Apple Event 2026: iPhone Duo, iPhone 18 Pro and New Watches Announced

Apple has unveiled a major lineup of new products at its September 2026 event, including its first foldable iPhone, the iPhone Duo, along with the new iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max.

The company also announced new Apple Watch models and AirPods, making this one of Apple's biggest product events of the year.

Apple Introduces First Foldable iPhone Duo

The biggest announcement was the iPhone Duo, Apple's first foldable iPhone.

The device features a book-style folding design with a 5.4-inch outer display and a 7.6-inch inner display when unfolded. Apple says the Duo is its thinnest iPhone when opened and is designed for watching content, gaming, multitasking and productivity.

The iPhone Duo is powered by Apple's new A20 Pro chip and uses a dual-battery architecture with an advanced thermal management system.

Its starting price is $1,999.

iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max Announced

Apple also officially unveiled the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max.

Both models are powered by the new A20 Pro chip and bring major upgrades to performance, photography, battery life and AI capabilities.

The new Pro models feature a 48MP Fusion Main camera with variable aperture, giving users more control over photography in different lighting conditions.

Apple has also introduced new Pro camera controls that allow users to manually adjust settings including aperture, shutter speed and white balance.

iPhone 18 Pro Gets A20 Pro Chip

The A20 Pro is built using a new 2-nanometer process and includes a 6-core CPU, 7-core GPU and a dual 16-core Neural Engine.

Apple says the new GPU can deliver up to a 40% performance improvement over the previous-generation A19 Pro, while the Neural Engine is designed to provide significantly greater AI processing capability.

The new phones also include an upgraded thermal management system designed to maintain high performance for longer periods.

New Apple Intelligence and Siri AI

AI was another major focus of the event.

The iPhone 18 Pro models will run iOS 27 and introduce the next generation of Apple Intelligence along with a new Siri AI experience.

Siri AI is designed to understand personal context, interact with information across apps and provide more conversational assistance. Apple says users will also be able to use onscreen awareness and other AI capabilities.

Apple Watch Series 12 and Watch Ultra 4

Apple also introduced new Apple Watch models, including the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4.

The new watches feature improved heart-rate tracking sensors and a new readiness feature in the Vitals app. The feature analyzes recent activity, sleep and other health-related measurements to provide a daily indication of whether users should rest, pace themselves or continue their normal activity.

Apple also introduced new sound-recognition capabilities and a Live Rewind feature that can transcribe recent spoken audio around the user.

AirPods 5 Also Announced

Apple announced the new AirPods 5 alongside its other products.

The earbuds feature a new acoustic architecture and improved active noise cancellation. Apple says the new ANC system provides a significant improvement over the previous generation.

The AirPods 5 also support Siri AI through a connected iPhone and include real-time translation capabilities.

The standard AirPods 5 start at $129, while a higher-end version with additional features costs $149.

iPhone 18 Pro Price and Release Date

The iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at $1,299 in the United States.

Both models will be available with 256GB, 512GB, 1TB and 2TB storage options. Apple says pre-orders will begin on September 12, 2026, with availability starting September 18 in the initial markets.

The iPhone Duo starts at $1,999, making it significantly more expensive than the standard Pro models.

Why the Apple Event Matters

The 2026 Apple event marks an important shift for the iPhone lineup.

The launch of the iPhone Duo brings Apple's first foldable smartphone to the market, while the iPhone 18 Pro focuses on camera improvements, performance, battery life and AI.

With new Apple Watch and AirPods models also joining the lineup, Apple is expanding its hardware ecosystem while putting greater emphasis on artificial intelligence and personalized experiences.