Apple’s long rumoured foldable iPhone is expected to be called the iPhone Duo rather than iPhone Ultra, with a starting price around 2,000 dollars and support for the Apple Pencil. The name inevitably recalls Microsoft’s ill fated Surface Duo, which also used two separate screens joined by a hinge. Hours ahead of Apple’s keynote, set for 9 September at 19:00 Scandinavian time, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman published fresh details on the foldable, along with new information on the iPhone 18 Pro, Apple Watch and AirPods.
The event also marks Apple’s first product launch under new CEO John Ternus, previously the company’s head of hardware engineering, who took over from Tim Cook on 1 September, with Cook now serving as executive chairman. According to Gurman, Cook is expected to be in the audience but not to take part in the presentation itself.
iPhone Duo, not Ultra
On the foldable itself, the latest reporting focuses mainly on pricing and positioning. The roughly 2,000 dollar version is expected to come with 256GB of storage, with higher configurations reaching around 3,000 dollars. A memory chip shortage reportedly pushed costs beyond Apple’s original targets, prompting the company to absorb part of the increase on the base model while passing a larger share of it onto higher storage tiers. Pricing for the Italian market will only be confirmed at the official announcement.
The iPhone Duo is expected to use a short, wide form factor similar to the Galaxy Z Fold8 (read our deep review here), suited in particular to watching video. On the hardware side, Gurman points to Apple’s A20 Pro chip, its in house C2 modem, two 48 megapixel rear cameras and a 12 megapixel front camera, along with a magnetic hinge system and Apple Pencil support.
Software would allow two apps to run side by side, with multitasking modes similar to those on iPad. Buyers may still have to wait a few weeks beyond the announcement, with Bloomberg pointing to October as the earliest likely availability window, in white and dark blue finishes. No further detail has emerged on initial market availability, though earlier reports suggested a US only launch to start.
iPhone 18 Pro, Watch and AirPods
The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max are expected to look very similar to the current lineup. Among the visible changes is a new burgundy red finish, replacing the current orange option. The more significant updates centre on the camera system, with new optics, professional grade software features, and a mechanical aperture on at least the larger model, aimed at giving users more control over depth of field and improving low light shots.
Both models are expected to use the A20 Pro chip, offer improved battery life, and feature a revised vapour chamber for better heat management. The Dynamic Island is expected to shrink slightly while gaining the ability to switch between three live activities at once, up from two currently. Gurman reports a 100 dollar price increase per model in the US, again attributed to rising memory chip costs, following similar increases already applied to Mac, iPad and home devices back in June. The standard iPhone 18, iPhone 18e and iPhone Air 2 are not expected today, with Bloomberg pointing to a 2027 launch for those models instead.
The Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 are expected to bring new colours and changes to cases and straps, without a major design overhaul. The Series 12 is expected to bring back a ceramic case option, while the Ultra 4 is expected to offer improved battery life.
Apple’s broader focus appears to be deeper use of sensor data. A new Readiness app, described as a variant of the existing Vitals app, is expected to process metrics such as heart rate and blood oxygen, introducing features already familiar to users of Oura and Whoop. These additions would come alongside an update to the Health app on iPhone.
Gurman also points to a feature that analyses a user’s day and provides a summary of what happened, including conversations. The system is reportedly being designed with particular attention to privacy, without recording or storing audio, and without allowing users to review a transcript. Exactly how it works, and any availability limitations, remain unclear.
On audio, Apple is expected to introduce the AirPods 5, a new entry level model with significantly improved noise cancellation. Two versions are expected, differing based on whether the case supports wireless charging. Higher end earbuds with integrated camera sensors for analysing the surrounding environment are reportedly being pushed back to next year instead.
