Apple Inc. unveiled its latest generation of iPhones at an event at Apple Park in Cupertino, marking the first major product launch led by new CEO John Ternus, who took over from Tim Cook as chief executive on September 1 (Yahoo Finance). Ternus, who became executive chairman on September 1, took the stage at the Steve Jobs Theater to loud cheers, delivering an address that set the tone for his vision of the company’s future (India Today). The lineup featured the debut of the company’s first foldable device, the iPhone Duo, alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max models (Yahoo Finance).
Apple Unveils iPhone 18 Pro and Foldable iPhone Duo in Major Launch
Design and Display Specs of the New Foldable iPhone Duo
Entering the foldable smartphone category as a follower years after rivals like Samsung, Motorola, and Google have released competing devices (India Today), Apple designed the iPhone Duo to meet strict standards for quality, durability, and design, according to Ternus and worldwide marketing chief Greg Joswiak. Joswiak noted that competing foldables lacked inspiring proportions and software experiences. The resulting iPhone Duo pairs a 5.4-inch outer display with a 7.6-inch inner screen, utilizing a hinge and display engineered as a complete system to keep the screen flat when unfolded. Developers with existing iPad apps have a foundation to adapt their software layouts to the Duo’s larger canvas, and support for Apple Pencil with USB-C is scheduled to arrive later this year.
Pricing, Pre-Orders, and Market Positioning
The iPhone Duo carries a starting price of $1,999, which Ternus defended in an interview by describing the device as exceptionally complex and representing a great value. The foldable commands a $700 premium over the iPhone 18 Pro Max, which offers more versatile rear cameras and longer rated battery life. While iPhone 18 Pro pre-orders opened immediately with availability beginning September 18, the iPhone Duo follows with pre-orders on October 16 and a release on October 23. Analysts noted that a global memory chip shortage has contributed to higher expected pricing across the new iPhone generation compared to earlier years (India Today).
Performance Upgrades and the Variable-Aperture Camera
The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max introduce significant hardware enhancements, including the 2-nanometer A20 Pro chip paired with a new vapor chamber designed to maintain performance under heavier workloads (Yahoo Finance, iClarified). Ternus and Joz cited a 40 percent year-over-year increase in graphics performance alongside a 40 percent improvement in sustained performance. Battery life on the iPhone 18 Pro exceeds last year’s iPhone 17 Pro Max, while the new Pro Max extends endurance even further.
![John Ternus and Joz Discuss iPhone Duo Design, Price, and iPhone 18 Pro Camera [Video]](https://www.iclarified.com/images/news/102197/102197/102197-1280.jpg "Photo: iclarified.com")
The Pro models also feature a new variable-aperture camera system with an adjustable iris that allows users to alter the amount of light hitting the sensor and capture proper portrait photos with accurate optical blur or bokeh, moving beyond software-generated Portrait mode blur. Apple executives noted that material selection and reliability testing were central to ensuring the durability of the new moving aperture components.
Siri AI Integration and Privacy Focus
Apple placed new Siri artificial intelligence features at the center of the new phones, emphasizing privacy and security to differentiate itself from rivals that have progressed further in bringing AI to smartphones (India Today). Bank of America analysts noted in an August note that Ternus’s leadership provides an opportunity to cement Apple’s device dominance in an AI-enabled era (Yahoo Finance). Ahead of the event, Apple Fifth Avenue in New York prepared for launch day by giving its glass cube entrance a colorful makeover matching the iPhone 18 Pro’s new Burgundy and Glacier finishes.
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