Apple Unveils iPhone Duo and iPhone 18 Pro at John Ternus’s First Keynote

Apple has entered a new chapter.

At its September 9, 2026, “Surprise and Shine” event, the company introduced its first foldable iPhone, unveiled the new iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, and refreshed its AirPods and Apple Watch lineups.

The event was also notable for another reason. It was the first major Apple product keynote led by John Ternus as CEO after he succeeded Tim Cook earlier this month.

The biggest announcement was undoubtedly the iPhone Duo, Apple’s first foldable iPhone. Starting at $1,999, the device brings a large 7.6-inch internal display to a pocketable design and marks one of the biggest changes to the iPhone product line in years.

iPhone Duo Is Apple’s First Foldable iPhone

Apple has finally entered the foldable smartphone market with the iPhone Duo.

When opened, the device becomes the thinnest iPhone Apple has ever made. It features a 7.6-inch Super Retina XDR inner display designed for gaming, multitasking and viewing content on a larger canvas.

When closed, users get a 5.4-inch outer display. Apple says the outer screen provides 90 percent of the screen area of the iPhone 18 Pro while keeping the device compact enough for everyday use.

The two displays share the same aspect ratio, helping content transition naturally between the folded and unfolded modes.

Apple has also added a precision hinge designed to provide smooth opening and closing while supporting the centre of the display.

The iPhone Duo is available in Star White and Night Sky and uses a grade 5 titanium design.

Pre-orders begin October 16, with availability starting October 23.

A20 Pro Brings More Power to the Foldable iPhone

The iPhone Duo is powered by Apple’s new A20 Pro chip, the same processor family used in the iPhone 18 Pro models.

Apple says the chip uses a 2-nanometre process and includes a six-core CPU, seven-core GPU and dual 16-core Neural Engine.

The company claims the A20 Pro delivers up to 20 percent faster CPU performance and up to 40 percent faster GPU performance compared with the previous generation, while its Neural Engine provides substantially more processing power for on-device AI.

The Duo also features a custom vapor chamber designed to maintain performance during demanding activities such as gaming, multitasking and AI workloads.

This hardware could become particularly important as Apple continues to push AI processing directly onto its devices.

iPhone Duo Brings AI Into the Foldable Experience

The iPhone Duo is not just about a larger screen.

Apple has redesigned iOS 27 to take advantage of the foldable form factor. Applications can adapt as the device opens, closes or changes orientation.

Apple Intelligence and the new Siri AI are also integrated into the experience, allowing the device to use personal context while maintaining Apple’s focus on on-device processing and Private Cloud Compute.

The foldable design also introduces new camera experiences.

Users can preview photographs on the outer display, use the rear cameras for higher-quality selfies and use features such as Smart Take to help capture moments automatically.

Apple says the main camera supports 4K video recording at 120 frames per second in Dolby Vision.

iPhone 18 Pro Gets a Major Camera Upgrade

Alongside the Duo, Apple introduced the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max.

The biggest camera change is the introduction of a 48MP Fusion Main camera with variable aperture.

Unlike a fixed aperture, a variable aperture allows the camera to adjust how much light enters the lens. This gives users more control over photography in different lighting conditions and can also provide greater creative control over depth and exposure.

Apple has also introduced new Pro controls that allow users to manually adjust settings such as:

• Aperture
• Shutter speed
• White balance
• Exposure

A histogram is also available to help users evaluate exposure while shooting.

The iPhone 18 Pro models also feature a redesigned Dynamic Island that can display up to three Live Activities simultaneously.

A20 Pro Powers the iPhone 18 Pro

The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max also use Apple’s A20 Pro chip.

Apple says the processor includes integrated Neural Accelerators and a new Dual 16-core Neural Engine designed to accelerate on-device AI and computational photography.

The chip is paired with a new thermal management system featuring a larger vapor chamber. Apple says this enables up to a 40 percent gain in sustained performance compared with the previous iPhone 17 Pro generation.

Battery life has also received a major upgrade.

Apple says the iPhone 18 Pro Max delivers its largest battery-life improvement ever, while the eSIM-only versions can provide up to 45 hours of video playback.

Siri AI Becomes a Bigger Part of the iPhone

AI is becoming a more visible part of Apple’s latest devices.

The iPhone 18 Pro models feature Siri AI, a new version of Siri powered by Apple Intelligence.

Siri AI can use personal context to help users find information across messages, emails and photos. It can also understand what is displayed on the screen and take actions based on that information.

This represents an important change for Apple.

Instead of treating AI as a separate feature, Apple is increasingly positioning intelligence as part of the everyday iPhone experience.

AirPods 5 Add AI and Better Noise Cancellation

Apple also introduced AirPods 5 during the event.

The new earbuds feature open-ear Active Noise Cancellation, which Apple says can remove up to 50 percent more external noise than AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation.

AirPods 5 also add improved sound, Adaptive EQ, hands-free access to Siri AI and Live Translation.

In India, AirPods 5 start at ₹14,900, while the version with a Wireless Charging Case starts at ₹17,900.

Pre-orders are already open, with availability beginning September 18.

Apple Watch Series 12 Focuses on Health Intelligence

Apple also unveiled the Apple Watch Series 12, introducing a new Health Sensing System.

The watch provides higher-frequency heart rate and heart rate variability measurements, which support a new readiness score designed to give users a better understanding of their body’s capacity for the day.

The S11 chip also enables new Audio Intelligence features, while Siri AI brings personal context and broader knowledge to the wrist.

Apple also introduced the Apple Watch Ultra 4 as part of the new wearable lineup.

Apple Is Raising Prices Across Its iPhone Lineup

The product launches came with another notable change: higher prices for several existing iPhone models.

In India, the increases have been particularly significant. Reuters reported that some existing iPhone models saw price increases of up to 41 percent, making India’s increases among the steepest Apple implemented globally in 2026.

The timing puts additional attention on the $1,999 starting price of the iPhone Duo.

Foldable smartphones remain a premium category, and Apple’s challenge will be convincing consumers that its approach offers enough value to justify the significant price difference.

John Ternus Begins a New Era for Apple

The event was also an important leadership moment.

John Ternus, who became Apple’s CEO on September 1, 2026, delivered his first major product keynote as the company’s chief executive.

His debut comes at an important time for Apple.

The iPhone remains the company’s most important product line, while competition in smartphones is becoming increasingly focused on foldable designs, AI features and new form factors.

The iPhone Duo therefore represents more than another product launch. It is an early indication of the type of hardware innovation Apple is willing to pursue under Ternus.

Can the iPhone Duo Restart Apple’s Innovation Cycle?

The biggest question now is whether the iPhone Duo can become a meaningful new growth driver for Apple.

Foldable smartphones have existed for several years, with Samsung and other manufacturers already offering multiple generations of foldable devices.

Apple’s advantage is its ecosystem.

The company can combine its hardware, software, Apple Intelligence, App Store and services into a single experience. The iPhone Duo also arrives with a mature developer ecosystem rather than asking users to adapt to an entirely new platform.

But the $1,999 starting price could limit its appeal to mainstream buyers.

That makes the Duo an interesting test for Apple. It could become a premium showcase for the company’s technology while the conventional iPhone lineup continues to serve the mass market.

What Apple’s Latest Event Means

Apple’s 2026 event was about more than a new iPhone.

The company is simultaneously pushing into:

• Foldable hardware
• On-device AI
• More capable Siri experiences
• Advanced mobile photography
• AI-powered wearables
• Smarter health tracking
• New audio experiences

The iPhone Duo is clearly the headline product, but the broader strategy is just as important.

Apple is trying to make AI, personal context and intelligent computing a bigger part of its hardware ecosystem while continuing to differentiate its products through design and tightly integrated software.

Final Thoughts

John Ternus’s first major keynote as Apple CEO delivered one of the company’s most significant iPhone announcements in years.

The iPhone Duo marks Apple’s official entry into the foldable smartphone market, combining a 7.6-inch inner display, A20 Pro performance, redesigned iOS 27 and Apple Intelligence in a completely new form factor.

The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max bring major camera and performance upgrades, while AirPods 5 and the latest Apple Watch models expand Apple’s AI and health ambitions across its wider ecosystem.

The big question is whether consumers will be willing to pay $1,999 for Apple’s first foldable iPhone.

If they are, the iPhone Duo could become one of Apple’s most important new product categories in years. If not, Apple may have to rethink how quickly foldables can move from premium technology to mainstream products.

Either way, Apple’s foldable era has officially begun.