Apple has unveiled the iPhone Duo, its first foldable smartphone, at an event led by chief executive John Ternus, alongside new Pro iPhone models, AirPods and Apple Watch devices.
The iPhone Duo opens out from a passport-shaped handset into a 7.6in display, while a 5.4in screen remains available on the outside. Apple described it as the thinnest iPhone it has produced, with the device designed to lie flat when opened.
It includes Touch ID in the side button and will support the Apple Pencil later this year. Both screens share the same aspect ratio, while changes to iOS 27 allow two applications to run side by side, videos to be pinned and the phone to be used in any orientation.
Netflix, Zoom and Slack are among the applications that have already been updated to work with the foldable’s larger display.
Inside, the iPhone Duo has Apple’s A20 Pro chip, the company’s C2 cellular modem and a 48-megapixel camera. Its nanotexture display is intended to reduce glare and reflections, while two batteries provide up to 31 hours of video playback.
The foldable will cost from $1,999 in the US and will be offered in pearl white and night blue. It is due to go on sale on October 23.
iPhone 18 Pro brings camera upgrade
Apple also focused on two premium models, the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, rather than introducing a standard iPhone 18 at the event.
Both have a 48-megapixel main camera with a variable aperture, alongside new Pro Controls intended to give users more control over photographic settings. Apple said the system represented its biggest camera improvement in years.
The phones are powered by the A20 chip and feature a redesigned Dynamic Island capable of displaying up to three live activities at once. Claimed video playback battery life is up to 36 hours for the iPhone 18 Pro and 45 hours for the Pro Max.
Apple said the devices use its most advanced on-device artificial intelligence model to date. An upgraded Siri will be able to take action across more than 300,000 applications, although the company’s AI features remain subject to language and device restrictions.
The iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199, while the Pro Max begins at $1,299 and gains a 2TB storage option. Both will be available from September 18 in black, silver, burgundy and glacier.
AirPods gain noise cancellation
Active noise cancellation is coming to Apple’s entry-level AirPods for the first time. The $129 AirPods 5 are claimed to offer 50 per cent more noise reduction than the previous generation and provide up to four hours of listening with noise cancellation enabled.
With the charging case, total listening time rises to 20 hours. Apple is also introducing a $149 version with volume controls on the stems, up to five hours of battery life with noise cancellation and a wireless charging case.
Both AirPods models will be released on September 18.
Apple Watch adds conversation summaries
The new Watch Series 12 and Watch Ultra 4 will introduce Siri Recap, which uses their built-in microphones to make notes from daily conversations. Users will be able to ask Siri questions about the transcripts and save them in the Siri app.
A separate Audio Intelligence function will use on-device processing to identify sounds including sirens and doorbells. Apple said the updated watches would also measure heart rate every five seconds and track heart-rate variability as often as every five minutes.
The redesigned Health app adds a Longevity tab covering areas including sleep, movement and heart health, with personalised guidance supplied through Apple Intelligence.
The Watch Series 12 is claimed to offer up to 24 hours of battery life, while the Watch Ultra 4 can last for more than two days. They will cost from $399 and $799 respectively and launch on September 18.
Apple’s wider iOS 27 update will include a beta version of its more conversational Siri for English-language devices. Other changes include adjustable Liquid Glass opacity, redesigned icons, larger widgets and separate volume controls for ringtones, alarms, timers and alerts.
