Apple unveiled Apple Reference Image at its Surprise and Shine event, a new iPhone 18 Pro feature designed to confirm whether a photo is unaltered. The camera captures signed sensor data that Apple's Private Cloud Compute converts into an unchangeable reference version stored in the Photos app, which can be compared against edited copies to spot manipulation. Apple is also opening APIs for third-party app integration and adopting the SynthID standard to flag AI-generated or altered images.
Apple announced at its Wednesday event that the iPhone 18 Pro will start at $1,199 and the iPhone 18 Pro Max at $1,299, both with 256GB storage, marking a $100 increase over last year's models. Preorders begin Saturday, Sept. 12, with the phones launching Sept. 18. The higher-priced models come with upgraded cameras, a new A20 Bionic chip, and new color options including a burgundy shade.
Apple unveiled the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max at its 'Surprise and Shine' event, introducing an upgraded Dynamic Island that can display three live activities at once instead of two. The main activity dominates the space while two smaller circular icons act as shortcuts to other running apps. The phones also feature variable aperture on the main camera, a bigger vapor chamber for cooling, improved battery life and faster charging.
Apple unveiled the iPhone Duo, its debut foldable smartphone, at its September event in Cupertino, alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max. The device features a 5.4-inch outer display and a 7.6-inch inner screen, a titanium frame, Ceramic Shield glass, and IP68 water resistance. Preorders begin October 16, with sales starting October 23 in Star White and Night Sky colors for $1,999.
Apple's new iPhone 18 Pro models launch $100 more expensive than last year, mirroring similar $100 increases from Google's Pixel 11, Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, Motorola's Razr lineup, and Sony's Xperia 10 VIII. Apple also raised prices on its older iPhone models still for sale, closing off any workaround for budget-conscious buyers.
Apple unveiled the iPhone 18 Pro with a 48-megapixel main camera featuring variable aperture, using six laser-cut polymer blades that automatically adjust to let in up to 50% more light in dark settings. The phone also gains new Pro Controls for manual white balance, histogram exposure checks, shutter speed and skin texture adjustments, plus AI-driven smart focus tracking and upgraded video features like 60fps cinematic mode and 4K Dolby Vision time-lapse.
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).
Apple introduced the iPhone 18 Pro, featuring a variable aperture camera system that gives users more manual control over photos instead of relying solely on computational photography. The device is powered by the new A20 Pro chip, Apple's first 2nm processor, which includes a 6-core CPU, a 7-core GPU with up to 40 percent better performance, and a dual Neural Engine design. Apple also detailed upcoming Siri AI features, powered by large language models, set to launch in October.
At its 'Surprise and Shine' event, Apple introduced the A20 Pro chip, built on 2nm technology, which will power the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max. The chip features a six-core CPU with faster supercores, a seven-core GPU offering up to 40% better performance, and a 32-core Neural Engine with double the compute capability. Apple also boosted memory bandwidth by 50% and redesigned chip packaging to improve cooling, borrowing techniques from its M-series processors.
Apple introduced AirPods 5 alongside its iPhone 18 Pro event, bringing Active Noise Cancellation to both versions of the earbuds for the first time. The base model starts at $129 with up to 20 hours of battery life with the case, while a $149 higher-end version adds on-stem volume controls and a wireless charging case. Apple says the new earbuds deliver 50% more noise reduction than AirPods 4, along with redesigned internals and improved Adaptive EQ and Spatial Audio.
Apple unveiled the A20 Pro, its first 2-nanometer chip built for iPhones, alongside a new in-house C2 modem, at an event led by CEO John Ternus. The chip will power the new foldable iPhone Duo as well as the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, featuring a 6-core CPU, 7-core GPU, dual neural engines, and a redesigned cooling system with a larger vapor chamber.
Apple introduced the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, featuring a 48MP Fusion Main camera with variable aperture, a smaller Dynamic Island, and the new A20 Pro chip paired with a next-generation vapor chamber for sustained performance. The Pro Max also gets Apple's largest-ever battery life increase, while both models run iOS 27 with Apple Intelligence and a revamped Siri. The phones come in four finishes, including a new burgundy option, with pre-orders starting September 12 and sales beginning September 18.