Apple has announced a trio of new iPhones at its usual September showcase, though the roster is a little different this time around. Rather than the usual pair of standard and Pro models, the company's latest showcase featured just three iPhones.
The first cab off the rank here is the iPhone 18 Pro. Built around a 6.3-inch Super Retina XDR display, it's more familiar than not.
Aside from the smaller Dynamic Island, the exterior is very much in line with last year's iPhone 17 Pro. There's Ceramic Shield 2 on the front, the standard action and camera control buttons on the sides, and then some more Ceramic Shield glass on the back.
Speaking of, the rear camera setup found on the cheapest of Apple's new iPhones does come with one major upgrade. The old 48MP main camera has been traded out for a new one with the same number of megapixels but the ability to toggle between different apertures to suit the situation.
Under the hood, the iPhone 18 Pro also comes kitted out with the new A20 Pro processor. This silicon promises to make the most of the vapour chamber inside the device and deliver a 40% increase in sustained performance versus the A19 Pro.
The iPhone 18 Pro comes in four storage options, which start at 256GB and go all the way to 2TB. Unfortunately, the starting price is higher than that of last year's iPhone 17 Pro at $2,099.
Naturally, the iPhone 18 Pro Max is the next model up. It features a larger 6.9-inch Super Retina XDR Display. However, aside from the additional utility that comes with those extra pixels-per-inch (and the increase in battery size that comes with it), there's not much separating this device from the iPhone 18 Pro.
All the key upgrades and tweaks seen above are found here, from the A20 Pro processor to the new 48MP Fusion camera with variable aperture to the vapour chamber.
As with the iPhone 18 Pro, the iPhone 18 Pro Max comes in storage options that start at 256GB and stretch up to 2TB. Again, the starting price of this year's big-screen iPhone easily eclipses that of its predecessor at $2,299.
Of course, the third and most noteworthy new iPhone on the menu this year is the iPhone Duo. This is Apple's long-rumoured foldable iPhone. It features a 5.4-inch cover display and a 7.5-inch inner display. To the eye, it's more than a little bit reminiscent of Samsung's overhauled Galaxy Z Fold 8.
The form factor found here is similarly slim to the iPhone Air at just 5.2mm but relatively heavier at around 254g. Both screens on the iPhone Duo are Super Retina XDR displays clocked at 120Hz and clad in Ceramic Shield 2 and a custom nano-texture finish, respectively, for added durability and readability. The device is also IP68-rated against water and dust damage.
The back of the iPhone Duo features a dual 48MP camera configuration, which does not incorporate the new variable aperture lens found on the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. It also loses the telephoto lens, which is disappointing but not entirely unexpected given the camera compromises that typically come with foldable devices.
Meanwhile, the cover display comes with a 12MP Centre Stage selfie camera. Finally, the inner display features an under-display camera that's invisible when not in use.
Under the hood, Apple's first foldable comes powered by the same A20 Pro processor seen in its siblings. As opposed to the Pro models, though, the iPhone Duo doesn't support Face ID. Instead, it uses Touch ID via a fingerprint sensor built into the power key.
While the hardware is eye-catching, Apple is also talking a big game when it comes to the software side of things. The iPhone Duo boasts a redesigned version of iOS, which moves navigation elements to the side, stacks dock functionality into collapsible menus, and offers better support for multitasking and app continuity across the two displays.
In Australia, the iPhone Duo starts at $3,499 for the 256GB model. The device is also available in larger storage capacities, going all the way up to 2TB. However, in line with the other models, those extra gigabytes do come at a sizable premium.
The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will be available to pre-order locally from 10PM AEST on 12 September ahead of an on-sale date of 18 September. Early adopters eyeing Apple's first foldable will have to wait a little longer.
The iPhone Duo won't become available to pre-order until 11PM AEST on 16 October, with a local launch set to follow on 23 October.
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