Apple held its first fall iPhone event under newly appointed CEO John Ternus on Wednesday, and the headline was the company’s first foldable phone: the iPhone Duo. The tech giant also unveiled the iPhone 18 Pro lineup, new Apple Watches, AirPods 5, and a redesigned Health app.
Here is everything Apple announced at its “Surprise and Shine” event.
The foldable iPhone Duo
Apple’s first foldable, the iPhone Duo, features a 7.6-inch Retina display when unfolded and a 5.4-inch outer display. The company said the device was “inspired by the versatility of iPad.” The inner display has an “underdisplay” camera for an all-screen feel.
The phone has a 48-megapixel fusion main camera and a 48-megapixel ultrawide camera with 2x optical zoom. Like other foldables, users can take rear-camera selfies and preview them on the outer display.
The Duo’s hinge is made from Grade 5 aluminum and comprises more than 100 specially engineered components.
The iPhone Duo starts at $1,999 with 256GB of storage and comes in two colors. Preorders open October 16, and the device hits stores October 23.
iPhone 18 Pro camera upgrades
The iPhone 18 Pro lineup keeps the same design as its predecessors, but the cameras get the big upgrade. The new Pro series features a 48-megapixel sensor with a variable aperture controlled by six thin blades.
Apple says this system improves low-light photography and increases shooting speed. New Pro controls include white balance, shutter speed, aperture, and a histogram. New “Photographic Styles” offer texture and grain controls.
The camera can record 4K video in Dolby HDR Vision and apply cinematic effects after shooting.
The iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199, and the iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at $1,299, which is $100 more than last year’s models. Preorders open Saturday, with both devices available September 18.
Apple Watch sound and audio features
The Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 aren’t getting a major hardware makeover, but they are getting significant software updates. A new “Sound Recognition” feature listens for sounds such as sirens, alarms, doorbells, and a baby crying, providing alerts for people who are hard of hearing.
Apple is taking aim at AI-powered wearables with new “Audio Intelligence” features. A “Live Rewind” feature shows the previous 15 seconds of a conversation as a text snippet. A “Siri Recap” feature helps users remember key moments from daily conversations, like takeaways from a team meeting or a parent-teacher conference.
The Apple Watch Series 12 starts at $399, while the Apple Watch Ultra 4 costs $499. Preorders open today, with availability beginning September 18.
AirPods 5 upgrades
The AirPods 5 introduce improved audio quality, stronger active noise cancellation, and expanded Siri and Apple Intelligence features. Apple says AirPods 5 can reduce background noise by 50% more than the previous generation.
They also feature volume control on the stem, which was previously only available on the more expensive AirPods Pro. Transparency mode has been improved to let users hear nearby voices and ambient sounds more naturally.
The AirPods 5 offer up to five hours of listening with active noise cancellation on a single charge. The charging case brings total listening time up to 22 hours.
AirPods 5 start at $129, while the version with a Wireless Charging Case costs $149. Preorders begin today, with the earbuds arriving September 18.
Revamped Health app
Apple announced a redesigned Apple Health app that uses Apple Intelligence to make sense of health data. The updates introduce a new Insights tab with a summary of the most timely health information, along with personalized guidance, assessments, a new “Readiness” score, and a calculation of your “Health Age.”
A new Longevity tab uses metrics from your Apple Watch and iPhone to assess your overall health across sleep, movement, heart health, and more.
The revamped Health app rolls out later this year, starting in U.S. English.
Key numbers
- iPhone Duo: $1,999, 256GB, preorders October 16, in stores October 23
- iPhone 18 Pro: $1,199; iPhone 18 Pro Max: $1,299, available September 18
- Apple Watch Series 12: $399; Apple Watch Ultra 4: $499, available September 18
- AirPods 5: $129 ($149 with Wireless Charging Case), available September 18
- iPhone Duo battery: up to 31 hours video on inner display, 44 hours on outer display
- AirPods 5 battery: 5 hours with active noise cancellation, 22 hours with case
Order of availability
- Preorders open today: Apple Watch Series 12, Apple Watch Ultra 4, AirPods 5
- Preorders open Saturday: iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max
- Preorders open October 16: iPhone Duo
The foldable iPhone Duo is the centerpiece, but the software updates across the Watch and Health app show Apple pushing deeper into health and AI-powered assistance.
Source: techcrunch.com