Apple unveiled the long-rumored iPhone Duo at its first iPhone launch event led by CEO John Ternus, alongside new iPhone 18 Pro models, updated AirPods, refreshed Apple Watch models and a major iOS 27 update. The event detailed device specs, pricing and launch dates for all major releases.
iPhone Duo: Apple’s passport-shaped foldable
Apple presented the iPhone Duo as its “one more thing” — a passport-shaped foldable that lays flat when opened and, the company says, is its “thinnest iPhone yet.” The device features a 7.6-inch inner display and a 5.4-inch outer screen, maintains the same aspect ratio across both displays, and will support Apple Pencil “later this year.” Touch ID is built into the side button.
Apple said iOS 27 includes changes to let the iPhone Duo show two apps side by side, pin videos and operate in “any orientation.” Several apps, including Netflix, Zoom and Slack, have already released updates to use the Duo’s features. On the hardware side, the iPhone Duo ships with an upgraded A20 Pro chip, Apple’s in-house C2 cellular modem, a 48-megapixel camera and a nanotexture display finish designed to reduce glare and reflections. The device uses two batteries and, according to Apple, offers up to 31 hours of video playback when using the inner display and up to 44 hours when using the outer display. The iPhone Duo starts at $1,999, comes in star white and night sky, and will be available October 23rd.
iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max: camera and AI focus
Apple skipped a base iPhone 18 at this event and introduced two Pro-level models it described as featuring its “biggest camera improvement in years.” Both models include a 48-megapixel main camera with variable aperture and new “Pro controls” for expanded manual adjustments. The iPhone 18 Pro uses an A20 chip, which Apple said delivers a “huge gain” in performance. Apple claimed battery life of up to 36 hours of video playback on the iPhone 18 Pro and up to 45 hours on the iPhone 18 Pro Max. A new Dynamic Island can display up to three live activities at once.
Apple said both Pro phones support its “most advanced” on-device AI model to date, and the AI-upgraded Siri will support more than 300,000 apps. The iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199; the iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at $1,299 and will offer a new 2TB option. Both phones will be available in black, silver, burgundy and glacier and launch on September 18th.
AirPods updates: ANC comes to the entry model
Apple is adding active noise cancellation (ANC) to its lowest-cost AirPods for the first time. The AirPods 5, Apple said, are more durable and provide 50 percent more noise reduction than the previous generation. They are priced at $129 and offer up to four hours of listening with ANC on, or up to 20 hours with the charging case.
Apple is also introducing a $149 AirPods model with on-stem volume control, up to five hours of battery life with ANC enabled and a wireless charging case. Both new AirPods models will be available starting September 18th.
Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4: Siri Recap and Audio Intelligence
Apple announced a new “Siri Recap” feature that uses the built-in microphones on the Watch Series 12 and Watch Ultra 4 to take notes on daily conversations; users can ask Siri about transcripts and save them to the Siri app. A new “Audio Intelligence” capability uses on-device AI to detect sounds such as sirens or a doorbell.
The Watch Series 12 now measures heart rate every five seconds with a sensor that uses larger, more power-efficient green LEDs, and samples heart rate variability as often as every five minutes. The Health app has been redesigned to include Apple Intelligence guidance and a new “Longevity” tab that assesses health across sleep, movement, heart health and other metrics. Apple states the Watch Series 12 offers up to 24 hours of battery life, while the Ultra 4 can last over two days without a charge. Pricing begins at $399 for the Watch Series 12 ($899 for a ceramic option) and $799 for the Watch Ultra 4. Both models launch on September 18th.
iOS 27 and Siri AI beta
iOS 27 will bring Siri AI as a beta for devices set to English, enabling a more conversational assistant that can take actions across apps. The update also includes the ability to adjust the opacity of Liquid Glass, new icon designs, extra-large widgets and new volume controls for ringtones, alarms, timers and alerts.
These announcements together map Apple’s event roadmap through September and October, with multiple devices and software features rolling out between September 18th and October 23rd.
