Apple has unveiled a major new generation of hardware led by iPhone Duo, the company’s first foldable iPhone, alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, Apple Watch Series 12, Apple Watch Ultra 4 and AirPods 5.
The centerpiece of the new lineup is iPhone Duo, which represents one of Apple’s largest changes to the physical design of the iPhone since the product was introduced. The device combines a compact 5.4-inch outer display with a 7.6-inch folding inner display, giving users a conventional iPhone experience when closed and a significantly larger workspace when opened. Apple said the inner display is the largest display ever offered on an iPhone.
When closed, the 5.4-inch Super Retina XDR outer display provides 90% of the screen area of the iPhone 18 Pro. When iPhone Duo is opened, its 7.6-inch Super Retina XDR display is 50% larger than the iPhone 18 Pro Max display, creating more space for video, gaming, productivity and multitasking.
The inner display uses a nano-texture finish designed to reduce glare and reflections while minimizing the visibility of the crease. Both displays support ProMotion, Always On and up to 3,000 nits of peak outdoor brightness.
Apple is also extending the iPhone into territory traditionally associated with the iPad. iPhone Duo will support Apple Pencil with USB-C later this year, allowing users to take notes, sketch and mark up documents on either display.
Apple has redesigned iOS 27 specifically around the folding form factor.
When iPhone Duo is open, controls and navigation elements shift toward the sides to preserve vertical screen space. Apple apps have been optimized for the larger display, while third-party apps including Netflix, Zoom and Slack are already being adapted to take advantage of the new form factor.
One of the most significant changes is Split View, which allows users to run two iPhone apps side by side for the first time. Users can quickly switch between apps, open multiple windows from the same app, save pairs of apps for later use and keep content visible on one side while interacting with Siri AI on the other.
The folding design also enables a new version of StandBy. Users can place iPhone Duo on a surface and activate StandBy on either display even when the phone is not charging, turning it into a clock, photo frame or widget hub.
Apple has also designed the device around multiple physical positions rather than simply open or closed configurations.
The new hardware includes Touch ID integrated into the side button, allowing authentication whether the device is folded or open. Users can also unlock iPhone Duo through Apple Watch.
Camera Control remains available and gains a new Siri Camera mode, enabling Siri to see what the camera sees so users can ask questions or take actions based on objects and information in front of them.
Durability was another major focus as Apple entered the foldable market.
iPhone Duo uses grade 5 titanium, Ceramic Shield on the rear and Ceramic Shield 2 on the front. Apple said Ceramic Shield 2 provides three times better scratch resistance than the previous generation.
The precision hinge contains more than 100 components designed to control opening and closing while supporting the center of the flexible display.
Apple has reinforced the inner display with a multilayer structure, including high-strength glass above and below the folding panel, a titanium plate, specialized adhesives and a custom polymer cover layer that Apple says provides up to 40% greater stiffness than other materials used in the industry.
The phone also carries an IP68 rating for splash, water and dust resistance.
Apple is using the two-display format to introduce several camera experiences unavailable on its conventional iPhones.
iPhone Duo has a 48MP Fusion Main camera capable of shooting at up to 48MP resolution, with a 24MP default mode and an integrated optical-quality 2x Telephoto option.
A second 48MP Fusion Ultra Wide camera, shared with the iPhone 18 Pro lineup, supports wider fields of view and macro photography.
The phone also has a Center Stage front camera and another FaceTime camera positioned beneath the inner display for calls while the device is open or propped on a surface.
The folding hardware enables Apple to use the outer screen as a secondary camera display.
Users can take selfies with the higher-resolution rear cameras while previewing themselves on the outer display. Duo Preview lets the person being photographed see the live camera framing, while Kid Cue displays Peanuts animations on the outer screen to help get children’s attention for photos.
Duo FaceTime can display the call on the outer screen for another person standing nearby, giving both sides of the folded device a role during the same video call.
Apple has also introduced Smart Take, which uses on-device AI running on A20 Pro to analyze the scene and automatically take photos when subjects are posing.
For video, the iPhone Duo supports 4K at 120 frames per second in Dolby Vision through the 48MP Fusion Main camera. Cinematic effects can be applied after capture to video recorded at up to 60 fps, while Time-lapse now supports 4K Dolby Vision HDR.
The folding body can effectively serve as its own stand, allowing users to prop up the device for photos, videos and calls without requiring a separate tripod.
Performance comes from the same A20 Pro chip used in the iPhone 18 Pro lineup.
Built using a 2-nanometer process, A20 Pro gives iPhone Duo up to 35% better sustained performance than iPhone 17 Pro, according to Apple.
The 6-core CPU is up to 20% faster than A19 Pro, while the 7-core GPU is up to 40% faster and more power-efficient. A new Dual 16-core Neural Engine provides twice the compute power for running on-device AI models, and unified memory bandwidth has increased by 50%.
Apple designed a custom vapor chamber to handle heat generated by gaming, multitasking and AI workloads. A new display engine simultaneously controls the inner and outer screens and manages transitions as users move between them.
Battery engineering is particularly important in a foldable device, and Apple is using two high-energy batteries, one positioned on each side of iPhone Duo.
Apple says users can get up to 31 hours of video playback using the inner display, 44 hours using the outer display and up to 24 hours of typical usage when using both displays equally.
The phone can charge to approximately 50% in 20 minutes through a wired connection or approximately 30 minutes using MagSafe or Qi2 wireless charging.
iPhone Duo also features an eSIM-only design worldwide. Apple’s N1 networking chip provides Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and Thread connectivity, while its C2 cellular modem adds AI-powered improvements to cellular connectivity and support for mmWave in the U.S.
The device arrives with Apple Intelligence and the new Siri AI, which is rolling out in beta with iOS 27.
Siri AI can use personal context from messages, emails, photos and other information, understand what’s displayed on screen, answer general-knowledge questions and take actions based on what users are viewing.
The larger folding display also gives users room to interact with Siri while keeping other information visible.
Apple Intelligence introduces additional tools including Spatial Reframing, Extend and an updated Clean Up for photos, photorealistic Image Playground generation and Safari’s Notify Me feature for monitoring webpages for updates such as product restocks or price changes. Apple said its AI system uses a combination of on-device processing and Private Cloud Compute.
The new iPhone Duo will be available in star white and night sky, with storage configurations of 256GB, 512GB, 1TB and 2TB.
Pricing starts at $1,999, making the Duo a premium product positioned above Apple’s traditional Pro lineup.
Preorders begin October 16, with availability beginning October 23 in more than 70 countries and regions. The phone will expand to another 28 markets beginning October 30.
Alongside its first foldable, Apple introduced the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, which focus heavily on camera performance, battery life, AI and sustained processing performance.
The headline camera upgrade is a new 48MP Fusion Main camera with variable aperture, bringing adjustable aperture to the iPhone for the first time.
Six laser-cut blades enable the camera to move between aperture settings to control depth of field and lighting. Professional users can manually choose from four aperture settings, while Apple has also made an API available to developers.
New Pro controls provide quicker access to aperture, shutter speed, white balance and exposure information through a histogram.
The Pro phones also gain Apple Reference Image, which uses signed sensor data to create what Apple describes as an unalterable reference image that can be compared with an edited version of a photograph. Upcoming SynthID support and image metadata will provide additional ways to identify AI-generated or edited imagery.
Both Pro devices feature a smaller Dynamic Island capable of showing three Live Activities simultaneously.
A20 Pro and a redesigned vapor chamber give the devices up to a 40% improvement in sustained performance over the previous generation, according to Apple.
Battery life reaches up to 36 hours of video playback on iPhone 18 Pro and 45 hours on iPhone 18 Pro Max for eSIM-only models.
The iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at $1,299. Both are offered in 256GB, 512GB, 1TB and 2TB configurations and in burgundy, glacier, silver and black. Preorders begin September 12, with availability beginning September 18.
Apple is extending the same AI strategy across its wearable lineup with Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4, both built around the new S11 chip and an all-new Health Sensing System.
Apple said the system uses new optical and electrical heart sensors to provide its most accurate heart rate sensing in a wearable.
The watches now measure heart rate every five seconds throughout the day, while heart rate variability can be measured as often as every five minutes, or 24 times more frequently than before.
A new Readiness feature combines recent activity, training load, vitals and sleep information into a daily 0-to-10 score.
Depending on the data, users receive one of four recommendations: Recover, Pace Yourself, Ready or Go For It. The score can change during the day as new activity and health information becomes available.
Apple Watch Series 12 retains up to 24 hours of everyday battery life, while outdoor workout battery life increases to up to 10 hours. A 15-minute charge can provide up to 12 additional hours of battery life.
Series 12 starts at $399, with preorders available immediately and retail availability beginning September 18.
The higher-end Apple Watch Ultra 4 raises everyday battery life to as much as 50 hours, or 84 hours in Low Power Mode.
For endurance athletes, Extended Workout mode can track full GPS and heart-rate data for up to 25 hours, while Max Extended Workout mode can track outdoor runs, walks and hikes for up to 45 hours, which Apple says is generally sufficient for a 100-mile race.
A 15-minute charge can provide up to 18 additional hours of battery life.
The Ultra 4 also includes what Apple describes as its most accurate on-device GPS in a sports watch and gains the same new heart-rate sensing, HRV tracking, readiness score and S11-powered intelligence capabilities.
Apple Watch Ultra 4 starts at $799, with availability beginning September 18.
The Watch hardware is closely connected to a broader overhaul of Apple’s health software.
A redesigned Health app coming to iPhone and iPad later this year will use Apple Intelligence to dynamically organize and interpret personal health information.
A new Insights tab surfaces information across heart health, sleep, readiness, fitness, vitals and cycle tracking, while personalized recommendations can respond to patterns in a user’s data.
The new Longevity tab focuses on longer-term trends across heart health, sleep, mental wellbeing, movement, metabolic health, hearing and nutrition.
One of its major features is Health Age, which compares health metrics collected through Apple Watch with a user’s chronological age.
Apple is also introducing movement evaluations that use vision-based AI models on iPhone together with Apple Watch heart-rate information to evaluate areas such as flexibility, strength and balance.
U.S. users will additionally be able to order laboratory testing covering more than 50 biomarkers for $119 through the Health app at approximately 2,000 Quest Diagnostics locations.
Apple’s hardware launch also includes AirPods 5, which bring Active Noise Cancellation further down the company’s wireless earbud lineup.
Apple said the new open-ear design can remove up to 50% more external noise than AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation, using a new multiport acoustic architecture and improved computational audio algorithms.
Adaptive Audio dynamically blends Transparency mode with ANC, while Conversation Awareness automatically reduces media volume when the wearer begins speaking.
AirPods 5 also use a new acoustic architecture and next-generation Adaptive EQ designed to deliver richer sound across a broader range of ear shapes.
When connected to an Apple Intelligence-compatible iPhone, users can interact with Siri AI hands-free, including drawing from information in messages, emails and photos.
AirPods continue to support Siri Interactions using head gestures and add access to Live Translation, allowing users to hear supported conversations translated into their preferred language.
The standard AirPods 5 cost $129, while AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case cost $149.
The upgraded case model adds on-stem volume controls and offers up to five hours of playback with ANC enabled, extending to as much as 22 hours with the charging case. Both versions become available September 18.
Taken together, Apple’s September product announcements represent a coordinated expansion of the company’s hardware and AI strategy, but iPhone Duo stands apart as the most significant hardware departure. Rather than simply increasing performance or improving cameras, Apple is introducing a new physical category within the iPhone family, built around dual displays, desktop-like multitasking, new camera configurations and an iOS experience designed specifically for a folding screen.
KEY QUOTES:
“iPhone Duo is the most transformational change to iPhone since the original. With an entirely new design and intuitive experiences, it shows what’s possible when hardware and software are engineered together and redefines what it means to use a foldable phone.”
“With the largest display ever on iPhone that still fits easily in your pocket, combined with the power of A20 Pro, iPhone Duo helps you stay more immersed and productive wherever you go, whether you’re enjoying content, multitasking across apps, or gaming.”
John Ternus, CEO of Apple
“With iPhone 18 Pro, we’ve made advancements to the areas our users care about most: camera, performance, battery, and intelligence. And we didn’t just make incremental improvements in these areas — we took huge leaps forward to create the best Pro iPhone we’ve ever made.”
“iPhone 18 Pro makes it easy for anyone to capture stunning photos and videos using variable aperture, while providing more versatility for creators and more control for pros. Paired with impactful upgrades to Photographic Styles and powerful video capabilities, iPhone 18 Pro unlocks entirely new ways for users to express themselves.”
Greg Joswiak, Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing at Apple
“Apple Watch Series 12 is the most advanced health and fitness companion we’ve ever created.”
“With our new Health Sensing System and S11 chip, Apple Watch Series 12 gives you meaningful insights, like readiness, so you can better understand how to take on your day and care for your health, plus intelligence features that make everyday life easier. And it’s all wrapped in a beautifully thin, light design you’ll love wearing all day and night.”
“The new Health Sensing System and S11 chip take Apple Watch Ultra 4 — our most rugged and capable Apple Watch — to the next level, delivering longer battery life, faster charging, and the most accurate heart rate sensing in a wearable.”
“With powerful health and fitness insights including readiness, new intelligent features, and its large, bright display, Apple Watch Ultra 4 is designed to support you wherever you go, from your workouts, to adventures, to everything you tackle in a day.”
Kaiann Drance, Vice President of Worldwide Apple Watch Product Marketing at Apple
“At Apple, we believe technology can empower everyone with actionable, science-based insights built with privacy at the core. By combining breakthrough sensing on Apple Watch with Apple Intelligence in the Health app, we’re able to translate complex biometric data into clear guidance for users.”
“This both helps people navigate their day-to-day routines with confidence and connects those moments with deeper context around their longevity, building a strong foundation for a healthier future.”
Sumbul Desai, M.D., Vice President of Health and Fitness at Apple
“We’re thrilled that with AirPods 5, we’re able to bring Active Noise Cancellation — one of our most beloved features — to our most affordable AirPods.”
“Both AirPods 5 models deliver a world-class listening experience and enable features like Live Translation for even more people. Paired with Siri AI, AirPods are a game changer for unlocking powerful hands-free capabilities.”
Dave Pakula, Vice President of Hardware Engineering at Apple
