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During Apple's Surprise and Shine event, the Cupertino company announced a host of new and upgraded products ranging from iPhones to AirPods. Some of the upcoming releases are available to preorder now, with availability starting as early as September 18. Other items, like the new iPhone Duo, are scheduled to go up for preorder later. Let’s take a look at everything Apple announced, when you can preorder it, and when you’ll be able to get your hands on it.
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Most of the the new items are in the catalog above. Alternate options are listed below, along with what makes the new models special.
iPhone Duo
- Preorders: October 16
- Release Date: October 23
The headlining new hardware Apple introduced is the iPhone Duo, the company’s first foldable phone. When closed, it has an asymmetric shape, with two rounded corners and two sharper corners. It’s designed that way so, when you open it, it unfolds roughly into the shape of an iPad. In this form, it’s also the thinnest iPhone ever, thinner even than the iPhone Air.
The outer display – i.e. the cover, if we're thinking of it as a book – is 5.4 inches. It unfolds to a 7.6-inch display, which Apple says is 50% larger than iPhone 18 Pro Max, and 80% larger than iPhone 18 Pro. It comes in two colors: Star White and Night Sky.
Due to the folding design, the Duo has an unusual passport-like aspect ratio. To make the best use of the space, Apple has redesigned its apps to put the essential controls in a vertical line along the right side of the display. That’s where you’ll find the dock on the home screen as well.
Apple has tried to make use of each form you can fold the phone into. For instance, you can watch videos on the top half of it when it’s open at a right angle (like a laptop), so you don’t need a stand. If you set it open-side down, tent-style, it displays the time or weather on the outer screen. And when taking photos in the Camera app, it can display all kinds of useful info, like showing the subject of the photo how they look as you snap pictures.
AirPods 5
- Preorders: Live Now
- Release Date: September 18
AirPods 5
- Get it at Apple - $129
AirPods 5 with Charging Case
- Get it at Apple - $149
Apple has also announced a new generation of its baseline earbuds (the non-Pro AirPods, without the silicon tips). The main new feature here is that active noise canceling now comes on all models of AirPods 5, including the $129 model. Apple says the noise canceling in the AirPods 5 is 50% better than in the previous model.
They also include features like live translation and automatic switching between transparency mode and noise cancelation mode, depending on what’s going on in the background noise.
Now the main difference between models is that the $149 one comes with a wireless charging case and volume control on the stems. If you can live without those conveniences, you can grab the $129 model. I will say, I love wireless charging, and I think it's easily worth the extra $20.
Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4
- Preorders: Live Now
- Release Date: September 18
Apple Watch Series 12
- Get it at Apple - $399
Apple Watch Ultra 4
- Get it at Apple - $799
To me, the biggest new feature in Apple Watch Series 12 is Audio Intelligence. This lets Siri AI listen to what’s going on around you and then summarize it. You can use this in a lecture or meeting. You can use it while talking to a friend. If you miss something someone said, you can have your Apple Watch display a transcript of the past 15 seconds. It’s pretty impressive. And while there would seem to be some pretty obvious privacy issues with such a technology, Apple insists nothing leaves your device.
The other improvements in the new generation of Apple Watches are largely iterative. They feature the “most accurate heart rate sensing in a wearable.” There’s a redesigned Health app that can help you build healthy habits.
As for the Ultra 4, Apple says it has the longest battery life of any Apple Watch, clocking in at 45 hours of Max Extended Workout tracking.
iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max
- Preorders: September 12
- Release Date: September 19
iPhone 18 Pro
- Get it at Apple - $1199
iPhone 18 Pro Max
- Get it at Apple - $1299
Apple also announced the new iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max. These are also largely iterative improvements over last year’s models. One touted new feature is the 48MP Fusion Main camera with a variable aperture to improve low-light photos and video. The 18 Pro Max also features what Apple is calling the longest battery life of any iPhone: 45 hours of video playback.
Powered by the A20 Pro chip, it’s very powerful. It comes in four relatively muted but still very appealing colors: black, silver, glacier (light blue), and burgundy.
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