, as investors weighed both the recent leadership transition and broader macroeconomic concerns. U.S. stocks more broadly opened lower Wednesday, with oil prices crossing $100 a barrel for the first time in roughly two months amid escalating conflict involving Iran, adding further uncertainty to the trading environment surrounding Apple's announcement.

Forrester analyst Dipanjan Chatterjee has described Apple's foldable entry as consistent with the company's historical approach to entering established product categories only once the underlying technology has matured.

"The foldable launch is straight out of Apple's playbook: Wait for the product to work out its kinks and for the market to offer glimpses of viability, then enter and shape the category," Chatterjee said, adding that the true test of Wednesday's announcement will be "whether it can expand that niche into a meaningful new segment," given that foldable devices currently represent only a small fraction of overall global smartphone sales.

Following the conclusion of Wednesday's livestream, Apple typically publishes additional details through official newsroom press releases on its website, including complete technical specifications, full pricing across all storage configurations, and confirmed availability dates for each newly announced product. Preorders for the standard iPhone 18 Pro lineup are expected to open within a few days of the event, with the foldable iPhone Duo reportedly not launching until at least October, according to some reports, meaning viewers interested in that specific device may need to wait somewhat longer beyond Wednesday's initial announcement before it becomes available for purchase.

For anyone looking to watch Wednesday's event live, the simplest options remain Apple's own website, the Apple TV app, or YouTube Live, all of which will carry the full presentation free of charge starting at 10 a.m. Pacific time, giving viewers around the world several straightforward ways to watch Ternus's first major keynote as Apple's chief executive unfold in real time.