Apple News 24 Hours

Last updated: September 11, 2026, 2:28 PM ET

iPhone Duo Arrives as Apple's First Foldable

Apple finally unveiled its long-rumored foldable at the "Surprise and Shine" event, and the device landed under a different name than expected. The iPhone Duo replaced months of "iPhone Ultra" speculation, arriving alongside the iPhone 18 Pro. A new Trend Force report projects the foldable will capture 24.8% of the foldable market in 2026 alone, countering a 20% slump in the segment. The 95-second event recap Apple posted to YouTube offers a quick catch-up for anyone who skipped the hour-plus keynote.

Split View Limits and Multitasking Realities

The iPhone Duo is the first iPhone that can run two apps side by side, but the implementation is stricter than iPad users might hope. The split view is locked to a fixed 50/50 arrangement with no resizing whatsoever. Two displays do not mean two simultaneous videos, either — Apple confirmed you won't play two videos at once on the device. The foldable also omits a substantial list of features found on its slab sibling, with 10 iPhone 18 Pro features absent from the Duo, and for many buyers it has effectively replaced the iPad mini as the compact secondary device of choice.

Display Deal, Design, and Secrecy

Samsung Display has signed a three-year exclusive supply agreement covering foldable panels, with Apple reportedly paying $250 per display under the arrangement. A separate leak pegged the Samsung deal at the same $250 figure, though the sourcing carries caveats. The 1:1.4 aspect ratio on the inner and outer panels drew a mixed response from IMAX, since the boxier ratio sits close to classic large-format film proportions. New Apple CEO John Ternus and marketing chief Greg Joswiak explained the display design and price in a joint interview with Tom's Guide and Tech Radar, and the pair separately discussed how the company designed the Duo in secret over a long development road. They also addressed why now is the right moment for a foldable. The design and MagSafe tradeoffs got a full airing on the Apple Insider Podcast, while the Mac Rumors crew devoted a special episode to the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo announcements. A separate 9to5Mac episode covered the full event lineup including the Watch Series 12 and Air Pods, and the daily recap rounded up Apple Intelligence news as well.

Tim Cook's Cameo and Apple Insider's Reactions

Despite widespread reports that he would sit out the launch video, Tim Cook appeared in the iPhone Duo presentation — a cameo that played as pure television drama. The Apple Insider team shared its broader reactions to the event in the fallout from the reveal.

iPhone 18 Pro: Camera, Preorders, and Repairability

The iPhone 18 Pro's headline camera addition is a variable aperture lens, and 9to5Mac argued the iPhone 18 Pro camera features win out over the flashier Duo — while also outlining four ways to achieve shallow depth of field without buying the new phone at all. Prospective buyers should get their paperwork in order early: a credit freeze can complicate preorder day significantly, and Apple Insider advises preparing your iPhone 18 Pro pre-order now to avoid waiting weeks after shipping begins. On the hardware side, Apple's own scores suggest the device is slightly easier to repair than the iPhone 17 Pro.

Apple Watch: Health Claims, Privacy, and Tradeoffs

Apple is making bold accuracy claims about the new Health Sensing System on the Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra, and the company shared the study data behind its "most accurate heart rate sensing" assertion. Apple Insider dug into the heart rate accuracy comparisons against rival wearables, where the details matter enormously. New Audio Intelligence features include Sound Recognition, Music Recognition, Live Rewind, and Siri Recap, and Apple explained what happens to the conversations Siri Recap hears. Live Rewind relies on the S11 processor and continual listening, but Apple says you can't use it secretly. Upgraders should note two caveats: the Ultra 4 dropped GLONASS support according to its technical specifications, and some users moving to the Series 12 or Ultra 4 may temporarily lose hypertension notifications. The Ultra 4 versus Ultra 3 comparison shows identical exteriors but meaningful chip and sensor upgrades inside. Repair costs are another consideration: fixing a ceramic Series 12 runs $599 without AppleCare+, pricier than the Ultra.

Air Pods, Deals, and Mac Discounts

Anyone preordering the new Air Pods 5 should know Apple does not include a charging cable or charger in the box. Early discounts are already live, with Air Pods 5 starting at $64 with trade-in alongside Air Pods Pro 3 and Studio Display XDR promotions. Amazon has cut as much as $600 off M5 MacBook Pro models and $330 off the Studio Display. A standout offer knocks $600 off an M5 Max 14-inch configuration heading into the weekend.

Software: iOS, Siri AI, and Visual Intelligence

iOS 27 launches next week, and early hands-on time has surfaced three new features worth getting excited about across Messages and Notes. Siri AI arrives in the same release, and one writer cataloged three real-world examples where the upgraded assistant genuinely impressed. Apple is now accepting App Store submissions built for iOS, mac OS, and the rest of the new operating systems ahead of next Monday's rollout. Visual Intelligence is getting more promotion thanks to iOS 27 changes and is also available to Mac users in mac OS 27 Golden Gate — Apple Insider walked through using the feature across both platforms. A separate report detailed the Health app redesign coming to iPhone and iPad in 2026. There's also a rumored expansion of the Mac's Edge Light feature to the iPhone.

Carriers, Satellite, and Services

Car Play now supports six major third-party AI chatbot apps after Microsoft Copilot added support, leaving Google Gemini as the holdout. T-Mobile will charge customers $5 per month to use iPhone Handoff, the eSIM feature that shares one number across two iPhones — a decision that prompted one longtime subscriber to leave T-Mobile for an MVNO after years of military discounts. Apple is extending free satellite access for existing iPhone users by another year, per a footnote in the iPhone 18 Pro press release. On the health services front, Apple Health partnered with Quest Diagnostics on a $119 blood panel for users without recent lab results.

Legal, Policy, and Media

The DOJ won a temporary pause on an order requiring it to respond to Apple's requests for documents from 14 federal agencies while it appeals in the ongoing antitrust case. Congressional representatives from New Mexico preemptively asked Apple and Google not to rename the state to "New America" after social media posts from the US President suggested the change. Apple TV shared an intense trailer for The Last First: Winter K2, premiering October 2 and promising an unflinching look at extreme mountain climbing culture.

in October

The Duo won't ship until October, and Apple has a packed slate planned for the month. More than 7 new products are expected, spanning Macs, iPads, and home devices. A separate daily briefing covered AirPods 5 and iPhone price increases as part of the week's news cycle.