CNET Readers Were Right About the iPhone Duo. But There's One Thing They Got Wrong
Apple's recent 'Surprise and Shine' event marked the debut of CEO John Ternus and the unveiling of the iPhone 18 Pro and the foldable iPhone Duo. The event confirmed several industry predictions while highlighting a shift in leadership from Tim Cook to Ternus.
Why it matters
Leadership transitions and product strategy shifts at major tech firms significantly impact market trends and consumer expectations.
Apple released a slew of new products that our readers expected, including new iPhones and AirPods.
Read full bio September 12, 2026, 8:00 am ET
If you were Apple’s CEO, what iPhone changes would you make? Cole Kan/CNET Apple’s “Surprise and Shine” event has officially wrapped, and all of the answers for the CNET Group’s Big Guessing Game are in.
The contest was held across CNET, Lifehacker, Mashable, PCMag and ZDNET. In three rounds, readers predicted what Apple would unveil this year. Each correct answer earned one chance in a drawing to win the latest Apple Watch . Here’s a rundown of all the answers we learned on Wednesday and a recap of the first and second rounds .
Most (71%) contest participants expected Apple’s new CEO John Ternus and former CEO Tim Cook to appear together at the event, but they didn’t.
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