Apple has introduced the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max and iPhone Duo, setting out its most substantial hardware update of the year. The Pro models focus heavily on photography, performance and battery life, while the iPhone Duo introduces Apple’s first foldable smartphone with a 7.6-inch inner display and a compact 5.4-inch outer screen.
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All three devices run on the new A20 Pro chip.
iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max
The iPhone 18 Pro arrives in black, silver, glacier and a new burgundy finish, with pre-orders opening September 12 and availability beginning September 18. Those who want more than Apple’s four finishes can turn to designer iPhone 18 Pro cases, which add original prints and patterns to the new model. Apple gives the Pro lineup a redesigned Dynamic Island, improved thermal management and the new A20 Pro processor, built on a 2-nanometer process. The chip combines a six-core CPU, seven-core GPU and Dual 16-core Neural Engine, while Apple says the GPU performs up to 40 percent faster than the previous generation.
The biggest update sits in the camera system. Apple introduces a 48MP Fusion Main camera with variable aperture, marking the first time iPhone users can control aperture directly. Six laser-cut blades adjust between different openings to manage light and depth of field, with manual control available through the Camera app. The system can open as wide as ƒ/1.48 for low-light photography or narrow to ƒ/4 when users need greater depth of field.
Apple also adds new Pro controls for shutter speed, white balance and aperture, plus a histogram for checking exposure. The company has expanded its image-authenticity tools as well, including Apple Reference Image alongside metadata and SynthID support designed to help identify AI-generated or edited imagery.
Photography remains central to the 18 Pro proposition, but Apple pairs those changes with longer battery life and a next-generation vapor chamber. The Pro Max receives the largest battery-life increase ever for an iPhone Pro model, according to Apple.
iPhone Duo
The iPhone Duo introduces a completely new form factor for Apple. The device opens to reveal a 7.6-inch inner Super Retina display and closes around a 5.4-inch outer display. Apple constructs the Duo from Grade 5 titanium with a mirror-polished finish and offers it in Star White and Night Sky. Pre-orders begin October 16, with availability from October 23.
The hinge and dual-display system allow the interface to adapt as users open and close the device. Apple developed iOS 27 specifically to support the folding format, with content scaling between both displays and new multitasking configurations available on the larger screen. The inner display uses a nano-texture finish intended to reduce glare.
Apple also uses the foldable structure to introduce new camera functions. Users can shoot selfies with the rear cameras while previewing the image on the outer display, show subjects a live preview while photographing them, or prop the device open for hands-free calls and recording. The hidden FaceTime camera sits beneath the inner display until active.
A20 Pro powers the Duo as well, alongside a custom vapor chamber and dual-battery architecture. Apple says the configuration supports sustained performance for multitasking, gaming and AI processing on the larger display.
With the iPhone 18 Pro, Apple gives photographers greater manual control than previous generations offered. With the iPhone Duo, the company enters foldables for the first time. Together, the three models show Apple developing two very different directions within the same iPhone generation: a camera-focused Pro device and a new folding format built around a larger, adaptable screen.
