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Last-minute iPhone event rumors: Pre-order time, AirPods 5 features, more

2026-09-09 | original

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Why This Matters

Hours before Apple's "Surprise and shine" event, leaks point to a foldable iPhone Duo, iPhone 18 Pro, new Apple Watches and AirPods 5, with pre-orders reportedly starting September 12 rather than the usual day. The details — mechanical aperture, faster charging, better ANC — signal where Apple is pushing hardware differentiation, and camera-equipped AirPods slipping to next year shows roadmap slippage.

Key Takeaways

Pre-orders reportedly begin Sept. 12, a day later than usual due to the 9/11 anniversary.
iPhone 18 Pro rumors: mechanical aperture (Pro Max), revamped vapor chamber, smaller Dynamic Island with three Live Activities, and up to 33% faster charging per iOS code.
AirPods 5 expected in versions with and without wireless charging case plus much better ANC; camera-equipped AirPods delayed to next year.

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We’re just hours away from Apple’s “Surprise and shine” special event, where it’s expected to announce the foldable iPhone Duo, the iPhone 18 Pro, new Apple Watch models, and AirPods 5.

Pre-order times

We previously noted that iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo pre-orders might begin on September 12, which is a day later than the typical pattern due to the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

In a post on social media today, reliable leaker ShrimpApplePro said that pre-orders will indeed begin on September 12 “at the usual time.” This would suggest 5 a.m. PT/8 a.m. ET.

iPhone 18 Pro tidbits

In a blockbuster overnight report, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman outlined several additional details about the iPhone 18 Pro:

iPhone 18 Pro Max will have a mechanical aperture, and it’s possible this might not be available on the smaller iPhone 18 Pro.

A revamped vapor chamber

The Dynamic Island is “smaller and improved” and will now show up to three Live Activities instead of two.

Additionally, in a post on social media, developer Pdfu shared code evidence that suggests iPhone 18 Pro will charge up to 33% faster than the iPhone 17 Pro models.

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Explore topics: iphone 18 pro airpods 5 apple event mark gurman dynamic island