Apple held its first fall event under CEO John Ternus on Wednesday to unveil the iPhone Duo, a foldable phone, alongside the iPhone 18 Pro lineup, new AirPods, and updated smartwatches.
iPhone Duo
The new foldable phone, the iPhone Duo, measures 7.6 inches when unfolded and 5.4 inches when folded. Apple stated the device was inspired by the versatility of an iPad. The inner screen uses an under-display camera to create a full-screen experience.
Battery life reaches up to 31 hours on the inner display and up to 44 hours on the outer display.
Camera hardware includes a 48-megapixel fusion main sensor and a 48-megapixel ultrawide lens with 2x optical zoom. Users can capture rear-facing selfies and view previews on the exterior screen.
The hinge is constructed from Grade 5 aluminum and contains over 100 specially engineered parts to ensure smooth movement.
Prices start at $1,999 for 256GB storage. Pre-orders begin October 16, with retail availability on October 23.
iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max
The iPhone 18 Pro models keep the same design as previous years but feature improved cameras.
The new sensor is 48-megapixels and uses a variable aperture controlled by six thin blades. This change should improve low-light shots and increase shooting speed.
Software adds new Pro controls for white balance, shutter speed, aperture, and histograms. New Photographic Styles allow adjustments to texture and grain.
Video recording supports 4K in Dolby HDR Vision with cinematic effects applied after capture.
The iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at $1,299. Both are $100 more expensive than last year’s models. Pre-orders open Saturday, with availability on September 18.
Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4
Both the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 receive significant software updates rather than major hardware changes.
A new Sound Recognition feature detects sirens, alarms, doorbells, and crying babies to alert users who are hard of hearing.
Apple is responding to AI-powered wearables with Audio Intelligence features. These allow the watch to rewind moments and help users recall details from conversations.
Live Rewind displays the previous 15 seconds of a conversation as a text snippet. Siri Recap helps remember key moments from daily interactions, such as team meetings or parent-teacher conferences.
The Apple Watch Series 12 starts at $399, while the Apple Watch Ultra 4 costs $499. Pre-orders open today, with store availability beginning September 18.
AirPods 5
The AirPods 5 upgrade includes better audio quality, stronger active noise cancellation, and expanded Siri and Apple Intelligence features.
Background noise reduction is 50% better than the previous generation. Volume control is now available on the stem, a feature previously limited to the more expensive AirPods Pro.
Transparency mode has been improved to make nearby voices and ambient sounds sound more natural.
A single charge provides up to five hours of listening with active noise cancellation. The charging case extends total time to up to 22 hours.
Prices start at $129 for the standard case and $149 for the Wireless Charging Case. Pre-orders begin today, with arrival on September 18.
Revamped Health App
Apple announced a redesigned Health app that uses Apple Intelligence to interpret health data.
A new Insights tab offers a summary of timely health information, personalized guidance, assessments, a Readiness score, and a Health Age calculation. A new Longevity tab assesses overall health using metrics like sleep, movement, and heart health.
The update rolls out later this year, starting with U.S. English.
What it means
For people making content or managing their daily lives, the focus shifts from raw processing power to specific utility. The iPhone Duo offers a larger screen for media consumption without changing the core operating system. The Pro cameras give photographers more manual control over light and grain. The Apple Watch moves from simple tracking to acting as a memory aid, letting users review past conversations and hear relevant audio cues. The Health app aims to turn raw data into actionable summaries rather than just displaying numbers.
