Here’s Everything Apple Announced at Its Massive September Presentation of New Devices.
Another Apple event has come and gone. As before, the leaks and rumors were mostly accurate , so if you’ve been following the events, today’s announcements probably weren’t too surprising. However, seeing Apple’s first foldable iPhone in action was, to say the least, intriguing—even though it’s the most expensive iPhone ever. Here’s everything Apple announced today.
iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max
Apple’s iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max are very similar to the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max, with the exception of two new colors: Black, Silver, Glacier (a deep blue), and Burgundy (a deep red), which now match the color of the metal and glass back panels. The 18 Pro’s Dynamic Island is also smaller this year and supports up to three simultaneous actions.
Apple briefly discussed upcoming AI features in iOS 27 , such as Siri AI and visual intelligence, before moving on to announcements related to the iPhone 18, starting with the A20 Pro. The new iPhone 18 Pro chip is built on 2nm technology and features a six-core processor, including two new “super” cores and four new power-efficiency cores. Apple claims it’s 20% faster than the A19 Pro. In fact, the company claims the new processor is the fastest in any smartphone. It also features a seven-core GPU with 40% faster graphics performance and seven neural accelerators. The neural engine in the A20 Pro has 32 cores. Combined, Apple says this chip delivers a 50% increase in memory bandwidth. Apple is now pairing the entire SoC with a vapor chamber, which the company says improves thermal performance.
Speaking of the vapor chamber, Apple said the iPhone 18 Pro has three times the surface area of the 17 Pro, and other changes deliver up to 40% better sustained performance and up to two times better battery life than the iPhone 16 Pro and older models. The iPhone 18 Pro’s battery life is the same as the iPhone 17 Pro Max, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max delivers ” the biggest battery life increase ever in an iPhone .” When it comes to video playback, the 18 Pro delivers up to 36 hours, while the 18 Pro Max delivers up to 45 hours. With wired charging, the iPhone 18 Pro can charge to 50% in 15 minutes, and a five-minute charge provides six hours of video playback.
Perhaps the most significant change this year is the iPhone 18 Pro cameras. Apple’s iPhone Pros feature a variable aperture , which physically adjusts the amount of light reaching the sensor. Apple claims that in low-light conditions, the new aperture lets in 50% more light than before. Cinematic Video now supports 60 fps, while Time Lapse now supports 4K Dolby Vision HDR. Audio Mixing supports higher-quality voice and music recording. However, my favorite addition is Pro Controls, a new feature that lets you control many camera settings that Apple has kept hidden for years. This means you won’t need a third-party app to manage settings like white balance, aperture, and shutter speed. There’s also Intelligent Focus Tracking, which automatically maintains focus on a selected subject, and texture and grain controls for Photographic Styles. Apple is also introducing Apple Reference Image , which allows you to create “digital negatives” of your photos. Even if your image is edited using AI in the future, you can revert to the original photo.
Apple also announced a new clear case, updated Tech Woven and silicone cases, and a new wrist strap. The iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199 for the 256GB version, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at $1,299. Pre-orders for both devices begin Saturday, September 12, and they go on sale Friday, September 18. (Note that the iPhone 18 doesn’t exist yet .)
AirPods 5
Apple says the latest AirPods are “redesigned from the inside out” to improve sound quality. The new earbuds feature a new “multiport acoustic architecture” with an improved adaptive equalizer, which Apple says should deliver even better personalized spatial audio. Furthermore, the base pair of AirPods 5 now features active noise cancellation, providing 50% more noise reduction than the AirPods 4 with ANC. The new AirPods are more sweat- and dust-resistant and offer up to four hours of battery life with ANC (20 hours with the charging case). Furthermore, these earbuds cost just $129, the same as the AirPods 4 without ANC.
Improved AirPods 5 also appeared, featuring a volume control on the stem, five hours of active noise cancellation, and a wireless charging case. This model costs $149, which is $30 less than the AirPods 4 with active noise cancellation .
Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4
Apple kicked off the Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 announcement with the introduction of the new “Health Sensing System.” This new system continuously measures your heart rate, taking readings every five seconds. Apple claims this is 60 times more frequent than previous Apple Watch models. The watch tracks heart rate variability (HRV) every five minutes, which is 24 times more frequent than other watches. Apple compared its new sensors to chest straps and other trackers and now claims these models have the most accurate heart rate sensors of any wearable device.
You can track your heart rate variability (HRV) in many areas of your watch, including the Heart Rate app and watch face widget, the Vitals app, and Night and Day modes. The new update includes a Readiness feature that analyzes your activity, vitals, and sleep and provides one of four suggestions on how active you should be: Recover, Moderate, Ready, and Go. The Health app has been completely redesigned , now featuring summaries and recommendations from Apple Intelligence. The Health Age section provides tips and feedback on your health based on your age, and the Longevity tab evaluates your overall health across various metrics. You can also track your injury recovery and check metrics like your VO2 max.
The new watch will also feature other features. There’s “Audio Intelligence,” which Apple says safely listens to the sounds around you. This powers sound recognition, so your watch can notify you if it hears a doorbell or a fire alarm. Live Rewind lets you view a transcript of what the other person said. Siri Recap provides a summary of the conversation, meeting, or lecture you just attended. Apple says you can turn these features on or off at any time and that they are designed with privacy and security in mind. Audio is never recorded, the system doesn’t have access to audio files, and speakers are not identified. All synced data is encrypted by default. Live Rewind and Siri Recap are powered by Siri’s artificial intelligence and will be released in beta later this year.
The new S11 chip in the watch handles all of these Apple Intelligence functions. It includes a dual-core CPU, a single-core GPU, and a quad-core Neural Processing Unit (NPU) “borrowed from the A20 Pro.” The Series 12 comes in space gray, black, light gold, and dark bronze. Apple used Ceramic Shield 2 in the aluminum version of the Series 12, providing durability comparable to titanium models. Incidentally, there are two titanium models (Radiant Gold and Natural) and now two ceramic models (Pearl White and Night Blue). The Series 12 offers up to 24 hours of battery life and starts at $399. The Ultra 4 has a larger battery, so it lasts more than two days. It comes in black and natural titanium and starts at $799.
iPhone Duo
The iPhone Duo is Apple’s first foldable iPhone, and it’s instantly recognizable as an Apple device. When closed, you’ll see a uniquely shaped front display, which Apple has compared to a passport—apparently measuring 5.4 inches diagonally. On the right side is the front-facing camera and a Dock similar to iPadOS. However, when you open the device, you’ll see a 7.4-inch display, which transforms the home screen into what you’d expect on an iPad. The Dock, however, remains on the right. Opening and closing the device also features a very satisfying transition animation.
When opened, apps can run in full-screen mode or split-screen mode if you prefer to run two apps simultaneously. You can drag and drop elements between these apps, and tap the center divider to “connect” windows, allowing you to exit and return to the same configuration. The FaceTime camera in the inner display is also hidden beneath the screen. iOS also reacts in real time to the Duo’s different positions: if you partially fold the Duo, the system adapts accordingly. You can watch videos while positioning the Duo like a tent, or, conversely, like a laptop. The latter position allows access to controls at the bottom of the display. Sleep mode works even when you’re not charging the device, and adds a soft glow if you decide to use it as an alarm clock.
Apple says the Duo uses a nano-textured coating to reduce glare and reflections, as well as a matte finish. The hinge features a complex design, incorporating over 100 tiny components, and feels flat and secure even when moving. The A20 chip instantly reaches peak performance, and the cooling system supports long, continuous operation. This phone also features Apple’s proprietary C2 modem, which supports faster boot-ups and network reconnections. The device uses two batteries on each side for 24 hours of battery life with equal use of both screens. (You can extend this time by prioritizing the external display over the internal one.) You can also get 50% battery life in 20 minutes of charging and five hours of video playback in five minutes of charging.
The iPhone Duo features two cameras: a 48-megapixel main camera (the same as the iPhone 18 Pro) and a telephoto lens with 2x zoom. Like the iPhone 18 Pro, the Duo supports new photo styles and 4K time-lapse photography. You can also share the viewfinder on the external display with your subject when taking a photo. The same principle applies to FaceTime, so everyone can see who’s on the call. You can also mount the Duo like a tripod, and iOS will automatically take a photo when everyone is in frame. Apple also offers several case options, including one with a kickstand—which seems a bit odd, considering the phone can stand on its own.
Apple says Apple Pencil support will be coming later this year to both displays. Touch ID will replace Face ID for authentication, and you’ll also be able to unlock it with your Apple Watch. The Duo comes in white or midnight blue. It starts at $1,999 for the 256GB version, but you can upgrade to 2TB. Pre-orders begin October 16, with sales beginning October 23.