After today's iPhone event, Apple invited members of the media to test out the new iPhone Duo. We were able to take a look, and we have some initial thoughts to share.


The ‌iPhone Duo‌ is priced starting at $1,999, and it feels like it. This is a premium device that's thin, but feels sturdy. The outer display is 5.4 inches, so it's smaller than the iPhone 18 Pro when it's closed, but the inner display is 7.6 inches.

Apple used a nano-texture polymer for the inside display, and the material cuts glare but also reduces the visibility of the crease. The display layer has a micro lens texture written pixel by pixel using maskless laser lithography for a perceptually flat, matte surface. It does indeed minimize the look and feel of the fold in the middle of the ‌iPhone Duo‌.

You can still see the crease and it's visible in certain lighting, but Apple did a better job than Samsung at hiding it. Of course, foldable creases can become more visible as a device folds and unfolds, so it will be interesting to see how the ‌iPhone Duo‌ holds up over time. Apple says there are viscoelastic adhesives that let the layers glide over each other, so that might help.

There's no visible camera cutout on the inner display of the ‌iPhone Duo‌, because Apple put it under the screen. It's invisible on a lighter screen, but when the display is darker, you can see the camera area somewhat.

Apple knew software would be important, and apps adapt well to the new form factor. The main controls are on the side of the displays and there's a new vertical dock. The status bar tucks in the corner, which makes sense for a foldable, and everything is where you want it for one-handed use.

You can run two apps side by side, or two instances of the same app (like two Safari pages), but there's no option to resize them. They each take up one half of the display. Two apps can be locked together as a pair so they launch together in the future and you can swipe over to other apps.

Apps work when the ‌iPhone Duo‌ is open, closed, and half-folded too. You can prop the ‌iPhone Duo‌ up and controls will move to the bottom of the display. iOS can adapt to the orientation and angle of the device, and it slides content away from the crease to make sure everything is easy to tap regardless of position. Audio also tunes automatically based on position.

StandBy works even when the ‌iPhone Duo‌ isn't charging. You just need to fold the Duo in half in a tent orientation and you'll see widgets, music, calendar, weather, and more. It works as a bedside clock too, and there's even a new glow alarm clock feature.

There are only two cameras in the ‌iPhone Duo‌. It has a 48MP Fusion Main camera and a 48MP Ultra Wide camera, but no Telephoto camera. There is 2x zoom, but that's just a cropped-in view from the Main camera. The outer display front camera is 12MP.

You can do some unique things with the ‌iPhone Duo‌'s camera setup. Apple added 4K Dolby Vision time lapses, a feature that works well with the ‌iPhone Duo‌ since it can prop itself up for longer shots. A Smart Take option uses AI to capture a shot when everyone is in frame, so you can set it up, run over to get in a group photo, and have the iPhone automatically take a picture. The outer display can show Peanuts animations to get children to smile (Kid Cue), and when you're taking a photo of someone, they can see themselves on the outer display and give you feedback on the shot setup (Duo Preview). FaceTime can also use both displays and someone can join a ‌FaceTime‌ call with you using the outer display camera, so you don't have to crowd together in one camera (‌FaceTime‌ Duo).

The ‌iPhone Duo‌ has the same A20 Pro chip as the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌, and Apple's new C2 modem that's faster and more efficient than the C1X. The C2 supports mmWave 5G speeds in the United States.

The $1,999 starting price is for 256GB storage. You can get up to 2TB, but that option will cost you $3,199. ‌iPhone Duo‌ pre-orders start on Friday, October 16, with a launch to follow on October 23.
This article, "Hands-On With the iPhone Duo: The Crease is Still There, But Barely" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple's "Surprise and Shine" event took place today, and the company introduced the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, the new foldable iPhone Duo, new Apple Watch models, and AirPods 5. It took Apple over an hour to announce everything, but we have an 11-minute recap for those who want a quick but detailed overview of everything.



Our full event coverage is below with more information on all of today's announcements.

iPhone Duo

• Apple Announces Foldable 'iPhone Duo'


• iPhone Duo: Pricing, Pre-Orders, and Release Date Announced


• Here's What Apple Says About the iPhone Duo's Crease


• Apple Explains What's Inside the iPhone Duo's Folding Screen


• iPhone Duo Beats iPhone Air as Apple's Thinnest iPhone, But Only When Open


• iPhone Duo is Dust-Tight With IP68 Rating, Unlike Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold8


• iPhone Duo Battery Life Depends on Which Screen You Use


• iPhone Duo Doesn't Have an Action Button


• iPhone Duo Only Works With the $79 USB-C Apple Pencil, Not the Apple Pencil Pro


• iPhone Duo Will Ship With iOS 27.1, Hinting at Update's Release Date


• iPhone Duo Gets Its Own Case and Folio With Kickstand


• Apple Publishes Developer Video Series for iPhone Duo


• Samsung Mocks iPhone Duo

iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max

• Apple Announces iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max


• iPhone 18 Pro: Pre-Orders and Release Date Announced


• Apple Unveils A20 Pro as First 2nm Smartphone Chip


• Both iPhone 18 Pro Models Feature Variable Aperture Camera


• Apple Reveals iPhone 18 Pro Models Will Be Available in Four New Colors


• iPhone 18 Pro's $100 Price Increase is Actually $300 If You Want 1TB Storage


• iPhone 18 Pro Max Has 'Longest Battery Life in an iPhone' at Up to 45 Hours


• Apple Reveals iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max Battery Capacities


• iPhone 18 Pro Max Is Heavier Than iPhone 17 Pro Max, Not Thicker


• iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max: Here's How Much RAM Each Has


• iPhone 18 Pro's Redesigned Vapor Chamber Triples Cooling Surface Area


• iPhone 18 Pro Gains Manual Aperture, Shutter Speed Controls, and More


• iPhone 18 Pro Introduces 'Apple Reference Image' to Verify Photo Authenticity


• New Texture and Grain Controls Coming to Photographic Styles With iPhone 18 Pro


• iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo Feature Apple's New C2 Modem


• iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max Have Different Modems


• iPhone 18 Pro is eSIM-Only in These Countries


• Apple Debuts New Accessories for iPhone 18 Pro and AirPods Pro 3

Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4

• Apple Announces Apple Watch Series 12 With S11 Chip, Upgraded Health Sensors and Ceramic Models


• Apple Announces Apple Watch Ultra 4 With Two-Day Battery Life and Upgraded Health Tracking


• Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 Offer These Eight New Health and Fitness Features


• Three All-New 'Audio Intelligence' Features Arrive With Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4


• Apple Watch Series 12 Comes in New Finishes, Including Ceramic


• Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 Get Wave of New Bands

AirPods 5

• AirPods 5 Announced With Improved Noise Cancellation, Audio Quality, and More


• AirPods 5 Include ANC as Standard, Pricier Variant Now Gatekeeps Wireless Charging Instead

Software

• Apple Announces iOS 27 Release Date


• Apple Seeds iOS 27 and iPadOS 27 Release Candidates


• macOS Golden Gate Release Candidate Now Available


• Apple Seeds watchOS 27, visionOS 27, and tvOS 27 Release Candidates


• iOS 27's 'iPhone Handoff' Feature Limited to T-Mobile and Deutsche Telekom at Launch


• iOS 27 Will Let You Redeem Apple Gift Cards on the Back of Your iPhone


• Apple's Fine Print: Daily Usage Limits for Siri AI, 'Expanded Access' Coming for a Fee

Other News

• Apple Raises Prices of iPhone 16, iPhone 17, iPhone Air, and iPhone 17e


• Apple Discontinues iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max


• Apple Extends Free Satellite Access for iPhone 14, 15, and 16 Users


• Apple Adds AppleCare One Family Plan for Up to Six People


• Apple Event Live Blog: iPhone Duo, iPhone 18 Pro, and More Expected

The Apple Watch Series 12, Apple Watch Ultra 4, and AirPods 5 are available for pre-order today. Pre-orders for the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max will begin on Saturday, September 12 at 5:00 a.m. Pacific Time. The new devices will launch on September 18.

Pre-orders for the ‌iPhone Duo‌ will start on October 16, with a launch to follow on October 23.
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Apple is adding a new iPhone Handoff feature in iOS 27 that will let you use the same number on two iPhones and swap between them as needed. iPhone Handoff requires carrier support, and Apple says there may be carrier fees when setting it up.


The new iPhone Handoff option was mentioned at today's event and in the iPhone Duo press release, and it turns out it's going to be limited at launch. Apple says it will only be available on T-Mobile in the U.S. and Deutsche Telekom in Germany when ‌iOS 27‌ comes out.

To use iPhone Handoff, you need two iPhones running ‌iOS 27‌ or later that are connected to Wi-Fi and signed into the same Apple account with FaceTime, iMessage, and Messages in iCloud turned on.

iPhone Handoff can be enabled during new iPhone setup, or in the Settings app. When you set up a new iPhone, you can make your current iPhone your secondary iPhone.

With iPhone Handoff enabled, one iPhone is the main iPhone and the other iPhone is the secondary iPhone that shares the same number. Some carrier services like Call Forwarding, Caller ID, and account management can only be managed on the main iPhone. iPhone Handoff also does not swap your Apple Watch from one iPhone to another.

Moving between a main iPhone and secondary iPhone happens automatically when you unlock one of the devices. Apple says your phone number will automatically become active, and you'll see the message "Switched to this iPhone" to confirm.

A phone number can only be active on one iPhone at a time when using iPhone Handoff. Payment cards in the Wallet app and car keys can work across both iPhones, but Apple warns some Wallet items like transit passes, IDs, or corporate badges might only work on one iPhone at a time.

iPhone Handoff works with Dual SIM as long as both eSIMs are from carriers that support iPhone Handoff. Both eSIMs will switch together simultaneously when you unlock your iPhone. Each eSIM has to be set up separately.

Once set up, iPhone Handoff remains activated until you contact your carrier to turn it off. More information can be found in Apple's support document for the feature.

‌iOS 27‌ is set to launch on Monday, September 14. T-Mobile has not announced iPhone Handoff pricing.
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Ahead of the launch of the foldable iPhone Duo, rumors suggested Apple was focused on eliminating the crease between the device's two displays. All foldables have a visible crease, and it often becomes easier to see over time from constant folding and unfolding.


On the ‌iPhone Duo‌ product page, one of Apple's FAQs concerns the crease. "Does the inner display of ‌iPhone Duo‌ show a crease where it folds?" reads the question.

Apple's response says the display is "wonderfully flat and smooth," but it doesn't say there's no crease at all and actually skirts the question it asks.

iPhone Duo features a wonderfully flat and smooth inner display with custom nano-texture finish technology to reduce glare and reflections for an uninterrupted viewing experience. The optically clear adhesives let the display layers glide as the screen folds, minimizing stress and crease.

In the press release for the device, Apple says that the Duo's nano-texture display is meant to minimize the visibility of the crease.

A premium nano-texture finish reduces glare and reflections, creating a matte surface that minimizes crease visibility and feels great to touch.

Apple does not list a fold cycle count anywhere in its press release or on its website, but it does say the hinge offers "smooth, balanced resistance for long-lasting reliability." Apple also says the hinge has more than 100 components, while the ‌iPhone Duo‌ has support ribs and a titanium panel under the display.

Apple competitor Samsung does list fold cycles for its foldable devices. The new Galaxy Z Fold8, which has the same general shape as the ‌iPhone Duo‌, is rated for 500,000 folds.

The ‌iPhone Duo‌ is set to launch on October 23, with pre-orders starting on October 16.
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The Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 feature a refreshed band lineup for the fall, adding new colors and materials.



Here's a breakdown of what's new across the band lineup:

• Sport Band: New Navy Blue, Magenta, Olive, Burgundy, Wildflower Blue, Pale Succulent, Sand, and Black colors for Apple Watch Series 12.


• Sport Band (ceramic hardware): Sand and Navy Blue to match the new ceramic Apple Watch Series 12 models; not available as a standalone purchase.


• Sport Loop: New Olive, Burgundy, Limestone, Magenta, and Chambray Blue colors, plus a new inkjet-printed plaid pattern in Burgundy and Light Umber.


• Nike Sport Band and Nike Sport Loop: Five new colors; Essential White, Chalk Calm, Pavement Grey, After Dark Black, and Green Spark.


• Milanese Loop: New Radiant Gold and Natural colors to match the titanium case, plus a new Dark Bronze option, priced at $99.


• Link Bracelet: A new stainless steel bracelet in Radiant Gold and Natural, priced at $349.


• Modern Buckle: New woven material with flecks of color, in Mulberry, Camel, Sage, and Navy Blue, now available with gold hardware for the first time alongside natural hardware, priced at $199 (42mm only).


• Magnetic Link: Available in Wildflower Blue, Burgundy, Camel, and Midnight, priced at $99.


• Solo Loop: New Wildflower Blue, Burgundy, Olive, and Navy Blue colors, priced at $49.


• Braided Solo Loop: New Olive, Magenta, Wildflower Blue, Burgundy, Navy Blue, and Black colors, priced at $99.


• Trail Loop: New Dark Umber, Sand, and Burgundy colors for the Apple Watch Ultra 4, priced at $99 (49mm only).


• Alpine Loop: New Desert, Dark Olive, and Burgundy colors for the Ultra 4, priced at $99 (49mm only).


• Ocean Band: Now made from a translucent silicone material, offered in Translucent Gray, Translucent Kelp, and Translucent Black, priced at $99 (49mm only).


• Hermès Noir Satin Clou de Selle: A new band with a gold-finish clasp and saddle stud, exclusively paired with the new Hermès radiant gold titanium case, priced at $499.


• Hermès Rocabar Club: A new knitted H pattern band inspired by horse-jumping competitions, in four Bleu Nuit colorways paired with Gris Titane, Orange, Bleu Brighton, and Vert accents, priced at $499.


• Hermès En Mer: A new water-resistant knit band for the Apple Watch Ultra 4 with a pillowed stripe and titanium buckle, in Argile, Bordeaux, Bleu Nuit, and Orange colorways, priced at $549 (49mm only).


• Hermès Scub'H Diving: A new rubber band for the Ultra 4 with circular porthole-like cutouts, in Vert Vertigo, Gris Titane, and Bleu De Malte colorways, priced at $549 (49mm only).


• Hermès Grand H Titane: A new titanium version of the Grand H bracelet for the Apple Watch Ultra 4, priced at $2,199 (49mm only).


• Hermès Kilim Single Tour: Bleu De Malte, Cuivre, and Béton colorways, priced at $499.

The new Apple Watch bands are available to order today, with availability in stores beginning Friday, September 18.
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Apple has confirmed the battery capacities for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max models that the company announced earlier today.


Apple is required to publish energy labels on its iPhone product pages in the EU, and they reveal the official mAh battery capacities for the devices.

Here are the battery capacities for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max models that still have a SIM card tray, according to Apple:

• iPhone 18 Pro: 4,056 mAh (+1.7% vs. iPhone 17 Pro's 3,988 mAh)


• iPhone 18 Pro Max: 5,391 mAh (+11.7% vs. iPhone 17 Pro Max's 4,823 mAh)

Notably, the iPhone 18 Pro Max has received a much larger battery life increase than the iPhone 18 Pro did compared to the previous generation.

eSIM-only models of the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will be available in Bahrain, Canada, Guam, Japan, Kuwait, Mexico, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the U.S., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The devices have a SIM card tray in all other countries around the world, including in the U.K. and the rest of Europe.

eSIM-only iPhone models are equipped with a slightly larger battery that fills the space occupied by the physical SIM card tray.

eSIM-only battery capacities for the iPhone 18 Pro models have yet to be confirmed.
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Apple's AirTag 2 is on sale for $79.99 this weekend on Amazon, down from $99.00. This deal is on the 4-Pack of the AirTag 2, and it's a match of the record low price for the accessory, beating the previous low by about $5.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

We're also tracking a smaller deal on the AirTag 2 1-Pack, available for $24.00, down from $29.00. This is another record low price on the AirTag 2.




The new AirTag is equipped with a second-generation Ultra Wideband chip, enabling the Precision Finding feature to work up to 50% farther away from an item compared to the previous-generation model.

If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

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Apple announced the M6 chip last week, just ahead of its September iPhone event, providing the clearest indication yet of what the A20 will bring to the iPhone 18 lineup.


Apple silicon generations share much of their architecture across the A-series and the M-series, so a new A-series chip normally functions as a partial preview of the M-series chip that follows it. This year the order reversed; the M6 was revealed on August 25, ahead of the A20 Pro expected in the iPhone 18 Pro this month.

Recent reports place the A20 Pro at up to 18% faster and up to 30% more power efficient than the A19 Pro, which is broadly similar to the M6 over the M5.

Apple's First 2nm iPhone Chip

The M6 is Apple's first chip built on TSMC's 2nm (N2) process, with the second almost certain to be the A20. Being a smaller manufacturing process, N2 has higher transistor density, allowing Apple to pack more performance into a smaller area.

Apple has historically debuted new nodes on the A-series, since iPhone volume validates yields, so introducing N2 in an $899 Mac mini represents a change. As such, reports that the A20 and A20 Pro will move to N2 are now supported by a shipping product rather than analyst predictions. The consequence for the iPhone event is that the "Apple's first 2nm chip" claim is no longer available.

Dual Neural Engine?

The iPhone's Neural Engine has remained at 16 cores and approximately 35 trillion operations per second since the A17 Pro, spanning three generations. The M6 introduces a Dual 16-core Neural Engine, which Apple says system frameworks can address simultaneously for up to 2x the peak compute of previous generations.

The change corresponds with the reported move to WMCM packaging, which integrates memory onto the same wafer as the CPU, GPU, and Neural Engine to shorten the path between them. It is possible that die area and thermal constraints may limit a dual engine to the A20 Pro.

GPU AI Gains Are Now Incremental

Apple said the M5 delivered over 4x the peak GPU compute for AI compared to the M4, reflecting the introduction of Neural Accelerators within each GPU core. The M6 is rated at nearly 30% over the M5.

The A19 Pro recorded a comparable 4x improvement on the iPhone 17 Pro last September for the same architectural reason. Second-generation Neural Accelerators consequently appear to represent a refinement rather than another step change, suggesting the A20 Pro will not repeat the A19 Pro's headline figure.

Graphics Improvements Should Carry Across

The M6 adds 50% increased geometry rates, an updated shader core architecture, revised Dynamic Caching, and hardware-accelerated ray tracing. These are architectural changes and comparable graphics work has historically appeared across both the A-series and M-series within the same generation.

Memory Bandwidth Suggests a Modest A20 Gain

Memory bandwidth determines how quickly data moves between the memory and the processor, and it is the main constraint on running large language models on device. The M6 provides up to 170GB/s, which Apple describes as a 10% increase over the M5's 153.6GB/s.

That increase is small enough to indicate Apple is using a faster grade of the same LPDDR5X memory rather than moving to the newer LPDDR6 standard, which would have delivered a far larger jump. Reports indicate Apple is sourcing high-speed LPDDR5X from Samsung for the ‌iPhone 18‌ lineup, and the M6 is consistent with that.

The implication for the A20 is that memory bandwidth is unlikely to improve dramatically. The A19 Pro is rated at 76.8GB/s, and a similar 10% uplift would take the A20 Pro to roughly 85GB/s. Any meaningful gain in how quickly the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ loads and runs on-device models is therefore more likely to come from WMCM packaging shortening the distance data travels than from the memory itself.

AV1 Encode Remains Absent

The M6 Media Engine supports hardware-accelerated H.264, HEVC, ProRes, and ProRes RAW, with AV1 decode but no AV1 encode, matching the M5. The omission on a new process node in a desktop chip makes its inclusion in the A20 Pro highly unlikely.
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After years of rumors, the highly anticipated foldable iPhone is almost here, but that's not all we're expecting to see at next week's big event, and we've got full coverage of expectations for the "Surprise and Shine" event.


Beyond the event, this week also saw John Ternus take over from Tim Cook as Apple CEO, while we learned a bit more about what's coming in iOS 27 and how Apple has been trying to respond to massive demand for its desktop Macs amid the surge in AI computing, so read on below for all of the details!

Top Stories

iPhone Ultra, iPhone 18 Pro, and More: Apple's September 9 Event Preview

Apple's September event will take place on Wednesday, September 9, at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. At the event, Apple will announce its 2026 iPhone lineup, and this year is a big one. Along with the slab-style iPhones we've been using for years, Apple is going to debut its first foldable device. We'll also get new Apple Watches, a new set of AirPods, and possibly some other surprises.


Everything we expect to see at the "Surprise and Shine" event is recapped in our event guide and overview video, so make sure to check it out.

Read John Ternus' First Memo to Apple Employees as CEO

This week marked the end of an era, with Tim Cook stepping down as Apple CEO after 15 years and hardware engineering chief John Ternus taking over the reins. Cook will remain active with Apple as Executive Chair.


In his first memo to employees as CEO, Ternus thanked employees for a warm welcome, expressed thanks to Cook for his contributions to Apple and assisting with the transition, and shared excitement about the future including "a huge launch" next week.

iPhone 18 Pro Pre-Orders May Start at an Unusual Time

Following next Wednesday's event, pre-orders for the new iPhone hardware may start at an unusual time. Pre-orders for the new iPhone models typically start at 5:00 a.m. Pacific Time on the Friday immediately following the event, but this year that falls on the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.


As it did back in 2015 when pre-orders would also have fallen on the 11th, Apple will reportedly push things back this year and begin accepting pre-orders at midnight Pacific Time on Saturday, September 12.

iOS 27 Introduces New 'iPhone Handoff' Feature

Back at WWDC in June, Apple made the briefest of mentions about iOS 27 offering the ability to share a phone number between devices, and now we know how that feature will work.


MacRumors forum member pdfu this week shared a video showing how users will set up the feature, dubbed iPhone Handoff, from the Cellular section of the Settings app. iPhone Handoff will require carrier support, with the user's main eSIM remaining on their primary phone and a companion eSIM being sent to another iPhone. Once activated, a single phone number will be used across both devices, with the phone number automatically switching back and forth to whichever device is unlocked at the moment.

Foldable iPhone Ultra Likely Has MagSafe Charging

In addition to the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, next week's event will also see the long-awaited introduction of Apple's first foldable iPhone. The device will sacrifice a few features in order to enable its ultra-thin profile, and until recently it was thought that MagSafe charging might be one of those things.


In a recent interview with Tom's Guide, however, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman says "all indications" point toward MagSafe support being included on the phone.

Apple Caught Off Guard by AI Demand for Mac Mini and Mac Studio

Apple's unusually timed announcement of new Mac mini and Mac Studio models last week was driven by unexpectedly strong enterprise appetite for AI hardware, according to The Information. Apple normally releases new Mac models in the fall, closer to October or November, but Apple pulled Mac announcements ahead of the anticipated arrival of new iPhone models as it has sought to meet strong demand for its desktop Macs.


Apple highlighted the ‌Mac mini‌ and ‌Mac Studio‌'s shift toward business buyers back in June, with a "Business at the Park" event involving executives from major companies Ford, Disney, and Anthropic. The ‌Mac mini‌ was said to be the "darling" of the event.

A surge in demand for Mac hardware to run AI models has coincided with the global memory shortage, leaving many ‌Mac mini‌ and ‌Mac Studio‌ configurations out of stock for months and making the new models a priority to allow Apple to offer improved performance and higher production volumes.

MacRumors Newsletter

Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view.

So if you want to have top stories like the above recap delivered to your email inbox each week, subscribe to our newsletter!
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Apple's September event will take place on Wednesday, September 9 at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. Apple will announce its 2026 iPhone lineup, and this year is a big one. Along with the slab-style iPhones we've been using for years, Apple is going to debut its first foldable device. We'll also get new Apple Watches, a new set of AirPods, and possibly some other surprises.


Everything we expect to see at the "Surprise and Shine" event is below.

Foldable iPhone

Apple's 2026 iPhone lineup will include its first foldable device. We don't know what Apple will call it, but rumors suggest it might be named the iPhone Ultra.

Apple has designed a book-style foldable that has an iPad-like layout when it's opened up. It will have a ~5.5-inch OLED outer display, which is what you'll use when the iPhone is closed. It will unfold into a larger ‌OLED‌ display that's approximately 7.8 inches.


The design is wider than it is tall when it's open, and you can picture it as something like an iPad mini that folds in half. Samsung's recent Galaxy Z Fold8 matches the foldable iPhone rumors, so it may be the best look at the size and layout of Apple's device.

Apple wanted a crease-free design, but that doesn't seem to be possible with a foldable yet. The ‌iPhone Ultra‌ will instead have a minimal crease and a durable liquid metal hinge. Foldables are delicate and hinges can be a weak point, so Apple focused on durability. Rumors indicate Apple could have some tricks to keep the crease less visible over time, such as optically clear adhesive that will fill in any micro-cracks caused by repeated folding.

When unfolded, the ‌iPhone Ultra‌ could be as thin as 4.5mm, making it Apple's thinnest iPhone to date. That would make it 9mm when folded, which is close to the thickness of the 8.75mm iPhone 17 Pro Max. With a chassis that thin, Apple had to make design compromises.

There is reportedly no space for the TrueDepth camera system for Face ID, so it's going to use Touch ID instead. There will be a ‌Touch ID‌ side button, similar to the iPad Air and ‌iPad mini‌. Though ‌Face ID‌ isn't included, there will be front cameras for both the inner and outer displays.

Apple also didn't have room for a three-lens rear camera system, so the ‌iPhone Ultra‌ won't have a telephoto lens. Rumors suggest it will have an Ultra Wide lens and a Wide lens located on the back of the device, so the rear camera works whether the ‌iPhone Ultra‌ is folded or unfolded.

It was unclear if MagSafe would be included because leaked dummy models didn't feature a magnetic ring, but Bloomberg says ‌MagSafe‌ charging will indeed be a feature.

The ‌iPhone Ultra‌ will have a 2nm A20 Pro chip. The A20 Pro is expected to be around 18 percent faster and up to 30 percent more power efficient than the A19 Pro, and it could have a 7-core GPU, a wider memory interface, and a larger L2 cache for its efficiency cores. We're expecting 12GB of RAM.

Apple's 2026 iPhones could use its house-designed C2 modem, which is expected to be faster and more efficient than the C1X. It's not yet clear if Apple has added mmWave technology to the C2, and if it hasn't, foldable iPhone models sold in the U.S. could use Qualcomm modems instead. mmWave 5G isn't widely used outside of the U.S., but it is an expected feature for U.S. iPhones. The other alternative is limiting the foldable iPhone to sub–6GHz 5G speeds worldwide.

Each half of the ‌iPhone Ultra‌ will have a battery inside, and it could have a total capacity in the 5,400 to 5,800 mAh range. The ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max has a 5,088 mAh battery for comparison.

Apple isn't taking risks with color. The ‌iPhone Ultra‌ will come in silver/white and a second color that's been described as a very deep shade of indigo that's close to black.

Software could make or break the ‌iPhone Ultra‌, and Apple has been telling developers to design their apps for a variety of sizes and aspect ratios to accommodate the two foldable screens. The ‌iPhone Ultra‌ is likely to support multitasking, side-by-side apps, and sidebars, much like the iPad.

Apple's first foldable won't be cheap. According to rumors, it will cost at least $2,000, and higher-capacity models could be upwards of $2,500.

iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max

The iPhone 18 Pro models will look a lot like the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ models, with no major design changes expected. There are rumors that the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max might be a little bit thicker and heavier because of a larger battery, but ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ cases are expected to fit the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ models. The camera plateau could be slightly thicker to accommodate a new variable aperture lens.


Apple has new colors planned, including a dark cherry shade, light blue, and silver. Rumors suggest there won't be a black ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ option.

With the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ models, there's a clear color contrast between the frosted glass back and the aluminum casing, but that might be more subtle with the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌. While the overall shape isn't being updated, the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ and Pro Max could have a smaller Dynamic Island. There were early rumors about under-display ‌Face ID‌ with no Dynamic Island at all, but that's not going to happen.

There may be a noticeable increase in battery life due to the larger capacity battery rumored for the 18 Pro Max (5,567 mAh), plus efficiency improvements from the 2nm A20 Pro chip it's supposed to get and an upgrade in display technology. Rumors say Apple is using an LTPO+ display that's more efficient than the current ‌OLED‌ display.

Apple plans to upgrade the main rear camera with a DSLR-like variable aperture, giving users more control over the light that reaches the lens. An option for a smaller aperture in bright lighting could improve exposure, while a larger aperture in lower lighting conditions would let in more light to reduce grain and produce sharper images. A variable aperture also gives more control over background blur. Some rumors suggest this might be a feature exclusive to the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max, but it's not clear if that's accurate.

Apple could use a three-layer stacked image sensor developed by Samsung, which would make the camera more responsive and improve low-light performance. The Telephoto lens could have a wider aperture to let in more light, but no changes are rumored for the Ultra Wide lens or the front-facing camera.

There might be changes to the Camera Control button. Apple is supposedly simplifying it to eliminate the capacitive layer that lets you swipe to adjust camera settings on the button.

As with the foldable iPhone, some or all of the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ models could get Apple's C2 modem, but again, it's possible U.S. models will have Qualcomm modems for mmWave 5G.

Compared to the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ models, the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ models will be more expensive. Apple is paying more for memory and storage, and prices for Macs and iPads already went up. We could see a price increase ranging from $100 to $300.

Apple Watch Series 12

The Apple Watch Series 12 won't design changes, but Apple could bring back the ceramic case option. We're expecting an updated processor that could bring improvements to health and fitness tracking.

Apple is testing a feature that would let the heart rate sensor continuously collect data throughout the day, powering a new Health app feature that could show wellness-related info similar to what the Oura Ring offers.

Apple Watch Ultra 4

Like the Apple Watch Series 12, the Apple Watch Ultra 4 will have no major changes. It's likely to get the same upgraded processor and related changes.

AirPods 5

References to AirPods 5 were found in the macOS 26.7 release candidate, and the new earbuds could launch alongside the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ models. Apple could add an updated H3 chip for improved sound quality and lower latency, and we're likely to still get an ANC version and a non-ANC version.

Possible Product Launches

• Home hub - Apple is working on a home hub with a 7-inch square display, an integrated camera, presence detection sensors, and more. It will control smart home devices, but it will also run apps. Rumors suggest it can be used to make video calls, play content, and interact with Siri AI, the new version of ‌Siri‌ in iOS 27. Apple has been waiting to launch the home hub because ‌Siri‌ AI is a central feature of the new device.


• Apple TV 4K - There's a new Apple TV with a faster processor in the works, and it could come at the September event. No design changes are expected, but an updated chip could support ‌Siri‌ AI and new gameplay features. There are also signs of a new remote in Apple code.


• HomePod mini - The HomePod mini is due for a refresh, and it's also expected to get a faster processor. We haven't heard word of design changes, but it could come in new colors.

Software Updates

At the September 9 event, Apple will announce the release dates for ‌iOS 27‌, iPadOS 27, macOS Golden Gate, tvOS 27, watchOS 27, and visionOS 27. Apple will also likely seed release candidate versions of the updates to developers and public beta testers following the event.

Based on historical release timelines, ‌iOS 27‌ and its sister updates could come out as soon as September 14.

What Not to Expect

There are several other products rumored to be launching before the end of 2026, but they'll likely come at a second event in October or November. There's also a notable omission from the lineup, because Apple is going to delay the iPhone 18.

• iPhone 18 - The standard ‌iPhone 18‌ will not launch in September 2026, with Apple instead planning to debut it in spring 2027 alongside the iPhone 18e and the iPhone Air 2. In the fall, we're only getting the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌, ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max, and foldable iPhone.


• Apple Watch SE 4 - There won't be a new Apple Watch SE 4 this year.


• M6 MacBook Pro - A new entry-level MacBook Pro with an M6 chip is coming before the end of the year, but not at the September event.


• M6 iMac - There's also an M6 iMac rumored to be coming in 2026, but Apple is likely to hold a Mac event to announce it, or do it via press release at a later date.


• OLED MacBook Pro - We've been waiting on an ‌OLED‌ touchscreen ‌MacBook Pro‌, and it's rumored for late 2026 or early 2027. It's not a candidate for Apple's September event.


• OLED iPad mini - There's an ‌OLED‌ ‌iPad mini‌ in development, and it's expected to launch before the end of October. It's another one that's unlikely for an iPhone event.

Apple's New CEO

New Apple CEO John Ternus has presented at Apple events before, but the iPhone event will be the first he hosts as CEO in place of Tim Cook.

Cook was Apple's CEO for 15 years, so a transition to Ternus leading an event is a major change.

Cook is now Apple's executive chairman, and he may not make an appearance during the event at all.

iPhone Preorders

Apple almost always holds preorders on the Friday after an event, but this year, that Friday is 9/11. It's unlikely Apple will do iPhone preorders on Friday because of the date, so orders could happen on Saturday instead. The last time iPhone preorders overlapped with the 9/11 date in 2015, Apple pushed orders to Saturday.

If Apple follows the same pattern, the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ models and the ‌iPhone Ultra‌ could be available for preorder on Saturday, September 12. Back in 2015, Apple started preorders at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time, but in recent years, preorders have started at 5:00 a.m. Pacific Time. Preorders this year could take place at 5:00 a.m. on September 12.

The new iPhones will likely launch on Friday, September 18, regardless of preorder date.

How to Watch

Apple's "Surprise and Shine" event will start at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time on Wednesday, September 9. Apple will livestream the event on its website, on YouTube, and through the ‌Apple TV‌ app on supported devices.


For those unable to watch the livestream, MacRumors will have full event coverage on MacRumors.com and the MacRumorsLive X account. We'll also take a much closer look at all of the new products after the event.
This article, "iPhone Ultra, iPhone 18 Pro, and More: Apple's September 9 Event Preview" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple could release a home security system and service in 2027, according to Bloomberg.


The company is designing a privacy-forward home security camera that will "use AI to monitor the surrounding environment instead of actual video footage." It will apparently work with a new home security and monitoring service, but no additional detail on the service is included.

Apple is planning to release a home hub for controlling smart home devices before the end of the year, and rumors have previously suggested there's a camera in the works to go along with it. Early rumors indicated it would be a wireless camera with Siri integration and a connection to the home hub that's in development.

Apple already has HomeKit Secure Video, an Apple Home feature for third-party cameras. ‌HomeKit Secure Video‌ features end-to-end encryption and uses iCloud to securely stream and store video from compatible HomeKit cameras.

In iOS 27, Apple is upgrading its HomeKit camera features. The Home app is able to generate written summaries for motion alerts, plus it can surface highlights and group footage from different cameras together. The new features require a 2TB or higher ‌iCloud‌+ plan, while ‌HomeKit Secure Video‌ requires a 50GB plan or better.

It's possible a future home security monitoring service could also be tied to ‌iCloud‌+ and Apple's existing ‌HomeKit Secure Video‌ features.
This article, "Apple Planning AI Home Security Camera and Service for 2027" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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We're less than a week away from the debut of Apple's first foldable iPhone, and rumors have been picking up as the event date approaches. Here's the latest.

• MagSafe - Even though foldable iPhone dummies we saw earlier this year didn't have a MagSafe ring, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman claims all signs indicate MagSafe charging will be supported.


• Crease - Some of the early language about the foldable iPhone's crease suggested Apple might have found a way to make it invisible, but later rumors are more realistic. The crease is minimal, but Apple hasn't found a magic way to get rid of it.


• Touch ID - Touch ID is still expected for the foldable iPhone. Apple didn't have room for the Face ID hardware because the device is rumored to be just 4.5mm thick. There will be volume buttons at the top of the iPhone Ultra, with a ‌Touch ID‌ side button for unlocking.


• Software - iOS 27 makes it clear Apple is making sure apps will work with the foldable iPhone. There's a big push for app resizability and layout flexibility. The iPhone is expected to support multitasking, sidebars, and side-by-side app usage.


• Cameras - Camera rumors haven't changed. We're expecting a two-lens camera setup with Wide and Ultra Wide lenses.


• Chips - Early rumors said Apple would transition to the C2 and move away from Qualcomm, but it looks like Apple might still use Qualcomm modems in the United States. It hinges on whether the C2 supports mmWave 5G. The ‌iPhone Ultra‌ will also adopt Apple's A20 Pro chip, the same as the iPhone 18 Pro models.


• Colors - The foldable iPhone is expected in white/silver and dark blue.


• Apple Pencil - Apple tested an Apple Pencil with the foldable iPhone, but it's probably not going to launch.


• Launch Timing - Rumors on ‌iPhone Ultra‌ launch timing and production have been mixed, with some sources reporting delays. Gurman says he will be "very surprised" if the device doesn't launch at the same time as the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ models or "very close to it." It's still possible supplies could be constrained, leading to long waits for those who don't pre-order early.


• Price - The ‌iPhone Ultra‌ is expected to cost over $2,000, possibly up to $2,500 depending on storage capacity.

Apple will introduce the ‌iPhone Ultra‌ and the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ models at its "Surprise and Shine" event that will be held on Wednesday, September 9.
This article, "Foldable iPhone Ultra: The Latest Rumors Before Apple's Event" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Amazon today has introduced a big discount on the Apple Studio Display with Nano-Texture Glass and Tilt-Adjustable Stand, available for $1,684.88 with an on-page coupon, down from $1,899.00. This is the first time in nearly three months we've seen any notable discounts on the 2026 Studio Display lineup.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Amazon's discount today beats the previous all-time low price by over $100. There are a few other Studio Displays with markdowns on Amazon for Labor Day, but none reach the steep discount of this model. Remember that you will need to clip the on-page coupon in order to see the final sale price.




Apple refreshed the Studio Display lineup back in March, featuring two Thunderbolt 5 ports, built-in 12-megapixel Center Stage camera with Desk View, a six-speaker sound system, and more.

If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

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This article, "Apple's 2026 Studio Display Gets Steep $214 Discount on Amazon" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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It's Labor Day weekend, and we're tracking big discounts across a wide variety of Apple and Apple-related products, including some of the best prices of the year on Studio Displays. You can also still get pre-order discounts on the new Mac minis on Amazon.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Mac Mini Pre-Orders

• What's the deal? Take up to $29 off Mac mini pre-orders


• Where can I get it? Amazon


• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Amazon this week introduced the first cash discounts on Apple's brand new Mac mini, with discounts including two of the M6 models as well as the M5 Pro model. All of these deals are pre-order discounts on the 2026 Mac mini, which officially launches on September 22.

Studio Display

• What's the deal? Take up to $330 off Apple Studio Displays


• Where can I get it? Amazon


• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Amazon this week introduced major discounts on the Apple Studio Display and Apple Studio Display XDR, providing up to $330 off these monitors. If you're shopping for the Studio Display, be sure to clip the on-page coupon on Amazon to get the final deal price.

Amazon Labor Day Sale

• What's the deal? Save on popular accessories at Amazon


• Where can I get it? Amazon


• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

There's a big accessory sale happening on Amazon this week, with the year's best prices on Anker chargers, Samsung monitors, Sonos audio products, and much more.

AirTag 2

• What's the deal? Take up to $19 off AirTag 2


• Where can I get it? Amazon


• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Apple's AirTag 2 is on sale for $79.99 this week on Amazon, down from $99.00. This deal is on the 4-Pack of the AirTag 2, and it's a new record low price for the accessory, beating the previous low by about $9.

If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

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This article, "Labor Day Deals Offer Up to $330 Off Studio Displays and Mac Mini Pre-Order Savings" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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For this week's giveaway, we've once again teamed up with Astropad to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win an M4 iPad Air, an Apple Pencil Pro, and an Astropad Rock Paper Pencil kit to use with it.


The $49.99 Rock Paper Pencil is a screen protector and ‌Apple Pencil‌ tip combo that makes writing on your iPad feel like writing on a piece of paper instead of a slippery glass display. It's a more comfortable and natural writing and drawing experience.


A non-adhesive paper-textured screen protector attaches to the ‌iPad‌'s display, with a custom tip added to the ‌Apple Pencil‌. The paper-like feel of the screen comes from a microscopic texture that adds friction to improve control.


Astropad this week launched the fourth iteration of Rock Paper Pencil, and it now comes with tips that have a different feel. There's a new graphite tip that's meant to feel like writing with a 2B pencil, which Astropad says is ideal for sketching and shading. It even sounds like writing with a pencil on paper when you use it. There's also a ballpoint tip that feels like using with a smooth gel pen. It's ideal for writing and linework. Two of each kind of tip are included in the kit.


When you want to use your ‌iPad‌ for watching videos or playing games, you can take off the screen protector and store it away in a protective sleeve. It attaches to the ‌iPad‌ with Astropad's NanoCling technology, so there's no adhesive to deal with.


For those who dislike the unnatural feel of writing or drawing on a glass surface with a plastic ‌Apple Pencil‌ tip, Rock Paper Pencil is worth checking out.

Rock Paper Pencil is compatible with all of Apple's M2, M3, M4, and M5 iPads, as well as many older iPads.

We have a Rock Paper Pencil kit, an M4 ‌iPad Air‌, and an ‌Apple Pencil‌ Pro for one lucky MacRumors reader. To enter to win, use the widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winner(s) and send the prize(s). You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, following us on Instagram, following us on Threads, or visiting the MacRumors Facebook page.

Due to the complexities of international laws regarding giveaways, only U.S. residents who are 18 years or older, UK residents who are 18 years or older, and Canadian residents who have reached the age of majority in their province or territory are eligible to enter. All federal, state, provincial, and/or local taxes, fees, and surcharges are the sole responsibility of the prize winner. To offer feedback or get more information on the giveaway restrictions, please refer to our Site Feedback section, as that is where discussion of the rules will be redirected.The contest will run from today (September 4) at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time on September 11. The winner will be chosen randomly on or shortly after September 11 and will be contacted by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before a new winner is chosen.
This article, "MacRumors Giveaway: Win an iPad Air and Revamped Rock Paper Pencil Kit From Astropad" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Ahead of Apple's "Surprise and shine" event on September 9, we talk through everything to expect on this week's episode of The MacRumors Show.


The event begins at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time at the Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California, and will be streamed on Apple's website, on YouTube, and through the Apple TV app. It is the first keynote since John Ternus succeeded Tim Cook as chief executive on September 1. Rumors suggest at least six new products will arrive at the event.

The Apple Watch Series 12 is expected to add a new chip, improved fitness tracking, better battery life, continuous heart-rate collection, and redesigned Health and Fitness experiences. A ceramic case option may return in white or dark gray, but no major redesign or Touch ID is now expected.

The Apple Watch Ultra 4 should receive the same new chip and health upgrades, again without a redesign. Apple may also expand its existing satellite connectivity features on the device with satellite Apple Maps and photo sharing in Messages.

AirPods 5 is expected to arrive in two versions, with and without active noise cancellation. Both may use an H3 chip for improved sound and lower latency, but are not expected to add the AirPods Pro 3's heart-rate sensor.

The iPhone 18 Pro should retain the iPhone 17 Pro's design while gaining an A20 Pro chip on TSMC's 2nm process, with RAM integrated on the same wafer. Other expected upgrades include a LTPO+ display, Samsung image sensor, simplified Camera Control without a capacitive layer, a narrower Dynamic Island, 12GB of RAM, 256GB base storage, and 5G satellite internet. It may use Apple's C2 modem outside the U.S., while U.S. models will likely retain Qualcomm hardware for mmWave connectivity.

The ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max should share the smaller models's upgrades while adding a 5,391mAh battery in China and 5,567mAh battery in the U.S.. It may be thicker, heavier, and around 243 grams, with a variable-aperture main camera that could be exclusive to the larger device.

The foldable iPhone, likely called the "iPhone Ultra," is expected to be the biggest announcement, using a wide passport-style design with 5.5-inch outer and 7.8-inch inner displays, an iPad-like 4:3 aspect ratio, and a nearly invisible screen crease. It may feature a titanium-and-aluminum chassis, liquid-metal hinge, vapor-chamber cooling, A20 Pro chip, dual 5,400mAh to 5,800mAh batteries, ‌Touch ID‌ power button instead of Face ID, rear wide and ultra wide cameras, dual selfie cameras in hole-punch cutouts, and the Camera Control button, with 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB storage options. It is also expected to be more repairable than rival foldables.

The MacRumors Show has its own YouTube channel, so make sure you're subscribed to keep up with new episodes and clips.



You can also listen to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, or other podcast apps. You can also copy our RSS feed directly into your player.



If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, catch up to hear our discussion about the new Mac mini and Mac Studio, the M6 and M5 Ultra chips, and invites to Apple's September event.

Subscribe to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ for new episodes every week, where we discuss some of the topical news breaking here on MacRumors, often joined by interesting guests such as Michael Fisher, Kayci Lacob, Kevin Nether, John Gruber, Mark Gurman, Jon Prosser, Luke Miani, Matthew Cassinelli, Brian Tong, Quinn Nelson, Jared Nelson, Eli Hodapp, Mike Bell, Sara Dietschy, iJustine, Jon Rettinger, Andru Edwards, Arnold Kim, Ben Sullins, Marcus Kane, Christopher Lawley, Frank McShan, David Lewis, Tyler Stalman, Sam Kohl, Federico Viticci, Thomas Frank, Jonathan Morrison, Ross Young, Ian Zelbo, and Rene Ritchie.

‌The MacRumors Show‌ is on X @MacRumorsShow, so be sure to give us a follow to keep up with the podcast. You can also email us at podcast@macrumors.com or head over to The MacRumors Show forum thread. Remember to rate and review the podcast, and let us know what subjects and guests you would like to see in the future.
This article, "The MacRumors Show: iPhone 18 Pro Event Expectations" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple's first foldable iPhone, dubbed the "iPhone Ultra," is expected to launch without at least four features that will be present on the iPhone 18 Pro models, despite a price tag of at least $2,000.



The iPhone Air lacks Ultra Wide and Telephoto rear cameras, a SIM card slot, and stereo speakers. With a super thin design, a titanium frame, and a glass back, the ‌iPhone Ultra‌ is expected to be very similar to the ‌iPhone Air‌ in terms of design, and it is possible that similar concessions will be present on the device. There are no indications that the ‌iPhone Ultra‌ will be missing stereo speakers, but it is not out of the question given the other compromises Apple has chosen to make. Based on over a year of reports and rumors, the ‌iPhone Ultra‌ could be missing the following features:

• Face ID/TrueDepth camera array


• Telephoto camera/third rear camera


• Action button


• Physical SIM card slot


• mmWave 5G

MagSafe was originally in question earlier in the rumor cycle.

Face ID

The ‌iPhone Ultra‌ is believed to be too thin to accommodate Apple's TrueDepth camera array, which is required for ‌Face ID‌ authentication, so Apple is expected to revert to a Touch ID side button instead.

There will still be a front-facing camera for both displays, with the inner one rumored to be a 24-megapixel under-display sensor, but biometric authentication will be handled by the fingerprint reader.

The last flagship iPhone with Touch ID was 2016's iPhone 7. The ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ models are moving in the opposite direction, apparently relocating ‌Face ID‌'s flood illuminator beneath the screen to shrink the Dynamic Island.

Telephoto Camera

As visible on dummy models shared by Sonny Dickson, Vadim Yuryev, and others, the ‌iPhone Ultra‌ is expected to sport only two rear cameras. These are believed to be 48-megapixel Wide and Ultra Wide lenses, with no third Telephoto camera of the kind found on the Pro models.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said last month that the people who have used the device are impressed by it, but singled out the camera system as the most likely disappointment for buyers.

Action Button

Dummy models continue to point to the absence of the Action button. A power button and volume buttons are clearly visible, with the volume buttons located on the top edge of the device and aligned to the right, similar to the iPad mini, but the left edge appears to be entirely bare. That would make the ‌iPhone Ultra‌ the first iPhone with no Action button or silent switch, some three years after Apple introduced the Action button on the iPhone 15 Pro as a replacement for the switch.

The unusual button layout was first rumored by Weibo leaker "Instant Digital," who said that the motherboard sits on the right side of the device. Rather than run cables across the display to the left side, where the volume buttons are located on every other iPhone, Apple is said to have decided to run them directly upwards to maximize internal space.

SIM Card Slot

Rumors indicate that the ‌iPhone Ultra‌ will also lack a SIM card slot, just like the ‌iPhone Air‌, being compatible with eSIM only. Gurman and analyst Ming-Chi Kuo both expect the device to be eSIM only in every market where it launches.

mmWave 5G Connectivity

The device is likely to miss mmWave 5G if it features Apple's in-house C2 modem as rumored, since reports indicate the C2 may still lack mmWave capability. ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ models sold in the United States are expected to retain Qualcomm hardware because they support the mmWave bands used by American carriers. Apple does not sell mmWave-capable iPhones outside the U.S.

The ‌iPhone Ultra‌'s C2-based configuration would therefore advance Apple's modem transition, just like the ‌iPhone Air‌, but could limit the device to sub-6GHz 5G.

MagSafe?

Bloomberg's ‌Mark Gurman‌ has now indicated that ‌MagSafe‌ will make it into the device after all. Speaking in an interview with Tom's Guide, Gurman said "all indications that I've heard is that ‌MagSafe‌ is in for this foldable phone," pointing to the fact that Apple managed to fit the magnet array into the ‌iPhone Air‌.

The uncertainty stemmed from the dummy models of the device that emerged earlier this year. Units shared by Dickson and Yuryev showed no indentations for the internal ‌MagSafe‌ magnets, while the mock ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max units shown alongside them clearly did. Leaked cases for the foldable, on the other hand, included a magnetic ring, leaving the question open until recently.

Price and Launch

The rumored starting price for the ‌iPhone Ultra‌ varies, but reports agree that it will not be below $1,999, with Kuo placing it somewhere between $2,000 and $2,500. The iPhone 17 Pro starts at $1,099 and has all of the above features, and while the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ is expected to see a price increase of $200 to $300, the ‌iPhone Ultra‌'s compromises could still prove controversial.

Apple will almost certainly unveil the device alongside the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max at its "Surprise and Shine" event on Wednesday, September 9.
This article, "Foldable 'iPhone Ultra' Still Likely to Be Missing These Five Features" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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