Despite the hype over Apple new Duo foldable the Company has also unveiled a sweeping refresh of its hardware ecosystem, introducing a new pro-level iPhone lineup, a health-focused Apple Watch Series 12, and the first-ever AirPods with active noise cancellation at entry-level pricing – all while ceding the foldable spotlight to its new iPhone Duo.

In a departure from recent years, Apple skipped a standard iPhone 18 model entirely, launching only the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. Both devices feature what the company called “the biggest camera improvement in years” – a 48‑megapixel main sensor with a variable six‑blade aperture, a design borrowed from traditional standalone cameras.

The aperture mechanism adjusts to control depth of field and light intake, and new “Pro controls” give photographers manual-style adjustments directly in the native camera app.

Apple Skips Base iPhone, Launches First Foldable As Ternus Takes The Stage

Apple has dumped the entry-level iPhone from its 2026 line-up and gone all in on premium, launching two Pro handsets, its first foldable and a heavily re-engineered Apple Watch at the first launch event fronted by chief executive John Ternus.

The headline device is the iPhone Duo, a passport-shaped foldable that lies flat when opened, and which arrives seven years after Samsung created the category with the original Galaxy Fold. Preorders open on 16 October, with the device on sale from 23 October.

The rest of the range moves faster. Preorders for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max open Saturday ahead of a 18 September on-sale date, at $2,099 and $2,299 respectively. There is no base iPhone 18 at launch.

Camera Is The Pitch

Apple is selling the Pro models on imaging, describing the upgrade as its biggest camera improvement in years.

Both handsets carry a 48-megapixel main camera with a variable aperture built around a six-blade mechanism, bringing the module closer to a conventional camera than any previous iPhone. The aperture opens and closes to control the light hitting the sensor and to shift between shallow and deep depth of field. A new set of Pro controls gives users more manual input over settings.

The 6.3-inch Pro and 6.9-inch Pro Max also get a redesigned Dynamic Island, smaller than the outgoing version and able to display up to three live activities at once.

Silicon And Thermals

Powering both is the A20 Pro, which Apple claims delivers 20% faster CPU performance and 40% faster graphics than the previous generation.

A vapour chamber cooling system has been added, which Apple says produces the best sustained performance of any iPhone to date, an implicit acknowledgement of the thermal throttling complaints that dogged earlier Pro models.

Battery claims are aggressive: up to 36 hours of video playback on the Pro and up to 45 hours on the Pro Max.

The company also confirmed an AI-upgraded Siri, though it offered limited detail at the event.

Watch Series 12 Chases Health Credibility

The Apple Watch Series 12 and Watch Ultra 4 open for preorder today and go on sale 18 September, priced from $649 and $1,349.

Both gain upgraded sensors. The Series 12 now takes a heart-rate reading every five seconds using larger, more power-efficient green LEDs, and samples heart rate variability as often as every five minutes. Apple officials claimed the devices are the most accurate wearables on the market for heart rate, and that the Series 12 delivers the most accurate step counting of any smartwatch.

Software has been reworked to match. A redesigned Health app adds a Longevity tab that scores users across sleep, movement, heart health and other metrics, with personalised guidance served by Apple Intelligence.

Battery life is quoted at up to 24 hours for the Series 12 and more than two days for the Ultra 4. Two new ceramic-coated Series 12 models will be sold, in pearl white and night blue.

ANC Arrives At The Entry Point

Apple has brought active noise cancellation to its cheapest AirPods for the first time. The AirPods 5 are pitched as more durable, with 50% more noise reduction than the outgoing model, four hours of listening with ANC engaged and up to 20 hours with the charging case. They are priced at $129.

A dearer model adds on-stem volume control, five hours of ANC playback and a wireless charging case. Both go on sale 18 September.