Apple’s September event introduced the iPhone Duo, iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, new Apple Watch models and AirPods 5.
The iPhone Duo brought Apple into foldables, starting at ₹2,99,900 in India. For buyers comparing foldables, see iPhone Duo vs Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, and whether iPhone Duo supports Dual SIM.
iPhone Duo is Apple’s first foldable iPhone
The biggest announcement was the iPhone Duo. It is a regular iPhone with a 5.4-inch outer display, but it opens into a 7.6-inch inner screen.
Apple says the inner screen is 50 percent larger than the iPhone 18 Pro Max display. Both screens support ProMotion up to 120Hz and 3,000 nits of outdoor brightness. The phone is 5.2mm thick when open, but 11.3mm thick when closed, and it weighs 254 grams.
The Duo uses Apple’s A20 Pro chip, a dual battery design and a new vapor chamber. It has a 48MP main camera, a 48MP ultra-wide camera and a 2x optical-quality zoom. There is no dedicated telephoto camera.
In India, the iPhone Duo starts at ₹2,99,900. Pre-orders begin on October 16, with sales starting October 23. It is easily the most interesting iPhone announcement, but the price puts it firmly in early-adopter territory.
iPhone 18 Pro brings a serious camera upgrade
The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are the more familiar announcements. Apple has focused on the camera, performance, battery and AI features.
The headline feature is a new 48MP Fusion Main camera with variable aperture. This gives the camera more control over depth of field and low-light shots. Apple is also adding Pro controls for settings such as aperture, shutter speed, white balance and exposure.
Both models use the A20 Pro chip and a larger vapor chamber. Apple claims up to 40 percent better sustained performance than the previous generation. The iPhone 18 Pro Max also gets a major battery improvement, with up to 45 hours of video playback in Apple’s testing.
The Pro models come in black, silver, glacier and burgundy. The iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199 in the US, while the Pro Max starts at $1,299. Pre-orders began September 12, with availability from September 18.
Apple Watch Series 12 focuses on health
Apple Watch Series 12 gets a new Health Sensing System and the S11 chip. The watch can take heart rate and heart rate variability measurements more frequently, which powers a new readiness score.
Apple is also adding a redesigned Health app with a Longevity tab and a Health Age feature later this year. The idea is to make the watch more useful for understanding trends, not just counting steps and closing rings.
Series 12 also gets Apple Intelligence features, Siri AI and Audio Intelligence tools that can help users remember key moments or stay alert to important sounds. Apple announced availability from September 18.
Apple Watch Ultra 4 gets longer battery life
For athletes and outdoor users, Apple announced Apple Watch Ultra 4. It also uses the new Health Sensing System and S11 chip, but adds a longer battery life of up to 45 hours for outdoor workouts.
Apple says Ultra 4 has more accurate on-device GPS and a new readiness score. It comes in natural and black titanium and starts at $799 in the US. Apple announced availability from September 18.
AirPods 5 add open-ear noise cancellation
AirPods 5 are the quieter announcement, but they could be the most practical upgrade for many people. Apple says they offer the best Active Noise Cancellation in an open-ear AirPods design. See the AirPods 5 vs wireless charging case comparison if you are deciding whether the case upgrade is worth it.
The new model gets improved sound, a multiport acoustic architecture and Adaptive EQ. Apple also adds hands-free Siri AI, Live Translation and a force sensor. The Wireless Charging Case version also adds volume swipe controls.
The open-ear design still lets you hear more of your surroundings than sealed earbuds. That makes AirPods 5 interesting for commuting, office use and people who do not like the plugged-in feeling of AirPods Pro.
iOS 27 and Apple Intelligence tie everything together
All of these products launch alongside iOS 27 and watchOS 27. Apple is positioning Siri AI as a more personal assistant that can understand what is on your screen and work with information across apps.
Some of the AI features are arriving in beta or later this year, so I would not buy any of these products based only on the promise of Siri AI. The hardware upgrades are more concrete right now.
Which upgrades are worth considering?
The foldable iPhone was the big surprise, but Apple’s wider message was clear. The company is pushing screens, cameras, health data and AI into every part of its product line.
The iPhone Duo will get the most attention, but the iPhone 18 Pro camera changes may matter more to everyday buyers. The new Apple Watch health features also look useful, while AirPods 5 could become the easiest upgrade to recommend.
4 responses to “Apple Event 2026 Roundup: Everything Apple Announced”
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[…] has finally entered the foldable phone market with the iPhone Duo. See the Apple Event 2026 roundup for the rest of what was announced. The obvious comparison is Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, […]
[…] Apple has finally made a foldable iPhone, and thankfully, it has kept the idea fairly simple. The iPhone Duo is a regular iPhone when closed and a much bigger screen when opened. But at ₹2,99,900, the bigger question is whether that convenience is worth almost three lakh rupees. See Dual SIM support, the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra comparison, and the September event roundup. […]
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