New Delhi, Sept. 9 -- Apple's latest product event began with an unusual moment of self-awareness - and what many viewers saw as a carefully staged passing of the torch.

A cinematic opening video showed a camera following a mysterious figure before a voiceover announced that the shot would eventually reveal the event's "main character". The man walking towards the camera was then revealed to be Tim Cook.

But the former Apple chief executive quickly rejected the suggestion.

"No, no, no, not me. That's your guy, that's your opener," Cook said, before John Ternus entered the frame and took over the presentation.

The moment marked Ternus's first major Apple event as chief executive and immediately triggered discussion online, with viewers...