News Desk: Apple has unveiled the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, bringing major upgrades in camera technology, performance, battery life and artificial intelligence. But it was the company’s first-ever foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo, that emerged as the biggest talking point at Apple’s latest launch event.
The iPhone 18 Pro lineup is powered by Apple’s new A20 Pro chip and features a next-generation C2 modem, while the camera system gets one of the biggest upgrades in the history of the iPhone with the introduction of a 48-megapixel Fusion Main camera with variable aperture.
Apple says the new Pro models deliver significant improvements in sustained performance and battery life, while iOS 27, Apple Intelligence and Siri AI add a stronger artificial-intelligence layer to the devices.
iPhone Duo takes centre stage
While the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max continue Apple’s traditional flagship design, the iPhone Duo represents a major departure. It is Apple’s first foldable iPhone and opens to reveal a 7.6-inch inner display, the largest screen ever fitted to an iPhone. When folded, it uses a 5.4-inch outer display.
Apple says the Duo is its thinnest iPhone ever when opened and uses a titanium frame, precision hinge and dual-battery architecture. Its foldable design also supports new multitasking and camera experiences, positioning the device as both a premium smartphone and a productivity machine.
In India, the iPhone Duo starts at ₹2,99,900. Pre-orders will begin at 5:30 PM IST on October 16, with sales starting October 23.
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The new FOLDABLE iPhone Duo will start at $2,000, with sales expected as early as October.
The Pro models feature a A20 Pro chip, upgraded on-device AI and a… pic.twitter.com/2cgGw3i5FL
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iPhone 18 Pro, Pro Max price and availability
The iPhone 18 Pro starts at ₹1,64,900 in India, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at ₹1,79,900.
Pre-orders for both models will begin at 5:30 PM IST on September 12, with availability starting September 18.
The phones come in black, silver, glacier and a new burgundy finish, giving the Pro lineup a refreshed visual identity.
Variable aperture comes to iPhone
The camera is among the biggest attractions of the new Pro models. For the first time, Apple has introduced a variable-aperture system on the iPhone’s main camera.
The 48MP Fusion Main camera is designed to provide greater control over light and depth of field, while Apple says it improves low-light photography and video. The new Pro Controls also give users greater manual control over camera settings.
Apple is also introducing Apple Reference Image, a technology aimed at establishing the authenticity of photographs captured by the new iPhone cameras. Reuters reported that the feature is part of Apple’s broader effort to address concerns surrounding AI-generated and manipulated imagery.
A20 Pro powers the new generation
At the heart of the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max is Apple’s A20 Pro processor, designed to deliver a major jump in computing, graphics and AI performance.
Apple has paired the chip with a redesigned vapour-chamber thermal system to help sustain demanding workloads for longer. The company says the combination delivers the highest sustained performance yet seen on an iPhone.
The same A20 Pro chip also powers the iPhone Duo, highlighting Apple’s strategy of using its most powerful silicon across its premium flagship devices.
New C2 modem boosts connectivity
The iPhone 18 Pro series also introduces Apple’s C2 modem, marking another step in the company’s effort to develop more of its core hardware in-house.
The modem is designed to improve cellular connectivity and efficiency, while the new Pro models also benefit from Apple’s latest wireless technologies. The iPhone Duo likewise uses the C2 modem.
Battery life gets a major boost
Battery endurance is another major selling point of the new Pro lineup. Apple says the iPhone 18 Pro Max delivers up to 43 hours of video playback, the longest battery life ever offered on an iPhone, according to Apple’s India website.
The iPhone Duo, meanwhile, offers up to 44 hours of video playback when using its outer display and up to 31 hours when using the larger inner display, according to Apple’s India store.
iOS 27 and Siri AI
Both the iPhone 18 Pro series and iPhone Duo ship with iOS 27, bringing Apple’s latest Apple Intelligence features and its upgraded Siri AI experience.
Apple is positioning the new devices as more than hardware upgrades, with AI increasingly integrated into photography, productivity, personal context and everyday interactions.
Apple makes its biggest design bet in years
The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max represent a substantial upgrade to Apple’s established flagship formula, particularly in cameras, silicon and battery performance. But the iPhone Duo is the real statement product.
With a foldable design, a 7.6-inch display, A20 Pro chip and a starting price of ₹2,99,900 in India, the Duo puts Apple directly into a premium foldable market dominated for years by Samsung and Chinese smartphone makers. Reuters described the launch as Apple’s biggest iPhone design overhaul since the iPhone X era.
Apple is therefore betting that its first foldable iPhone can do more than compete in an established category—it can make foldable smartphones mainstream.
