Apple usually hosts an iPhone launch event in September, but this year’s event is shaping up to be a lot more interesting than normal. For starters, it’s the first event of the post-Tim Cook era, with new CEO John Ternus taking center stage. Apple’s tagline for the event — “Surprise and Shine” — also points to unexpected twists. We’ll find out what’s in store at 1 p.m. ET Sept. 9, when the event livestream kicks off.
So, while we’ve been working hard to bring you all of the latest iPhone 18 rumors and news, we also asked Mashable readers to predict what’s going down at the Apple event. In round three of the Mashable Big Guessing Game, we asked readers about price hikes, new devices, and more.
On the eve of the event, let’s break down the answers from the Mashable Big Guessing Game: Round 3.
Question 1: Where in Apple Park will John Ternus first appear during the event broadcast?
Apple has made great use of its Apple Park campus in past events like WWDC. So, will John Ternus make his first appearance on a keynote stage, harkening back to the Steve Jobs days, or in front of the Apple rainbow arch, like his predecessor Cook?
Half of our readers expect Ternus to first appear on stage, which would be a big departure from recent precedent, as Apple has long since ditched the live keynote format. If he does make his first appearance on the roof of Apple Park, then 8 percent of Mashable readers called it.
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Question 2: The iPhone 18 Pro Max will have a starting price closest to ____:
Thanks to the global memory shortage, smartphones, laptops, and gaming consoles are all getting more expensive, and iPhone price hikes are all but inevitable. While 16 percent of you optimistically predicted the iPhone 18 Pro Max would cost $1,199 (the same as the iPhone 17 Pro Max), 77 percent predicted a higher starting price, with readers split on whether it would be a $100 or $200 price increase.
Question 3: If Apple announces a foldable phone, what will it be called?
The foldable iPhone is the biggest open secret in Silicon Valley right now, but we still don’t know its official name. (We’ve been calling it the iPhone Ultra.) The most recent rumors refer to the device as the iPhone Duo, but the truth is we don’t know yet.
If the device is called the iPhone Duo, then the 30 percent of readers who guessed “Something else” will have gotten this question right.
Question 4: Will Tim Cook make an appearance during the main keynote?
We’re very curious to see if there’s an official passing of the torch moment at this year’s “Surprise and Shine” keynote. Interestingly, a majority (65 percent) of Mashable readers do expect Cook to make some type of appearance.
Question 5: To the nearest minute, how long will the main keynote last?
We asked this same question ahead of WWDC 2026, and no Mashable readers got the answer exactly right. (That keynote was 76 minutes.) About 52 percent of our respondents predicted the Apple event livestream will last less than 60 minutes, which would definitely be on the shorter side. Another 23 percent of respondents guessed the livestream will last 91 minutes or more.
If you want to find out live, tune into the CNET Apple Event livestream, where Mashable and other sites in the CNET group will provide pre- and post-event analysis, with live reporting from Apple Park.
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