Apple has unveiled its latest product lineup at its September 2026 event in Cupertino, introducing its first foldable iPhone, the iPhone Duo, alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, new Apple Watch models, AirPods 5, and major AI updates coming with iOS 27.
The event also marked John Ternus’s first major Apple keynote as CEO following Tim Cook’s transition to Executive Chair.
The biggest announcement was the iPhone Duo, which brings a foldable design, dual displays, the new A20 Pro chip, and iOS 27 features built specifically for its larger screen. Apple also highlighted camera improvements on the iPhone 18 Pro models, expanded health and AI features for the Apple Watch, and new capabilities for AirPods.
Together, the announcements show Apple putting greater emphasis on foldable hardware, custom silicon, artificial intelligence, and more personalized features across its product lineup.
Table of Contents
- iPhone Duo: Apple’s First Foldable iPhone
- iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max: A New Approach to Photography
- Siri AI and Apple Intelligence Arrive With iOS 27
- Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4
- AirPods 5 Bring ANC to an Open-Ear Design
- What Apple’s 2026 Lineup Means
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
iPhone Duo: Apple’s First Foldable iPhone
The iPhone Duo was the major attraction of Apple’s 2026 event, marking the company’s first entry into the foldable smartphone market.
Rather than adopting a conventional book-style foldable design, iPhone Duo uses an asymmetric, passport-style form factor. The goal is to provide a compact phone experience when closed while offering a much larger display when unfolded. Apple says the device was engineered to address some of the durability, display, and usability challenges that have traditionally affected foldable phones.
iPhone Duo at a Glance
| Feature | iPhone Duo |
|---|---|
| Outer display | 5.4-inch Super Retina XDR |
| Inner display | 7.6-inch Super Retina XDR with nano-texture finish |
| Frame | Grade 5 titanium |
| Protection | Ceramic Shield 2, IP68 water resistance |
| Chip | 2nm A20 Pro |
| Modem | C2 cellular modem |
| Camera | 48MP Main + 48MP Ultra Wide |
| Front camera | Under-display FaceTime camera |
| Software | iOS 27 |
| Multitasking | Split View, Vertical Dock |
| Stylus support | Apple Pencil (USB-C) |
| Storage | 256GB to 2TB |
| Starting price | $1,999 |
Dual Displays and Foldable Design
When closed, the iPhone Duo functions as a compact 5.4-inch smartphone, offering roughly 90% of the display area of an iPhone 18 Pro.
Unfolding the phone reveals a 7.6-inch inner Super Retina XDR display, which is 50% larger than the iPhone 18 Pro Max’s screen. Both displays use a unified aspect ratio to provide consistent content transition between the folded and unfolded modes.
Apple has also focused on reducing some of the visual issues commonly associated with foldable displays. A custom nano-texture finish, created using maskless laser lithography, is designed to reduce glare and make the crease less noticeable.
The display architecture uses viscoelastic adhesives that allow the internal layers to move smoothly during folding and unfolding. The hinge itself contains more than 100 micro-components and carbon-fiber support plates housed within a Grade 5 titanium frame.
When unfolded, the Duo is Apple's thinnest iPhone yet.
Camera Features Designed for a Foldable iPhone
iPhone Duo’s two-screen design enables several camera features that aren't available on a standard iPhone.
Under-display FaceTime camera: The front camera is hidden beneath the inner display and becomes active when needed.
Duo Preview: The outer display can show a live preview, allowing users to frame photos with the rear cameras.
Rear-camera selfies: Users can take selfies with the higher-quality rear camera system while viewing the preview on the outer screen.
Smart Take: AI can automatically capture photos when subjects are ready.
Kid Cue: Peanuts animations appear on the outer display to help engage children during photography.
Duo FaceTime: People on the other side of a video call can be included through the outer display while the primary user views the call on the inner screen.
A20 Pro, Battery and iOS 27
The iPhone Duo is powered by Apple’s 2nm A20 Pro chip and a custom vapor chamber designed to improve sustained performance. Apple says the combination delivers up to 35% higher sustained performance than the iPhone 17 Pro.
The phone uses a dual-battery design along with the C2 cellular modem and an eSIM-only global configuration. Apple rates the iPhone Duo for up to 31 hours of video playback on the inner display, 44 hours on the outer display, and 24 hours of mixed usage.
iOS 27 also introduces a number of interface changes designed specifically for the foldable form factor. Essential controls can move to the vertical side edge, while Split View enables side-by-side multitasking.
iPhone Duo supports Apple Pencil (USB-C) on both displays, giving users another way to interact with the larger inner screen.
The iPhone Duo comes in Star White and Night Sky colors. Storage options range from 256GB to 2TB, with prices starting at $1,999. Pre-orders begin October 16, and the phone will be available starting October 23.
iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max: A New Approach to Photography
Alongside the iPhone Duo, Apple introduced the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, with upgrades focused on photography, performance, thermal management, and battery life.
The biggest camera change is a new variable-aperture system on the 48MP Fusion Main camera, giving users more control over how much light enters the lens and how much of a scene remains in focus.
Variable Aperture and More Camera Control
The 48MP Fusion Main camera uses six laser-cut polymer blades to adjust the aperture between f/1.48 and f/4.
At f/1.48, the wider aperture allows the camera to capture more light, which can help in darker environments. At f/4, the narrower aperture provides greater depth of field, making it useful for situations such as group photos where more of the scene needs to remain in focus.
Apple says the wide aperture can capture 50% more light in low-light conditions.
The new Pro Controls give photographers more manual control, including adjustments for aperture, shutter speed, white balance, and exposure histograms.
Apple has also introduced Reference Image, which cryptographically signs sensor data at capture and creates an unalterable digital negative for authenticity verification through Private Cloud Compute.
iPhone 18 Pro vs. iPhone 18 Pro Max
| Feature | iPhone 18 Pro | iPhone 18 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| Display | 6.3-inch Super Retina XDR | 6.9-inch Super Retina XDR |
| Dynamic Island | Shrunken, 3 Live Activities | Shrunken, 3 Live Activities |
| Video playback | Up to 36 hours | Up to 45 hours |
| Typical use | Up to 24 hours | Up to 30 hours |
| Fast charging | 50% in about 15 minutes | 50% in about 15 minutes |
| Finishes | Deep Black, Refined Silver, Glacier, Burgundy | Deep Black, Refined Silver, Glacier, Burgundy |
| Starting storage | 256GB | 256GB |
| Starting price | $1,199 | $1,299 |
| Pre-orders | September 12 | September 12 |
| Availability | September 18 | September 18 |
2nm A20 Pro and Improved Thermal Performance
Both iPhone 18 Pro models are powered by the 2nm A20 Pro chip, featuring a six-core CPU, seven-core GPU, and a 32-core Dual Neural Engine. Apple says the new GPU is 40% faster, while the Neural Engine provides twice the AI computing power of the previous-generation A19 Pro.
The chip is connected directly to a next-generation vapor chamber with three times the surface area of the previous thermal solution. According to Apple, the new design delivers up to a 40% improvement in sustained performance.
The iPhone 18 Pro Max comes with the biggest battery improvement in iPhone history, with up to 45 hours of video playback and up to 30 hours of typical use.
The iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at $1,299. The price increase is attributed partly to higher global memory-component costs. Pre-orders begin September 12, with both models becoming available September 18.
Siri AI and Apple Intelligence Arrive With iOS 27
Apple is also making AI a bigger part of the iPhone experience with iOS 27. The update introduces a more capable Siri that can understand personal context and work across apps, while using Apple’s on-device Foundation Models and Private Cloud Compute for processing.
The new Siri is designed to understand deeper personal context across apps including Mail, Messages, Calendar, Photos, and supported third-party applications.
A More Personal Siri
Siri can now use information across multiple apps such as Mail, Messages, Calendar, and Photos to provide more personalized assistance. It can also work with supported third-party applications, allowing users to complete tasks without switching between multiple apps.
A new Siri Camera mode adds visual intelligence capabilities. Siri can analyze objects, recognize and scan text, and perform actions such as creating calendar events through the camera interface.
Apple is also introducing a dedicated Siri app on the Home Screen, providing access to conversation history. That history is synchronized across Apple devices using end-to-end encryption through iCloud.
More AI Features Across iOS 27
AI capabilities are also being integrated into other parts of iOS 27.
Photo tools now include Spatial Reframing, while Image Playground adds photorealistic image generation capabilities. These features are designed to make AI-assisted photo editing and image creation a more natural part of the iPhone experience.
Apple is also introducing iPhone Handoff, which allows supported carrier users to use a single phone number across two iPhones.
With these changes, Apple is moving beyond AI as a collection of standalone features. Instead, the company is integrating intelligence into everyday tasks such as communication, photography, scheduling, and interacting with the world through the camera.
Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4
Apple’s 2026 event also brought updates to its wearable lineup, with the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 adding new health-monitoring and AI-powered features. Both models are powered by the new S11 chip and introduce Apple’s Health Sensing System, which expands the amount of background health data the watches can collect.
Latest Apple Wearables at a Glance
| Device | Key upgrades | Starting price |
|---|---|---|
| Apple Watch Series 12 | S11 chip, Health Sensing System, Readiness Score, Audio Intelligence | $399 |
| Apple Watch Ultra 4 | S11 chip, up to 50-hour battery, Low Power mode, Max Extended Workout | $799 |
| AirPods 5 | Open-ear design, ANC, Live Translation, Adaptive EQ | $129 |
| AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case | Stem volume controls, wireless charging case, 5-hour ANC battery | $149 |
New Health and Recovery Features
The new Health Sensing System continuously expands background health monitoring, capturing heart rate every five seconds and heart-rate variability every five minutes. A new Readiness Score rates daily recovery on a 0–10 scale and categorizes users into recommendations such as Recover, Pace Yourself, Ready, or Go For It.
Apple has also redesigned the Health app with a new Longevity tab featuring a Health Age metric. The app can also facilitate ordering more than 50 biomarker Quest Diagnostics lab panels for $119.
Audio Intelligence on Apple Watch
The new smart watches also bring several AI-powered audio features. Live Rewind can transcribe the previous 15 seconds of a spoken conversation, while Siri Recap can provide summaries. Sound Recognition can identify sounds such as sirens, doorbells, and crying babies.
Apple says these features are processed within a hardware Secure Exclave, keeping the processing focused on the device.
The Apple Watch Ultra 4 is designed for users who need longer battery life and more demanding workout capabilities. It offers up to 50 hours of battery life, with Low Power mode extending that figure to as much as 84 hours.
AirPods 5 Bring ANC to an Open-Ear Design
Apple also unveiled AirPods 5, bringing Active Noise Cancellation to its open-ear design. Apple says the new AirPods provide 50% more noise reduction than AirPods 4 with ANC while retaining the open-ear form factor.
These new earbuds from Apple also support Live Translation and Adaptive Audio, adding more intelligent audio features to everyday listening and conversations.
The base AirPods 5 with ANC start at $129. A $149 version adds stem-based volume swipe controls and a wireless charging case that works with Apple Watch chargers. The upgraded model also provides up to five hours of battery life with ANC. Both versions are scheduled to ship September 18.
What Apple’s 2026 Lineup Means
Apple’s 2026 announcements represent more than a collection of incremental hardware updates.
The iPhone Duo introduces an entirely new form factor, while the iPhone 18 Pro models push photography, performance, and battery life further. At the same time, iOS 27 makes AI and personal context a more central part of the iPhone experience.
The same philosophy extends to the Apple Watch and AirPods. Health monitoring, conversational intelligence, translation, contextual assistance, and ambient audio processing are becoming increasingly integrated into Apple's hardware ecosystem.
The result is a broader shift toward context-aware personal computing.
From the foldable architecture of the iPhone Duo and variable-aperture photography of the iPhone 18 Pro to the A20 Pro platform and Audio Intelligence, Apple's 2026 lineup presents a unified vision: devices that increasingly understand their users, their surroundings, and the context in which they are being used.
If Apple’s previous generation established the foundation for its AI era, the 2026 lineup represents a much more ambitious attempt to make that intelligence part of the hardware itself.
Looking to upgrade to the latest Apple gadgets in Bangladesh? Explore the newest iPhones, Apple Watches, AirPods, and other tech products at Star Tech. Find the latest models, check specifications and pricing, and choose the right device for your needs.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What did Apple announce at its 2026 September event?
Apple introduced the iPhone Duo, iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, Apple Watch Series 12, Apple Watch Ultra 4, AirPods 5, and new AI-powered features with iOS 27.
What is the iPhone Duo?
The iPhone Duo is Apple’s first foldable iPhone. It features a 5.4-inch outer display and a 7.6-inch inner display, along with the A20 Pro chip and iOS 27 features designed for its foldable form factor.
When will the iPhone Duo be available?
Pre-orders for the iPhone Duo begin October 16, 2026, with availability starting October 23.
What are the main upgrades in the iPhone 18 Pro?
The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max feature a new 48MP Fusion Main camera with variable aperture, the 2nm A20 Pro chip, improved thermal performance, and longer battery life.
What new AI features are coming with iOS 27?
iOS 27 introduces a more capable Siri with deeper personal context, Siri Camera mode, a dedicated Siri app, Spatial Reframing, photorealistic Image Playground generation, and other Apple Intelligence features.
What are the new Apple Watch features?
Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 introduce the Health Sensing System, Readiness Score, new health insights, and Audio Intelligence features such as Live Rewind, Siri Recap, and Sound Recognition.
What’s new with AirPods 5?
AirPods 5 bring Active Noise Cancellation to an open-ear design, along with Live Translation and Adaptive Audio. The higher-end version also adds stem-based volume controls and wireless charging.
Comments
There are no comments for this Article.