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Apple delayed the standard iPhone 18 until early next year while launching only the iPhone 18 Pro, Pro Max and iPhone Duo this cycle. Leaker Fixed Focus Digital reports that component inventory levels tied to the base iPhone 18, set to begin production in late November, suggest a substantial stockpile is being built.
Apple's iPhone Duo foldable has two 48-megapixel rear cameras, a main and an ultrawide, but lacks the dedicated telephoto camera found on the iPhone 18 Pro. Both phones can crop into their 48MP sensors for 2x zoom, but only the 18 Pro offers up to 8x 'optical quality' zoom via its 4x telephoto lens. The Duo also omits variable aperture, another headline feature of the 18 Pro, relying instead on a fixed aperture like earlier iPhones.
JP Morgan increased its AAPL price target from $340 to $360 and kept its Overweight rating, days after reports that Apple told suppliers to cut iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max component production due to soft demand. The firm said the cuts match Apple's typical production patterns and expects the new iPhone Duo to offset lost sales from the delayed standard iPhone 18, projecting 8.5 million Duo units sold in the December quarter alongside a 2% drop in iPhone revenue but 2% overall revenue growth.
Counterpoint Research reports Apple captured 22% of global smartphone shipments in Q3 2026, up from 18% a year earlier, even as total industry shipments fell 20% year-over-year to their lowest third-quarter level in 14 years. Samsung held the top spot with 23% share, while Xiaomi, OPPO and vivo all saw their shares decline. Apple's own shipment volume fell due to the lack of a base iPhone 18 model, though iPhone 18 Pro launched more strongly than its predecessor, especially in China and India.
Amazon is selling the 14-inch MacBook Pro with M5 Pro chip, 24GB RAM and 2TB storage for $2,399, down from its $2,999 list price. The retailer is also offering discounts on AirPods Pro 3, AirPods Max 2, the M6 Mac mini, iPhone 18 Pro cases and the USB-C Apple Pencil.
CNET's lab tests of the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max found the Pro Max delivers the longest battery life of any iPhone Apple has made, while the smaller 18 Pro charges fastest. The gains stem from larger batteries confirmed by an iFixIt teardown, plus the new A20 Pro chip and iOS 27 power-efficiency improvements, and both phones earned CNET Editors' Choice Awards.
Chinese outlet Securities Times reports Apple has raised its supply chain orders for iPhone Duo by about 30%, pushing total 2026 production close to 10 million units from an earlier estimate of 6-7 million. The increase comes just before iPhone Duo pre-orders open on October 16. Supply chain sources also indicate a shift within the iPhone 18 Pro lineup, with Pro Max orders up 10-15% and standard Pro orders down a similar amount, though total Pro-line supply is unchanged.
Kuxiu has launched a Burgundy colorway of its D5 charging station, designed to match the burgundy iPhone 18 Pro. The D5 offers Qi2.2 25W wireless charging, a retractable Apple Watch puck, an AirPods charging mat, a built-in cooling fan, and a diagnostic display, and ships with a 45W brick and braided cable.
Amazon is continuing a post-Prime Day discount on Apple's 2026 AirPods Max 2, pricing all five colorways at $429, down from the $549 list price. The deal matches fall Prime Day pricing and is only the second time the headphones have dropped this low, after a limited-time $399 offer last summer. Other lingering Apple deals include M6 Mac mini and M5 MacBook Air price cuts, though some discounts like the AirPods Pro 3 offer have already started rising.
Nikkei Asia reports Apple has told suppliers to cut October component orders for the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max by roughly 15-20% versus original requests, citing sources who say demand has softened since early September. Sources attribute part of the slowdown to $100 price increases on both models, with one supplier noting demand is weaker than in past years when Apple released its full lineup simultaneously. Apple hasn't confirmed further cuts beyond October, and the report suggests similar reductions could hit the upcoming iPhone Duo.
Apple has pushed a new carrier settings update, version 72.0.3, to iPhone 18 Pro Max users running the iOS 27.2 beta on AT&T, following last week's fix for devices on the stable iOS 27.0 release. The update addresses the same issue in which some users lost cellular service entirely, with affected phones showing an 'SOS' status indicator.
Amazon's fall Prime Day sale is concluding at midnight PT, featuring significant discounts on Apple products including AirPods, Mac minis, MacBooks, and Apple Watches. Notable offers include AirPods Pro 3 at $179 and the M6 Mac mini at $150 off, alongside deals on accessories and other electronics. The sale also includes discounts on Beats headphones and Roborock robotic cleaners.