Apple's September keynote is always a big date on the tech calendar, but this year's "Surprise and Shine" event carried extra weight. Held on September 9 at Apple Park, it was the first major launch with John Ternus leading the company as CEO after taking over from Tim Cook, and it delivered the product fans have been waiting years for: a foldable iPhone.
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Meet the iPhone Duo
Rumours had pegged it as the "iPhone Ultra," but Apple's first foldable arrived as the iPhone Duo. It's a book-style device pairing a 5.4-inch cover screen with a 7.6-inch Super Retina XDR display inside, and Apple says it's the thinnest iPhone ever when unfolded. It has a titanium frame and comes in two finishes, star white and night sky.
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Software is where Apple is trying to stand apart. iOS 27 has been tuned so apps reshape themselves depending on how the Duo is held or folded, with split-screen views, app pairing, and the ability to use it propped half-open on a table. Apple Pencil support is due later this year.
There are trade-offs. The Duo swaps Face ID for Touch ID in the side button, skips a telephoto camera, and is eSIM-only. Battery life is rated at up to 24 hours when using both screens equally.
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Pricing starts at $1,999 (£1,999) for 256GB. Pre-orders open October 16, with availability from October 23.
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iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max
The Pro models are more evolutionary, but the upgrades are meaningful. Both run the new A20 Pro, built on a 2-nanometre process, with Apple claiming a 20% faster CPU and 40% faster graphics. A redesigned vapour chamber should help them sustain that performance for longer.
The headline camera feature is a variable aperture on the 48MP main camera, letting the lens physically open up for low-light shots or narrow for greater depth of field. Battery life also takes a big jump, with Apple quoting 36 hours of video playback on the 18 Pro and 45 hours on the Pro Max. A new Reference Image feature can help verify that a photo was genuinely captured on the phone, though it won't launch in the EU or China.
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Rising memory costs have pushed prices up by $100: the 18 Pro now starts at $1,199 (£1,199) and the Pro Max at $1,299 (£1,299). Colours are Silver, Black, Glacier and Burgundy. Pre-orders open Saturday, September 12, a day later than usual, likely out of respect for the 25th anniversary of 9/11, with launch on September 18.
Notably missing is the standard iPhone 18, which Apple is holding back until spring 2027.
Apple Watch and AirPods
The Apple Watch Series 12 (from $399) and Apple Watch Ultra 4 share a redesigned Health Sensing System that Apple says delivers the most accurate heart rate tracking of any wearable, plus a new Readiness Score and a Health Age metric. The Ultra 4 now lasts two full days on a charge. Both also debut "Audio Intelligence" features like Siri Recap and Live Rewind, which use the microphone to summarise your day and replay recent conversations. Expect those to spark a privacy debate.
AirPods 5 come in two versions at $129 and $149, bringing improved noise cancellation and Live Translation. The pricier model adds a wireless charging case and swipe-to-adjust volume.
The Verdict
Apple is years behind Samsung on foldables, but that has rarely stopped it before. If the Duo's software feels as natural as Apple promises, its price and polish could be what finally pulls mainstream buyers into the category. The real test begins in October.
