Apple Unveils First Foldable iPhone Duo at $1,999 Alongside iPhone 18 Pro Lineup

Key Takeaways

• Apple introduced its first foldable phone, the iPhone Duo, priced at $1,999.
• New CEO John Ternus, formerly head of hardware engineering, led his first major product event.
• The company also announced the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, updated AirPods with active noise cancellation, and new Apple Watch models.

Apple’s “Surprise and Shine” event on Wednesday delivered a sweeping product refresh headlined by the company’s first foldable device, the iPhone Duo. The presentation also introduced the iPhone 18 Pro series, fifth-generation AirPods, and the Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4.

The event marked a leadership transition. John Ternus, who assumed the CEO role on September 1, delivered the opening keynote. He framed the company’s direction around artificial intelligence that meets practical standards—all-day battery life, enhanced visual experiences, and seamless integration into daily routines.

“Today we’re going to take these abilities even further with the next generation of iPhone,” Ternus said.

Here is a breakdown of the announcements.

iPhone Duo foldable phone

“Others have created foldables that feel like two screens stuck together,” Ternus said. “We started with the experience that we would want for ourselves.”

The iPhone Duo features a 5.4-inch cover display that unfolds into a 7.6-inch internal screen. The hinge allows the device to rest at various angles, enabling new camera and video workflows.

“When opened, it’s our thinnest iPhone ever,” Ternus said.

The device introduces a new form factor while retaining the familiar iPhone display experience. It offers a larger canvas that still fits in a pocket and marks the first iPhone compatible with Apple Pencil, allowing users to annotate documents and highlight text directly on the screen.

The chassis is constructed from titanium and carries dust- and water-resistance ratings.

“iPhone Duo is the most transformational change to iPhone since the original,” Ternus said.

Addressing durability concerns around the display crease, Apple’s chief hardware officer, Johny Srouji, explained that each hinge is precisely aligned during manufacturing to ensure long-term reliability.

The iPhone Duo starts at $1,999 with 256 GB of storage and is offered in white and night sky (dark blue). Preorders begin October 16, with shipping starting October 23.

iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max

For customers not ready to adopt a foldable, Apple refreshed its flagship Pro line. “We made massive advancements in the most important areas,” Ternus said of the iPhone 18 Pro, citing extended battery life and an upgraded camera system.

The devices run on the new A20 Pro chip, which drives efficiency gains described as a “massive leap” in battery performance. The iPhone 18 Pro delivers up to 36 hours of battery life, while the 18 Pro Max offers the “longest battery life by far” at 45 hours.

The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max debut in new glacier (light blue) and burgundy (dark cherry) finishes. Apple claims the camera system is the most advanced it has ever built.

The iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199 for 256 GB; the Pro Max starts at $1,299. The primary differences are display size—6.3 inches on the Pro versus 6.9 inches on the Pro Max—and battery capacity.

Preorders open September 12, with availability beginning September 18.

A new Siri

Siri received a significant upgrade. The assistant now incorporates personal context and can search apps such as Mail and Messages to answer queries. It operates across 3,000 apps and is integrated into the Camera app on iPhone for faster, contextual actions. A broader range of expressive voices lets users adjust how human and emotive the assistant sounds.

Users can also invoke Siri to write and edit text virtually anywhere text entry is available—for example, composing an email to a coach while on the move.

Siri launches in beta for English, with additional language support arriving next month.

AirPods 5

Apple brought active noise cancellation to its entry-level AirPods. The standard model, now priced at $129, includes the feature previously reserved for higher tiers. The model with a wireless charging case retails for $149.

“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,” said Dave Pakula, Apple’s vice president of Hardware Engineering, in a press release.

Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra Watch 4

Apple introduced the Apple Watch Series 12 and a redesigned Health Sensing System. The updated sensors capture heart-rate data at a much higher frequency—every five seconds, a 60-fold increase over prior generations.

In a clinical study comparing the Apple Watch to other leading wearables, the company stated the device delivered “the most accurate heart rate sensing in a variable.”

A new Readiness score aggregates heart-rate metrics into a single health snapshot.

The company also debuted Audio Intelligence, a suite that interprets environmental sounds. Powered by Apple Intelligence, it recognizes alarms, sirens, and doorbells. Siri Recap generates notes and transcripts from audio, while Live Rewind lets users replay and transcribe the last 15 seconds of conversation.

The Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 are priced at $399 and $799, respectively. Both are available for preorder now and launch September 18. The Ultra 4 targets extreme conditions with a titanium case and up to 50 hours of battery life, while the Series 12 offers aluminum and ceramic finishes with standard all-day battery life.

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