Analysts Jeff Pu and Henry Huang of GF Securities forecast Apple will ship 257 million smartphones in 2026, a 4% increase, even as the overall market shrinks over 14% to 1.08 billion units. Apple's global market share would rise to 24%, ahead of Samsung's roughly flat 241 million units, while the note also flags weaker reception for the iPhone 18 Pro models and production constraints tied to hinge issues on the iPhone Duo.
A comparison outlines expected differences between Apple's rumored foldable iPhone Duo and the iPhone 18 Pro/Pro Max lineup, covering dimensions, weight, displays and cameras. The Duo reportedly pairs a 5.4-inch outer screen with a 7.6-inch folding inner display featuring a nano-texture finish, while weighing slightly more than the Pro Max despite its slimmer profile when unfolded. The iPhone 18 Pro models are said to retain a clear camera advantage over the foldable.
A hands-on test compared the iPhone 18 Pro's new variable aperture lens at f/1.8 versus its widened f/1.48 setting for Night mode photography. Switching to the wider aperture cut exposure duration in one test shot from 2.1 seconds to 1.7 seconds, with similar modest reductions seen in other shots. The lens can also be manually stopped down to f/4 to deliberately lengthen exposures, such as for smoothing moving water.
A tech writer who has used the iPhone 18 Pro for a month reports strong satisfaction with three features: battery life that often leaves 60% charge at day's end, a variable-aperture Main camera that consistently produces sharp Auto-mode photos, and a new vapor chamber cooling system that keeps the phone responsive in hot, sunny conditions. The reviewer contrasts this year's Main camera upgrade with recent years, when Apple focused more on Telephoto, Ultra Wide, and Front camera improvements.
Apple's foldable iPhone Duo became available for pre-order at 8AM ET, with general availability starting October 23rd. The device features a 5.4-inch outer display and a 7.6-inch inner OLED screen, but starts at $2,000 and lacks Face ID and the variable aperture camera found on the iPhone 18 Pro models.
Apple opens iPhone Duo pre-orders Friday, October 16 at 8:00 a.m. ET/5:00 a.m. PT. Shoppers who want faster checkout can pre-select color, storage and purchase or lease options through its 'Get Ready' tool, but must finalize those choices by 9 p.m. PT Thursday, October 15.
Apple has entered the foldables market with the iPhone Duo, adopting a shorter, wider form factor similar to Samsung's Galaxy Fold 8 and Google's Pixel Fold rather than taller folding designs. CNET's hands-on coverage notes the device is priced near $2,000 and offers Apple's typical build quality, though it lacks the camera and battery upgrades found in the iPhone 18 Pro Max.
Apple has published out-of-warranty repair pricing for its new foldable iPhone Duo, which starts at $1,999 for 256GB and reaches $3,199 for 2TB. Repairs range from $49 for cover layer damage to $999 for inner display replacement and $1,499 for unspecified 'other damage,' according to Apple's support documentation.
Apple's stock rose 0.5% to close at $342.96, pushing its market valuation to $5.01 trillion, the first time the company has ended a trading day above that threshold after six prior intraday crossings. The close came even as most major tech stocks, including Oracle, Meta, Nvidia, Microsoft, Amazon and Google, finished the day lower.
Apple's Newsroom detailed how designer Bünyamin Aydın used an iPad Pro, Apple Pencil Pro and apps like Freeform and Procreate to create 'From Earth to Sky,' a show marking Les Benjamins' 15th anniversary. Filmmaker Neels Castillon shot the event with iPhone 18 Pro Max units, including pairs mounted on custom drones, then edited footage on a MacBook Pro with M4 Max.
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.
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