Apple Event Live Updates: Foldable iPhone Duo, iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max launched (Express Image)Apple Event September 2026 Highlights: During Apple’s hardware event on Wednesday, September 9, the company unveiled the iPhone Duo, its first-ever foldable smartphone with software updates tailored to the larger, more flexible display.
The annual September event held at Apple Park in Cupertino, California, marked John Ternus’ first big showing as the new CEO. “For a device that plays such a central role in your life, a larger display would open up entirely new possibilities,” Ternus said. “We think the best way to achieve that is with a foldable design,” he said.
Recap the iPhone 18 2026 launch event by watching the livestream below:
The iPhone Duo comes in two colours: Star White and Night Sky. The passport-style foldable boasts a 7.6-inch inner Super Retina XDR display and 5.4-inch outer display. Users can run two apps side by side and pair apps for quick access later along with other multi-tasking features. It starts at Rs 2,99,900 for the 256GB model and will be available for pre-order in India and more than 70 other countries from October 16, with sales beginning October 23.
Apple also debuted the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, featuring the new A20 Pro system-on-chip (SoC), upgraded cameras with physical shutters to adjust depth of field and focus, longer battery life, and the latest iOS 27. They are priced at Rs 1,64,900 and Rs 1,79,900, respectively, making them more expensive than last year’s models. Apple further launched the AirPods 5 and Apple Watch Series 12 and Watch Ultra 4 smartwatches.
Stay tuned to The Indian Express for more in-depth coverage of the new iPhone 18 lineup, along with our reviews, hands-on impressions, and more.
The iPhone Duo took all the attention at the Apple Event on Wednesday. But the event featured other iPhones, two new AirPods, a new Apple Watch Series 12, and even an Apple Watch Ultra 4, though they all got drowned out by the noise of the largest iPhone screen ever. These are the 3 things that impressed us the most:
-Variable aperture on the iPhone 18 Pro
-Audio Intelligence on Apple Watch
-StandBy on the iPhone Duo
What are these new features? How do they work? Read here.
The iPhone Duo marks the biggest shake-up to the best-selling iPhone in its 20-year long history, with Apple finally catching up with Samsung, Google, Huawei, and Xiaomi in the race for the ultra-high-end smartphone segment. Its global retail price of $2,000 is in line with those of its competitors, especially Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8.
However, in India, Apple is charging Rs 2,99,900, which is higher than the Galaxy Z Fold 8’s price of Rs 1,79,999. So, who is most likely to buy the iPhone Duo? And why?
Companies like Apple are adding more premium devices, such as the iPhone Duo, as they target wealthier shoppers who continue to spend freely despite higher inflation and a volatile economic environment. Read our detailed analysis here.
iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will be available in 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB storage capacities. They will be available in burgundy, glacier, silver, and black. iPhone 18 Pro starts at Rs 1,64,900 and iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at Rs 1,79,900.
iPhone Duo starts at Rs 2,99,900 for the 256GB model and will be available for pre-order in India and more than 70 other countries from October 16, with sales beginning October 23.
Apple says iPhone Duo uses a custom nano-texture finish to reduce glare, reflections and the visibility of the foldable’s crease. Its multi-layer display uses a stiff polymer cover, scratch-resistant coating, protective glass and a titanium plate, while viscoelastic adhesives allow the layers to move during folding without distorting the panel. The hinge has more than 100 precision components, while AI-assisted manufacturing and laser scanning are used to align each display and reduce surface waviness.
The iPhone Duo is powered by the A20 Pro, which drives both displays simultaneously and blends the under-display camera area for a consistent viewing experience. A direct die-to-thermal design and vapor chamber help sustain performance, delivering up to 35 per cent higher sustained performance than the iPhone 17 Pro. It also gets Apple’s C2 cellular modem, which integrates the baseband, transceivers, power management, firmware and software into a single platform.
iPhone Duo’s larger display is designed to maximise content while enabling more flexible multitasking. Users can run two apps side by side, open a second window of the same app such as Safari, and pair apps for quick access later. Video can also be pinned to the top while another app runs below.
The foldable can be used in different orientations and partially folded, with iOS adapting the interface to the device’s position and moving content away from the hinge. Apple has also tuned the speakers for different positions and redesigned StandBy to work without charging, turning iPhone Duo into a bedside clock with widgets, weather, calendar and music.
Developers can use new APIs to optimise apps for the larger display, with examples including Zoom for expanded video calls, Slack for a wider workspace, and Netflix for a larger viewing experience.
Apple says iPhone Duo uses the same aspect ratio across both displays, with a hidden under-display FaceTime camera and a variable-torque hinge that keeps the inner screen flat when opened. It is the thinnest iPhone yet when unfolded, with a titanium frame and components packed into the camera plateau to make room for a larger battery.
iOS 27 has also been redesigned for the foldable, moving controls to the side, switching the Home Screen dock to a vertical layout and adapting apps between the two displays. The larger inner screen supports features such as viewing two Home Screen pages and more content in Mail and Messages.
Apple says iPhone Duo uses a consistent aspect ratio across its two displays for a seamless transition between them. The FaceTime camera sits beneath the display, while a variable-torque hinge keeps the inner screen flat when opened and uses magnets for a smooth, secure closure. Unfolded, it is Apple’s thinnest iPhone yet, with key components packed into the camera plateau to make room for a larger battery. The frame is made from aerospace-grade titanium with a polished mirror finish.
iOS 27 has also been redesigned for the foldable, moving controls to the side to maximise screen space and keep them within thumb reach. The Home Screen dock is vertical, while the status bar sits compactly in the corner. Apps and content smoothly scale between the outer and inner displays, with new features taking advantage of the larger screen, including viewing two Home Screen pages at once and displaying more information in Mail and Messages.
"We started with the experience that we wanted for ourselves: a larger display that feels as natural and intuitive as iPad. Then we brought together thoughtful design with breakthrough engineering in a way," says Ternus.
Apple is expanding AI-powered audio features on Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4.
Sound Recognition can use on-device AI to detect sounds such as sirens, alarms, doorbells and a crying baby, even when the iPhone is not nearby.
A new Live Rewind feature can transcribe the previous 15 seconds of a conversation.
Siri Recap uses ambient listening to create summaries and key points from conversations. Apple says users can control when Siri Recap takes notes, with privacy protections ensuring raw audio is never recorded or stored.
The redesigned Health app adds Apple Intelligence-powered insights and personalised guidance, while a new Health Age feature combines Apple Watch metrics such as VO2 max and sleep with blood-work data to show how health indicators compare with actual age.
Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 feature a new Health Sensor system with improved ECG and optical sensing.
The redesigned sensor array increases electrode surface area, uses ring-shaped photodiodes and larger green LEDs for more accurate readings.
Background heart rate is now measured every five seconds, 60 times more frequently than before, while heart rate variability can be sampled every five minutes. Apple says testing against ECG chest straps showed improved accuracy during running, cycling and HIIT workouts.
AirPods 5 adds live translation, hands-free access to Siri AI and improved durability against rain, sweat and dust. They offer up to four hours of listening with ANC, with the charging case extending this to 20 hours. The standard model starts at $129, while a $149 version adds stem-based volume controls, up to five hours of ANC listening and a wireless charging case. Both models are available to pre-order, with sales beginning September 18.
AirPods 5 feature an open-ear design with a redesigned acoustic architecture, new adaptive EQ and personalised Spatial Audio for a more immersive listening experience. Active Noise Cancellation offers 50% more noise reduction than the previous generation, while ANC, Transparency Mode and Adaptive Audio automatically adjust to surrounding noise. Live Translation and other intelligent features also work hands-free.
It is a new feature designed to verify the authenticity of photos taken on iPhone 18 Pro. It uses sensor data captured at the moment of shooting to create an unalterable reference image, allowing users to check what was actually captured even after editing the original photo.
Apple says that iPhone 18 Pro-captured photos will also support Google's Synth ID.
This new camera is paired with intelligent camera software to do even more. Apple is using advanced software to deliver powerful new capabilities that are so easy to use.
You can now get cinematic mode effects from regular video after you capture, and it now supports 60 fps for this slow-motion effect.
Time-lapse now offers 4K resolution in Dolby Vision HDR for breathtaking videos. Audio Mix has updated algorithms for higher-quality voice recordings and now supports music.
For even more creative photo and video options, Apple is also introducing Pro Controls.
Apple says the iPhone 18 Pro features a new 48MP Fusion main camera with variable aperture, giving users greater control over light intake and depth of field. The system uses six laser-cut blades, each thinner than a human hair, and automatically adjusts the aperture based on the scene. In low-light conditions, it can open wider to let in around 50% more light, while also improving Night mode and astrophotography.
The iPhone 18 Pro delivers the same all-day battery life in a smaller size as the iPhone 17 Pro Max.
- iPhone 18 Pro Max gets the largest battery-life increase ever on an iPhone. eSIM-only models offer up to 36 hours of video playback on the iPhone 18 Pro and 45 hours on the Pro Max.
-Apple says its new battery-use model is based on real-world usage, including photography and AI tasks.
- iPhone 18 Pro offers up to 24 hours of usage per charge, while the Pro Max offers up to 30 hours.
-Wired charging is faster, with 50% charge in around 15 minutes.
Apple’s new flagship chip is designed to handle the increased computing demands of Apple Intelligence and Siri AI.
-Built on a new 2nm process with more densely packed transistors for performance gains across the chip.
-New six-core CPU with two super cores that are up to 20% faster, alongside four efficiency cores.
-New seven-core GPU delivers up to 40% higher graphics performance and improved AI performance.
-New neural accelerators offer 2x faster 8-bit floating-point math, enabling advanced on-device AI, including third-party LLMs.
-A20 Pro adds a second Neural Engine, doubling compute power to 32 cores.
-Apple has increased memory bandwidth by 50%, its widest memory interface yet on an iPhone.
Apple Intelligence can now monitor web pages in Safari, create personalised automations in Shortcuts and surface relevant information during business calls. Apple is also adding new visual AI tools, including an upgraded Image Playground, a more capable Clean Up tool in Photos, image expansion with Extend, and spatial reframing that lets users adjust the perspective and composition after taking a photo.
iPhone 18 Pro gets Apple’s most advanced on-device Foundation Model, alongside access to more powerful models through Private Cloud Compute. The new AI-powered Siri is more personal and capable, understanding what users see and taking actions across apps, including third-party services. Apple says Siri can now work seamlessly with more than 300,000 apps and handles over 2.5 billion requests every day.
The iPhone 18 Pro gets a more cohesive design, with color-matched aluminium and back glass. It will be available in three finishes: deep black, Glacier and the new Burgundy.
"As your personal hub your iPhone can do so much more for you because it understands your context. This includes your calendar, your relationships, your routines, the most private details of your daily life."
"That's why Apple intelligence runs on device whenever it can. When greater capability is needed, private cloud compute extends that same level of privacy protection, ensuring that nobody, not even Apple, can access what's yours. It's personal intelligence, actually personal. iPhone sits at the center of an amazing ecosystem of intelligent features and experiences that work seamlessly across the products you use every day," Ternus says.
"I have spent much of my life with this company and I continue to be inspired every single day by the curiosity, invention, and relentless pursuit of excellence that define Apple. Our teams bring an incredible level of collaboration and care to everything they do. All in service of a mission that has guided us from the very beginning to make the best products in the world," he says
"As we look ahead we see a future filled with enormous discovery and transformation. AI makes entirely new kinds of experiences possible. An AI can become even more useful when it brings together your lives with the apps, services, and products you use every day. This means the product at the center of your experiences becomes even more essential," the new Apple chief adds.
The official livestream of the iPhone 18 series launch kicks off with a montage on the best ways to open a shot.
Ex-Apple CEO Tim Cook is in the building.
All eyes are likely to be glued to the foldable iPhone, but watch out for a few interesting features that Apple is expected to unveil today such as:
-Variable-aperture iPhone camera lens: Smartphone cameras typically rely on a fixed setting, with no aperture at all. So, a variable-aperture feature could change the game for the iPhone photo experience.
-Recaps: The Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 might have a new privacy-focused AI feature for analysing your day, providing a summary of what took place, including conversations.
-AirPods 5: The updated AirPods models could feature improvements to active noise cancelation. There will be two models, differing by included and not included wireless charging case.
Of course, hikes in iPhone prices is also something widely expected.
Inside the theatre ahead of the Apple 2026 iPhone event.
We're just half an hour away from possibly catching the first official glimpse of Apple's first-ever foldable iPhone Duo, even as rumours continue to swirl about its design, reinvented hinge, colourways, and more.
Before the big unveil, here are the challenges the expected foldable iPhone is likely to face.
https://twitter.com/IndianExpress/status/2097710591834292728?s=20
The Indian Express' Nandagopal Rajan is headed to Apple Park as it opens up for today's event.
The foldable iPhone is generating more buzz than any other expected announcement. John Ternus is also set to take the stage as CEO for the first time, marking a major change after more than a decade of Tim Cook-led launches. How will the launch unfold? Stay tuned.
As the countdown to Apple’s biggest event of the year ticks closer to zero, its new chief, John Ternus, has taken to X to post an eleventh hour teaser. The 14-second clip which has already gotten millions of views, purportedly teases a new camera feature in the soon-to-be announced iPhone 18 Pro.
This feature is rumoured to allow users to adjust the camera aperture and decide how much light to let in for better photos. But no one can really say for sure. Take a look and let us know what you think.
Just like the iPhone 17 Pro Max, ahead of Apple’s iPhone 18 Pro series launch, it is worth revisiting the iPhone Air, which marked a significant shift in the company’s smartphone design philosophy.
At just 5.6mm thick, the iPhone Air emphasised being remarkably slim without compromising performance, owing to the A19 Pro chip. Its 6.5-inch display, 48MP camera, and 18MP front camera offered a strong everyday experience, while its lightweight design made it particularly comfortable to hold.
However, the biggest compromise was the single rear camera, which meant giving up ultra-wide and more advanced zoom options. At Rs 119,900, it positioned itself as a powerful, minimalist alternative to the Pro models.
Ahead of the iPhone 18 Pro launch, here’s a quick rewind of what Apple brought with the iPhone 17 Pro Max. The flagship introduced the A19 Pro chip and vapour cooling, helping it handle demanding tasks such as gaming and 4K video recording. Its camera system also received a boost, with 8x optical-quality zoom and up to 40x digital zoom. Battery life remained another strong point, with the phone delivering more than 18 hours of use in testing. With the iPhone 18 Pro now around the corner, the big question is how far Apple will raise the bar.
Apple's first-ever foldable is a few hours away, and it could likely reshape the smartphone market. This is based on the IDC forecast, according to which the foldable segment could grow from 20.3 million units in 2025 to 35.8 million by 2030, with market value rising from $26.7 billion to $68.2 billion.
The Cupertino-based tech giant is expected to rapidly consolidate its position, reaching 16.3 million units and a 46 per cent unit share by 2030. Its share value could reach 58 per cent, up from 44 per cent in 2026.
Meanwhile, China is proving to be a ground for intense competition between Apple and Huawei in the future. Here Apple's foldable value share is projected to rise from 37 per cent in 2026 to 51 per cent in 2030, while Huawei's falls from 43 per cent to 35 per cent. Also, Apple’s unit share is forecast to rise from 27 to 40 per cent.
The Apple Store is down ahead of the September 9 Apple event, which kicks off at 10:30 PM IST. This is common before a big Apple event, as the company makes changes to its online store. Once the event wraps up around midnight, all the new products will be listed online. What Apple product are you most excited about? Is it the iPhone Duo foldable phone or the new Apple Watch Ultra 4?
Apple could be preparing a major change to the way it launches new iPhones. Instead of releasing the entire iPhone 18 lineup together in September, the company could likely split the launch into two windows. The iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max and a foldable iPhone could arrive first during 'Surprise and Shine', while the regular iPhone 18, iPhone 18 Air and iPhone 18e could follow in spring 2027.
The different dates have raised some questions. Some argue that this could be confusing for consumers, especially since the regular iPhone has kind of served as the benchmark for the rest of the line-up. Some recent reports also indicate that the split-release strategy is now increasingly credible, with the standard iPhone 18 expected in early 2027.
Recent reports suggest Apple is preparing the AirPods 5, potentially as the next major update to its standard wireless earbuds. One of the biggest expected upgrades is Apple’s new H3 wireless chip, which could enhance voice isolation during calls, active noise cancellation, and spatial audio.
Some reports also claim that Apple may introduce a temperature sensor that could allow the earbuds to collect additional health data. However, it is unlikely to match the accuracy of the Apple Watch.
Similar to the AirPods 4, the AirPods 5 may come in two versions, with one offering active noise cancellation and another without it. If the rumours are true, Apple’s next AirPods could offer a meaningful upgrade.
While consumers wait for Apple to announce new products later tonight, they should also remember that Cupertino and other tech brands are under pressure to increase the prices of their products due to the ongoing memory crisis. Apple has increased the prices of iPads and Macs in the past, and it may be forced to raise the prices of the new iPhone 18 lineup. Current estimates point to a roughly $100 increase for the iPhone 18 Pro over the iPhone 17 Pro, according to TrendForce. That figure is notably lower than analyst Jeff Pu’s earlier estimate of a $250 to $300 increase.
Just days before Apple’s expected launch of the foldable iPhone, Huawei and Xiaomi released flagship foldables of their own, signalling that competition in China’s smartphone market is heating up.
Huawei’s new Mate XT2 series is the third version of its popular tri-fold, meaning that the smartphone folds out twice into a tablet-sized screen. It is powered by the Chinese tech giant’s in-house Kirin 9050 Pro mobile chipset.
The Xiaomi 18 Fold premium smartphone uses what Xiaomi calls a ‘medium-fold solution’. This means that it is passport-sized when closed while supporting three apps side by side when opened. The device weighs 219 grams and measures 5.02 mm thick when unfolded. Read more about it here.
We are hours away from Apple pulling back the curtains on its first-ever folding iPhone. But the rumour mill continues to grind. The latest one has to do with the name of Apple’s long-awaited foldable iPhone. So far, it was speculated that the book-style foldable will be marketed as iPhone Ultra.
However, Apple is now expected to call it the iPhone Duo, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. The report further suggests that the iPhone Duo will have a price starting at $2,000 for a model with 256GB of storage, or around $3,000 for up to 2TB. If that’s true, it would make the iPhone Duo more expensive than the cheapest versions of Google’s Pixel 11 Pro Fold and the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8
It is expected to ship from October in two colours: white and dark blue. All of these details are not official but we should know everything about the flagship foldable soon enough. Keep following our live blog to not miss any updates.
Last month, Apple sent out invitations to the media which included the tagline “Surprise and Shine” and feature a glowing Apple logo. But it provide few other details.
Apple has previously hosted similarly coyly named events, including the ‘Glowtime’ iPhone 16 event and the ‘Wonderlust’ iPhone 15 event. The iPhone 17 reveal event was titled ‘Awe dropping’. Generally, Apple’s invites point toward some new product or feature, driving hype and speculation before the reveal.
This year, Cupertino may be eyeing entry into the foldable smartphone segment. Could ‘Surprise and shine’ have anything to do with that? We’ll have to wait and watch.
The entry-level iPhone 18 model is expected to be missing from the lineup unveiled today, possibly due to the ongoing memory chip crisis. Instead, the iPhone 18, iPhone 18E, and potentially a refreshed iPhone Air could launch in the spring, according to Bloomberg.
The widely rumoured camera-equipped AirPods are also unlikely to be launched on Wednesday, with their release timeline reportedly shifted to 2027.
The annual September event remains Apple’s biggest showcase of the year, where it launches new hardware products and updates to its most popular devices. At times, the company also unveils products that belong to entirely new categories. Here’s what Apple could announce at its ‘Surprise and shine’ event today:
-iPhone Duo: Apple’s first foldable iPhone, which could be marketed as the iPhone Ultra or iPhone Duo, could hog all the limelight at its September event.
-iPhone 18 Pro, Pro Max: It is likely to unveil the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max on Wednesday, and these devices could also see a price hike amid the ongoing memory chip crisis.
-Apple Watches: The Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 are expected to make their debut at the September 2026 event.
-AirPods 5: Two years after launching the AirPods 4 in 2024, Apple is expected to release an updated version of the company’s entry-level headphones.
John Ternus is set to take the stage for the first time as Apple CEO at today’s iPhone 18 launch event.
There are also rumours that Apple could be returning to a live event with the iPhone 18 launch this year, instead of a pre-recorded presentation.
You can watch the livestream of Apple’s iPhone 18 launch event on its official website, Apple TV, the Apple Developer app, and the company’s YouTube channel. The livestream is scheduled to kick off at 10 am PT or 10:30 pm IST on Wednesday, September 9.
