Apple held its fall special event and announced a total of 6 products, centered on the new iPhone lineup. Alongside the timing of the new CEO’s appointment, the event emphasized its role as one of the world’s largest product launches.
On 10 September 2026, in the early hours of Japan time, Apple held an event starting at 10:00 a.m. US time on 9 September. It was positioned as the first major presentation under the company’s new leadership following the change in CEO. Tim Cook stepped down, and the event was the first major presentation since John Ternus became CEO on 1 September. The event was held at the Steve Jobs Theater in Apple Park and streamed worldwide simultaneously.
The new products announced were the iPhone 18 Pro/Pro Max, iPhone Duo, Apple Watch Series 12, Apple Watch Ultra 4 and AirPods 5, for a total of 6 products. The standard iPhone 18 and 18e were not included this time, shifting the fall lineup toward higher-end models. Pricing starts at ¥219,800 for the Pro, ¥239,800 for the Pro Max and ¥364,800 for the foldable Duo. The Pro/Max models will go on sale on 18 September, the Duo on 23 October and AirPods 5 on 18 September.
In its presentation of the event, Apple proposed a new event model: a product launch streamed simultaneously worldwide by a single company. It prioritized the number of viewers reached through the broadcast over the number of attendees at the venue, while using prerecording and cinematic production to ensure quality. The event was notable for conveying both continuity in management, including the first public appearance of the new CEO leadership, and the attention to detail in product development.
Apple treats the event’s cost structure, including video production expenses and investment in permanent infrastructure, as a core component of its annual branding strategy, and emphasized an exposure strategy using owned media such as YouTube. The immediate conversion of attention into purchasing behavior, including orders and sales immediately after the announcement, was particularly pronounced, while secondary exposure after the broadcast was positioned as a source of long-term impact. These elements could serve as a reference offering insights for the design of corporate events in Japan.