Apple finally joins the fold

Apple has entered the foldable smartphone market with the iPhone Duo, the centerpiece of a broader hardware refresh that also introduced the iPhone 18 Pro series, Apple Watch Series 12, Apple Watch Ultra 4 and AirPods 5.

Unveiled during Apple’s latest event on Thursday, Philippine time, the iPhone Duo marks the company’s first major attempt to rethink the physical shape of the iPhone, years after rivals including Samsung and Huawei established the foldable category.

The book-style Duo opens to reveal a 7.6-inch Super Retina XDR display, while a 5.4-inch outer screen allows it to function more like a conventional smartphone when closed. Both displays support ProMotion, Always-On functionality and up to 3,000 nits of outdoor brightness. Apple also used a nano-texture finish on the inner screen to reduce glare and make the fold less visible.

Powered by the A20 Pro chip, the Duo is designed around multitasking as much as portability. iOS 27 allows two apps to run side by side, while developers including Netflix, Zoom and Slack are adapting their apps for the wider folding display.

Photography also takes advantage of the second screen. The outer display can serve as a preview when users take selfies with the rear cameras, while Duo Preview allows subjects being photographed to see the framing in real time.

The Duo carries a 48-megapixel Fusion Main camera and 48MP Ultra Wide camera and supports 4K video at up to 120 frames per second in Dolby Vision.

It starts at $1,999 for 256GB of storage and will be offered with capacity of up to 2TB. Pre-orders begin 16 October, with availability starting 23 October in more than 70 countries and regions.

iPhone 18 Pro gets camera overhaul

Apple also introduced the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, both powered by the A20 Pro chip.

The biggest upgrade is a new 48MP Fusion Main camera with variable aperture, allowing users greater control over depth of field and light entering the sensor. Apple also added more manual camera controls, including white balance, shutter speed and aperture adjustments.

The Pro models also introduce Apple Reference Image, a new image-authenticity feature aimed partly at photographers and journalists. It can preserve signed sensor data from the point of capture, giving users a reference image against which later alterations can be checked.

The iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199, while the Pro Max starts at $1,299, both $100 higher than their predecessors, according to Reuters and TechCrunch. Pre-orders begin 12 September, with availability from 18 September.

Apple Watch leans harder into health and AI

The Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 introduce Apple’s new Health Sensing System and S11 chip.

Both offer higher-frequency heart rate and heart rate variability measurements and a new readiness score intended to help users understand how prepared their body is for activity.

Apple is also bringing Audio Intelligence to the watches, including Sound Recognition, Live Rewind and Siri Recap, features that can identify important sounds or help users recall parts of conversations.

The Series 12 starts at $399, while the Ultra 4 starts at $799. Both become available on 18 September.

AirPods 5 bring ANC downmarket

Rounding out the hardware announcements are the AirPods 5, which bring active noise cancellation to Apple’s more affordable open-ear earbuds.

Apple claims the new model can remove up to 50 percent more external noise than AirPods 4 with ANC. The earbuds also gain improved Adaptive EQ, Siri AI integration, Live Translation and greater resistance to dust, sweat and water.

AirPods 5 start at $129, while a version with a wireless charging case costs $149. Both arrive on 18 September.