In the early hours of September 10th Beijing time, Apple held its autumn launch event at the Steve Jobs Theater in Apple Park, unveiling its first-ever foldable iPhone—the iPhone Duo—with a starting price of 15,999 RMB in China, making it the most expensive iPhone in history. This marks the first time since the iPhone X in 2017 that the iPhone has adopted an entirely new form factor. The event also introduced the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4, and the AirPods 5. Interestingly, the standard iPhone 18 was absent from this showcase. This also marked the first major event under John Ternus, who has taken over as Apple's CEO. Tim Cook made a brief appearance on stage to officially hand over the reins to Ternus before stepping back into his role as Executive Chairman—a telling detail: Ternus skipped Cook's iconic "good morning" opener, choosing instead to greet the audience with a simple "Hello."

Kicking off the event was the iPhone 18 Pro series, available in four finishes: Burgundy, Glacier Blue, Silver, and Black, featuring an aluminum unibody design. The core upgrade lies in the A20 Pro chip, fabricated on a 2-nanometer process. Beyond core specs, Apple emphasized thermal management and packaging: the chip package has been redesigned, inspired by the M-series chips, directly connecting the silicon and memory to a vapor chamber. The new vapor chamber boasts triple the surface area of the iPhone 17 Pro's, with deionized water circulating continuously throughout the system, significantly boosting heat dissipation. Overall performance is up more than 40% compared to the iPhone 17 Pro and is more than double that of the iPhone 16 Pro. Thanks to the A20 Pro's efficiency, both models see marked battery life improvements, with the iPhone 18 Pro Max achieving the largest jump in iPhone history. In terms of charging, it can reach 50% in about 15 minutes, and just 5 minutes of charging provides up to 6 hours of video playback.

Imaging is another major upgrade this generation. The iPhone 18 Pro features a new 48-megapixel fusion main camera and debuts a physical variable aperture with four adjustable stops. Apple calls it "the most advanced camera we have ever made." To achieve the variable aperture, Apple developed a system of six laser-cut blades, each thinner than a human hair, crafted from a special polymer composite to balance mass, flexibility, and durability. The aperture adjusts automatically based on the scene, opening wider in dim conditions to let in about 50% more light, enhancing detail and color range. A new "Pro control options" feature allows manual adjustment of aperture, shutter speed, and white balance, along with histogram viewing, which Apple says will enable "truly unique photos that were previously impossible on an iPhone." Time-lapse now supports Dolby Vision HDR 4K resolution. Another new feature, called Apple Reference Image, verifies the authenticity of photos taken on the iPhone 18 Pro. The main camera signs photo data at the pixel level during capture, and private cloud computing then converts the signed data into an immutable image stored in the Photos app. Apple's analogy: "It's like having a digital negative." Accessories include an upgraded clear case and new colors for existing iPhone cases and bands.

Next was the AirPods 5, which continue the beloved open-ear design with richer, more refined sound tailored to more ear shapes, featuring a redesigned acoustic architecture and a new adaptive equalization function. Active noise cancellation is boosted up to 1.5 times compared to AirPods 4—a significant achievement for open-ear designs, where noise cancellation is inherently challenging, and this is the primary upgrade this generation. They support "Hey Siri" activation and include real-time translation capabilities. Available in a standard version and a version with a wireless charging case, the latter features a built-in force sensor for swipe volume control and longer battery life. Pricing remains on par with the previous generation: 999 RMB for the standard version and 1,149 RMB for the wireless charging case version, with a September 18th release.

The two new watches, the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4, show minimal design changes, with upgrades focused on the health sensing system. The new system improves three core elements based on innovative sensing technology: larger electrode surface area without increasing case size for better skin contact during ECG readings; redesigned photodiodes arranged in a ring pattern for more efficient light capture; and larger, more energy-efficient green LEDs that enable all-day accurate heart rate monitoring even during exercise. This results in a dramatic increase in sampling density: heart rate data is collected every 5 seconds, 60 times more frequently than before; heart rate variability sampling can occur as often as every 5 minutes, 24 times faster than previously. Building on this, Apple introduces three health features. The Ready Index score analyzes a user's recent activity, vital signs, and sleep each morning, providing a score that indicates the body's current state of readiness. Health Age combines metrics from the Apple Watch (such as VO2 max and sleep) with biomarkers from blood tests, helping users understand how their key health indicators align with their actual age and which habits have the greatest impact on their health age. The Health app has been completely redesigned this year, centered around Apple Intelligence, transforming various metrics into personalized guidance and adding a new "Longevity" tab that assesses overall health using metrics from iPhone and Apple Watch. The Health app also now includes a VO2 max test, which can observe a user performing a series of actions via the phone and instantly syncs results with the Apple Watch. The newest addition to the watch segment is Audio Intelligence—Apple positions this in contrast to Visual Intelligence: "Just as Visual Intelligence helps you understand what you see, Audio Intelligence helps you understand what you hear." Audio Intelligence currently includes three features. Sound Recognition identifies sounds like alarms, doorbells, and baby cries; Apple specifically notes this is especially important for enhancing awareness of the surroundings for those with hearing impairments. Live Replay, which Apple calls "rewind the last 15 seconds," transcribes and displays what was just said. Siri Conversation Recap uses environmental listening to record key points of conversations, such as team meetings or parent-teacher conferences, with Apple Intelligence generating titles, summaries, and key information for users to review in the Siri app. In terms of privacy controls, users can choose to have it always on or set a schedule, such as only during work hours and disabled at night, with the ability to toggle it on or off in the Control Center at any time. Apple emphasizes that these Audio Intelligence features do not create or store recordings. This feature will launch as a beta later this year, initially supporting English and expanding to more languages over time. These features run continuously thanks to an efficient always-on processor in the S11 chip. The Apple Watch Series 12 is available in aluminum, titanium, and ceramic case materials. The aluminum case features Ceramic Shield 2, offering 60% greater screen strength; titanium comes in two polished finishes: Gold and Natural; and ceramic is new to this generation. The Apple Watch Ultra 4 features a larger battery and improved efficiency, delivering up to two days of battery life, and is available in Black and Natural titanium, with new band colors and a new titanium Hermès band.

Closing the event was the iPhone Duo, the centerpiece of the show. Apple's first reference point wasn't screen size but the device's overall footprint—it's about the size of a passport. When closed, it's an iPhone; when unfolded, it reveals a 7.6-inch Super Retina XDR display, 50% larger than the iPhone 18 Pro Max and 80% larger than the iPhone 18 Pro, making it the largest display ever on an iPhone. In its unfolded state, it's the thinnest iPhone Apple has ever made, thanks to an internal architecture that packs critical components precisely together. Both the internal and external displays share the same aspect ratio. Crinkle and Structure: Foldable products have been around for seven years, yet the crease remains an industry-wide issue that has yet to be fully solved. Apple hasn't relied on a single technology but rather a combination of solutions. The display uses a new structural system with a multi-layer laminate designed to keep the screen flat and provide durability, with viscoelastic adhesive between layers allowing them to slide relative to each other like pages in a book during folding, preventing the panel from warping over time. A titanium plate serves as the underlying layer for added durability, a carbon fiber support plate creates a rigid yet lightweight platform for the display, and a composite structure of over 100 precision components connects everything. The surface treatment stems from a different need. Drawing on its experience with iPad and Mac, Apple developed a custom nanotexture surface treatment process that uses maskless laser etching to write individual microlenses pixel by pixel, significantly reducing glare and reflection. This visually smooth matte finish also has another effect: minimizing the visibility of the crease. The chassis uses a titanium frame, precision-machined and polished to a mirror finish. The central hinge structure features support ribs for added rigidity, and the antenna breaks are reinforced with high-performance inserts; Apple describes this part as "feels solid and balanced with every use." The back uses Ceramic Shield, the front uses Ceramic Shield 2, and the device is rated IP68. The hinge is designed to keep the screen flat when open and precisely control the opening and closing. On the environmental front, the hinge housing is 3D-printed with 100% recycled titanium, and the body incorporates 85% recycled titanium. Software Reconstruction: A foldable screen is just the prerequisite; having useful content on the large display when unfolded is the long-standing challenge for the foldable form factor. Apple's approach has been to re-examine the iPhone design principles used for years, adjusting the layout of every app. Important control buttons have been moved to the side for easy thumb access, and these controls are always in a fixed position on the edge; when switching between the two screens, the software gracefully expands and transitions from the outer display to the inner one, with controls staying put while content scales to take full advantage of the larger screen. The Dock on the home screen has been changed to a vertical orientation, while the status bar retains all essential information, embedded more compactly and flexibly into the corners of the device. The system also responds to the device's physical state: adjusting when folded, automatically switching orientation when placed on its side, and toggling to the appropriate display mode when flipped over. Apple says this experience is achieved through co-designed hardware and software across the entire system. A new StandBy mode allows for widgets like music, calendar, or weather, turning the iPhone Duo into a bedside clock emitting a soft glow.

Imaging & Unlock: The rear features a 48-megapixel fusion dual-camera system with a 2x zoom main camera and a fusion ultra-wide camera identical to the iPhone 18 Pro's. The front cameras are split into two: a 12-megapixel camera on the outer screen, centered, and a new under-display FaceTime camera on the inner display, usable whether fully unfolded or laid flat on a table. This enables several form-factor-driven features: dual-camera simultaneous shooting capturing both front and back scenes; dual-screen FaceTime allowing people nearby to join the conversation via the outer display; the outer screen serving as a preview viewfinder for selfies; and when photographing children, the outer screen can play animations to attract their attention to the camera. For biometrics, the iPhone Duo does away with Face ID, instead integrating Touch ID into the side button, and it can also be unlocked with an Apple Watch. The physical SIM card slot is also gone, supporting only eSIM, worldwide. Performance is up to 35% faster than the iPhone 17 Pro. It features a new cellular modem, the C2, which is 50% faster than the C1X, uses 15% less battery, and employs AI algorithms to improve cellular reliability, such as reconnecting faster in areas with weak coverage. Two independent batteries are placed on either side of the device, working together to provide all-day battery life. Accessories include the Duo Folio case with an integrated stand, consisting of two separate parts that wrap each half of the device. Price & Release: The iPhone Duo comes in Starlight White and Midnight Black. Apple says it will offer favorable trade-in options. Pre-orders begin October 16th, with the official launch on October 23rd, about five weeks later than the other new products. During the event, Apple summed up the product in one line: "This is an iPhone unlike any other."

In conclusion, what's most noteworthy about this event may not be how well the crease is controlled, but the trade-offs Apple made with the iPhone Duo. Face ID, the telephoto lens, and the physical SIM card slot are all absent simultaneously. Such a configuration would be unthinkable on any iPhone labeled "Pro," yet the iPhone Duo is the most expensive product of the event, with the top-tier price surpassing most MacBook Pros. What Apple got in return is the thinness in its unfolded state and a screen with a nearly invisible crease. Whether this trade-off holds up, Apple itself hasn't claimed certainty. It didn't name the iPhone Duo "Pro," nor did it claim superior performance, settling instead for the descriptor "unlike any other." Over the past seven years, the foldable form factor has failed to truly enter the mainstream, and the crux has never been whether the hardware can fold, but whether there's worthwhile content on that unfolded screen. Apple has put its primary effort into software reconstruction—Dock orientation, fixed control positions, system responses to folding and flipping. These elements won't show up on a spec sheet, yet they are precisely where the foldable form factor is most prone to missteps. Of course, the verdict will have to wait until after October 23rd: once the first batch of devices reaches users and third-party apps truly run on that large screen, the answer will slowly emerge.