Thoughts on Apple’s ‘Surprise and Shine’ Event

When one book ends, another folds open Image: Apple. It seems like Apple has finally hit its stride again. At its annual September event on Tuesday, the company announced major updates to its iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods lineups, including an all-new foldable iPhone Duo, iPhone 18 Pro with upgraded camera features, and new Apple Intelligence and health features for the Apple Watch. The presentation, streamed live from Apple Park, marked the beginning of the tenure of John Ternus, Apple’s new chief executive, who seemed destined to usher in a new era of innovation and product focus after a decade and a half of stability for the company. Ternus began Tuesday’s presentation by portraying the iPhone as the hardware “hub” for personal artificial intelligence, strongly suggesting that Apple thinks the smartphone is here to stay amid Silicon Valley’s AI boom. And indeed, the company advanced its iPhone lineup on Tuesday further than it has since the blockbuster iPhone X launch in 2017,…