Apple sets Sept. 9 iPhone event under new CEO Ternus amid Siri AI push and layoffs

Apple set September 9 for its iPhone launch event, the first under new CEO John Ternus. The event is expected to bring new iPhones and Apple Watches, Apple's first foldable phone, and — most significant for the AI story — a new LLM-powered Siri, Apple's most consequential AI upgrade after a long stretch of being seen as behind on generative AI.

Apple separately announced AI-upgraded Mac Mini and Mac Studio models shipping September 22, extending on-device AI capability across its desktop line. But the week's darker signal was rare Bay Area layoffs: 147 employees cut, hitting the Vision Pro and Siri teams amid an AI reshuffle.

The juxtaposition — a marquee Siri AI reveal alongside layoffs in the very teams building it — stoked skepticism about whether Apple's AI strategy can keep pace with OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic. Community sentiment leaned doubtful, questioning whether an LLM-powered Siri arrives fully baked or as another delayed promise, echoing prior Apple Intelligence stumbles.

The strategic stakes are high: Siri is Apple's primary AI surface across a billion-plus devices, and a credible LLM upgrade would reset the narrative. Watch on Sept. 9 for concrete Siri capabilities and availability dates, whether Apple partners with an external model provider or ships fully in-house, and how the foldable and on-device Mac AI features are positioned against rivals.