Apple has finally folded. At its “Surprise and Shine” event at Apple Park in Cupertino on Wednesday, September 9, the company unveiled the iPhone Duo — its first foldable phone — alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, new AirPods and a new Apple Watch. It was John Ternus’s first keynote since he succeeded Tim Cook as chief executive on September 1.
iPhone Duo: a passport that opens into an iPad
Folded, the iPhone Duo is about the size of a passport; opened, it reveals an iPad-style display. Apple says it is the thinnest iPhone design to date despite having two screens. Key features include:
- Multitasking: two apps side by side on the large inner screen.
- Apple Pencil support: a first for any iPhone.
- Touch ID returns: built into the side button.
- Cameras: dual 48-megapixel main and ultra-wide cameras, plus “Smart Take”, an AI feature that lets subjects preview themselves on the outer display while the phone captures the shot once everyone is posed.
The iPhone Duo starts at $1,999, with storage from 256GB to 2TB.
The Duo “brings an entirely new design while preserving everything you love and expect from iPhone,” Ternus said.
iPhone 18 Pro: a camera aimed at photographers — and at fakes
The iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199 and the Pro Max at $1,299. The headline change is a reworked camera with a DSLR-like adjustable aperture for better low-light shots and more control over depth of field.
Apple also introduced “Reference Image”, which saves an unalterable original alongside any edited photo. The aim is to help people verify authentic images at a time when AI-generated pictures are increasingly hard to spot.
A new Siri, with help from Google
Apple showed a revamped Siri powered by Apple Intelligence, which uses technology from Google’s Gemini models. The overhaul is central to Apple’s effort to catch up in generative AI after rivals moved faster with conversational assistants.
AirPods 5 and Apple Watch Series 12
- AirPods 5 ($129): what Apple calls industry-leading noise cancellation, improved sound, hands-free Siri and live translation.
- Apple Watch Series 12 (from $399): more frequent heart rate and heart rate variability readings and a redesigned Health app.
Higher prices, strong demand
Apple has attributed recent price increases across its lineup to global chip shortages linked to surging demand for AI hardware. Demand for its phones remains robust: the iPhone business reported $54.25 billion in revenue in the fiscal third quarter, up 22% and ahead of analysts’ expectations.
Whether a $1,999 foldable can expand that business — in a category where Samsung, Google and Chinese brands have had a multi-year head start — will be one of the first big verdicts on Ternus’s tenure.