Apple has introduced the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max alongside its first foldable phone, the iPhone Duo, headlining a wave of new hardware that also includes updated Apple Watches and AirPods. The announcements mark Apple's biggest hardware refresh of the year and a significant expansion of the iPhone family.

iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max

The new Pro models feature a smaller Dynamic Island, fresh Glacier, Burgundy and Black finishes, and the 2nm A20 Pro chip. Apple says the processor delivers up to 40% faster sustained performance, helped by a vapor chamber three times larger than before. The iPhone 18 Pro now reaches up to 24 hours of typical use, matching last year's Pro Max, while the 18 Pro Max hits up to 30 hours in what Apple calls its largest generational battery gain yet.

Both phones carry a 48-megapixel main camera with a variable aperture from ƒ/1.48 to ƒ/4.0, new Pro Controls for manual aperture, shutter speed and white balance, and texture and grain controls in Photographic Styles. A feature called Apple Reference Image signs photo data at capture to verify authenticity. Pricing starts at $1,199 and $1,299, up $100 from last year, with some higher storage tiers rising by as much as $500. Pre-orders begin Saturday, September 12, ahead of a September 18 release.

The iPhone Duo foldable

The iPhone Duo is a book-style foldable with a 7.6-inch inner display and a 5.4-inch outer display sharing the same aspect ratio. Apple describes it as the thinnest iPhone ever when unfolded. The inner screen uses a nano-texture finish to reduce glare and crease visibility, and the device includes a titanium frame, an IP68 rating, Touch ID in the side button, the A20 Pro chip, Apple's new C2 modem, MagSafe and a dual-battery design rated for up to 44 hours of video playback on the outer display.

Notably absent are Face ID, an Action button and a telephoto camera. Apple Pencil support arrives later this year, limited to the USB-C Apple Pencil. The iPhone Duo comes in Star White and Night Sky, starting at $1,999 for 256GB and reaching $3,199 for 2TB. Pre-orders begin October 16 ahead of an October 23 launch, with the phone shipping on iOS 27.1.

New Apple Watches and AirPods

The Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 add a Health Sensing System that measures heart rate every five seconds and heart rate variability as often as every five minutes, feeding a new daily Readiness score. Apple claims the most accurate heart rate sensing of any wearable. A new S11 chip with double the RAM powers Audio Intelligence features including Sound Recognition, Live Rewind and Siri Recap. Aluminum models gain Ceramic Shield, titanium arrives in Radiant Gold and Natural, and ceramic returns for the first time since the Series 5. The Series 12 starts at $399 for 42mm, while the 46mm model rises $20 to $449; titanium starts at $699 and ceramic at $899.

AirPods 5 keep the open-ear design but add Active Noise Cancellation as standard, with Apple claiming up to 50% more noise reduction than the AirPods 4 with ANC. The $129 model offers over four hours of listening with ANC, while a $149 version adds stem volume control and a wireless charging case.

Price hikes and other changes

Apple also launched AppleCare One Family, covering up to six Family Sharing members in the U.S. for $49.99 per month. The company raised prices on the iPhone 16, iPhone 17e, iPhone 17 and iPhone Air by $100 each, discontinued the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, and extended free satellite access by another year for iPhone 14, 15 and 16 owners.