Among the big new features Apple revealed with the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 were a few that pricked the ears of those with privacy concerns. Apple's Audio Intelligence is a suite of AI-powered features that use the Apple Watch to listen in on what's happening around you, so that Siri can provide more proactive advice, as well as help you remember what it was you just heard.

The most controversial of these features were Siri Recap, which allows your watch to listen in on conversations you have throughout the day, and uses AI to take notes and generate summaries, and Live Rewind, which lets you go back 15 seconds and view a transcript of what was just said.

The idea behind this is that Apple can "jog your memory" on events from your day, and make sure you can stay present in the moment. Naturally there are a lot of people who aren't happy about the idea that someone's Apple Watch could be listening in on conversations without warning.

Apple has anticipated this, and when we spoke to John Ternus, the new Apple CEO, and Greg Joswiak, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide marketing, they revealed their approach to Recap's privacy at length.

"Whenever we do anything, we always do it with an eye towards privacy and security," Ternus said. "It's something we take very seriously and approach very thoughtfully.

On the subject of Siri Recap, Ternus pointed out that it's been possible to record audio and create transcripts of what people have said for a while — both on smartwatches and phones.

Ternus makes it clear that recap does not produce a recording or a transcript, with Jozwiak adding that Apple can't access what doesn't exist. "If we don't have a recording, it means no one else has the recording. It can't get hacked. It can't get delivered to somebody."

It sounds unrealistic, but Jozwiak does confirm that Apple had to develop a whole new chip to make Recap possible in this manner. In the process, he sees it as a feature that allows people to concentrate on what they're doing, while being able to generate "higher level notes" that aren't indiscriminately documenting whatever sensitive information is being said.

"We wanted to do this in a way that people feel comfortable using it, said Ternus. "And people around the user feel comfortable about its existence."

Siri Recap's privacy features

Apple has also posted a sizable explainer discussing all the different privacy features Recap incorporates.

The big privacy feature here is that any audio that the Watch hears is sent to Apple's Secure Enclave on the watch itself or your paired iPhone. Apple claims that it can't be accessed by the user, Apple, apps or even the operating system itself.

The audio also isn't recorded or stored, though the processed data is summarized and formatted by Apple's Private Cloud Compute. Apparently this involves condensed versions of the original conversation that are less than half their length, reducing the contents to the core, rather than a full-length transcript.

While the Private Cloud Compute data is not accessible by Apple or anyone else, it does still mean your data is being processed on the cloud rather than just on your device. Which may be too risky for some of you to agree with.

Other features include a lack of speaker attribution, which means nobody will be directly quoted or attributed to. Siri is also going to censor what it hears, and will automatically omit anything it deems harmful or sensitive. Apple says this includes language promoting self-harm, hate speech, financial data, authentication and personally identifying data and "government-assigned identifiers." So it won't be making a record of your social security number.

Summaries are automatically deleted after seven days unless you save them to the Siri app. Like all Siri data, those saved summaries can then be deleted from all synced devices at any time — though you can also export them to other apps, including Apple Notes. Syncing is also encrypted and done via iCloud, meaning only your own trusted devices can access those summaries.

Recaps aren't running all the time, and you do need to opt in to actually set them up. How they record depends on you, with Apple promising you can set up a schedule or manually toggle it on and off in the Control Center.

Because it's an AI feature, Apple has the usual caveat explaining that the summaries aren't going to be 100% accurate all the time. That doesn't fill me with a whole lot of confidence, especially after the fiasco with Apple News summaries that had to be recalled from iOS.

Live Rewind

If you've ever been pulled in two directions at once, you've inevitably had to ask "what did you just say?" to someone. Live Rewind is meant to help jog your short-short-term memory, by displaying a text snippet of the last 15 seconds of conversation when you double-press the Digital Crown on your Apple Watch.

To address privacy concerns around this feature, Apple says that these text snippets "disappear permanently from your Apple Watch approximately 30 seconds after the Apple Watch display dims," unless you purposely save them.

This doesn't fix everything

Apple suggests that people "be mindful" of everyone around them, especially if there are sensitive conversations happening. Though that may be giving people too much credit.

There are plenty of people out there that are considerate of other people's thoughts and opinions, but there are also plenty who aren't. They either forget recap is running, or straight up do not care that other people may not like it.

Admittedly, both Ternus and Jozwiak have a point: there are features that offer this sort of thing without any emphasis on privacy. Then again, it is more likely that people take issue with the implied always-listening approach Recap takes. I personally feel it would make a lot more sense to restrict it to manual control.

Whichever way you look at it, though, I guess it's still a better option than seeing people pull out their phones to video every little unusual thing they come across.

More from Tom's Guide

• We've tested every Apple Watch and these are the 3 models I recommend right now
• Apple Watch Series 12 vs Apple Watch Ultra 4: Which new Apple Watch should you buy?
• All the new audio features on Apple Watch explained

We've just seen a host of new Apple products announced, from the iPhone Duo to the AirPods 5. But new Apple tech can get seriously expensive, so I'm mostly interested in scooping up savings on previous models — where you can score some huge discounts.

Right now, you can shop deals on AirPods, iPads, MacBooks, accessories and more. One of the most useful deals for Apple fans is definitely the AirTag 2nd Gen (4-Pack) on sale for $79. This is the lowest price ever for this bundle, and these keyfinders are extremely handy for keeping tabs on your important items using the Find My app on your iPhone.

Meanwhile, if you do want the newest iPhones, you can get the iPhone 18 for free when you trade-in and opt for an unlimited plan at T-Mobile.

There are lots more deals up for grabs, so keep scrolling to see my favorites.

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• shop all Apple deals on Amazon
• Apple EarPods (Lightning): was $19 now $14
• Apple AirTag: was $29 now $24
• AirPods Max 2: was $549 now $449
• MacBook Neo: was $699 now $679
• 15" MacBook Air (M5): was $1,499 now $1,399
• iPhone 18 Pro: free w/ trade-in + unlimited

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Apple made a bunch of grandiose claims about the battery upgrades in the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, but stopped short of revealing how large the new batteries actually are. That's pretty typical for Apple, though new European Union (EU) regulations may have just helped reveal the answer.

All phones that go on sale with the EU need to have publicly accessible Energy Labels. These labels list key details about the phone including IP ratings, drop test performance, repairability, energy performance and battery specs. That information also includes battery capacity.

According to the listings iPhone 18 Pro will have a 4,056 mAh battery, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max will offer 5,391 mAh capacity in the EU and other related regions. These devices likely all come with physical SIM card slots, since European iPhone owners aren't yet forced to use eSIMs the way they are in places like the U.S.

This is important because it means the North American models may actually offer slightly larger batteries. That trend started with the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, and considering the design hasn't changed that much, we're expecting it to happen again this year. But for now, let's examine the changes in battery size as if everyone is getting the same thing — SIM slot or not.

The EU iPhone 18 Pro actually has a smaller battery than the eSIM-only iPhone 17 Pro, with a difference of almost 5%. However it is slightly higher than the nano-SIM 17 Pro variant, with 1.44% more battery capacity. If we extrapolate that change, we estimate that the eSIM-only 18 Pro could have roughly 4,313 mAh of capacity.

The nano SIM iPhone 18 Pro Max's battery is 5.78% larger than that of the eSIM iPhone 17 Pro Max, and a whopping 11.12% larger than the battery on the nano SIM iPhone 17 Pro Max. Again if there's a similar size difference between the two eSIM variants, the iPhone 18 Pro Max could have as much as 5,653 mAh of battery capacity — which is absurd when you consider Apple typically offers much smaller batteries than its rivals.

Of course we don't know for sure whether the new batteries will be that size, on account of the U.S. not having the same regulatory requirements as the EU. So unless Apple makes the uncharacteristic decision to reveal all the nitty-gritty specs of the new iPhones, we're going to have to wait for teardowns following the September 18 release date.

As for the iPhone Duo, we're just going to have to wait a little longer. Since it won't be released until October 23, we're going to have to wait a few months before these sort of regulatory filings are made available to the public.

More from Tom's Guide

• iPhone Duo vs Galaxy Z Fold 8 — 7 ways Apple beats Samsung's foldable
• Exclusive: Apple CEO John Ternus and Joz on making iPhone Duo, fixing the crease and 'uninspiring' Android foldables
• Apple's $1,999 gamble — analysts react to the new iPhone Duo foldable

With iOS 27, you can hand an iPhone to a child with far greater confidence. Apple has overhauled its parental controls with a new guided setup assistant, making it simpler than ever to apply smart restrictions and tailor the device to a younger user.

There are several powerful features worth exploring. Beyond capping app availability and blocking in-app purchases, you can restrict adult websites, set strict time limits on games or social media, and automatically blur images containing graphic violence and gore alongside nudity.

If your child uses an iPhone, taking a few minutes to walk through these settings is essential. Tech-savvy kids might eventually look for a workaround (don’t they always?), but setting these guardrails now offers invaluable peace of mind.

How to set up a child’s account

First of all, you will need to create a child's account.

How to manage the parental controls

Once you have created a child's account, you can begin to manage access.

More from Tom's Guide

• The best parental control apps in 2026
• How to set up your child's first smartphone (and keep them safe online)
• The new Siri app in iOS 27 is keeping receipts on everything you ask — here’s how to auto-delete your chats

The launch of iPhone Duo is a big deal. This is the first ever foldable developed by Apple, and for that reason alone it has the chance to dethrone Samsung as the king of the foldable phone space. But it also helps that Apple has produced a phone with a lot of great qualities, and will naturally lead to comparisons with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8.

The two phones are similar in a bunch of ways, including their wider, passport-inspired design. However, there are a number of key ways Apple has improved on the foldable design, and beaten Samsung at its own game. Considering this is Apple's first foldable, that might just make the extended development time worth it. Here are seven ways iPhone Duo actually beats the Galaxy Z Fold 8.

IP68 rating

Google proved that a foldable could get an IP68 water and dust resistance rating with last year's Pixel 10 Pro Fold. This means that, despite all the moving parts around the hinge, Google was able to seal the phone up and ensure dust and other foreign particles can't get inside. Apple continued that trend by also sealing the iPhone Duo up to the same IP68 standard.

Meanwhile the Galaxy Z Fold 8 is only rated to IP48. The 8 means that it's water-tight, capable of being submerged in up to a meter of water for up to 30 minutes — just like Google and Apple. However, the 4 means that the Z Fold 8 offers no protection against dust, or any other particles larger than one millimeter (0.04 inches).

In other words, there's a whole bunch of nasty stuff that could get inside the Z Fold 8 and cause problems — and you might not even realize it. In other words, you should be able to take the iPhone Duo to the beach.

Apple Pencil support

Samsung used to sell foldables that supported the S Pen stylus, but the last one to be released was 2024's Galaxy Z Fold 6. From the Z Fold 7 onwards, Samsung stripped out the S Pen functionality, removing a critical part of the display makeup in order to reduce the phone's thickness. This means that the Z Fold 8 does not support any kind of active stylus.

Meanwhile, the iPhone Duo not only offers stylus support, it's compatible with the Apple Pencil USB-C — which works with the majority of iPads still on sale. Samsung needed a special kind of S Pen for the foldable screen, but the iPhone Duo uses a stylus that you may already have.

It's the most basic Apple stylus on sale, and it lacks key features you'll find on the Apple Pencil Pro, but it's better than nothing.

MagSafe

Magnetic wireless charging is a rarity, in part because Apple had a stranglehold on it for so long. While Qi2 wireless charging does allow phones to add a MagSafe-style magnetic ring, Samsung has avoided doing this — preferring to utilize special magnetic cases instead. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 is no exception to this trend, despite offering all the other benefits of Qi2 charging.

Apple had no such issue adding MagSafe to the iPhone Duo, as it's done with virtually every iPhone released since the iPhone 12. Plus, despite the phone's unique shape and size, Apple confirmed that it is compatible with MagSafe accessories and chargers — meaning all your old MagSafe products should still fit.

Faster 60W charging

MagSafe isn't the only way iPhone Duo beats Z Fold 8 in the charging department. Apple's foldable also offers faster charging speeds, regardless of whether you use MagSafe or a plug-in charging cable.

Wired charging supports up to 60W speeds, which regains 50% charge in just 15 minutes. Meanwhile, wireless charging is capped at 25W. In comparison, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 offers 45W wired charging, and can regain 43% in 15 minutes. Wireless charging is also slightly slower at 20W, which puts it at a slight disadvantage to the iPhone.

Better front-facing camera hardware

Like the S Pen, Samsung used to offer an under-display camera on Galaxy Z Fold phones — and it hasn't been seen since the Galaxy Z Fold 6. The quality was not great, and it was no surprise that later Z folds switched back to the hole-punch camera design. Apple is giving under-display camera tech another chance at the limelight.

Apple hasn't specified the quality of this camera, noting that it's designed for use with FaceTime and other video calling software rather than selfies. That suggests the quality isn't great. But at least Apple is willing to try new things with the Duo, rather than reusing the same lackluster selfie camera hardware for multiple years in a row.

Plus, the iPhone Duo's actual selfie camera, which is in the cover display, offers higher resolution than Samsung. We're talking 12MP compared to 10MP, and while resolution doesn't automatically mean quality, it's likely that this is a similar selfie camera to the one in iPhone 17 Pro Max — which I found to take better photos than the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra.

iPhone Duo software reacts based on folded hinge state

A lot of Samsung phones offer what the company calls "Flex Mode," which allows the phone to react and adapt depending on the angle of the central hinge. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 is the first Galaxy foldable to ditch this feature, despite the fact it's available on the Ultra model. This reduces the functionality of the phone somewhat, especially compared to iPhone Duo.

Apple doesn't have a special name for this feature, but the Duo does react depending on the angle of the hinge and the state of the fold itself. So if you have Netflix running, folding the screen to a 90-degree angle will shift the video to one side of the screen, and media controls to the other.

Vapor chamber cooling

The iPhone Duo offers an A20 Pro chipset with vapor chamber cooling, which helps dissipate heat. This means that the iPhone should offer better sustained performance, especially when doing resource-heavy tasks like gaming, multitasking and AI processing.

We haven't done any performance or thermal testing on the iPhone Duo just yet, so we don't know how effective the vapor chamber will be. That said, the Fold 8 doesn't offer a vapor chamber at all.

More from Tom's Guide

• Apple quietly jacks the prices of the iPhone 16, iPhone 17, and iPhone Air — here's how much you'll pay now
• Apple's just extended free access to emergency satellite communication for another year — it's the third time this has happened
• Steve Jobs said there would never be an iPhone stylus but iPhone Duo just proved him wrong — and it'll be a better device for it

There’s no doubt about who the star of Apple’s September 9 launch event turned out to be. With new CEO John Ternus reviving the company’s trademark “One More Thing…” announcement to show off the new iPhone Duo, analysts are agreed that Apple’s first attempt at a foldable phone is definitely one to watch.

Ben Wood, chief analyst at CCS Insight, said the Duo brings “a distinctive new design to the iPhone lineup.” In a research note released after the Apple event, IDC senior research director Nabila Popal said she was “almost certain [the Duo] will convert even the biggest critics of foldables.” And Michael Gartenberg, an analyst and former Apple marketing director, noted the foldable phone’s October release will open up a new opportunity for the company.

Arriving in stores October 23, the iPhone Duo is a passport-sized device that unfolds to reveal a 7.6-inch main display. Unlike some of the best foldable phones already on the market, the Duo offers a wider layout and Apple Pencil support to go with the kind of features — a powerful A20 Pro system-on-chip and iOS 27 software support — that you’d expect from one of Apple’s phones. It also happens to be most significant addition to the iPhone lineup since the iPhone X introduced a new look to Apple’s offerings back in 2017.

“While the new [iPhone 18] Pro devices are mostly incremental, the iPhone Duo takes Apple into new territory,” Gartenberg said. “Despite being late to market compared to Samsung and Google, Apple has delivered a solid first generation of foldables.”

iPhone Duo: What impressed analysts

While the iPhone Duo has only appeared in an Apple keynote and, briefly, in a hands-on area following its debut, the phone has made a strong first impression with people who’ve seen it. And there are several aspects surrounding the Duo that are winning early raves.

Start with the screen, which Tom’s Guide Global Editor in Chief Mark Spoonauer described as “breathtaking” in his iPhone Duo hands-on. Netflix — which has been optimized for the Duo’s design — takes up the whole screen when you’re streaming movies. And Apple has managed to minimize the crease that can appear on folding displays to the point where you don’t even notice it.

“The iPhone Duo has clearly benefited from major advances in the quality and reliability of flexible displays,” said Wood, who notes that Apple, like Samsung with its Galaxy Z Fold 8 foldable, use a titanium plate beneath the display. But Wood notes there’s a key difference in the case of the Duo.

“A differentiator is the nano-texture finish on the display, previously featured on the MacBook Pro and Studio Display,” he added. “This will improve readability, particularly in bright light, and give the touch screen a smooth finish for finger gestures.”

Durability is always a concern among shoppers when it comes to foldable phones, even more so than it is with more conventional handsets. With foldables, you have two screens to worry about, not just one, and there’s also the hinge that handles opening and closing the device to keep in mind.

To that end, Apple is using grade 5 titanium for the iPhone Duo’s frame while Ceramic Shield 2 protects the front of the phone. (The back of the Duo uses an earlier version of Ceramic Shield.) IDC’s Popal calls the Duo “a solid device that looks and feels premium,” while noting that Apple’s foldable offers an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance. In contrast, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 can withstand a plunge into water, but it isn’t dust resistant like Apple’s foldable.

Software also looks to be a big selling point for the iPhone Duo, highlighted by Apple redesigning its apps to take advantage of the foldable design. App controls and the dock on the home screen now live on the side of the display for easier access. In addition to Netflix, Zoom and Slack have been optimized for the Duo, with Wood expecting other app makers to follow suit after the phone launches in October.

“Unsurprisingly, the software on the iPhone Duo looks familiar and intuitive, with gesture-based navigation that makes it easy to do things like placing apps side by side,” Wood said. “Subtle features such as a screen transition as you flip the device open look very Apple-esque.”

iPhone Duo: Price is a concern

Still, a few things stand between the iPhone Duo and world domination, and the biggest one happens to be the cost of the phone. With a starting price of $1,999, this is the most expensive iPhone Apple sells — that’s even $300 more than what you’d pay for a 13-inch iPad Pro with cellular connectivity.

“The price point will obviously keep things out of reach for some, but that's what financing and carrier incentives are for,” said Avi Greengart, president of Techsponential.

Michael Gartenberg agreed: “Pricing is expensive, but very much in line with other vendors. A good deal will depend on carriers offering significant subsidies or how many users will pay $2,000-plus on a device over time with Apple's new installment plan.”

Ahead of iPhone Duo preorders starting on October 16, Apple lets you pay off the phone in 24 monthly installments of $83.29. Leasing the Duo through the Apple Upgrade program lowers the monthly payment to $57.99 (though you wouldn’t own the phone at the end of your lease agreement unless you paid the remaining balance). Those prices are before device trade-ins which figure to lower the size of the monthly payment even further.

iPhone Duo: Taking on the Galaxy Z Fold 8

Any iPhone Duo analysis is going to invite comparisons to the Galaxy Z Fold 8 — and to a lesser extent the more expensive Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra — that Samsung released earlier this year. “Samsung has a price advantage, but not enough of one that it's likely to be a major factor,” Greengart said.

Samsung has been at this a while, having released the first Fold back in 2019. That’s given Samsung a head start in not only building a market for foldable devices, but also fine-tuning its own product. The new Fold 8, for example, offers a more pocketable design than past offerings with improved battery life and a less noticeable crease than before.

In fact, at 9.7mm when closed and 205 grams, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 is thinner and lighter than the iPhone Duo, which measures at 11.3mm and weighs 254 grams. Samsung’s phone also offers a RAM upgrade, face unlocking and a desktop mode that lets you plug the Fold into a monitor and use it as a PC. And as Greengart notes, the Galaxy Z Fold has an $1,899 starting price compared to the iPhone Duo’s $1,999 cost.

But Apple’s phone has a few advantages of its own, like the IP rating and Apple Pencil support. Other metric comparisons, like performance and battery life will have to wait until we get a chance to test Apple’s phone.

“Watching the keynote, it was easy to forget that surrounding these new products is the introduction of iOS 27,” Wood of CCS Insight said. “It's an important update, delivering major performance improvements and introducing the latest version of Apple Intelligence and Siri AI. These seem like a big step up from Apple’s earlier AI efforts, and based on my experience with the beta release, they're performing well.”

iPhone Duo outlook

Foldable phones remains a small segment of the overall mobile market, though it’s growing — CCS Insight says that 25 million foldables sold in 2025, up 18% from the previous year. Wood anticipates growth this year and next, despite rising prices for memory and phone components. And the iPhone Duo’s arrival figures to be a big reason why.

“iPhone Duo is for anyone who has wanted a foldable but has not been willing to leave the iOS ecosystem, plus anyone who just wants a modern smartphone that opens up into a widescreen for watching content or multitasking,” Greengart said.

More from Tom's Guide

• iPhone Duo hands-on: Apple nailed it — and just put everyone else on notice
• Apple Event recap — Hands-on with the iPhone Duo and all the big announcements
• Apple's just extended free access to emergency satellite communication for another year — it's the third time this has happened

Apple’s first foldable phone is finally coming in the iPhone Duo, and like most other Apple products, the company is famously late entering a new category. Yup, Samsung, Google, Huawei and others have been making foldables for several years, but Apple is adamant that it’s not chasing the Android competition.

While the iPhone Duo has a passport-style design like the Galaxy Z Fold 8, in a lot of ways the phones couldn’t be more different. The Duo completely reimagines iOS 27 for the foldable form factor; it has Apple Pencil support and IP68 durability; and Apple is making a huge push to have lots of apps optimized for the Duo’s big 7.6-inch screen before the phone goes on sale in October.

Along with TechRadar’s Lance Ulanoff, I sat down with Apple CEO John Ternus and senior vice president of worldwide marketing Greg ‘Joz’ Joswiak, and they stressed that Apple is making something truly unique.

“I think for us, it's always about when do we feel like we have a product idea that meets our bar for quality and durability but also design?” Ternus said. “What I think is particularly amazing about the Duo is that it's such a good example of hardware and software coming together to make something really special.”

That’s exactly what I wanted to dig into with Ternus and Joz: What really makes the iPhone Duo special in a sea of foldables?

iPhone Duo: The ‘a-ha’ moment for Apple’s CEO

One of the things that struck me most during my hands-on time with the iPhone Duo is that you can barely see the crease. And that’s thanks in large part to Apple’s nano-texture display.

The technology first appeared on the Mac Studio Display but has since migrated to the iPad Pro and MacBook Pro.

This nano-texture finish is designed to reduce glare and reflections, and the matte surface minimizes crease visibility. I also couldn’t feel the crease when using the Duo.

When Ternus saw this technology in action for the first time on Apple’s foldable prototype, he was convinced it was the right direction.

“It was like, ‘yes, that's it.’ ‘This is what I want. And then once we have that, then it's like okay, how do we go make it happen and make it real?’

Ternus shared that Apple came up with a new way of making the nano-texture display so that it’s optimized for a polymer surface instead of glass.

“I think what you've seen out there are all these just kind of cheap feeling plastic surfaces that don't feel good to the touch,” Ternus said. They're kind of wavy wrinkly, and the nano texture just wipes that all out. It's beautifully flat. It feels amazing to touch, and it's incredibly durable.”

iPhone Duo vs Android foldables

As impressive as Android foldable phones have become over the past few years, especially in terms of sheer thinness and lightness, the Android ecosystem is still pretty fragmented when it comes to apps.

For example, Slack just looks like a blown-up phone app on Android foldables, and pulling up comments on Instagram just covers the content. I don’t get the sense that this is going to be the case with the iPhone Duo.

Apple has been working behind the scenes with developers to optimize their apps for the iPhone Duo’s cover and main displays. This includes Netflix, Slack and Zoom.

“What we saw others doing wasn't particularly inspiring,” said Joz. “Our history has never been to rush into something with something half baked.”

So what does a fully baked iPhone Duo look like?

This includes a redesigned software experience that moves the main controls to the right edge of the screen so that they’re easier to reach. And this is for both displays.

“It turns out to be an incredibly intuitive control system, because it's there under your right thumb when it's closed,” said Ternus. “You open it up, it's there under your right thumb again. So I think that's one of the biggest things with iOS is you're going to have two screens. How do you make sure that it feels continuous?”

I asked explicitly about whether the October 23 release date for the iPhone Duo will help ensure Apple has enough optimized apps for launch. And Joz likened the launch to the original iPad.

“That’s why we went so out of our way with iPad development, both internally and with our third parties,” Joz said. “We didn't want the iPad to feel like a big phone and that's again exactly what Android tablets felt like. And the same thing applies here.”

iPhone + stylus = breaking Apple’s rules?

Steve Jobs famously said that “if you see a stylus, they blew it’ in reference to smartphones. But that was 2007.

So is Apple breaking its own rules by offering Apple Pencil support in the iPhone Duo? Not really. Because it’s an iPhone and iPad in one device.

“I’ve never really thought of it as a rule,” Ternus said. “We started with iPad. There was no Apple Pencil, right? But then there's things you can do with a pencil on that larger screen that are really powerful and capable. And I think we saw that opportunity here.

“You don't need a pencil, but I think some people are going to like it, and it's going to be fun.”

The $2,000 question

With a starting price of $1,999, the iPhone Duo is by far the most expensive iPhone ever, so I wanted to know how Apple is going to justify the premium.

“We're always focused on building cool things that people love, but also are a really good value,” Ternus said. “And (the iPhone Duo) is an incredibly complex and well-engineered device. Yes, it's more expensive than the other phones, but we think it's a great value.”

At the same time, the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max have also gone up in price by $100 each. But Apple insists that the new Pro phones deliver. This includes a new variable aperture camera, faster A20 Pro chip (that’s also in the iPhone Duo), bigger vapor chamber and even longer battery life.

“I look at those products as, ‘Man, how do you really feed an iPhone 17 Pro steroids and take not just an incremental improvement in each of these areas but massive year-on-year improvements,” Jozwiak asks.

Ultimately, though, all eyes will be on the Duo because it’s the shiny new thing. And it’s the experiences that it enables that Apple is hoping will get foldable phone doubters off the fence. For example, the Smart Take camera mode lets you prop up the Duo and is intelligent enough to snap photos when everyone is in position in a group shot — no timer required.

“The beauty of Apple is its hardware, software, and services,” Ternus said. “What I love is when all of these things come together and interact and create an experience that is just bigger than the sum of its parts.”

NEXT: Watch part 2 of our interview with Turnus and Joz on TechRadar.

The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are finally here. Surprisingly, there is still information we don't know yet, including battery size (something Apple doesn't share) and how much better the A20 Pro chipset is compared to the A19 series.

Two different leaks may have given us some of that information. The first is a new Geekbench listing that appears to show how the A20 Pro works in the iPhone 18 Pro spotted by X user never_released.

If the results from this listing are typical, the single core of 4,719 and a multi-core 12,677 show that the A20 is about 25% faster than the A19 silicon. In its press release, Apple claims the A20 Pro has 50% more memory bandwidth and 40% faster than the A19 Pro.

It's not quite 40% better, but the A20 Pro is still a significantly more powerful chip. In fact, I looked at our testing for the M5 chip, and it compares very favorably to Apple's M5 chipset.

We've argued before and the A20 Pro seems to prove it, there is no reason Apple couldn't run its laptops on its own phone chips. The proof is in the MacBook Neo, but things could get even more powerful.

Now, this is all said with the caveat that Geekbench listings can be faked, and we have the iPhone 18 Pro in hand right now. We're sending the new iPhones to our testing lab where we'll put the phones through our own series of tests.

A battery downgrade?

Some of the imagery and press releases from Apple claimed that the battery in the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max is larger than the one in the iPhone 17 Pro models. It's hard to prove because Apple doesn't list battery size in its technical specifications, at least in the US.

In the EU, the company does list the capacity. MacRumors spotted the capacities for the SIM tray versions of the iPhone 18 Pro.

• iPhone 18 Pro: 4,056 mAh
• iPhone 17 Pro: 4,252 mAh
• iPhone 18 Pro Max: 5,391 mAh
• iPhone 17 Pro Max: 5,088 mAh

Based on those numbers, that's a 1.7% increase for the Pro and almost a 12% increase for the Pro Max.

I've seen comparisons to the eSIM version of the iPhone 17 Pro, which has a larger capacity compared to the SIM version. The eSIM iPhone 17 Pro comes with a 4,252 mAh battery that is bigger than the physical SIM version.

Meanwhile, the iPhone 17 Pro has the same 5,088 mAh in the eSIM version.

That all said, even if the battery is slightly smaller or only a bit bigger, the gains in battery life will likely come from the new A20 chipset and its expected performance and efficiency upgrades.

From what we can tell, the eSIM capacities for the iPhone 18 Pro models have not been released yet.

More from Tom's Guide

• iPhone Duo hands-on: Apple nailed it — and just put everyone else on notice
• Apple Event recap — Hands-on with the iPhone Duo and all the big announcements
• Apple's just extended free access to emergency satellite communication for another year — it's the third time this has happened

Apple's new foldable iPhone Duo, which was officially revealed yesterday, is a super-desirable piece of tech. It offers a foldable screen that's a whopping 50 per cent larger than iPhone 18 Pro Max and has an impressive selection of features, including a 48MP camera.

It's also seriously expensive, coming in at $2000. If you're planning to get one then it's a no-brainer to also add on a case at the same time — after all, you're going to want to keep it in peak condition for as long as possible.

For this article I've rounded up nine cases that will keep your iPhone Duo safe and sound. There are two official cases from Apple, in navy blue and sand, along with a whole host of others from third party brands. More cases are coming very soon, but if you want to make sure you have one as soon as possible, then take a look at the selection below.

Back when Apple announced the first satellite connectivity features for iPhone 14, it also said that access to them would only be free for two years. That was four years ago, and Apple has yet to charge users a dime for continued satellite access — a practice it has just confirmed (via MacRumors) will continue for at least another year.

Satellite connectivity on iPhone is designed to give users the ability to stay connected, even in areas that have no cellular coverage. The first release was Emergency SOS via satellite, which lets you contact emergency services in the event that you need rescue.

Apple later added Messages via Satellite for non-emergency communication, Find my Via satellite and Roadside Assistance via satellite in certain regions. All of which utilize a Globalstar satellite connection to send messages in cellular dead zones.

iPhone 14 users were originally set to lose their free access in 2024, followed by iPhone 15 in 2025 and iPhone 16 this year. The continual extensions mean that they'll continue to be able to access Apple's myriad of satellite features without having to pay for yet another subscription. This is certainly a good thing, and the last thing we want is to be stuck in the middle of nowhere and unable to call for help because Apple's decided it wants another couple of bucks off you every month.

The funny thing is Apple has never actually said how much a hypothetical satellite subscription would actually cost. Or even whether it actually intends to charge users for satellite access in the near future.

Clearly, though, unlike the rising cost of RAM, Apple is quite happy to eat the cost of satellite connectivity for a little while longer. Considering this is a lifesaving feature, that's probably a very good investment for the company. Not just because saving customers' lives is good for business, but also because of the positive publicity those cases can bring.

Things might change in the future, but for now iPhone users can be safe in the knowledge that their access to Emergency SOS via satellite, and other similar features, will remain free and uninterrupted for another year.

More from Tom's Guide

• Apple quietly jacks the prices of the iPhone 16, iPhone 17, and iPhone Air — here's how much you'll pay now
• Steve Jobs said there would never be an iPhone stylus but iPhone Duo just proved him wrong — and it'll be a better device for it
• iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max hands-on — 4 things I really like (and 2 I don't)

Apple made waves yesterday with the reveal of the iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max. This next generation of the groundbreaking smartphone promises a powerful new 48MP camera, the vapour‑cooled A20 Pro chip which can handle AI with ease, and enhanced battery life — especially in the Pro Max.

If you're forking out for one of these new devices then you're going to want to keep it looking perfect. That's where phone cases come in handy. In this article I've pulled together 12 of the best cases that are already available for the iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max.

We're kicking things off with some of Apple's official cases, before moving into a few of the many cool third part cases out there. Whichever you choose, they'll keep your beautiful new device in peak condition.

I have long argued that the iPhone Duo should break the original commandment Steve Jobs laid down when the very first iPhone launched over 19 years ago. "Nobody wants a stylus," Jobs declared, "if you see a stylus, they blew it."

It's a decree that made sense at the time, but things have changed since 2007 — especially after the launch of the Apple Pencil for iPad in 2015.

Frankly, I'm of the opinion that Apple would have blown it if the foldable iPhone Duo didn't have a stylus. Rumors suggested things might be a little dicey on that front, but Apple confirmed that the Duo will support the Apple Pencil (USB-C). This is definitely a good thing, especially if Apple wants to angle the foldable as a productivity device

iPhone Duo is a tablet in disguise

Smartphones were very different when the original iPhone was released. Physical keyboards and styli were very common, because touchscreens of the time generally sucked. So Apple had an uphill battle trying to convince people that the iPhone's touchscreen could change all that. Throwing a stylus into the mix shortly afterwards would amount to Apple conceding that its multi-touch display couldn't hack it.

Apple did eventually get some heat for releasing the Apple Pencil eight years later, especially after Jobs' harsh words. But technically speaking, since it was only compatible with the iPad, Apple hadn't gone against Jobs' wishes.

Plus, that was around the time Apple started leveraging the iPad as a productivity device and meant the tablet would benefit from a little more finesse than stubby human digits could offer. A mouse isn't practical for a portable device, but a stylus can work pretty darn well. Especially when you consider that handwriting and drawing become real possibilities when you have that precision control.

I say that from the experience using my own iPad. I much prefer doing actual work on a laptop, with a full keyboard and mouse combination. But that doesn't mean the iPad isn't also a useful tool, and the addition of the stylus lets it do things that my other devices can't.

I'm not exaggerating when I say that the iPhone Duo is effectively an iPad hiding inside an iPhone. The 7.6-inch display is only a fraction of an inch shorter than the iPad mini 7, and the aspect ratio is roughly the same — around 4:3. So it makes sense that Apple would offer the iPhone Duo with all the same benefits of owning an iPad — stylus and all.

This helps the Duo stand out from other foldables

Despite the fact that tablets have had stylus support for years, foldables have not been so lucky. In fact only Samsung really took that particular feature seriously, but it later removed the feature from the Galaxy Z Fold 7 with the goal of reducing the thickness of the design. Plus the S Pen was a special kind that only worked with foldable screens, and wasn't compatible with other stylus-friendly phones and tablets.

When the iPhone Duo launches later this year, it will have two distinct advantages. The first is that it will be the only mainstream foldable phone to actually support a stylus. The other is that it uses the exact same stylus as Apple's iPads, meaning you don't need a specific accessory that only works with the foldable screen. You're free to swap between devices just as you would if you owned multiple iPads.

The Apple Pencil USB-C is the cheapest stylus Apple makes too, and can often be found discounted outside of the usual big sales events. While it's not ideal to have to buy additional accessories for your $2,000 phone, you're at least not forced to buy the most expensive Apple Pencil Pro.

Admittedly this also means that the Duo misses out on all the advanced features that come with the more advanced Apple Pencils. The Apple Pencil Pro and Apple Pencil 2 both offer pressure sensitivity, wireless pairing, a double tap feature, haptic feedback, with the Pro also supporting the barrel roll and squeeze gestures. Both models can also be connected to Apple's Find My network, in the event that you lose them.

The Apple Pencil USB-C is a lot more basic by comparison, though it does still offer all the general stylus features you'd expect. Plus, you have to remember that the Apple Pencil 2 and Pencil Pro can only be recharged wirelessly, via a compatible iPads magnetic connector. Since the iPhone Duo doesn't seem to have that feature, the more advanced styli would be totally useless.

Oh, and considering reports that Apple could have scrapped the Duo's stylus support over fears it may damage the foldable display, it does make sense that Apple doesn't want to encourage people to press too hard.

Bottom line

There's a lot to like about the first foldable iPhone, as we discovered first hand during our iPhone Duo hands-on. The phone is well designed, durable, and in the words of Tom's Guide's Global Editor in chief Mark Spoonauer, "there's something magical about using the iPhone Duo" thanks to how it can seamlessly transition between tablet and phone modes.

As expensive as the device is, this is looking like a best of both situations. You have all the benefits of a smartphone, including pocketability and the smaller cover display, combined with the larger tablet screen for things like watching movies or getting work done.

You can only be so productive without the right tools, and just like robust multitasking, the addition of the Apple Pencil is one of them. It certainly makes that $2,000 price tag a little more palatable, knowing that you can get a full iPad experience on your phone without the normal iPhone limits.

As useful as having a stylus on your phone can be, I think this is Apple's limit when it comes to bringing one to iPhone. And you know what? I think I would be ok with that, so long as the larger-screen devices like iPhone Duo and iPads kept them around. Otherwise, that extra screen space would be going to waste.

More from Tom's Guide

• Apple quietly jacks the prices of the iPhone 16, iPhone 17, and iPhone Air — here's how much you'll pay now
• iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max hands-on: Sneaky awesome upgrades, but worth the price hike?
• Apple Watch Ultra 4 first impressions: 5 reasons to buy and 2 reasons to skip Apple’s new rugged model

Shiny and new, shiny and new, we all love things that are shiny and new. Then again, just because something is fresh on the scene doesn’t necessarily mean it’s meaningfully better than its predecessor.

Hi, I’m Dan, and I review smartwatches. I’ve been covering the Apple Watch Ultra series ever since the first model launched. As you might expect, I had a long wishlist of upgrades for the fourth generation, many of which came to fruition!

Of course, not all my desires were fulfilled by the cult of Cupertino. With that in mind, here are the five biggest reasons I’m excited about the new Apple Watch Ultra 4 (i.e., the five biggest reasons to buy it).

And for all the contrarians out there, I've also included the two biggest letdowns, aka why you might want to skip the Ultra 4.

Buy: Better heart rate tracking

Apple went ahead and completely overhauled every aspect of the on-wrist holistic sensor array, including making the heart rate tracking LEDS more powerful and increasing the size of the electrode surface used for ECG readings.

Moreover, after extensive internal testing against the competition and a traditional chest-mounted heart rate monitor, Apple says that the Ultra 4 and Series 12 (which share the new holistic tech) are the most accurate heart trackers in any wearable on the market.

That’s not all; the new tech now takes heart rate readings every five minutes (60x times more frequently than the Ultra 3) and HRV readings every 15 minutes (24x more frequently than its predecessor) to better understand your long-term health trends.

Buy: New ‘Live Rewind’ feature

The Apple Watch Ultra 4 and Apple Watch Series 12 are the first two Apple Watch models to ship with true-blue Siri AI features built-in, including my personal favorite, Live Rewind.

Are you someone who forgets names moments after they're told to you? Did you just zone out while the server read off tonight’s specials? Live Rewind allows you to discreetly listen back to the past 15 seconds of audio at any given moment with a double-tap of the digital crown.

Essentially, the watch is constantly buffering 15 seconds of ambient audio from your wrist. However, actual recordings are never saved, individual voices aren’t identified, and all of the data used for the feature is encrypted end-to-end.

Buy: Improved battery life

This is a biggie and an upgrade that tends to top my wishlist for pretty much every anticipated smartwatch release. The Apple Watch Ultra 4 is now rated to last up to 50 hours per charge, a noteworthy increase over its predecessor’s 42-hour rating.

For extreme athletes, there’s also a new Max Extended workout tracking mode that increases longevity from around 18 hours with full-time GPS and continuous heart rate tracking to a whopping 45 hours without sacrificing cardiovascular and location insights.

Buy: More accurate distance and step count tracking

As one of TG’s resident smartwatch walk testers, I couldn’t help but smile when I saw that the Apple Watch Ultra 4’s onboard pedometer software has been completely overhauled for better step count and distance tracking accuracy, thanks in part to machine learning.

Stay tuned for countless head-to-head walk test comparisons with the Ultra 4 versus the competition; let me know in the comments which smartwatch I should test it against first!

Buy: No price increase

Unlike those nerds over at Google and Samsung, Apple opted to keep its pricing for the 2026 line of smartwatches exactly the same as before, inflation and RAM crisis be damned!

This is commendable and, frankly, not very Apple-like. But, hey, there’s a new CEO in charge, so maybe the Apple of today and tomorrow will be a little more budget-minded than the Apple of yesterday.

Skip: Same display

The Apple Watch Ultra 4 sports the same exact display as its predecessor. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a fantastic panel that’s easy to read at just about any angle. It also boasts an impressive max brightness of 3,000 nits.

That said, the Apple Watch Ultra 4’s nearest competitor, the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2, boasts a max screen brightness of 5,000 nits. Ultimately, it would’ve been nice to see some sort of upgrade to the display in the Ultra 4, if only to keep up with its rivals.

Skip: It’s still gigantic

Every year, come late August, I close my eyes and pray to Steve Jobs, asking him for the one thing that would make the latest Apple Watch Ultra a total slam-dunk: A smaller size option. And every year, I’m disappointed.

The Apple Watch Ultra 4 is the same dimensions as its predecessor, and even though it isn’t quite as chunky as the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2, it still wears rather large on my fairly average-sized 6.5-inch wrist.

Ultimately, in addition to the 49 x 44mm standard Ultra model, I’d loooove to see a second 45 x 40mm offering for those who prefer smaller wrist candy and/or have daintier extremities.

What are your thoughts on the new Apple Watch Ultra 4? What do you love, and what do you hate? Let me know below.

More from Tom's Guide

• I went hands-on with the Apple Watch Series 12: A new heart rate sensor, ceramic colors and a readiness score, at last
• We asked 368 people what they want from the Apple Watch Ultra 4. Here’s the resounding answer (and it’s not AI)
• I’ve been writing about the Apple Watch for the past decade: Here’s the rumored update I’m most excited about for the Apple Watch Ultra 4

The big headline of Apple's Surprise and shine event was the announcement of the new foldable iPhone Duo along with the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, but behind the scenes was some not-so-welcome news.

Due to the ongoing component shortages, Apple quietly increased the prices of some of its older phones. The iPhone 16, iPhone 17, iPhone 17e, and iPhone Air all saw their prices go up by $100 on Apple's site. While you'll undoubtedly still be able to get discounts from carriers, the company's older phones are no longer as great a value as they once were.

Here's how Apple's older phones compare in terms of cost, storage, processor, and battery life, to the iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max.

The iPhone 17 Pro Max cost $1,199 when it was first released, and the iPhone 17 Pro was $1,099, so Apple is raising prices across all of the phones in its lineup. While Apple no longer sells those two phones directly, you can still get them through carriers at those prices.

However, what really sticks out is the iPhone 16; at $799, it's $100 more than the iPhone 17e, yet has half the storage and an older processor. The iPhone 16 does have a better camera setup and faster charging, but is that enough to justify its higher price?

Now, there's naturally going to be a gap between Apple's Pro models and its base units, but now that the company has narrowed it between its older phones and now-discontinued iPhone 17 Pro models, the calculus changes somewhat for those who don't need to get Apple's latest-and-greatest.

I haven't delved into other features, such as camera performance and Siri, but Apple is touting a huge boost in battery life — it claims that the 18 Pro Max will last up to 45 hours when playing video, an increase of 6 hours over the iPhone 17 Pro Max. While we've seen much more modest gains on the Tom's Guide battery test, a significant change here could go a long way to justifying its price.

We'll have to wait and see until early next year, when Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 18 and iPhone Air 2; will they be the same price as the current models, or cost even more?

More from Tom's Guide

• Apple Event recap: iPhone Duo, iPhone 18 Pro Max, Apple Watch 12 and more
• iPhone Duo is official — everything you need to know
• iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are official — here's what you need to know

Yeah, there’s a smaller Dynamic Island and fancy new colors, but you’d be hard pressed to tell the difference between the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max and the iPhone 17 Pro series at a glance.

Dig a bit deeper, however, and you’ll discover that the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max have some pretty big camera upgrades that photographers of all skill levels will appreciate. The main camera offers variable aperture for the first time. And there’s new pro controls that let you adjust everything from the aperture to the shutter speed.

Other sneaky awesome upgrades include a much faster A20 Pro chip, improved vapor chamber cooling for better sustained performance and much longer rated battery life. However, you’re going to pay $100 more for both models. And there’s some other drawbacks. Are these the best phones you can buy now? Here’s my first impressions.

What I like

Variable aperture camera

The main 48MP fusion camera on the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max have six laser-cut blades that can transition between different apertures on the fly. This allows the camera to automatically open and close the shutter based on the conditions to give you optimal control of depth of field and lighting.

Even better, you can manually change the aperture from four different ranges, allowing you to choose the optimal setting for the photo at hand. For example, you can choose f/1.48 for portraits and have more of the background out of focus or go up to f/4.0 if you want all of the scene to look sharp.

I tried this out in a simulated bar setting and I captured a glass with two different aperture settings and noticed a stark difference in the images. We'll be doing a lot more testing to see if these flagships make our best camera phone list.

Seriously powerful A20 Pro chip — with better cooling

The A20 Pro is Apple’s first 2nm chip in a phone, and it promises a serious performance boost. The 6-core CPU has two super cores that are up to 20% faster than the A19 Pro, plus a new 7-core GPU that promises up to 40% faster graphics performance than the iPhone 17 Pro Max.

I tried out the new chip in the Monster Hunter game coming later this year, and the gameplay was super smooth. We’re talking up to 120 frames per second.

Just as important, the new larger vapor chamber cooling system is designed to deliver up to 40% better sustained performance than the iPhone 17 Pro. Apple also designed the A20 Pro chip so that the memory sits to the side instead of having a stacked configuration, which also helps dissipate heat.

Even longer battery life

The iPhone 17 Pro Max was already one of the longest lasting phones we’ve ever tested, ranking high on our best phone battery life list. But the iPhone 18 Pro Max could shatter endurance records.

Apple has rated this flagship for 45 hours of video playback and the iPhone 18 Pro for 36 hours. Compare that to 39 hours and 33 hours, respectively, for the iPhone 17 Pro Max and iPhone 17 Pro.

The charging on the iPhone 18 Pro series gets a boost as well. You can get up to 50% charge in just 15 minutes with a 60W charger. MagSafe charging can get you to 50% in 30 minutes via 35W.

Siri AI is finally smart enough (mostly)

While Siri has been the butt of jokes for years, the new Siri AI that comes with iOS 27 is pretty impressive. For example, with Visual Intelligence in the camera app, I could simply point the iPhone 18 Pro at a poster with dates on it and the phone instantly recognized them and could add them to my calendar super fast.

The new Siri also understands personal context a lot better. You can ask to pull up information like your upcoming flight and it will instantly pop up on screen. You can then go full screen if you like to ask follow-up questions.

As much as I appreciate the new Siri, you can’t have a live conversation about what it’s seeing in real time as you can with Gemini Live or ChatGPT Voice mode. I feel like that’s a pretty big hole versus the leading AI assistants.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve used Gemini Live in particular to troubleshoot things on the fly or ask questions about things in front of me. I’d like to see Apple beef up Siri in this regard to make it even more conversational.

What I don't like

Higher prices

It’s simply a sign of the times at this point, but it’s not great that the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max both get a $100 price hike. The iPhone 18 Pro now starts at $1,099 and the Pro Max will run you $1,199.

To be fair, the Galaxy S26 Ultra also starts at $1,299, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it.

Heavier designs

Maybe it’s the variable aperture camera, larger vapor chamber cooling area or bigger batteries — or all of the above. But the new iPhone 18 Pros are heavier than their predecessors.

The iPhone 18 Pro weighs 7.44 ounces (211 grams), compared to 7.27 ounces (206 grams for the iPhone 17 Pro. And the iPhone 18 Pro Max tips the scales at 8.78 ounces (249 grams) versus 8.22 ounces (233 grams) for the 17 Pro Max.

iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max: Outlook

The iPhone Duo understandably is getting the most buzz, but not everyone wants or needs a foldable phone — and certainly not everyone can afford its $2,000 price. The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are for power users who don’t want to give up a traditional form factor or flagship features like a telephoto zoom.

In addition, the iPhone 18 Pros have longer rated battery life — especially the iPhone 18 Pro Max — and come with Face ID built in. You just have to be willing to live with a minor price hike versus the iPhone 17 Pros and heavier designs.

For my money I’d go for the iPhone 18 Pro Max for its better endurance and bigger display, but both of these phones are true pro-level devices.

Stay tuned for our full rated review.

It’s official: Apple has unveiled the latest additions to its wearables lineup — Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4. Announced today at Apple’s “Surprise and Shine” event, both devices are set to launch on September 18.

Introduced alongside the new iPhone 18 Pro, the Apple Watch 12 is Apple's latest flagship smartwatch, with its price starting at $399 — the same starting price as the Series 11. Apple says the new watch will deliver "the most accurate heart rate sensing in a wearable," alongside a suite of advanced health and fitness features. It's powered by Apple's new S11 chip, which enables new Audio Intelligence features set to arrive later this year.

Also revealed at today's event, the Apple Watch Ultra 4 will start at $799 (also the same price as its predecessor). The ultimate sports and adventure watch includes all the same advanced features as the Apple Watch 12, except it offers a longer battery life of up to 2 days.

Ready to upgrade to Apple's latest wearable? Apple Watch 12 and Ultra 4 preorders start today at Apple, Amazon, Best Buy and Walmart. There are also opportunities to trade in an old smartwatch and save up to $430 on your new watch. (For more ways to save, make sure to check out our Apple Store coupons coverage).

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• Apple Watch 12: from $399 @ Apple
• Apple Watch 12: from $399 @ Best Buy
• Apple Watch 12: from $399 @ Amazon 
• Apple Watch 12: from $399 @ Walmart
• Apple Watch Ultra 4: from $799 @ Apple
• Apple Watch Ultra 4: from $799 @ Best Buy
• Apple Watch Ultra 4: from $799 @ Amazon

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Apple just announced the Apple Watch Ultra 4 alongside the Apple Watch Series 12, iPhone Duo, and iPhone 18 Pro at the September 9th "Surprise and Shine" event in Cupertino, California.

Boasting loads of new wellness tools, improved heart rate tracking, better battery life, an upgraded processor, and a handful of cool AI features, here's everything you need to know about the Apple Watch Ultra 4.

Apple Watch Ultra 4: Upgrades cheat sheet

• Price and release: The Apple Watch Ultra 4 is available for preorder starting today and will be available on September 18; the price is $799, the same as the Ultra 3
• Design: The Apple Watch Ultra 4 looks similar to its predecessor; available in Black or Natural Titanium
• Health features: Updated health sensing system; improved heart rate and heart rate variability (HRV) tracking; HRV reflected in Vitals app; new Readiness metric; new Health Age score; redesigned Health app with improved recovery insights and personalized AI health/fitness guidance that updates dynamically; Health app now supports personal health data and lab results
• AI features: Support for Siri AI voice assistant; Live Rewind lets you ‘go back in time’ up to 15 seconds; Sound Recognition can auto-alert users to common sounds like sirens and alarms; Siri Recap takes high-level notes of conversations and generates summaries
• Under-the-hood: Upgraded S11 processor
• Battery life: Improved battery performance lasts up to 50 hours per charge; up to 18 hours when recording a workout with heart rate and GPS tracking

The Apple Watch Ultra 4 is a substantial upgrade over the Apple Watch Ultra 3, which is currently one of the best smartwatches you can buy.

Apple Watch Ultra 4: Price and availability

The Apple Watch Ultra 4 costs $799 / AU$1,349, the same as all the Apple Watch Ultra models that came before it. Available for preorder on launch day (September 9), the Apple Watch Ultra 4 will be available globally starting on September 18 in your choice of Black or Natural Titanium.

Apple Watch Ultra 4: Health upgrades

Improved heart rate tracking

The Apple Watch Ultra 4 and Series 12 boast “the most accurate heart rate tracking in wearables.” That is, of course, according to Apple’s own internal testing. To be fair, Apple completely overhauled the sensor array on the underside of the watch, making a number of significant improvements to its functionality.

Both the optical and electrical components have been reworked for more precise, efficient performance. More powerful LEDs measure your heart rate every five seconds, a 60-fold increase in sampling frequency over prior models.

Heart Rate Variability (HRV) is now measured every 15 seconds, a 24-fold increase compared to before. Speaking of HRV, users can now view that dynamic metric from the Heart Rate app. HRV is also logged in your overnight vitals report.

Dynamic Readiness score

Apple is finally adding a daily Readiness metric to the Health app, something nearly every other smartwatch brand has long offered. Based on a scale from one to ten, your Readiness Score updates dynamically and is based on recent workouts, sleep quality, training load, and vitals.

The score is accompanied by a brief, actionable, AI-generated recommendation for how to best tackle the day.

Improved step count tracking

The Apple Watch Ultra 4 should be Cupertino’s most accurate step counter, thanks to a completely overhauled pedometer that uses machine learning to more accurately log your steps and distance covered. There’s also a new step count complication to more easily stay on top of your efforts.

Redesigned Health app focused on trends and actionable advice

A totally overhauled Health app is expected to debut later this year with a greater focus on long-term health trends and personalized wellness and fitness advice, courtesy of Siri AI. The refreshed app is expected to offer new Longevity and Insights tabs. The former features a new Health Age feature that compares your physical fitness to others in your age range.

The Insights tab, meanwhile, is where you’ll find dynamic Siri AI-generated health briefings, workout suggestions, and more.

Finally, the updated Health app will better support the integration of a user’s personal health data, including notes from doctor’s visits and lab test results.

Siri AI with Siri Recap

The Apple Watch Ultra 4 supports Apple Siri AI voice assistant, but AI integration powers much more than just that. Siri Recap, for example, can be set up to listen in on important conversations and meetings, and then automatically generate a report with an overall summary along with key talking points. User control when this feature is active, either manually, via a schedule, or based on location.

Apple Watch Ultra 4: New AI features

Live Rewind and Sound Recognition

One of the more exciting new Siri AI features is Live Rewind. Let’s say you just met someone new at a dinner party, but their name “went in one ear and out the other.” With Live Rewind, I can double-tap the digital crown on the Ultra 4 and relisten to the past 15 seconds of ambient audio anytime I like.

It’s worth noting that Apple doesn’t identify people when using this feature or save any recording. Moreover, any logged audio is end-to-end encrypted.

Finally, the Ultra 4 supports Apple’s Sound Recognition feature, which can alert those who are hard of hearing when sounds like fire alarms, doorbells, sirens, or crying babies are registered.

Apple Watch Ultra 4: Battery life

Battery life on the Apple Watch Ultra 4 has been increased to 450 hours per charge, up from 42 hours per charge for the Ultra 3. When using the Ultra 4 to log an outdoor workout with continuous GPS and heart rate tracking, users can expect about 18 hours of use.

Extended workout tracking mode bumps that number to 25 hours per charge, while a new Max Extended mode increases battery life to an impressive 45 hours per charge.

The Ultra 4 charges a little faster than its predecessor. Apple says a 15-minute charge should provide up to 18 hours of use.

Apple Watch Ultra 4: Outlook

The Apple Watch Ultra 4 isn’t exactly a massive upgrade over the Ultra 3 —externally, the two are identical — but the combination of better health tracking tech, new AI features, improved battery life, and updated holistic tools galore… all for the same price as before, is pretty darn compelling.

Stay tuned for my full Apple Watch Ultra 4 review, coming soon. Until then, what new Apple Watch Ultra 4 features are you most excited about? Let me know in the comments.

More from Tom's Guide

• We asked 368 people what they want from the Apple Watch Ultra 4. Here’s the resounding answer (and it’s not AI)
• I’ve been writing about the Apple Watch for the past decade: Here’s the rumored update I’m most excited about for the Apple Watch Ultra 4
• Leaked Apple Watch 12 design change is the opposite of an upgrade — and that has me worried

Move over, Apple Watch Series 11; there's a new flagship Apple Watch in town. Apple just announced the Apple Watch Series 12 alongside the Apple Watch Ultra 4 during Cupertino's September 9 "Surprise and Shine" event (we also got the new iPhone 18 series and the iPhone Duo).

Boasting a completely redesigned health sensor array, upgraded processor, and tons of new wellness tools, here's everything you need to know about the Apple Watch Series 12.

Apple Watch Series 12: Upgrades cheat sheet

• Price and release: The Apple Watch Series 12 is available for preorder starting today and will be available on September 18, with a starting price of $399, the same as the Series 11
• Design: The Series 12 looks similar to the Series 11; available in Space Grey, Black, Light Gold, and Dark Bronze (aluminum case); Pearl White and Night Blue (ceramic case); Polished Gold and Polished Silver (titanium case)
• Health features: Updated health sensing system; improved heart rate and heart rate variability (HRV) tracking; HRV reflected in Vitals app; new Readiness metric; new Health Age score; redesigned Health app with improved recovery insights and personalized AI health/fitness guidance that updates dynamically; Health app now supports personal health data and lab results
• AI features: Support for Siri AI voice assistant; Live Rewind lets you ‘go back in time’ up to 15 seconds; Sound Recognition can auto-alert users to common sounds like sirens and alarms; Siri Recap takes high-level notes of conversations and generates summaries
• Under-the-hood: Upgraded S11 processor
• Battery life: Up to 24 hours per charge, same as Series 11

Last year's Apple Watch Series 11 currently tops our best smartwatch list; will the new Apple Watch Series 12 take its place? Maybe! Here's what's new and exciting about the latest model.

Apple Watch Series 12: Price and release

Unlike Google and Samsung, which increased pricing across their respective smartwatch lines this year, Apple kept the pricing of the Series 12 consistent with last year’s model. The Apple Watch Series 12 starts at $399 for the smaller, non-cellular 42mm model.

You can preorder the Apple Watch Series 12 starting today. The device is expected to be available on September 18th.

Apple Watch Series 12: Design

Like the Apple Watch Series 11, the new Apple Watch Series 12 comes in 42mm or 46mm. While the basic design and display remain unchanged, the Series 12 features Apple's Ceramic Shield 2 screen coating, which is 60% tougher than the Ion-X glass used on the Series 11.

Apple has also added some exciting new case options, including two ceramic models in your choice of Pearl White or Night Blue.

The Series 12 is additionally available in Polished Silver titanium and Polished Gold titanium.

Apple Watch Series 12: Health and fitness

The most notable upgrades to the Apple Watch Series 12 are related to health and fitness. Cupertino completely redesigned the sensor array on the bottom of the device for improved accuracy and efficiency.

The electrode surface, used for ECG, has been increased in size for more precise readings. The photodiodes, meanwhile, have been rearranged in a ring, resulting in improved efficiency, and the LEDS, used for monitoring heart rate, are more powerful than before.

The heart rate sensor on the Series 12 now takes a reading every five seconds, day and night, a 60-fold increase in sample frequency compared to the Series 11. Heart Rate Variability (HRV) is now sampled every five minutes, or 24 times more frequently than before.

According to Apple’s internal testing, the brand’s latest smartwatches have the “most accurate heart rate tracking in a wearable.”

Meanwhile, a new Heart Rate Variability meter, which lives in the Vitals app, provides dynamic stress and recovery advice. Apple has also added a dynamic Readiness Score, similar to what the competition offers, based on recent activity, sleep quality, and vitals.

Later this year, Cupertino will also be rolling out an updated Health app with a much cleaner design. It also adds a new “Insights” tab where users can view AI-generated summaries of their recent health trends. Speaking of AI, the app also generates custom-tailored workout and recovery suggestions.

There’s also a new “Longevity” tab where users can follow guided assessments to learn how their physical fitness compares to other users in their age range. Apple is additionally adding a new Health Age metric, similar to Garmin’s Fitness Age, which similarly compares your workout habits, VO2 Max, sleep trends, heart health, and more, to the averages for your age group.

Finally, the updated Health app will support the integration of personal health data, like lab results and medical stats. This feature is, of course, optional.

Apple Watch Series 12: AI features

The Apple Watch Series 12 supports Apple's Siri AI voice assistant, but that’s not all. There are a handful of new audio-based AI features that sound (pun intended) promising, like Live Rewind, which lets you relisten to the past 15 seconds of ambient sound at any moment with a double-press of the digital crown.

I’m admittedly bad with names, so I could definitely see this feature being useful at my next social outing. Like the latest iPhones, the Series 12 also supports Sound Recognition, which is designed to alert those who are hard of hearing to common noises like fire alarms, doorbells, and even a crying baby.

Finally, Siri Recap is designed to listen in on your important conversations and create digestible notes with summaries and key points. Users can set when this feature is active or not, either manually or via a schedule/geolocation.

It’s worth noting that when using these audio AI features, no actual audio is saved, speakers aren’t identified, and everything gets end-to-end encrypted. Unfortunately, you’ll need to wait a while to test Live Rewind and Siri Recap out; they won’t be released until later this year (in beta).

Apple Watch Series 12: Outlook

While improved battery performance or a brighter screen topped my upgrade wish list, the Apple Watch Series 12 still seems to be a noteworthy improvement over its predecessor, thanks to a faster processor, better health tracking tech, new wellness metrics galore, and support for some genuinely useful-sounding AI features. I'm also beyond pleased to see no price increases across the Series 12 line.

Stay tuned for our full Apple Watch Series 12 review. In the meantime, what are your thoughts on the new model? Are you excited for its debut, or less than impressed? Let me know below.

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There's been a lot of concern about how much the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max might cost following today's iPhone event — with some predictions suggesting we could see prices rise by as much as $300. Thankfully we may have just got some respite, thanks to a mammoth report from Bloomberg.

According to the report, Apple will not be adding multiple hundreds of dollars onto the new iPhones' price tag. The price will apparently still go up as expected, but only by $100. In other words, RAMageddon or not, this is a pretty typical price hike for a flagship phone.

We all knew a price hike was coming after Apple raised the prices of the majority of its products earlier this year — including Macs, iPads and various other devices. The only products saved from this fate were iPhones and Apple Watches, which kept their original prices.

At the time it was obvious that Apple was waiting for the September launch event to increase the prices of new models, but we couldn't predict the severity of the price hike. Nobody likes paying increased prices, but considering Apple hasn't implemented a serious price increase for a number of years (in contrast to its rivals), $100 more is easily the best we could hope for.

So how much are we likely to pay as a result? The iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max start at $1,099 and $1,199, respectively — a price tag that gets you 256GB of storage space. That means we're looking at starting prices of $1,199 for the iPhone 18 Pro and $1,299 for the iPhone 18 Pro Max.

For reference the cost of the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra and Google Pixel 11 Pro XL both start at $1,299 for the same 256GB of storage. This means Apple is essentially bringing the iPhone 18 Pro Max's price in line with its rivals. However since the Pixel 11 Pro and Galaxy S26 Plus both start at $1,099, it means the iPhone 18 Pro is actually a little more expensive.

Obviously you don't necessarily have to eat the extra $100 right away. There's always the option to spread the overall cost as part of a multi-year phone plan, though your payments will no doubt rise by a few dollars a month to compensate for the higher price tag. Apple also launched its own iPhone leasing program earlier this year, which will also insulate customers from higher prices — albeit at the cost of never actually owning their devices. All that's before you take trade in credit into account as well.

Do we like the fact that iPhone 18 Pro's prices are going to increase? Not at all, life is getting incredibly expensive, and the last thing we need is one more extra bill to worry about. But in the grand scheme of things, I'm just grateful that things aren't a lot worse.

More from Tom's Guide

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• Apple September event LIVE blog: iPhone Duo, iPhone 18 Pro Max, Apple Watch 12 and last-minute leaks

macOS Tahoe was one of the worst updates I’ve used in years. Not since Windows Vista have I seen so many design and usability mistakes—unusual for Apple, of all companies. Long known for its reputation in design and thinking about the user first, 2025’s Tahoe update for the best Macs felt like a huge misstep. But macOS Golden Gate feels like a redemption for Tahoe’s mistakes.

I’ve owned a Mac since 2005, when the computers transitioned from PowerPC processors to Intel processors. For several years, I’ve owned an M1 Pro MacBook Pro, and it’s one of the best laptops I’ve ever owned. From its keyboard to the display, everything felt like a home run after years of strange hardware design choices, like the butterfly keyboard.

But as we get close to the iPhone 18 Pro and the rumored iPhone Ultra/Duo foldable, I’m also looking forward to finally updating my Mac to macOS Golden Gate, the newest update that fixes almost all of Tahoe’s mistakes. However, its other design changes have me wondering what comes next for the Mac. So, with rumors of a touchscreen Mac allegedly called the MacBook Ultra, here’s why I’m very tempted to upgrade when Golden Gate officially launches.

Golden Gate redeems macOS

After trying the macOS Golden Gate public beta over the summer, I was struck by how good Liquid Glass finally looks on my Mac. Tahoe showcased the new design in all the wrong ways—from bizarre layers that separated columns within windows to mismatched window sizes. In Golden Gate, that’s nonexistent, with everything looking sharp and far easier on the eye when you’re working with multiple apps on one screen.

It’s restored my faith that Apple has clearly realized what a mistake Tahoe was in its design, and whilst I’ll be upgrading my current MacBook Pro to Golden Gate once it’s out, it also feels like it’s laying the foundation for the MacBook Ultra.

For anyone unaware, this rumored Mac seems to be the opposite of the MacBook Neo. Instead of being an entry point, the MacBook Ultra seems aimed at those who want the ultimate portable Mac at a high price. Alleged features include an OLED touchscreen, a first for the Mac to accept touch input, as well as coming with M6 Pro or Ultra chips that give even better performance and battery life.

Apple silicon has been a huge leap for the Mac. It’s hard to think back to a time when an Intel MacBook Pro could barely manage 4 hours under heavy load, or struggle with games like BioShock Infinite that were then 3 years old since their PC release. Now, even in 2026, my M1 Pro MacBook Pro can still play games like Resident Evil 4 Remake and others with ease, and I rarely hear the fan whirl. So thinking about what a 5-year leap could do for my Mac gaming, alongside everything else, has me excited.

These rumored features, combined with macOS Golden Gate, make me consider the Ultra as my next Mac, since it replaces two devices in one go.

The Ultra could also be an iPad replacement

I’ve been a fan of the iPad since its 2010 debut, and whilst recent software updates, especially iPadOS 26, have made Apple’s tablet far more productive, its locked ecosystem has always made me go back to the Mac.

But there are moments when a touch-screen can work well, such as editing videos for TikTok via LumaFusion, or reading comics from my childhood. It’s why I can see these two examples, and many others, working well on a touchscreen Mac, without macOS leaving the mouse behind.

Golden Gate clearly hints towards a touchscreen Mac—from being able to slide down to refresh in Safari and Mail, to every button designed as if they’re meant to be touched by a finger. Even Siri AI lets users send an email, record a voice note, take a selfie, and more with their voice or via the Siri app. The newest macOS update looks set to be ready for the MacBook Ultra.

Outlook

When an ultra-high-end Mac seems like it will improve on what my M1 MacBook Pro offers, while replacing the use cases I’ve had for my iPad Pro for several years, it feels like the natural next step for me and how I work. Even for Mac gaming, with ways to play Windows games via Crossover or decompilations like Donkey Kong 64 or GoldenEye, the extra power thanks to the M6 architecture will be a huge step up from what I’ve been using since 2021.

So while many will be excited to own an iPhone Ultra or an iPhone 18 Pro model, I’m more excited to use the MacBook Ultra. From the much-improved macOS Golden Gate update to the OLED touchscreen, it feels like the MacBook Ultra could be one of the best Macs to use for at least another five years. If that happens, then I'll have to say goodbye to my M1 MacBook Pro.

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When early dummy units of the iPhone Ultra first surfaced, I immediately fixated on the lack of a cutout for MagSafe on the back of the phone. Honestly, it felt like a glaring omission — though I soon rationalized the decision after considering the intricate hinge mechanism and razor-thin profile Apple was chasing.

Thankfully, the most recent leaks suggest that MagSafe will indeed make the cut for the iPhone Ultra after all. Given that I constantly test 3-in-1 MagSafe chargers and MagSafe-compatible wallets, the news brings a huge sigh of relief. However, that excitement comes with the reality check that the phone’s unconventional footprint could make fitting my favorite accessories problematic.

With limited surface area flanking the camera module on the back half of the device, bulkier gear like wallets and oversized battery packs might overhang the edges — forcing me to completely rethink what I carry.

Positioning matters

For the past month, I’ve been rocking the Nomad Leather Mag Wallet for its minimalist look. It fits cleanly on the back of my iPhone 17 Pro, but it would likely clash on the iPhone Ultra.

That’s because across recent iPhone generations, the internal magnetic ring has always been centered relative to the chassis. On a standard rectangular phone, like my iPhone 17 Pro or Pixel 11 Pro XL, this gives MagSafe wallets plenty of room to fit snugly and seamlessly.

Now, if Apple keeps that familiar centered positioning on the Ultra, it’s going to cause issues. With a potentially wider and shorter profile, the distance from that center point to the bottom edge narrows. That means existing MagSafe wallets are almost guaranteed to overhang by a fair amount, inherently compromising both fit and security.

MagSafe relies heavily on flush friction and flat alignment to prevent accidental detachment; if an existing wallet protrudes past the bottom rim, that exposed lip acts as a lever arm every time you slide the phone into a pocket.

To keep current MagSafe accessories from dangling, Apple would need to shift the internal magnetic ring noticeably higher toward the camera bar. By doing this, Apple would reclaim that critical vertical clearance, ensuring existing accessories sit flush against the glass with as little overhang as possible. This doesn't just affect MagSafe wallets, but also other gear like MagSafe charging stands.

Why MagSafe is a MUST on the iPhone Ultra

Leaving MagSafe off the table simply isn't an option for Apple. The company learned that lesson the hard way after stripping built-in magnets from the iPhone 16e to cut costs — a glaring omission that sparked immediate pushback from my colleagues and me before Apple swiftly added support on the iPhone 17e.

More importantly, the iPhone Air already proved that Apple's hardware engineers can fit a full magnetic array into a razor-thin chassis without blowing out the internal volume or compromising heat dissipation. If it works on an impossibly slim frame, the iPhone Ultra has no excuse to leave it behind — which is why I’d be happy to see Apple shift its placement higher up the chassis.

The competitive pressure is equally impossible to ignore, especially with Google pulling off built-in Qi2 magnetic arrays on the Pixel 10 Pro Fold and 11 Pro Fold. Book-style foldables are notoriously starved for internal space, yet Google managed to bake full magnetic ring support directly into its folding chassis while trimming down thickness.

I’m sure Apple doesn’t want that exclusivity reserved for its chief rival, especially when the entire category of magnetic phone accessories was popularized by the iPhone in the first place. Surrendering that convenience on its most experimental form factor while Google nails it on a foldable would be a tough look.

Ultimately, when you're paying top-tier money for a premium gadget like this, core functionality can’t be treated as an optional luxury. MagSafe isn't just a quirky wireless charging gimmick anymore because it's evolved into a massive ecosystem of everyday wallets, battery packs, car mounts, and desktop stands that iPhone users have invested in for years.

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I woke up yesterday morning, grabbed my iPhone off charge, and immediately felt a wave of annoyance. I had a full day ahead, but my phone screen was sitting at a frustratingly specific 80% charge.

At first, I assumed my charging cable was loose, or on its last legs. But after purchasing a replacement and experiencing the same issue, I realized it wasn't a hardware failure — my phone was doing this on purpose.

It turns out iOS includes a battery setting designed to protect your device’s long-term health. While preventing chemical wear on lithium-ion batteries is great in theory, it’s a nightmare when you actually need full charge to get through the day.

Fortunately, if your iPhone is holding back on battery life, there is a quick fix to get back to 100%.

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With the Apple September event now upon us, it looks like we have some concrete details for Apple's first foldable phone. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman just issued a last-minute report that reveals that the device will indeed be called the iPhone Duo and not the iPhone Ultra or iPhone Fold.

We also get some potentially bad news about the release date — and somewhat good news about the price. Here's what you need to know.

• Name: The foldable iPhone will reportedly be called the iPhone Duo, not the iPhone Ultra
• Price: The iPhone Duo will start at $2,000 for 256GB of storage and go up to as high as $3,000
• Release date: Gurman says that the iPhone Duo will go on sale "as early as October" which means it could go beyond that
• Colors: It will come in white and dark blue
• Apple Pencil support is in: Despite conflicting earlier rumors it looks like this is happening

The name is iPhone Duo

We've heard everything from the iPhone Ultra to iPhone Fold, but right now Gurman is calling the foldable iPhone the iPhone Duo. So this could be the final moniker, despite this rumor being shot down previously.

I suspect Apple is using this name so it can play up the dual-nature of the device, as you're getting a phone and tablet in one gadget. And you ostensibly get two screens when the phone is open when running apps side by side.

iPhone Duo price

The iPhone Duo will reportedly start at $2,000, not the $2,200 to $2,500 we had heard previously. This would be $100 more than the Galaxy Z Fold 8, which has a similar wide form factor. But it would also be $100 less than the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra.

iPhone Duo release date

The bad news is that Gurman says the iPhone Duo will go on sale "as early as October," which means it could be delayed versus the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. Let's hope this doesn't slip beyond that.

Apple Pencil surprise

Although Gurman previous reported that the iPhone Duo was being tested with an Apple Pencil, it didn't appear as though it would be ready for launch. Now he's saying that the iPhone Duo will have "support for the Apple Pencil stylus."

This would give the iPhone Duo and advantage of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 series, which does not support the S Pen.

iPhone Duo cameras and specs

The iPhone Duo will be powered by the A20 Pro chip and Apple's C2 modem. It will also offer dual rear 48MP cameras (main and wide), as well as 12MP selfie camera. So you won't get a telephoto lens.

Gurman also describes a "magnetic hinge system."

Keep it locked to our Apple September event live blog for all the last-minute rumors and leaks

Sometimes the smartest analysis comes from your viewers, and that was the case with one of the comments on my video interview with Bloomberg's Mark Gurman on the iPhone Ultra ahead of its big launch.

One of the key questions I posed to Gurman was a simple one: "Why does someone need a foldable?"

Here's the answer from @Knightairman1: "Why do you need a foldable. So you carry less with you. I have a fold 8. My 4th foldable. In one device i have a phone, a small tablet...Can I carry more and make the experience even better without taking up the space of another tablet or laptop, yes I can. That's the point of a foldable."

This comment was in reference to the very well received Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8, but it also applies to the iPhone Ultra because they're supposed to share very similar passport-style designs when closed.

iPhone Ultra = iPhone mini that transforms

The iPhone Ultra is expected to feature a 5.4-5.5-inch cover display, the same size as the now discontinued iPhone 13 mini. That was the last mini sized iPhone Apple released. But there is a key difference with the iPhone Ultra's front panel.

However, the iPhone Ultra's screen is significantly wider than the one found on the iPhone mini.

While the iPhone mini had a taller aspect ratio of 19.5:9, the iPhone Ultra is expected to have a wider ratio of 3:2. The latter is optimized not just for more comfortable typing but for making social videos more immersive.

The appeal of Passport/widescreen foldables is obvious from its shape," said Avi Greengart, founder and lead analyst for Techsponential. "If you plan to use your phone to consume content, this is the right phone for you."

Plus, in landscape or tent mode, you'll be able to use the iPhone Ultra as a mini TV.

Wider front displays do involve a trade-off, though. They can be awkward to reach across with one hand.

But it's like an iPad mini, too

When open, the iPhone Ultra will reportedly boast a 7.8-inch main display — perhaps with not much of a crease at all, if the rumors and leaks are true.

This panel would give you a wide 4:3 aspect ratio that's hopefully ideal for watching TVs and movies in landscape mode, and a 3:4 ratio in portrait mode for scrolling through TikTok, reading ebooks and surfing the web.

To be fair, the iPad mini has a larger 8.3-inch display, but for many 7.8 inches will be close enough for a killer combo of phone and tablet.

Wide phones that aren't foldables? Maybe

Meanwhile, the Chinese company Huawei has already unveiled a wide-passport style phone that's not a foldable in the Huawei Pura X View.

As reported by Android Central, the Pura X View has a 6.39-inch OLED display with a unique 16:9.5 aspect ratio, super slim bezels, and a 96.1% screen-to-body ratio.

The wider screen delivers around 16% more video space and 21% more reading space in portrait orientation than standard tall, narrow flagships.

Now, 6.39 inches is not exactly mini, but it is compared to most of today's flagship phones. I think people like the idea of something compact so long as it can deliver an immersive viewing experience.

But would consumers embrace a wide-screen phone that doesn't fold?

"Without the larger interior display, that's a weird shape without obvious app or content benefits," Greengart said. "Unless Apple or Samsung pushed hard, U.S. carriers are unlikely to take the risk of stocking and subsidizing them."

However, while a wide phone on its own could be an ergonomic mismatch, when paired with an unfolding 7.8-inch inner screen, the wide cover display becomes an asset rather than a liability.

Why Apple could lead the wide phone revolution

There's already a handful of widescreen foldables available, and Samsung has particularly strong momentum with the Fold 8 series.

But according to IDC, Apple is expected to capture 31% of units sold in its very first year, and it will become the market leader with 40% unit share in 2027.

A big part of Apple's appeal is the ecosystem factor, and the fact that it has been optimizing both its iOS 27 operating system and its apps for its widescreen foldable.

As reported by Bloomberg's Gurman this week, Apple believes it "has a leg up in software over the more fragmented Android ecosystem."

Android foldables historically suffer from unoptimized app scaling. Apple’s ability to enforce iOS 27 and iPadOS-like layout guidelines means apps should natively adapt to 3:2 and 4:3 ratios from day one.

So it appears that Apple could wind up leading the widescreen foldable charge, and I would not be surprised if those companies that don't currently make a wide foldable (Google, Motorola?) wind up switching to that form factor very soon.

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This year's iPhone launch event is not like its predecessors. Rather than releasing a whole wave of new iPhones, Apple is ignoring the non-Pro models. This means the iPhone 18 likely won't be arriving until sometime in early 2027, leaving the iPhone 17 as the de-factor entry-level iPhone flagship for a few more months.

That throws a whole wrench into the established pattern of Apple events. Normally new iPhones mean that the Pro models get discontinued, while the non-Pro models stick around for another year at a reduced price — usually $100 or so less than before. We're not having a traditional iPhone event this year and that leaves a bunch of unanswered questions.

What happens when there's no new standard model to take over? Is the iPhone 17 going to get that same price cut after the launch of iPhone 18 Pro? Will the iPhone 16 still be available at the Apple Store after tomorrow?

Apple doesn't really offer big discounts

Apple products don't go on sale very often, and when they do it's almost always from a third party retailer that's knocked a few bucks off the normal price during a big sales event — or following the launch of a new model.

Apple itself usually avoids this tactic, and offers its products at full price all year round. Even the company's Black Friday deals typically involve free gift cards after you've purchased something else at full price. The annual iPhone price cut is usually the most we can get out of a the company, and that's only because Apple keeps it around as a slightly cheaper alternative to a newer model.

Without the iPhone 18 to take center stage, there's absolutely no reason why Apple would discount the iPhone 17. A price cut at this stage might help sell more iPhone 17s before the holidays, but that's likely to come at the cost of iPhone 18 sales when the phone does eventually launch.

Not to mention the fact the reason the iPhone 18 was delayed is because Apple reportedly wants to push people into buying the more expensive Pro models. The last thing Apple is going to do is mess that strategy up by lowering the price of the older phone. And considering it hasn't officially been replaced, there's little need to incentivize sales by offering a lower price tag.

So the iPhone 17 continues, existing as the lower cost and less impressive alternative to the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max. Albeit with a slightly bigger age gap than normal.

We can't forget about price hikes either

2026 has been the year of increased prices in the tech world, and it's mostly down to the fact the cost of RAM and storage has gone through the roof. AI companies have been buying up all the supply, and that means everyone else had to start paying out of the nose for such basic components.

For this reason, Apple increased the price of most of its products earlier this summer, with only the iPhone and Apple Watch being spared. But it was clear that the iPhone was on borrowed time, and that price hikes would almost certainly happen during the iPhone launch event.

With that in mind, it's even less likely that Apple would reduce the price of the iPhone 17. If iPhones are now more expensive to make, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense to start slashing prices. More so when you remember that the iPhone 18 likely would have suffered a price hike as well, which would have made an iPhone 17 price cut even more unlikely.

In other words, no matter which way you look at it, it was unlikely that the iPhone 17 would be getting discounted following the Surprise and shine launch event. If you think about it, considering what usually happens to standard model iPhones, keeping the price static is just another kind of price hike.

Bottom line

If you were planning on buying an iPhone 17 anytime soon, then you're going to be disappointed by the lack of discounts. With no iPhone 18 coming, there's little reason for Apple to actually drop the price. Especially not with the ever-rising cost of making phones.

That said, this doesn't necessarily mean that you won't be able to find iPhone 17 discounts at all. Third party retailers and carriers already offer deals, since they're going to want to prioritize the newest models. That means we could see money off the total cost of the iPhone 17, or enticing deals that give you discounted rates when you sign up for a multi-year phone plan, or trade in your older device.

As for what happens next year when the iPhone 18 is released, that's anyone's guess. With the lower-cost iPhone 18e set to launch around the same time, that could be the end of the line for iPhone 17. Or Apple could offer some kind of discount to help sell whatever iPhone 17 stock still remains in six months time. As for the iPhone 16, your guess is as good as mine.

We're just going to have to wait and see how that pans out.

More from Tom's Guide

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Apple's take on a foldable phone is finally arriving as part of John Ternus' first Apple event as the CEO of the tech giant.

Just about everything about the iPhone Ultra has been revealed in the run-up to the Surprise and Shine reveal. The price has been nebulous, beyond rumors of over $2,000.

However, a new report from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has revealed a possible starting price of $2,100 that could touch close to $3,000 for higher-end configurations. He also claims that the device will be made from high-quality materials following a decade of development.

iPhone Ultra price and build quality

Unfortunately, Gurman doesn't indicate how many storage variants the iPhone Ultra will get.

The reports notes that Apple is considering pricing the Ultra as high as $2,199 for the base model, presumably with 256GB of storage like the iPhone Pro models. As a comparison, the iPhone 17 Pro starts $1,099 for its 256GB base version. Just keep in mind that the iPhone 18 Pro is expected to get a $200-$250 price hike.

With RAM prices still affecting everything, higher storage tiers could go as high as $3,000. That's likely going to be the 1TB or 2TB version. As an example, the iPhone 17 Pro Max with 2TB costs $1,999. The 17 Pro only has a 1TB version for $1,499.

As is Apple's style, this thing should look and feel premium. The hinge is made out of titanium and aluminum and a customer Corning glass cover. The company has reportedly developed a new flexible cover glass for the display that helps nearly eliminate the crease in the screen.

Apple apparently believes the quality is "industry-leading" especially compared to other foldable phones.

In addition, Bloomberg's Gurman reports that Apple believes it has a "leg up in software over the more fragmented Android ecosystem."

That's because Apple has optimized its apps to work better on the wide display and has made other tweaks to iOS.

A long history

Per Gurman, work on the iPhone Ultra began in earnest in 2019 after former CEO Tim Cook returned from a tour of Asia and saw people using foldables from other companies. Allegedly, Cook became convinced that Apple needed its own version.

Cook may have sped up the process but we've heard rumors of a foldable iPhone since at least 2015 when we first heard rumblings of something dubbed the iPhone Flip. Though that version was a clamshell more akin to the Motorola Razr and Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8.

In the last couple of years, it was redubbed the iPhone Fold and the design apparently shifted from a clamshell to the more common book-style that we see in the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Fold 8 Ultra. Rumors have suggested that a clamshell variant is still in the works.

It also wasn't the first expected Apple foldable device. For years, it's been suggested that Apple would debut a foldable iPad or some kind of hybrid MacBook/iPad with an 18.8-inch display. Gurman has claimed in the past that the design ran into development problems, and in his latest reports indicates that Cook's enthusiasm for the phone altered the direction of Apple's focus.

We'll find out more tomorrow at Ternus' first event and Tom's Guide will be there person to share all the news and updates with you. Be sure to keep us in your tabs and follow along with our live coverage.

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Apple's Surprise and shine iPhone launch event is going to be quite different, in that there are only three new iPhones being released instead of the usual five But those three newbies are all premium devices, and that makes deciding between them a much trickier endeavor.

With no standard iPhone 18 on the horizon, it's not just a case of picking between the regular iPhone and one of two Pro-tier sizes

Prospective iPhone users that don't want to wait until iPhone 18's early 2027 launch need to decide whether they should stick with a Pro or go Ultra. But what exactly is different between all these new iPhones? Various leaks and rumors show that it's not quite as simple as one of them folds and the other two don't.

Here's what we know about iPhone 18 Pro vs iPhone 18 Pro Max vs iPhone Ultra, and what the differences between all three upcoming iPhones are expected to be. For more, check out our Apple September Event live blog for all the last-minute leaks and the big news as its announced.

iPhone 18 Pro vs iPhone 18 Pro Max vs iPhone Ultra: Rumored Specs

iPhone 18 Pro vs iPhone 18 Pro Max vs iPhone Ultra: Price & Release Date

Price will be a major sticking point with the next wave of iPhones, due to the fact that prices are almost certainly going up. iPhones have never been cheap, but the ongoing issues with RAMageddon and the skyrocketing cost of both memory and storage means Apple's is all but certain to increase the price of entry. Especially after raising prices of almost every product it sells earlier this summer.

Analysts have predicted that the iPhone 18 Pro Max could be as much as $200 (or higher) more expensive than the iPhone 17 Pro Max. If that is the case, we could see the cost of Apple's largest phone rise to over $1,400

Even if the price hike isn't that high, I'd be surprised if Apple didn't tack on an extra $100 to both iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. In that instance both phones would start at $1,199 and $1,299, respectively.

iPhone Ultra is expected to be considerably more expensive than a non-folding iPhone, with rumors suggesting we could see a starting price somewhere around $2,400 and $2,500. However, recently leaked Australian prices suggest we could see a price closer to $1,999. While expensive, that would be a lot more palatable, especially since the $2,099 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra is already on sale.

As for availability, we don't expect any significant changes for the iPhone 18 Pros. Apple is a creature of habit, and pre-orders for new numbered iPhones typically begin the same week as the launch event.

With the Apple event on September 9, we would normally predict pre-orders would open on Friday September 11. Though it's predicted that Apple will want open pre-orders a day later on September 12 to avoid the anniversary of 9/11. The actual release date will likely be the following Friday, on September 18.

Things aren't quite so simple with the iPhone Ultra, due to various reports that Apple is struggling to produce enough units. No two sources seem to be able to agree on when the foldable iPhone will actually release, with some saying it'll happen at the same time as iPhone 18 Pro, and others claiming it'll be much later in the year.

One recent report also suggested that a global launch is out of the question for the time being, since Apple may stagger the release schedule in different regions — starting with the U.S. The one thing there does seem to be consensus on is the fact that supply is likely to be limited. But with a price tag that high, it isn't likely that people will be rushing out to buy one.

iPhone 18 Pro vs iPhone 18 Pro Max vs iPhone Ultra: Design & Display

We're not expecting any significant design changes for the iPhone 18 Pro or Pro Max, which means the two phones will probably look pretty similar to the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max at first glance. In other words we should expect to see the same 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch displays, alongside the raised camera bar Apple refers to as the "forged plateau."

It's unclear if Apple will do anything to fix the durability issues that affected the iPhone 17 Pro series. Multiple Tom's Guide employees were affected by "scratchgate," as it was known, to varying degrees. We haven't heard rumors about this, though, so I wouldn't expect anything more than token changes to the exterior metal.

That said, we have heard rumors that the iPhone 18 Pro Max will be thicker and the heaviest iPhone Apple has ever made, clocking in at 240g/8.47oz. It's not clear why, but it's possible that a switch to stronger and heavier materials could account for some of the extra weight — alongside changes like larger batteries and the variable aperture camera lens

The iPhone Ultra, on the other hand, is shaping up to be unlike any iPhone we've seen before. Dummy units show a phone that is shorter and wider than a typical iPhone, and that's just the 5.4-inch cover display. The phone will unfold to reveal a 7.8-inch cover foldable display, which is a similar size and shape to the iPad mini 7.

Apple has apparently focussed on the durability of the Ultra, with an iPhone Air-style body made from titanium. Also rumored is a liquid metal hinge, a structural glass mid-frame and ultra-thin display glass for extra support on the foldable screen. This will also apparently have the added bonus of eliminating the display crease, though we've yet to see whether it's actually invisible or not.

In contrast to the iPhone 18 Pro Max, the Ultra is expected to be ultra-thin and lightweight, with around 4.5mm of thickness when unfolded. That's thinner than the iPhone Air, which already felt like it was impossibly thin. Reports suggest it may weigh a similar amount as the Pro Max, despite the thin titanium design, which makes sense when you remember that this is effectively two phones in one.

iPhone 18 Pro vs iPhone 18 Pro Max vs iPhone Ultra: Performance

The iPhone Ultra may bear the Ultra moniker, but its performance may not be at the same level. Rumor has it that the foldable may come with an A20 chipset, compared to the A20 Pro on the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max. However, it will still reportedly still be built on TSMC's 2nm process, which is expected to offer a 15% improvement in speed and 20% boost to efficiency.

The A20 Pro is also expected to be built on the 2nm process. This will apparently offer an 18% boost to performance power and 30% boost in energy efficiency. The new C2 modem is also expected to be included, which will reportedly add an additional energy saving onto the pile.

We should expect all three to come with 12GB of RAM, which is currently the minimum needed to power some of the more intensive Siri AI features that launched with iOS 27 — including the new dictation and expressive voices.

iPhone 18 Pro vs iPhone 18 Pro Max vs iPhone Ultra: Cameras

We're not expecting any major changes with the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max's cameras this year, which means we're likely to see the same trio of 48MP lenses covering the duties of primary, ultrawide and telephoto photography — plus a new 24MP Center Stage selfie camera.

However there are still some changes rumored, including the inclusion of variable aperture, and an adjustment to the Camera Control button. Variable aperture would allow iPhone users to adjust the amount of light that enters the camera lens on the fly. Newly incovered code references in the iOS 27 beta suggest that this is on the way, thanks to a new feature called "aperture based image corrections."

Various rumors have discussed the possible changes to Camera Control, including tweaking its capacitive capabilities and ditching the current design in favor of a mechanical button. Whether any of those predictions will come true or not isn't clear right now, but it's unlikely that any of those changes will affect the iPhone Ultra as much as they do the iPhone 18 Pro.

The main thing to note about the iPhone Ultra is that it only has two main cameras, which are expected to be 48MP main and ultrawide lenses. The lack of a dedicated telephoto lens is expected to be a point of contention among the die-hard iPhone fans likely to buy this device. Apple does offer limited "optical quality" digital zooming, but that's never going to replace the quality of a standalone zooming lens. Especially not with a 48MP main camera.

We're expecting to see two selfie cameras, both offering 24MP, but it's unclear whether they will utilize a hole-punch design or if they will be hidden under the display. My gut says the former, but renders and dummy units haven't been particularly forthcoming on this point.

Don't expect to see Face ID, though, since reports claim Apple is ditching Face ID in favor of a Touch ID fingerprint sensor in the power button.