India, Sept. 9 -- Apple's September event opened with a notable change at the top. John Ternus took the stage as chief executive, greeting the audience with a simple "Hello and welcome" before receiving a standing ovation and sustained applause from the crowd.

Ternus used his opening remarks to underline continuity at Apple, saying the company's long-standing values would continue to shape its decisions.

He also pointed to artificial intelligence as a major part of what comes next, particularly as AI becomes more closely connected with the apps, services, and devices people use every day.

"We're going to continue changing the world in ways you can't imagine," Ternus told the audience.

His appearance also gave viewers an early visual c...