Apple has made one of its biggest changes to the iPhone line-up in years, introducing its first foldable iPhone alongside the iPhone 18 Pro range, AirPods 5 and new Apple Watches.
The biggest announcement from Apple’s September 9 event was the iPhone Duo, a completely new foldable model that opens to reveal the largest display Apple has ever fitted to an iPhone.
There was also one notable absence. Apple did not introduce a standard iPhone 18 alongside the new Pro models.
Apple’s first foldable iPhone has arrived
The iPhone Duo marks Apple’s first move into the foldable smartphone market.
When closed, it has a 5.4-inch outer display. Opening the device reveals a 7.6-inch inner display that is 50% larger than the screen on the iPhone 18 Pro Max. Apple also says the Duo is its thinnest iPhone yet when opened.
iOS 27 has been adapted for the foldable design, allowing the interface and content to respond as the device is folded, rotated or switched between displays. The larger screen also opens up new possibilities for multitasking across apps.
The Duo brings Touch ID back to the iPhone, with the fingerprint sensor built into the side button. Apple Pencil with USB-C support is also coming later this year.
The phone is made from grade 5 titanium and runs on Apple’s new A20 Pro chip. Its camera system includes 48MP Fusion Main and 48MP Fusion Ultra Wide cameras.
US pricing starts at $1,999 for 256GB, with 512GB, 1TB and 2TB configurations also available. Pre-orders begin on October 16, with availability from October 23 in the first group of markets.
The two colours are star white and night sky.
iPhone 18 Pro gets variable aperture photography
Apple also introduced the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, with major changes focused on photography, performance, battery life and artificial intelligence.
Both phones use the new A20 Pro chip, manufactured using a 2-nanometre process, alongside a redesigned thermal system for better sustained performance.
The headline camera addition is a 48MP Fusion Main camera with variable aperture. The aperture can physically change to control how much light reaches the sensor and alter the depth of field.
New Pro controls also allow photographers to manually adjust settings including aperture, shutter speed and white balance.
The Dynamic Island is smaller and can now display up to three Live Activities at the same time.
Apple claims up to 36 hours of video playback for eSIM-only versions of the iPhone 18 Pro and up to 45 hours for the iPhone 18 Pro Max.
The phones come in black, silver, glacier and burgundy. US prices start at $1,199 for the iPhone 18 Pro and $1,299 for the Pro Max, with pre-orders opening on September 12 ahead of availability from September 18.
A new way to check whether a photograph has been altered
One of the more unusual additions to the iPhone 18 Pro is Apple Reference Image, a feature designed to help establish what the camera actually captured before a photograph was edited.
When Reference mode is enabled, the camera records signed sensor data which is used to create an unalterable reference image. That image can then be viewed alongside the main photograph to help identify changes.
Apple says the technology could be particularly useful for photographers, photojournalists and anyone trying to establish the authenticity of an image at a time when AI-generated and manipulated imagery is becoming increasingly difficult to identify.
There is an important limitation for Malta. Apple Reference Image capture will not be available in the European Union at launch. EU users will still be able to develop and view reference images using supported Apple software.
Siri AI is coming, but Malta will have to wait
Apple is also introducing Siri AI, a substantially redesigned version of its assistant powered by Apple Intelligence.
The new Siri can use personal context from information including messages, emails and photos, understand what is being displayed on screen and answer broader questions.
iOS 27 will be released on September 14, with Siri AI beginning its beta rollout on supported devices.
However, Siri AI will not initially be available on iOS, iPadOS or watchOS in the European Union. That means iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch users in Malta will have to wait for the new Siri experience.
AirPods 5 bring noise cancellation to the standard range
Apple also revealed AirPods 5, bringing Active Noise Cancellation to its more affordable open-ear AirPods.
Apple says the new system removes up to 50% more external noise than AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation. The earbuds also feature a redesigned acoustic system, next-generation Adaptive EQ and support for features including Live Translation on compatible Apple devices.
AirPods 5 cost $129 in the US, while a $149 version with a Wireless Charging Case adds longer battery life, wireless charging and volume controls on the stem.
Pre-orders are already open, with availability beginning on September 18.
Apple Watch Series 12 puts more focus on health
The Apple Watch Series 12 introduces Apple’s new Health Sensing System and S11 chip, with more frequent heart rate and heart rate variability measurements.
Heart rate can now be measured every five seconds throughout the day, while heart rate variability can be measured as frequently as every five minutes.
Those measurements contribute to a new Readiness feature, which analyses recent activity, sleep and health data to produce a daily score between 0 and 10, together with guidance such as Recover, Pace Yourself, Ready or Go For It.
Apple is also redesigning the Health app later this year with new long-term health and longevity insights, including Health Age.
Apple Watch Series 12 starts at $399 in the US and becomes available on September 18.
Apple Watch Ultra 4 gets longer workout battery life
The Apple Watch Ultra 4 receives the same Health Sensing System, S11 chip and Readiness feature.
Apple says it can track outdoor workouts for up to 45 hours and features what the company describes as its most accurate on-device GPS system in a sports watch.
The Ultra 4 starts at $799 in the US, with availability beginning on September 18.
And what happened to the normal iPhone 18?
Perhaps the strangest part of Apple’s September line-up is the phone it did not introduce.
There was no standard iPhone 18 among the announcements. Instead, Apple’s new iPhone hardware centred on the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max and the completely new iPhone Duo.
That makes the Duo more than another premium model. For the first time, Apple is offering an iPhone that unfolds into something closer to a small tablet, putting it directly into a foldable market where rival manufacturers have already been competing for years.
At $1,999 in the US before moving to higher storage configurations, it is certainly not a cheap experiment. But after years of sticking to the traditional single-screen format, the iPhone officially folds.
