[DigitalToday reporter Jinju Hong (홍진주)] Apple unveiled its first foldable iPhone, the "iPhone Duo," as it moved in earnest into the smartphone market. It also introduced new products including the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, AirPods 5, Apple Watch 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4, and overhauled its broader hardware and artificial intelligence ecosystem.

On Sept. 9 (local time), IT outlet TechRadar reported that the iPhone Duo is Apple’s first foldable smartphone and offers a 7.6-inch display when unfolded. It adopts a landscape-style foldable design similar to Samsung Electronics’ Galaxy Z Fold8 and will be released in two colors, Star White and Night Sky. The 256GB model starts at $1,999. Pre-orders begin on Oct. 16, with official sales on Oct. 23.

The iPhone Duo emphasized an experience tailored to a foldable form factor, beyond simply folding the screen. When folded, it moves key navigation buttons to the right side of the display to improve one-handed use. When unfolded, it can place apps side by side or pin frequently used app combinations. It also offers a selfie preview function using the rear camera and the external display. It supports the Apple Pencil for writing and creative work.

The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max strengthened the camera, performance and battery. Both models apply a variable aperture to a 48-megapixel main camera, a first for the iPhone. Users can adjust the aperture depending on shooting conditions, and Apple added professional camera controls and improved computational photography processing.

Performance is powered by the A20 Pro chip. It includes a 6-core CPU, a 7-core GPU and two 16-core Neural Engines, and applies an improved vapor chamber cooling design. Apple explained that the iPhone 18 Pro can sustain up to 40 percent higher performance for longer than the iPhone 17 Pro.

Battery life also increased. The iPhone 18 Pro supports up to 36 hours of video playback, and the Pro Max supports up to 45 hours. In particular, the Pro Max’s battery life is at the longest level in iPhone history.

Wireless earphones and smartwatches were also revamped. The open-type AirPods 5 will be released in two models, both supporting active noise cancellation. Apple introduced it as "best-in-class." Apple said updated design and algorithms can remove up to 50 percent more noise than the noise-cancelling model of AirPods 4, and that Transparency mode, which lets in surrounding sound, has also been improved for greater accuracy.

Apple Watch 12 adds a "Siri Recap" function that later summarizes conversations. The feature is also raising the possibility of privacy controversy, but Apple said it processes audio in real time without recording it, and that even Apple cannot access the audio feed.

Health features were also expanded. Apple Watch 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 include a new optical and electrical sensor that supports higher-frequency measurements of heart rate and heart rate variability. Apple claimed the two products provide the most accurate heart rate detection among wearables. The iPhone Health app will also be revamped. A new Insights tab provides timely health information, and a Longevity tab shows long-term health tracking and a health age indicator.

A software schedule was also presented. iOS 27 will be rolled out to iPhones worldwide starting Sept. 14. The core is an upgrade to Siri’s AI. Apple explained that the new Siri can interact with apps and provide more comprehensive answers. The outlet reported it aims for a digital assistant close to the level of ChatGPT and Gemini.

Some product prices rose. The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max are each $100 more expensive than the previous models, but new Apple Watch products maintained existing prices and AirPods 5 was set lower than the previous generation’s launch price. The standard iPhone 18 was not unveiled at the event, and the possibility was raised that it could be released next year along with iPhone Air 2 and iPhone 18e.

Some products were absent from the event. A new Apple TV 4K was not unveiled. Expectations for a replacement had existed since the last model was released in 2022, but it was not included in the announcement. It was also mentioned that the base iPhone 18 model was not cancelled but that its release timing had been delayed. The possibility was raised that the model could be released around March next year along with iPhone Air 2 and iPhone 18e.