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September is shaping up to be one of the busiest months on the smartphone calendar this year, with launches spanning flagship devices, foldables and performance-focused mid-rangers. Coming right after a packed August, the next few weeks could bring buyers plenty to weigh in, whether they’re after a better camera, a bigger battery, a faster display or an entirely different form factor. Apple is expected to dominate headlines, but it won’t have the space to itself, with Vivo, Redmi, Xiaomi and Poco all lining up their own launches around the same time.
iPhone 18 Pro Series
Apple’s iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max are tipped to headline September’s launches, with the company likely to hold its event on September 9, though this date hasn’t been officially confirmed yet. The Pro models are rumoured to shift some Face ID components under the display, which could shrink the Dynamic Island. They’re also expected to bring a new camera sensor and variable-aperture technology, along with Apple’s A20 Pro chip, though the variable aperture feature may be reserved for the Pro Max alone. Alongside these, Apple could also unveil the iPhone 18 Fold or iPhone 18 Ultra, a book-style foldable with a large inner display and a slimmer outer screen, expected to sit above the Pro Max as the priciest iPhone in the lineup. Details on this launch remain limited for now.
Redmi Note 17 Pro Series
The Redmi Note 17 Pro and Pro Max are expected to launch in India on September 15. The Pro is rumoured to come with a 6.83-inch 1.5K 120Hz AMOLED display, a 9,000mAh battery and 67W charging, while the Pro Max is tipped to pack an even larger 10,000mAh battery with 100W charging support. Prices for the series could rise by Rs 5,000 to 8,000 over the outgoing models.
Vivo X500 Series
Vivo is expected to bring the X500, X500 Pro and X500 Pro Max to the Chinese market this month, skipping the X400 name altogether due to tetraphobia. The Pro models are rumoured to feature a Zeiss Super Dynamic main camera built around a 50MP Guangyu 900 sensor, offering up to 17EV of dynamic range, along with support for 4K 240fps slow motion and 4K 120fps HDR video. The Pro Max could go a step further with 3-degree optical image stabilisation.
Xiaomi 18 Fold And Poco F9
Xiaomi has already confirmed the 18 Fold for a China launch this month, which will mark the debut of its new Xring O3 chipset, claimed to cross 5.22 million points on AnTuTu. Meanwhile, Poco’s F9 Pro and F9 Ultra are tipped to run on the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset, with up to 16GB of RAM and 100W charging. The Pro is expected to sport a 6.59-inch 185Hz AMOLED display paired with a 200MP camera, while the Ultra could offer a larger 6.9-inch display along with 5x optical zoom.
With such a wide spread of launches across price points and categories, September could end up being one of the most eventful months for smartphone buyers this year.
Khushi Patel is a Senior Sub Editor at NewsX, covering automotive, technology, Lifestyle, entertainment, and mainstream news. She previously worked as a Copy Editor at Times Network and has written automotive editorial content, including comparison pieces, for TimesDrive.
