Apple confirmed that not all products and features unveiled at its latest event will ship simultaneously. The Apple Watch Series 12, Watch Ultra 4 and AirPods 5 arrive Sept. 18, followed by the iPhone 18 Pro models on the same date, while the foldable iPhone Duo won't ship until Oct. 23. Software updates including iOS 27 land Sept. 14, but Siri AI remains a beta feature rolling out gradually, first in English, then in French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese and Spanish by October.
At its 'Surprise and Shine' event, Apple introduced its first foldable phone, the iPhone Duo, priced around $2,000, which automatically adjusts its display based on orientation. The company also launched the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max at higher prices, alongside updates to iOS 27 and WatchOS 27, including a revamped Siri. This event also marked John Ternus' debut as CEO leading an Apple hardware launch.
Apple's 'Surprise and Shine' event introduced the company's first foldable phone, the iPhone Duo, which automatically adjusts its display based on orientation and starts around $2,000. Alongside it, Apple raised prices on the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, which run the previously announced iOS 27 software, while John Ternus made his debut as CEO leading a product-design-heavy presentation.
Apple's upcoming iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max will include a Reference Image mode that uses the camera sensor to cryptographically sign captured photo data, producing an unalterable record of what the camera originally captured. Developers will get access to a Reference Image API on iOS, iPadOS, and macOS so third-party apps can eventually let users verify these signed images, though the feature won't ship at launch in the EU.
New static wallpapers designed for the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max have been pulled from the first iOS 27 Release Candidate and made downloadable for any device. The dynamic versions that ship on the actual phones aren't included, and wallpapers tied to the rumored iPhone Duo appear to be missing from this build.
At its 'Surprise and Shine' event, Apple confirmed that the new LLM-based Siri AI, built with Google, will launch in English alongside iOS 27 on September 14. French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese and Spanish support will follow in October, executive Lilian Rincon said. The announcement came alongside new hardware including the foldable iPhone Duo, iPhone 18 Pro models, Apple Watch Series 12 Ultra 4 and AirPods 5.
Apple confirmed iPhone Handoff, a feature in iOS 27 that lets a single phone number stay active on two iPhones simultaneously, unveiled at its Surprise and Shine event alongside the iPhone 18 Pro, Pro Max, and foldable iPhone Duo. Setup happens through the Cellular settings by holding two iPhones together and choosing which device holds the main eSIM versus the companion eSIM.
Apple published a developer tech talk explaining how third-party apps will render on the upcoming iPhone Duo foldable display. The system includes three compatibility tiers: a default mode for apps built before iOS 27, an improved layout for apps updated for iOS 27.0, and full-screen support for apps targeting iOS 27.1, which arrives around the device's October launch.
Apple published the complete release notes for iOS 27, confirming the update arrives on September 14. The notes detail a more conversational Siri with app actions, onscreen awareness and a dedicated Siri app, plus new Apple Intelligence features across Photos and other apps for compatible iPhone models starting with the 15 Pro line.
Apple has issued the release candidate build of iOS 27, signaling the software is nearly ready for public release after months of beta testing. The update centers on a redesigned Siri with conversational answers, personal context awareness, and a new dedicated app, alongside AI additions across Photos, Safari, Mail, Messages and Shortcuts.
Apple has introduced iPhone Duo, its first foldable handset, featuring a 7.6-inch inner screen and a 5.4-inch outer display with a nano-texture, glare-reducing finish. The device runs on the new A20 Pro chip with a dual-battery setup and vapor-chamber cooling, and ships with iOS 27 and Apple Intelligence. Pre-orders open October 16, with sales starting October 23 in star white and night sky finishes.
Apple confirmed at its 'Surprise and Shine' event that iOS 27 will roll out as a free update on September 14, coinciding with the launch of the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max. The update introduces Siri AI, a revamped assistant built with help from Google's Gemini models, plus refinements to the Liquid Glass interface and various performance upgrades. iOS 27 will support devices going back to the iPhone 11 and iPhone SE (2nd gen).
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