Apple's biggest new releases of 2026

iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max: evolution of the flagships 

Design and display 

The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max keep their screen sizes — 6.3 and 6.9 inches respectively — but the Dynamic Island cut-out has become noticeably more compact. It can now display up to three interactive Live Activities widgets at once, making it more functional. 

The body is made of aluminium with durable Ceramic Shield glass. The colour palette gains two new shades: Glacier (glacial blue) and Burgundy. The classic black and silver options are also available. 

Performance: the A20 Pro chip 

At the heart of the new models is the A20 Pro processor, built on a 2-nanometre process. The chip has 6 CPU cores (20% faster), 7 graphics cores (40% faster) and a 32-core Neural Engine whose performance has doubled. 

To sustain high speed under prolonged load, the engineers tripled the area of the vapour chamber in the cooling system. This is especially important for gamers and users of resource-intensive apps. 

Cameras: variable aperture and Siri AI in the viewfinder 

The main photography breakthrough is the new 48-megapixel Fusion camera with a variable aperture. The lens automatically lets in more light in the dark, producing quality shots even in low light. 

The camera app adds 4K time-lapses, a subject tracking mode, a full Pro mode and updated artistic styles. There is also a new feature for adjusting the audio after a video has been recorded. 

Worth a special mention is the integration of Siri AI directly into the camera interface: the algorithms evaluate the frame in real time and give the user practical tips on composition while shooting. 

Battery life and charging 

The iPhone 18 Pro lasts on a single charge as long as last year's 17 Pro Max — up to 24 hours of normal use. The larger iPhone 18 Pro Max delivers up to 30 hours of battery life and can play up to 45 hours of video. 

Fast charging has also improved: the battery can be topped up to 50% in just 15 minutes. 

Prices and dates 

• iPhone 18 Pro — from $1,199 
• iPhone 18 Pro Max — from $1,299 

Pre-orders from 12 September, on sale from 18 September 

iPhone Duo: Apple's first foldable smartphone 

Construction and screens 

The iPhone Duo is the thinnest device in Apple's history. When unfolded it is just 4 mm thick. A titanium frame ensures structural strength, and the multi-layer laminated nano-display has no visible crease at the fold at all. 

The device has two screens: 

Inner flexible display — 7.6 inches, supports the Apple Pencil

Outer screen — 5.4 inches, with a convenient aspect ratio for one-handed navigation 

Instead of Face ID, the engineers built a Touch ID fingerprint sensor right into the side power button. The front camera of the inner screen is completely hidden under the panel. 

Performance and connectivity 

Inside is a special version of the A20 Pro processor that runs 20% faster than the chip in the iPhone 17 Pro. Connectivity comes from the new in-house C2 modem: download speeds are up 50% while power consumption is down 15%. 

Software features 

The operating system is fully adapted to the large format: the interface supports Split View, running several apps at once and dragging items directly with gestures. Thanks to the movable hinge and Flex mode, the phone can be fixed at different angles, turning into a desk clock, a calendar or a stand for watching video. 

Cameras and battery life 

The camera system includes: 

• a 48-megapixel main sensor with 2x crop without loss of quality 
• a 48-megapixel ultra-wide module
• a 12-megapixel front camera with Center Stage 

The cameras support 4K HDR video recording, time-lapses and 4K clips at 120 fps. 

Power comes from a dual battery. The stated battery life reaches 24 hours with both screens in active use and a record 44 hours when folded. The battery can be charged to 50% in 20 minutes. 

Prices and dates 

Expected price — from $2,000

Availability — a month after the iPhone 18 line-up 

Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 

Apple Watch Series 12 

The new model comes in two case sizes — 42 mm and 46 mm. Buyers can choose aluminium, titanium or ceramic. Colours: Dark Bronze, Black, Light Gold and Space Grey. The titanium versions come in Radiant Gold and Natural Titanium finishes, the ceramic ones in Pearl White and Night Blue. The watch runs on the new S11 chip and watchOS 27, offering extended health and recovery tracking features. 

Apple Watch Ultra 4 

The flagship model for athletes and travellers comes in two finishes: natural titanium and black titanium. The device offers: 

• Up to 50 hours of battery life
• Dual-frequency GPS for improved accuracy
• Improved case protection 

Prices and dates 

Apple Watch Series 12 — from $399

Apple Watch Ultra 4 — from $799

Pre-orders from 9 September, on sale from 18 September 

AirPods 5: noise cancellation becomes more affordable 

Active noise cancellation in the base model 

The main novelty: active noise cancellation (ANC) is now available in the base model for $129. The engineers reworked the acoustic architecture of the earbuds and updated the Adaptive EQ for deeper, more detailed sound. 

ANC blocks up to 50% more external noise than the previous generation. Transparency mode has become more natural when passing through voices. 

Smart features 

The AirPods 5 support: 

• Adaptive Audio — automatically balances between noise cancellation and transparency
• Conversation Awareness — lowers the music volume when the user starts speaking
• Live Translation — real-time speech translation when paired with an iPhone, powered by Apple Intelligence 

Wireless charging version 

The $149 version comes with a wireless charging case and touch zones on the stems for adjusting the volume with swipes. Battery life is up to 5 hours with ANC on and up to 22 hours including the case battery. The case can be charged via USB-C, Qi or the Apple Watch charging puck. 

Prices and dates 

AirPods 5 — $129

AirPods 5 with wireless charging — $149

On sale from 18 September 

Pre-orders for the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max have been open since 12 September, with sales starting on 18 September. The iPhone Duo will arrive a month later.