T-Mobile will charge customers $5 per month to use iPhone Handoff, an e-SIM feature that allows the same phone number to be used on two separate iPhones.


iPhone Handoff requires carrier support, and at launch, only T-Mobile users in the U.S. and Deutsche Telekom users in Germany will be able to use it.

T-Mobile says customers can use their number across two compatible iPhone models and elect which phone is active at any given time. Features like calls, texts, data, mobile hotspot, Scam Shield, and T-Satellite will work on both devices with an eligible plan.

Apple is adding support for iPhone Handoff in iOS 27. It requires 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. It can be turned on when activating a new iPhone or in the Settings app.

When iPhone Handoff is enabled, one iPhone serves as a main iPhone and the other iPhone is the secondary device that shares the same number. Moving between the main iPhone and secondary iPhone happens automatically when you unlock one of the devices.

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 also does not transfer an Apple Watch from one iPhone to another.

iPhone Handoff works with Dual SIM as long as both eSIMs are from carriers that support iPhone Handoff. Both eSIMs will switch 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, and the new iPhone 18 Pro models will launch on Friday, September 18.
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With the Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4, Apple is adding Live Rewind, which relies on an S11 processor and new continual listening features.


Live Rewind listens to what's happening around the wearer, and when activated with a double press on the Digital Crown, offers a transcript of what was said in the last 15 seconds. Apple says the feature will let users catch something they missed or are less familiar with. Snippets can be referred to Siri for further evaluation or saved to the ‌Siri‌ app.

Apple users are already expressing privacy concerns about Live Rewind, and likening it to Meta's much-maligned smart glasses, but no Apple Watch user will be able to activate it surreptitiously.

When the Digital Crown is pressed for Live Rewind, the Apple Watch will sound an audible chime from the speaker. The chime will sound even if the Apple Watch is on silent or if headphones are connected. At the same time, a full-display animation and microphone indicator will appear, with the combination meant to alert those nearby that the feature has been activated.

Apple says Live Rewind only activates with a deliberate press on the Digital Crown and all processing is done on-device. It shows the last 15 seconds of speech as a text snippet on the display, and does not continue to transcribe in the background. It can be turned on or off through the Watch app on the iPhone.

The Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 have an S11 chip equipped with a Secure Exclave. Apple describes the Secure Exclave as a hardware-isolated compartment that processes sensor data separately from the rest of the system. Data processed and analyzed in the Secure Exclave is not accessible by the operating system, apps, the user, or Apple.

Live Rewind and other Audio Intelligence features do not generate audio recordings. Audio flows into the Secure Exclave, is processed, and then deleted.

According to Apple, Live Rewind text snippets "disappear permanently" from the Apple Watch approximately 30 seconds after the Apple Watch display dims, unless the info is saved to the ‌Siri‌ app.

Live Rewind requires an Apple Watch Series 12 or Apple Watch Ultra 4 paired with an iPhone 16 or later, though the iPhone 16e is not compatible. Apple Intelligence and ‌Siri‌ AI are required, and the feature is not available for users under 13. The feature will launch later this year and won't be in the initial versions of watchOS 27 and iOS 27.
This article, "You Can't Use Apple Watch's Live Rewind Secretly, Apple Says" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Paleontologists in Montana have discovered remarkably preserved feathers of an ancient aquatic bird inside a fossilized dinosaur dropping, offering rare insight into why certain birds survived the asteroid strike that wiped out the dinosaurs 66 million years ago.

The post Exceptionally Preserved Bird Feathers Found in 66-Million-Year-Old Dinosaur Coprolite appeared first on Sci.News: Breaking Science News.

Apple is planning a major redesign of the Health app on iPhone and iPad, with a long list of new features set to be added. Apple announced the Health app changes at yesterday's iPhone event.


The Health app is getting an update because Apple overhauled the sensors in the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4. There's a Health Sensing System with three main improvements: increased electrode surface area for better skin contact during ECG readings, redesigned photodiodes arranged in a ring to capture light more efficiently for optical sensing, and power-efficient green LEDs for capturing continuous heart rate data.

The new watches take heart rate readings every five seconds throughout the day, and more frequently measure heart rate variability (HRV). All of the data collected is sent to the Health app on iPhone. Apple says in a head-to-head study against other wearables using an ECG chest strap as reference, the new Apple Watch had the most accurate heart rate sensing.

Apple Intelligence Guidance

The Health app will turn the data and metrics that it collects into personalized guidance thanks to Apple Intelligence integration. There are several new sections coming to the Health app.

• Insights - The Insights tab offers an Apple Intelligence-generated summary of timely information like your latest sleep metrics or a new peak in VO2 max. There are options to get custom advice on readiness, fitness, heart health, and more in the For You section.


• Personal Guidance - Personal guidance is part of the Insights tab. It knows what's important to you, and will make relevant suggestions. Apple says if you're working on your cardio, you might see a suggestion to incorporate intervals into your morning run. Recommendations adapt to each user and their data.


• Readiness - The new Apple Watch models calculate a readiness score that takes into account recent activity, vitals, and sleep score. It gives a 0–10 score with recommendations on activity level. Readouts include Recover, Pace Yourself, Ready, or Go For It. Info is shown on the watch, in the Fitness app, and in the Health app's Insights tab.


• Fitness - Insights incorporates your daily activity and it updates throughout the day.


• Vitals - The Vitals option in the Health app has new overnight views and daytime views. HRV is incorporated as a metric, offering a better look at your ability to recover from stress. It measures overall HRV and recovery HRV.


• Longevity - There is a new Longevity tab in the Health app. It uses metrics from your iPhone and Apple Watch to assess overall health across heart health, sleep, mental wellbeing, movement health, metabolic health, hearing, and nutrition. The section shows you how well you're doing in each category, and how each metric is classified against the latest clinical guidance.


• Health Age - Health Age is part of the Longevity tab. It uses metrics like VO2 max, resting heart rate, HRV, sleep, and biomarkers from blood work to determine how your health metrics compare to your actual age. It will help you figure out what habits make the biggest impact on your health, and how you can improve.

Lab Results

Health Age and Longevity can be more useful with lab results. Users can upload lab results manually or sync medical records.

Apple has also partnered with Quest to offer U.S. users an option to buy a full bloodwork panel that covers more than 50 biomarkers. The test is priced at $119, and users will be able to buy it right in the Health app. It'll require a visit to a Quest lab location, and results are combined with data from the Apple Watch and analyzed on iPhone. Apple says users will get videos from clinical experts related to their results.

According to Quest, the panel delivers preventive health insights and includes biomarkers for assessing cardiometabolic health and organ function. It also includes biometric readings that measure blood pressure, height, weight, and waist and hip circumferences. Since the test isn't available in the Health app yet, a full list of what's included isn't known.

Apple competitor Oura offers a similar testing option through Quest. The $99 test checks more than 50 biomarkers, and Oura runs discounts.

Quest has approximately 2,000 locations across the U.S. Results appear in the Health app shortly after testing.

Movement Evaluations

Apple is adding new at-home health assessments you can complete, such as a VO2 max test. The test uses the iPhone camera to track your movements as you follow moves and instructions from a trainer. The tests offer real-time audio and visual feedback.

There are in-depth physical assessments for measuring flexibility, strength, balance, and movement mechanics in addition to VO2 max.

Apple says the tests are useful to see how well your body is moving or to track your progress recovering from an injury. Tests run on device with no video recorded or stored, and users get an exercise plan after completing a test.

Cycle Tracking

Apple is adding perimenopause and menopause support to Cycle Tracking in the Health app.

Device Requirements

Apple Watch users with an Apple Intelligence-capable iPhone will get the updated Health app when it launches, but readiness, more frequent heart rate readings, and more frequent HRV readings require a Series 12 or Ultra 4.

Launch Date

Apple says the new Health app is coming in late 2026, but the company did not give a specific launch date. It will be available in U.S. English at launch, with more languages to follow.
This article, "iOS 27 Apple Health App Redesign: Every New Feature Coming in 2026" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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In this guide, we talk about six reasons why you can consider buying the newest AirPods 5 for $129 and AirPods 5 with Wireless Case for $149.

Apple yesterday announced the Apple Watch Series 12, Apple Watch Ultra 4, and AirPods 5 at its "Surprise and Shine" event, and today all of these devices are up for pre-order on Amazon. This also includes the first cash discount on the Apple Watch Series 12.

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.

AirPods 5

You can pre-order the AirPods 5 and AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case right now on Amazon, available for $129.00 and $149.00, respectively. There are no pre-order deals yet on these devices, and they will officially launch on September 18.




If you're looking to save some money, and don't need Active Noise Cancellation, Amazon currently has the previous generation AirPods 4 for $99.00, down from $129.00. There's also a solid deal on the AirPods Max 2 for $449.00, down from $549.00.

Apple Watch Series 12

Apple Watch Series 12 models are also up for pre-order on Amazon today, starting at $399.00 for 42mm GPS devices and $449.00 for 46mm GPS devices. These will also launch on September 18 alongside the new AirPods 5.




If you're interested in the cellular models of the Apple Watch Series 12, you have a chance to get the first savings on these devices via Amazon. The 42mm Cellular Series 12 is available for pre-order at $489.99, down from $499.00, which isn't a large markdown but it is the only deal you'll find on these brand-new watches online right now.




You can also pre-order the new Titanium Apple Watch Series 12 models starting at $699.00, and the Ceramic model is available for $949.00.

Apple Watch Ultra 4

The Apple Watch Ultra 4 is available for pre-order on Amazon for $799.00 in Black and Natural Titanium color options. This device will launch on September 18, alongside the Series 12 and AirPods 5.



For a full breakdown of everything Apple announced this week, be sure to visit our dedicated post with all of the biggest pieces of news from the event.


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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It's iPhone pre-order week, which means anyone looking to get the new iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max will likely be looking for new cases and protection for the smartphones. Below we're tracking all of the best case and screen protector options from the most popular accessory brands, including ZAGG, Nomad, and more.

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.

Most of these retailers aren't offering discounts on these new case accessories, but at ZAGG you can get 20 percent off your order when you purchase any two accessories. This is a perfect opportunity to save some money with a new case and screen protector for your new iPhone.

• ZAGG - iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo cases and screen protectors (20% off two items)


• Nomad - iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo cases


• Belkin - iPhone 18 Pro cases and screen protectors


• Burton Goods - Leather iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo cases


• Casely - Colorful iPhone 18 cases


• ESR - iPhone 18 Pro and AirPods 5 cases


• OtterBox - iPhone 18 Pro cases

There are some iPhone Duo case and screen protector options available from these retailers as well, but shoppers should remember the Duo itself won't launch until later in October. 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, "Shop the Best Cases for Your New iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone Duo" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Upgrade your current device with the official iPhone 18 Pro wallpapers from the iOS 27 Release Candidate.

Download the iPhone Duo folding wallpaper designs now for your current single screen devices.

Apple’s iPhone lineup is taking a different shape this year.

At today’s Surprise and Shine event, the company introduced the iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max alongside the iPhone Duo, its first foldable iPhone. The Pro models build on the familiar design introduced last year, while the Duo marks the debut of an iPhone with a brand new form factor that combines a smaller, outer display with a larger, almost iPad mini-like internal display.

As a longtime iPad user who’s long been fascinated by foldables (and I’ve tried some over the years, too), I’ve been eagerly anticipating Apple’s debut in this space. Based on what we’ve seen today, it looks like Apple was able to deliver on the promise of a new iPhone category that combines the best of iOS with concepts borrowed from iPadOS, turning the iPhone into a versatile pocket computer that epitomizes Apple CEO John Ternus’ concept of the “personal hub”.

As we’ll see in this article, while the iPhone 18 Pro’s story largely revolves around the camera (unsurprisingly) and improved performance (some of the A20 Pro’s numbers are, in fact, a surprise merely a year after the A19 Pro), the iPhone Duo marks a new beginning for iOS, which now supports features that never existed on the platform before, as well as a series of interactions that Apple is exploring for the first time.

Let’s dive in.

iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max

Let’s start with the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, which follow a familiar approach: take the existing design from last year’s Pro models and improve the cameras, performance, and battery life.

Both phones feature the same 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch displays as last year, respectively, with 3,000 nits of peak outdoor brightness (also unchanged). The Dynamic Island is smaller, and because of that, it can now show more data – up to three Live Activities at once – without sacrificing Face ID.

“With iPhone 18 Pro, we’ve made advancements to the areas our users care about most: camera, performance, battery, and intelligence. And we didn’t just make incremental improvements in these areas — we took huge leaps forward to create the best Pro iPhone we’ve ever made,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “iPhone 18 Pro makes it easy for anyone to capture stunning photos and videos using variable aperture, while providing more versatility for creators and more control for pros. Paired with impactful upgrades to Photographic Styles and powerful video capabilities, iPhone 18 Pro unlocks entirely new ways for users to express themselves.”

Cameras

As you know, I’m not a professional photographer, and I seldom take advantage of the latest “pro” features in the iPhone’s camera. But I, too, have to admit that the camera additions to the 18 Pro line sound remarkable.

The biggest change is the 48MP Fusion Main camera’s variable aperture. Six blades physically move inside the camera and adjust the opening between four settings: ƒ/1.48, ƒ/1.8, ƒ/2.8, and ƒ/4. In practice, this means the camera can let in more light in a dark scene or keep more people in focus in a group photo.

This can happen automatically, but you can also take over with the Camera app’s new Pro controls, which include aperture, shutter speed, white balance, and a histogram. As of the release candidate version of iOS 27 released a few hours ago, the Camera app supports the long-rumored control customization (on all iPhone models, including the current 17 Pro), too, giving you even finer control over the, well, controls you want to see available at all times.

Of course, there are also 48MP Ultra Wide and 4x Telephoto cameras, plus the usual optical-quality 8x option. On the software side, Photographic Styles is gaining texture and grain controls, Cinematic effects can be applied after capture to videos shot at up to 60 fps, and time-lapse now supports 4K Dolby Vision. Audio Mix is getting improved voice processing and music isolation as well.

What I find especially interesting, however, is the concept behind Apple Reference Image. When you take a photo in Reference mode, the Main camera captures signed sensor data that Private Cloud Compute authenticates and turns into an unalterable reference image. You can think of it as a digital negative. You can view the authenticated version of an image alongside the main one in Photos to see what was changed after capture, and, as Apple notes, this has interesting implications when it comes to AI. In an era where validating image authenticity is turning into a real challenge, I think we have to commend Apple for trying to do something in this field.

It’s also worth noting that Apple will add support for SynthID, the industry standard for watermarking images created with AI adopted by OpenAI, Google, and others. According to Apple, “SynthID will be available in a software update later this year and will be included for most edited images, depending on the edits applied”.

Performance and Battery

The new 2 nm A20 Pro features a 6-core CPU, 7-core GPU, and Dual 16-core Neural Engine. According to Apple, it offers up to 40% faster graphics and twice the AI processing power of A19 Pro.

Now, having recently written about the potential of the M5 Ultra and M6 for local AI on the Mac, I’m obviously very keen to see what the A20 Pro will mean for running local LLMs on the iPhone 18 Pro (and iPhone Duo, since it has the same chipset). For instance, would this chip run an edge-optimized model such as Liquid’s LFM2.5-8B-A1B at higher than 30 tokens per second? What about small specialized models such as Desert Ant Labs’ family of small language models – how much more efficient would they be on the A20 Pro compared to the A19 Pro? I can’t wait to find out.

In any case, to visualize Apple’s numbers announced today against current and previous generations of iPhones, I’ve put together some handy widgets and visualizations to help you put things in perspective.

Moving on to other performance-related changes, a redesigned vapor chamber with three times the surface area helps deliver up to 40% better sustained performance than iPhone 17 Pro. Given Apple’s focus on gaming and AI for these phones, I look forward to comparing heat dissipation between my 17 Pro and 18 Pro.

As for battery life, Apple quotes up to 36 hours of video playback for the Pro and a whopping 45 hours for the Pro Max – the longest battery life ever in an iPhone. (There’s a caveat: those figures apply to eSIM-only models; versions with a physical SIM get two hours less.) Also new this year: both phones can charge to 50% in around 15 minutes with a compatible 60W-capable USB-C adapter that supports Adjustable Voltage Supply, whereas MagSafe and Qi2 still top out at 25W.

Pricing and Availability

The iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199 in the U.S., while the Pro Max starts at $1,299 (a $100 price hike compared to last year for both versions).

Both models come in black, silver, glacier, and the new burgundy (which I think looks great), with storage ranging from 256GB to 2TB. Preorders open September 12 at 5 a.m. Pacific, with availability on September 18.

iPhone Duo

Alright, let’s now talk about the iPhone I’ve been dreaming of for the past several years.

The basic idea is easy enough to understand: the iPhone Duo is a foldable device with a passport-style design that has a smaller screen on the outside, and can be opened to reveal a larger one. You’ve seen foldables before. This one goes from a 5.4-inch display that opens up to reveal a 7.6-inch one inside – effectively almost reaching the dimensions of an iPad mini. When taking a look at pictures and videos of the iPhone Duo in portrait and landscape, it’s hard not to think of Apple’s diminutive tablet.

What’s more interesting, however, is what Apple has done with the iPhone Duo’s software to take advantage of that extra space. First off, it’s important to clarify that the iPhone Duo does not run iPadOS and it is not an iPad when you open it. The iPhone Duo runs a special version of iOS that was “inspired” by certain elements of the iPad – such as Split View multitasking, or inter-app drag and drop – but which also introduces new ideas never seen before in either iPadOS or iOS, such as tabletop layouts, Liquid Glass controls on the side of the screen, and more.

Design, Displays, and…Apple Pencil?

First, the hardware. The Duo is made of mirror-polished titanium and weighs 254 grams. Closed, it measures 117.8 × 84.1 × 11.3 mm; open, it’s 117.8 × 164.6 × 5.2 mm. Both OLED displays support ProMotion up to 120Hz, Always-On, and 3,000 nits of peak outdoor brightness. According to Apple, the inner screen gives you 50% more display area than an iPhone 18 Pro Max, and it supports any orientation.

The inner display, just like high-end iPad Pro models, has a nano-texture finish, which has been designed to reduce glare and make the crease less visible. Note the distinction here: Apple isn’t saying there’s no crease; they’re saying the material “minimizes crease visibility”. Judging from early pictures and hands-on videos posted online, it appears that the crease will be slightly visible when the inner display is viewed from certain angles.

During the event’s video, Apple was also very proud to show off the hinge mechanism they designed for the iPhone Duo, which is comprised of over 100 components that support the center of the display:

Ceramic Shield protects the back of the device, with Ceramic Shield 2 on the outer display. The Duo also carries an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance. These are reassuring details in theory, but, as with any foldable, durability will have to be tested over time.

Now, what is arguably a pain point of this first-generation iPhone Duo is the lack of Face ID. Instead, Apple has put Touch ID in the side button, similar to the iPad mini, so it works regardless of whether the phone is open or closed. After nine years of Face ID on the iPhone, it’s going to be tough to get reacquainted with Touch ID; I hope that Apple’s placement of the button and support for multiple fingerprints will alleviate those concerns. We’ll see.

You can also unlock the Duo with an Apple Watch, which I assume is going to be similar to how this feature works with a nearby paired Mac. If that method works well, there’s a chance we won’t miss Face ID’s simplicity much, after all.

Lastly, in a first for an iPhone, both screens will support the Apple Pencil (USB-C model). This is what it looks like:

Sorry, wrong file. This is what it looks like:

In the announcement video, Apple said Pencil integration will be available “later this year”.

Cameras

The camera system is another area where the Duo differs from the Pro models. In the Duo, you get a 48MP Fusion Main camera with a fixed ƒ/1.6 aperture, plus a 48MP Fusion Ultra Wide with an ƒ/2.2 aperture and macro support. There’s no dedicated Telephoto lens, although the Main camera offers an optical-quality 2x option. The outer display has a 12MP Center Stage camera, while a separate FaceTime camera sits underneath the inner display and records video at up to 1080p and 60 fps. From Apple’s demo videos, it appears that the area surrounding the under-display camera will look slightly dimmer; I’d like to understand if this is something that will be visible at all times, or if it’s a UI decision to indicate where the camera actually is.

What the Duo offers is also a series of features designed around the idea of having two screens. With Duo Preview, the person you’re photographing can see the live camera view on the outer display and adjust their pose or framing if they want to. You can use that screen to take selfies with the rear cameras, too. Kid Cue takes a more playful approach, putting Peanuts animations (and ideally something else, too?) on the outer display to get children to look at the camera while you’re framing a shot.

With the Duo propped up thanks to one of its “halves”, the new Smart Take feature uses on-device AI to recognize when people are posing and automatically take their photo. And Duo FaceTime lets someone sitting with you join a call using the outer screen and camera, rather than having everyone squeeze into the same shot.

We’ve seen some of these features on other foldables before, but I think Apple is offering a more complete, consistent package with these different “postures” for the iPhone Duo and the Camera app from the get-go.

Performance and Battery

The Duo runs the same A20 Pro as the Pro models, paired with its own vapor chamber.

Battery life is a little more complicated to describe when a phone has two displays. Apple quotes up to 31 hours of video playback on the inner screen or 44 hours on the outer one. The company also gives a separate estimate of up to 24 hours of “typical use”, based on using the two screens equally. Obviously, how you divide your time between the displays will make a difference here.

For charging, you’re looking at up to 50% in around 20 minutes with a 60W-capable wired adapter, or around 30 minutes with a compatible MagSafe charger and adapter. MagSafe and Qi2 both support up to 25W.

iOS and Multitasking

As a longtime iPad user, this is the part of the Duo’s story that interests me most. And I feel that, as someone who’s spent over a decade witnessing the iPad’s multitasking evolution, I’ve been waiting for this kind of iPhone model to arrive, and I can’t wait to get my hands on it.

Apple will ship the iPhone Duo with iOS 27.1, and the iOS interface has been adapted to function as a hybrid of a miniaturized iPadOS and an enlarged iOS that moves several controls off to the side of the screen.

For starters, Lock Screen controls, the Home Screen dock, and app navigation are moving to the side to make more vertical room for content. This makes sense given the device’s atypically short aspect ratio; as you can see from one of Apple’s shots, it seems like bottom tab bars will automatically be anchored on the right side of the screen and displayed vertically.

When you open the Duo, the Home Screen displays two pages at the same time, which you can customize with widgets. It’s unclear, at the moment, whether the dock will support adding more than four app icons to it (my money is, sadly, on “no”).

Even the Dynamic Island has been rethought as a vertical element along the side of both displays.

Thus, the idea here is that iOS should follow along as you fold, rotate, or flip the Duo. This kind of layout flexibility is unprecedented for iOS, and when you factor in the fact that iOS 27 will be able to measure the angle to which the Duo is open in real time, it opens the door to some fascinating software design decisions. For example, iOS can dynamically adapt to a not-fully-open Duo and change the keyboard layout to move the keys away from the folding area:

Or, it can put the keyboard on the part of the screen that’s sitting flat on a surface:

Or, you can turn the device to portrait mode, and type on it as if it were a smaller iPad mini:

Then there’s Split View, which brings two apps side by side to the iPhone for the first time. You can also open two windows of the same app (like on an iPad) and save pairs of apps to return to later (like on Android). At the moment, it seems like the only way to add apps to Split View is from the Home Screen on one side of the screen; I’d love to know if dragging apps from Spotlight will also be supported.

Another nice touch: StandBy no longer requires a charger on the Duo.

Prop the phone up, and you can use either display for widgets, photos, or a clock. There are new Calendar and Weather faces, Shared Albums in the Photos face, and more customization options, too.

Pricing and Availability

The iPhone Duo starts at $1,999 in the U.S. and comes in night sky and star white, with 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB of storage. Preorders open October 16 at 5 a.m. Pacific, with availability on October 23 and a second regional rollout on October 30.

Apple is also selling a $79 Duo Case in navy blue and sand, plus a $129 Duo Folio with Kickstand in navy blue and taupe. The latter adds an adjustable stand for reading, watching videos, or FaceTime; both support MagSafe and can be ordered starting October 16. The full hardware specifications are available on Apple’s website.

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As you can probably tell from this story, I’m going to get an iPhone Duo as soon as possible, and it’s going to be my primary device for the foreseeable future. I’ve been waiting for Apple to make an iPhone inspired by the iPad for a long time.

From what I’ve seen today, I think Apple is right: the iPhone Duo truly feels like the most transformational iPhone since the original.

October 23 can’t come soon enough.

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You can follow all of our September 2026 Apple event coverage through our September 2026 Apple Event hub or subscribe to the dedicated September 2026 Apple event RSS feed.

Paleontologists in North Dakota have unearthed a set of 66.5-million-year-old fossilized footprints that can be confidently attributed to a full-grown Tyrannosaurus rex.

The post Paleontologists Discover First-Ever Adult Tyrannosaurus rex Trackway appeared first on Sci.News: Breaking Science News.

Two years after bringing noise cancellation to its open-ear AirPods models, Apple is back with AirPods 5. Announced at today’s Surprise and Shine event, the new earbuds offer two models, both with Active Noise Cancellation (ANC). For those who prefer AirPods’ fit and the design without silicone ear tips, here’s what’s changed.

The biggest surprise is that both models of the new AirPods 5 feature ANC. When the AirPods 4 debuted, they were $129 for the model with no ANC and $179 for the model that included noise cancellation. Today’s update puts ANC in both models and retains the lower model’s $129 price tag. The second model is $20 more, which buys you a wireless charging case and slightly longer battery life.

According to Apple, the AirPods 5 feature a new acoustic architecture that eliminates up to 50% more external noise than the AirPods 4 with ANC. Transparency mode and Adaptive EQ have been improved, too.

As for that extended battery life on the more expensive model? Apple says you’ll get an additional hour of ANC listening, extending the battery life from four to five hours. With additional charges from the case, Apple claims up to 22 hours of listening with ANC enabled on the $149 model, compared to 20 hours on the $129 model.

The more expensive model also adds volume control to the stem of the AirPods 5, which wasn’t available in either model of the AirPods 4, and the case includes a speaker that works with Find My. Both models have been rated for better water resistance at IP57 compared to the AirPods 4’s IP54 rating.

I’m glad to see both models of the AirPods 5 support ANC and that Apple held the price on the base model. I think $20 for wireless charging, better battery life, and the other advantages of the top model is a great deal too. I’m not going to trade in my AirPods Pro, but the AirPods 5 are a good deal that I expect will sell fast during the winter holiday season.

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You can follow all of our September 2026 Apple event coverage through our September 2026 Apple Event hub or subscribe to the dedicated September 2026 Apple event RSS feed.

At today’s Surprise and Shine event, Apple introduced the new Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4. Both models build on the devices’ existing designs, adding new health and fitness features as well as what Apple calls Audio Intelligence. The star of the Apple Watch show that powers those features on both models is the brand-new S11 chip. Let’s dig into the details of what the new chip and improved sensors means to both models.

Apple Watch Series 12

The new Apple Watch Series 12 comes in 42 and 46mm sizes and is equipped with the new S11 chip. Apple says that enables the device to take sixty times the heart rate measurements and 24x HRV readings compared to the Series 11 Watch. More heart rate measurements and HRV readings mean more accurate and meaningful readings; in fact, better than any other wearable on the market, according to Apple. Apple says step tracking is more accurate, too.

The Series 12 has improved sensors, too. There’s a larger, more power-efficient green LED array for measuring your heart rate every five seconds and a Secure Exclave for processing audio privately and securely. On the outside, the Series 12 features Ceramic Shield 2, making it tougher than the Series 11. The case is now IP6X rated for dust and can be used to six meters of depth. Plus, the battery is rated to last 24 hours during normal use and a 15-minute charge will power it sufficiently to last 12 hours.

HRV readings have been added to your overnight vitals statistics to provide a more complete picture of your health, and Apple has added daytime vitals which you can track during the day. The new health sensing features also enable Readiness, a daily score that uses your vitals to give you a sense of whether your body is ready for a big workout or whether you should take it easy.

The Series 12 comes in a wide array of finishes, too, including aluminum, titanium, and ceramic. The aluminum model comes in Dark Bronze, Light Gold, Black, and Space Gray. Titanium is polished and comes in Radiant Gold and Natural. Finally, Ceramic comes in Pearl White and Night Blue. Aluminum models start at $399, titanium at $699, and ceramic at $899. It’s great to see so many different choices and styles. We’ll have a separate story that covers Apple Watch bands and other accessories on the site soon.

With the richer data delivered by the S11 chip that powers Apple’s new Health Sensing System, the company revealed a wide variety of new software features, including:

• Live Rewind, which with a double press of the Digital Crown displays a transcript of the last 15 seconds of a conversation, allowing you to see what was spoken as text. The feature plays a chime and shows an animation when it’s activated.
• Siri Recap, which can be activated at all times, on a schedule, or on demand via Control Center and produces a summary of conversations.
• Sound recognition using on-device intelligence to detect alarms, a baby crying, sirens, and other sounds.
• Automatic song detection with Shazam.

It’s worth noting that Siri Recap and Live Rewind won’t be available until later this year.

The Series 12 looks to be a big step forward for the Apple Watch. Some years in the past have been hardware-focused, while others have leaned into new watchOS features. This year, users get both in what appear to be meaningful measures, which is great.

Apple Watch Ultra 4

Personally, I’m even more excited for the Apple Watch Ultra 4, which starts at $799. I love its battery life, which is getting even better this year, as well as the fitness features. The Ultra 4’s color options are far more limited than finishes available with the Series 12, with options for natural and black titanium. I realize the Ultra is a more utilitarian watch than the Series 12, but I still wish Apple would expand their case and band choices a little more.

That said, there are a lot of other features to like in the latest model. The battery life is now rated at 50 hours up from 45, and the Ultra benefits from the same chip and sensor improvements found in the Series 12. Plus, in Low Power mode, the Ultra 4 can last for as much as 84 hours, which is truly impressive. Fast charging enables 18 hours of battery life, which is something I know I’ll appreciate when I’m ready to run and find my watch battery nearly spent. The Extended Workout mode for runs, hikes, and walks can last for up to 45 hours, too.

Like the Series 12, the Ultra 4 incorporates the S11 chip and new sensors. That enables Readiness on the Ultra 4 and more meaningful heart rate and HRV readings. Audio Intelligence is part of the Ultra 4’s software story, too, with Live Rewind, Siri Recap, sound recognition, and automated Shazam results available too. So, as with past Ultra models, the big difference between the Ultra 4 and the Series 12 is the display size and battery life, which I expect will come in handy with the watch’s new capabilities.

Health

Finally, the iPhone’s Health app is being updated with a new design and incorporates the enhanced data collected by the new Apple Watch models. There will be a new Insights tab that provides health information based on the data stored in the app. Plus, Health will include a Longevity tab for longitudinal health data and a Health age calculation to give users a sense of their health relative to their age. It’s worth noting that the updated Health app, like Siri Recap and Live Rewind, won’t debut until later this year.

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This is the first year in a long while that i’ve been excited about new Apple Watches. I’d convinced myself that this year would amount to small, incremental changes that wouldn’t justify an update for another year or two Instead, I immediately ordered the Apple Watch Ultra 4. I love the combination of more and better health readings, Readiness, and the new Health app, and I’m intrigued by what I can get out of Audio Intelligence in my day-to-day life. I’ll know soon enough I guess because mine arrives next Friday.

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You can follow all of our September 2026 Apple event coverage through our September 2026 Apple Event hub or subscribe to the dedicated September 2026 Apple event RSS feed.

Apple covered a lot of ground at today’s Surprise and Shine event, and the numbers help put the announcements in perspective.

After every Apple event, we like to collect the notable specs, comparisons, and other stats from the presentation and Apple’s supporting materials (Tech Specs pages and Newsroom posts). This year, I wanted to make this article a little more special than usual, so I did two things: I set up a workflow to collect even more data during the event (a combination of transcription and, later, YouTube summarization), and I’ve created a few interactive widgets explore some of the latest specs and numbers in more detail.

You can find the complete set of numbers below. Enjoy memorizing all of these.

iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max

Dimensions and Displays

• 150 x 71.9 x 8.75 mm: Height, width, and depth of iPhone 18 Pro, respectively.
• 211g: Weight of iPhone 18 Pro.
• 163.4 x 78 x 8.75 mm: Height, width, and depth of iPhone 18 Pro Max, respectively.
• 249g: Weight of iPhone 18 Pro Max.

Camera

• 48MP: Fusion Main camera resolution, with a 24mm-equivalent lens and variable aperture.
• 6 blades: The Main camera uses laser-cut blades to adjust its aperture.
• 4 settings: Manual Main-camera apertures: f/1.48, f/1.8, f/2.8, and f/4.0. Apple’s examples use f/1.48 for low light, f/1.8 for portraits, and f/4.0 for groups.
• Around 50% more light: Enters when the variable aperture opens in darker environments. 23:48
• 12MP at 2x: Optical-quality Telephoto option from the Main camera, at a 48mm-equivalent focal length.
• 48MP at 4x: Fusion Telephoto camera with a 100mm-equivalent f/2.8 lens.
• 12MP at 8x: Optical-quality Telephoto option with a 200mm-equivalent f/2.8 lens.
• 16x: Optical-quality zoom range: 8x optical-quality zoom in and 2x optical zoom out.
• Up to 40x / 24x: Digital zoom for photos and video, respectively.
• 18MP: Center Stage front camera with an f/1.9 aperture.
• Up to 4K at 120 / 60 fps: ProRes recording from the rear and front cameras, respectively, with external recording.
• 1080p at 30 fps: Spatial video recording.
• 4 microphones: Studio-quality microphones for recording.

A20 Pro and Performance

• 3x more surface area: Vapor chamber comparison with iPhone 17 Pro.
• Up to 40% gain: Sustained performance with the redesigned thermal system, compared with the previous generation.
• Up to 2x better: Sustained performance compared with iPhone 16 Pro and older. 20:12
• Up to 120 fps: Monster Hunter Outlanders supports iOS-exclusive Cinematic Graphics using the A20 Pro GPU; the game is due later in 2026. (22:19)

Battery and Charging

• Up to 36 hours: Video playback on eSIM-only iPhone 18 Pro.
• Up to 45 hours: Video playback on eSIM-only iPhone 18 Pro Max.
• Up to 50% in around 15 minutes: Wired charging on both Pro models, using a 60W-capable USB-C cable and a compatible 60W-capable-or-higher adapter with Adjustable Voltage Supply (AVS).
• Up to 50% in 30 minutes: Wireless charging on both Pro models, using MagSafe and a 35W-or-higher adapter, both sold separately.
• 5 minutes: Wired charging provides around 7 hours of video playback on iPhone 18 Pro Max.
• Up to 30 hours: iPhone 18 Pro Max usage on a full charge under Apple’s new representative usage model.
• 2 additional hours: Video playback on eSIM-only models compared with models that retain the physical SIM.
• Up to 24 hours: iPhone 18 Pro usage per charge under Apple’s new representative battery usage model. (21:06)
• 5 minutes: Faster wired charging provides around 6 hours of video playback on iPhone 18 Pro. (21:33)
• Up to 33 hours: Streamed video playback on iPhone 18 Pro in the U.S. eSIM-only configuration.
• Up to 40 hours: Streamed video playback on iPhone 18 Pro Max in the U.S. eSIM-only configuration.

Dynamic Island

• Up to 3 Live Activities: Can appear together in the Dynamic Island now.

Finishes, Storage, and Pricing

• 4 finishes: Black, silver, glacier, and burgundy.
• From $1,199: U.S. starting price for iPhone 18 Pro.
• From $1,299: U.S. starting price for iPhone 18 Pro Max.
• From $49.95 and $54.12 per month: U.S. Apple Card installments over 24 months for iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, respectively; eligibility and carrier selection apply.
• $175-$885: U.S. Apple Trade In credit for an eligible iPhone 13 or later; value depends on the device.
• Up to $1,200: U.S. select-carrier credits toward either Pro model for an iPhone 14-or-later trade-in, in any condition; carrier eligibility rules apply.
• From $34.99 per month: U.S. Apple Upgrade lease for iPhone 18 Pro over 24 months through Klarna; eligibility and an eligible carrier are required.

Availability

• September 12, 2026: Pre-orders begin at 5 a.m. PT in more than 65 countries and regions.
• 20 more countries and regions: Availability expands on September 25, 2026.

Accessories

• $49 each: U.S. price for the Clear Case or Silicone Case with MagSafe.
• $59 each: U.S. price for the TechWoven Case, FineWoven Wallet, or Crossbody Strap.
• $29: U.S. Wrist Strap price.
• 6 colors: Wrist Strap options: black, taupe, olive, crisp blue, magenta, and burgundy.
• 100% recycled polyester: Yarn used in the Wrist Strap.

iPhone Duo

Displays

• 7.6 inches: Inner Super Retina XDR display; 7.58 inches diagonally as a standard rectangle, with a smaller actual viewable area.
• 5.4 inches: Outer Super Retina XDR display; 5.36 inches diagonally as a standard rectangle, with a smaller actual viewable area.
• 90%: Outer display screen area relative to iPhone 18 Pro.
• 50% larger: Inner display screen area compared with iPhone 18 Pro Max.
• Later in 2026: Planned support for Apple Pencil with USB-C on either display.
• 80% larger: Inner display screen area compared with iPhone 18 Pro. (1:02:00)
• 1878 x 2670 pixels: Inner display resolution at 430 ppi.
• 1398 x 2034 pixels: Outer display resolution at 460 ppi.

Design and Durability

• Grade 5 titanium: Material used for the enclosure.
• 3x better: Ceramic Shield 2 scratch resistance on the outer display compared with the previous generation.
• More than 100 components: In the hinge controlling opening, closing, and center-display support.
• Up to 40% higher stiffness: Custom polymer in the inner display’s nano-textured cover layer, compared with other materials used in the industry.
• 2 colors: Star white and night sky.
• 3x stronger: Ceramic fibers in the antenna-split reinforcement inserts compared with Grade 5 titanium. (1:03:31)
• Up to 25 microlayers: Of custom photopolymer are 3D-printed after a laser scans each unit, to eliminate residual display waviness. (1:09:55)
• 117.8 x 164.6 x 5.2 mm: Height, width, and depth with Duo open.
• 117.8 x 84.1 x 11.3 mm: Height, width, and depth with Duo folded.
• 254g: Weight of iPhone Duo.
• 4 sensors: Ambient light sensors.

Cameras

• 48MP: Fusion Main camera with a 26mm-equivalent f/1.6 lens, photo capture at up to 48MP, and zero shutter lag.
• 24MP: Default rear-camera photo resolution.
• 2x: Integrated optical-quality Telephoto option from the Fusion Main camera: 12MP, 52mm-equivalent, f/1.6.
• 12MP: Outer Center Stage camera with an f/2.2 aperture.
• f/1.8: Under-display FaceTime camera, with 1080p video recording at 30 or 60 fps.
• 4x: Optical-quality zoom range: 2x optical-quality zoom in and 2x optical zoom out.
• Up to 10x / 6x: Digital zoom for photos and video, respectively.

Multitasking

• 2 Home Screen pages: Shown when Duo is open, with Today View on the left.
• 2 apps or windows: Split View can show apps side by side, or two windows of the same app.

Performance

• Up to 35% better: Sustained performance with A20 Pro and Duo’s custom vapor chamber, compared with iPhone 17 Pro.
• Up to 20% faster: A20 Pro’s 6-core CPU compared with A19 Pro, as described for iPhone Duo.

Battery and Charging

• 2 batteries: One high-energy battery on each side, managed together by energy-rebalancing algorithms.
• Up to 31 hours: Video playback using the inner display.
• Up to 44 hours: Video playback using the outer display.
• Up to 24 hours: Usage per charge when the inner and outer displays are used equally.
• Up to 50% in around 20 minutes: Wired charging with Duo open, using a 60W-capable-or-higher USB-C cable and a compatible 60W-capable-or-higher USB PD adapter.
• Up to 50% in around 30 minutes: Wireless charging with MagSafe or Qi2; Apple’s MagSafe test used Duo open and requires a 35W-or-higher adapter.
• 5 minutes: Fast charging provides up to 5 hours of video playback using the outer display. (1:12:43)
• Up to 37 hours: Streamed video playback on iPhone Duo using the outer display.
• Up to 26 hours: Streamed video playback on iPhone Duo using the inner display.

Pricing and Availability

• From $1,999: U.S. starting price for iPhone Duo.
• From $83.29 per month: U.S. Apple Card installments over 24 months; eligibility and carrier selection apply.
• From $57.99 per month: U.S. Apple Upgrade lease over 24 months through Klarna; 12-month terms are also offered.
• October 16, 2026: Pre-orders begin at 5 a.m. PT in more than 70 countries and regions.
• October 23, 2026: Initial availability for iPhone Duo.
• 28 more countries and regions: Availability expands on October 30, 2026.

Accessories

• $79: U.S. price for iPhone Duo Case, in navy blue or sand; orders begin October 16.
• $129: U.S. price for iPhone Duo Folio with Kickstand, in navy blue or taupe; orders begin October 16.
• Qi2 25W: Charger compatibility for both Duo cases, alongside MagSafe and Qi-certified chargers.

iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo

Displays and Durability

• 3,000 nits: Peak outdoor brightness on both Duo displays and both Pro-model displays.
• IP68: Laboratory water- and dust-resistance rating for all three iPhones, tested at a maximum depth of 6 meters for up to 30 minutes.
• Up to 120Hz: ProMotion adaptive refresh rate on both Duo displays and both Pro-model displays.
• 2,000,000:1: Typical display contrast ratio.
• 1,000 / 1,600 / 1 nits: Maximum typical, peak HDR, and minimum display brightness, respectively.

Camera Features

• Up to 60 fps: Videos can receive Cinematic effects after capture.
• 4K: Time-lapse recording now supports this resolution and Dolby Vision HDR.
• 48MP: Fusion Ultra Wide camera shared by the three iPhones: 13mm-equivalent, f/2.2, 120-degree field of view, and 48MP macro photography.
• 4K at 120 fps: Dolby Vision recording with the Fusion Main camera on iPhone Duo and both iPhone 18 Pro models.
• Up to 4K at 60 / 30 fps: Dolby Vision Cinematic mode capture from the rear and Center Stage front cameras, respectively.
• Up to 2.8K at 60 fps: Dolby Vision Action mode recording.
• Up to 240 fps: Rear-camera slow-motion video at 1080p; Fusion Main also supports 4K Dolby Vision slow motion up to 120 fps.
• Up to 4K at 30 fps: Dolby Vision Dual Capture recording.
• Up to 4K at 60 fps: Dolby Vision QuickTake recording from the rear or Center Stage front camera.
• 8MP: Still photos captured while recording 4K video.
• Up to 63MP: Panorama photo resolution.
• 6 effects: Portrait Lighting effects.

A20 Pro

• 2 nm: Manufacturing process for A20 Pro.
• 6 cores: A20 Pro CPU: 2 super cores and 4 efficiency cores, with integrated Neural Accelerators.
• 7 cores: A20 Pro GPU.
• 50% more: A20 Pro memory bandwidth compared with A19 Pro.
• Up to 40% faster: A20 Pro graphics performance compared with A19 Pro.
• 32 cores: Total in the A20 Pro Dual 16-core Neural Engine.
• 2x: A20 Pro AI processing power compared with A19 Pro.
• Up to 20% faster: New A20 Pro super cores. (16:49)
• 2x faster: 8-bit floating-point math on the new GPU Neural Accelerators. (17:30)

Connectivity

• Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6: Supported by the N1 wireless chip, alongside Thread.
• 15% less energy: C2 modem consumption compared with C1X.
• Over 500 carriers: Support eSIM worldwide.
• 2 iPhones: Users can switch between them with the same phone number through iPhone Handoff; launch carriers are T-Mobile in the U.S. and Telekom Germany.
• Up to 50% faster: C2 modem uploads compared with C1X. (1:11:42)
• Up to 10Gb/s: USB 3 data transfers through USB-C, requiring a USB 3 cable rated for 10Gb/s.

Charging

• Up to 25W: MagSafe and Qi2 wireless charging.

Storage and SIMs

• 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB: Storage options for iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and iPhone Duo.
• 2 active eSIMs: Dual eSIM support; stores 8 or more eSIM profiles.
• Approximately 7GB: Storage used by on-device Apple Intelligence models; the models can be removed by turning Apple Intelligence off.
• Approximately 12-24GB: Space used by a standard configuration, including iOS 27 and removable Apple apps.
• About 4.5GB: Storage used by Apple apps that can be deleted and downloaded again.

AirPods 5

Noise Cancellation

• Up to 50% more: External noise removed compared with AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation.

Battery Life

• Up to 5 hours: Playback with Active Noise Cancellation on a single charge, on the Wireless Charging Case model.
• 1 hour longer: Single-charge playback with Active Noise Cancellation on the Wireless Charging Case model, compared with AirPods 4 with ANC.
• Up to 22 hours: Playback with Active Noise Cancellation using the Wireless Charging Case model and its case.
• Up to 4 hours: Listening with Active Noise Cancellation on a single charge, on the $129 model. (36:11)
• Up to 20 hours: Listening with Active Noise Cancellation using the $129 model and its charging case. (36:11)

Pricing and Availability

• $129: U.S. price for AirPods 5, including Active Noise Cancellation.
• $149: U.S. price for AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case, longer battery life, and on-stem volume control.
• More than 65 other countries and regions: Pre-orders are available in these markets in addition to the U.S.
• $30 less: U.S. price reduction for AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case, compared with AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation. (37:16)

Apple Watch Series 12

Battery and Charging

• Up to 24 hours: Everyday battery life under Apple’s test profile, which includes sleep tracking.
• Up to 10 hours: Outdoor workout battery life, tested during Outdoor Run sessions without iPhone and with the heart-rate sensor on.
• 25% more: Outdoor workout battery life than the previous model.
• 15 minutes: Charging provides up to 12 hours of additional battery life, tested with Apple’s Magnetic Fast Charger and 20W USB-C adapter.
• 50% more: Additional battery life from a 15-minute charge compared with the previous model.

Design and Bands

• 60% tougher: Ceramic Shield 2 on aluminum models compared with the Ion-X glass on aluminum Apple Watch Series 11.
• 42mm and 46mm: Case sizes for Apple Watch Series 12.
• 4 aluminum finishes: Dark bronze, black, light gold, and space gray.
• 2 titanium finishes: Radiant gold and natural titanium for the standard titanium models.
• 2 ceramic finishes: Pearl white and night blue.
• 5 new colors: Nike Sport Bands and Nike Sport Loops: essential white, chalk calm, pavement grey, after dark black, and green spark.

Pricing and Availability

• From $399: U.S. starting price for Apple Watch Series 12.
• From $11.99 per month: U.S. Apple Upgrade lease over 24 months through Klarna; Apple’s 42mm example is $21.99 per month for a 12-month term, excluding taxes and trade-in credit.

Apple Watch Ultra 4

Battery and Workout Modes

• Up to 50 hours: Everyday battery life under Apple’s mixed-use test profile.
• Up to 84 hours: Battery life in Low Power Mode.
• 15 minutes: Charging adds up to 18 hours of battery life, tested with Apple’s Magnetic Fast Charger and 20W USB-C adapter.
• Up to 25 hours: Outdoor workout tracking in Extended Workout mode with full GPS and heart-rate readings; Low Power Mode is enabled and running-form metrics are unavailable.
• 25% increase: Extended Workout battery life compared with the previous model.
• Up to 45 hours: Outdoor runs, walks, and hikes in Max Extended Workout mode; Low Power Mode is enabled, with alerts, splits, and some metrics unavailable.
• Every second: GPS readings continue in Max Extended Workout mode.
• Up to 18 hours: Workout tracking with full GPS and heart-rate readings. 52:03

Finishes and Bands

• 2 titanium finishes: Natural and black titanium.
• 3 Trail Loop colors: Dark umber, sand, and burgundy.
• 3 Alpine Loop colors: Desert, dark olive, and burgundy.
• 3 new Ocean Band colors: Translucent gray, translucent kelp, and translucent black, in translucent silicone.
• 4 options: Fathom and Wonder watch-face options on Apple Watch Hermes Ultra 4, from the ocean surface to the seabed.

Pricing, Availability, and Satellite

• From $799: U.S. starting price for Apple Watch Ultra 4.
• From $24.99 per month: U.S. Apple Upgrade lease over 24 months through Klarna; Apple’s $799 model example costs $44.99 per month over 12 months, excluding taxes and trade-in credit.
• 2 years free: Emergency SOS, Find My, and Messages via satellite with activation of Ultra 3 or later; Find My and Messages require a carrier plan.

Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4

Health Sensing and Readiness

• Over 1,000 participants: In Apple’s heart-rate accuracy study comparing the new sensing system with leading wearables.
• Every 5 seconds: Passive heart-rate measurements throughout the day.
• Up to 24 times more often: Heart rate variability (HRV) measurements.
• As often as every 5 minutes: Heart rate variability (HRV) measurements on Series 12 and Ultra 4.
• 2 HRV variants: Recovery HRV and overall HRV are available in the Heart Rate app.
• 0-10: Readiness score, updated throughout the day, with recommendations of Recover, Pace Yourself, Ready, or Go For It.
• 1,000 steps: Accuracy test used for Apple’s step-tracking comparison, checked against video step counting.
• 22 years or older: Intended age range for the ECG app.
• 18 years or older: Intended age range for sleep apnea notifications, for people without an existing sleep apnea diagnosis.
• 40 years or older: Age range for cycle deviation notifications that include perimenopause.
• 3 core elements: Improved in the Health Sensing System: electrode surface area, photodiode arrangement, and green LEDs. 39:58
• 60 times more frequent: Background heart-rate readings compared with before. 40:37

Health App and Lab Tests

• Over 50 biomarkers: Planned lab tests ordered through the redesigned Health app will measure these key biomarkers.
• $119: Price for the planned lab tests ordered through the Health app in the U.S.
• Approximately 2,000 locations: Quest Diagnostics sites in the U.S. for the planned Health app lab service.
• Later in 2026: The redesigned Health app is planned to launch, starting in U.S. English, with more languages to follow. 46:02

Intelligence and watchOS

• 15 seconds: Previous conversation shown as text by Live Rewind, arriving in beta in late 2026, initially in English and outside the EU.
• 5 apps: Siri-suggested icons in the dynamic app grid in watchOS 27.
• 2 languages: Workout Buddy supports English and Spanish; use without iPhone nearby requires Wi-Fi or cellular, a paired Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone, and Bluetooth headphones.

Availability

• More than 50 other countries and regions: Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 pre-orders are offered in addition to Australia, Canada, France, Germany, India, Japan, the UAE, the UK, and the U.S.

And More…

Siri and Apple Intelligence

• Over 2.5 billion requests per day: Made by Siri users. 11:39
• Over 300,000 apps: Already work with Siri AI, including existing actions such as messaging and audio playback. 12:28
• 16 languages: Supported by Apple Intelligence with the September OS releases. 15:35

Software and Services

• 13 years: Minimum age for Siri AI.
• 1 additional year: Free satellite features for eligible existing iPhone 14, 15, and 16 users activated in a supported country before Apple’s September 9 midnight PT cutoff.
• 3 months free: Apple One for new or qualified returning subscribers buying an eligible device, including either Pro model; offer begins September 17 in selected markets.
• At least 12GB: Unified memory required for Apple’s most powerful on-device model on supported iPads with M4 or later and Macs with M3 or later.
• 3 months: Apple Fitness+ and Apple Music offers for new subscribers buying Series 12, SE 3, or Ultra 4; regional and service eligibility applies.
• Up to 80% faster: AirDrop transfers with iOS 27. 30:07

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You can follow all of our September 2026 Apple event coverage through our September 2026 Apple Event hub or subscribe to the dedicated September 2026 Apple event RSS feed.

Here’s all about the pricing, colors, order date, and availability of the new foldable iPhone Duo and iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max.

At today’s Surprise and Shine event, Apple announced a lot of dates. Most of the new hardware arrives on September 18, but the brand new iPhone Duo won’t launch until October. Before then, Apple’s next round of major OS updates arrives on September 14.

Here’s a rundown of the preorder, release, and rollout dates. Later today on MacStories, John and I will be sharing detailed overviews of all the major announcements from today, and you can expect our annual OS reviews to be published – as always – next week.

As a bonus, check out the calendar widget we’ve prepared to visualize all of Apple’s release notes. Stay tuned for more of these on MacStories today: we’re going to have some fun with our coverage this year.

iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max

Pre-Orders: Saturday, September 12, 2026, at 5:00 a.m. Pacific / 8:00 a.m. Eastern

In Stores and Deliveries: Friday, September 18, 2026

According to Apple’s announcement, the initial launch covers more than 65 countries and regions. Availability expands to 20 additional countries and regions on Friday, September 25.

iPhone Duo

Pre-Orders: Friday, October 16, 2026, at 5:00 a.m. Pacific / 8:00 a.m. Eastern

In Stores and Deliveries: Friday, October 23, 2026

iPhone Duo launches in more than 70 countries and regions, with 28 additional countries and regions following on Friday, October 30. It ships with iOS 27.1. Apple’s iPhone Duo Case and iPhone Duo Folio with Kickstand will be available to order on October 16, too.

Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4

Pre-Orders: Today, Wednesday, September 9, 2026

In Stores and Deliveries: Friday, September 18, 2026

Both Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 follow the same schedule. The new Apple Watch bands are also available to order today and arrive in stores on September 18.

AirPods 5

Pre-Orders: Today, Wednesday, September 9, 2026

In Stores: Friday, September 18, 2026

The dates apply to both AirPods 5 and AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case, launching in the U.S. and more than 65 other countries and regions.

iOS and iPadOS 27

Release Date: Monday, September 14, 2026

watchOS 27

Release Date: Monday, September 14, 2026

macOS Golden Gate

Release Date: Monday, September 14, 2026

tvOS 27

Release Date: Monday, September 14, 2026

visionOS 27

Release Date: Monday, September 14, 2026

Siri AI

Initial Beta Rollout: Monday, September 14, 2026, in English on supported devices with iOS 27 and watchOS 27

Additional Languages: French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish in October; Apple has not announced a specific day yet.

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We have also prepared a widget that helps you visualize the availability of different features in multiple regions, based on what Apple revealed today (mostly in small print in footnotes of their press releases).

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You can follow all of our September 2026 Apple event coverage through our September 2026 Apple Event hub or subscribe to the dedicated September 2026 Apple event RSS feed.

Download this wallpaper set featuring over 50 Tesla Cybercab images that look great on your iPhone, Android phone, and computer screen.

Apple today revealed the A20 Pro chip in the iPhone 18 Pro and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max, built on a brand new architecture using 2nm process technology.


Apple described the A20 Pro as "an exceptional chip that sets a new bar for mobile computing." The chip has a 6-core CPU design with two new super cores that Apple says are up to 20% faster, calling them "desktop class" and "the fastest in any smartphone," alongside four new efficiency cores.

The GPU has also been redesigned with a 7-core layout that Apple says delivers up to 40% faster graphics performance and increased memory bandwidth. New neural accelerators built into the GPU offer twice the FP8 performance of the previous generation, which Apple said helps the chip run large language models locally on the device.

The A20 Pro features an additional Neural Engine, bringing the total core count to 32. The company says the redesigned Neural Engine delivers 2x the compute of its predecessor, is more efficient, and now supports 8-bit floating point math. Apple called the A20 Pro "the ultimate chip for running advanced on-device models," adding that it ships with "the widest memory interface we've ever shipped in an iPhone."

The company said effective thermal management in the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ is critical to unlocking the chip's maximum performance, since efficient heat dissipation determines how much of that performance can be sustained. To support this, Apple redesigned the chip's silicon packaging, describing it as "custom packaging inspired by our M-series chips" that connects the silicon and memory directly to the vapor chamber for improved thermal performance.

Apple compared sustained performance directly against previous generations, citing 40% more sustained performance in ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌'s A20 Pro compared with the A19 Pro in the iPhone 17 Pro, and twice the sustained performance compared with the A18 Pro in the iPhone 16 Pro.
This article, "Apple Unveils A20 Pro as First 2nm Smartphone Chip" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple today unveiled the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, which look very similar to the iPhone 17 Pro models but have several upgrades.


The devices are equipped with the A20 Pro chip and feature longer battery life compared to the previous-generation models. Apple says the iPhone 18 Pro matches the battery life of the iPhone 17 Pro Max, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max has the biggest generational leap in battery life ever with up to 30 hours of usage per full charge.

A20 Pro has a 6-core GPU, a 7-core GPU, and a 32-core Neural Engine. Apple says sustained performance is up to 40% faster compared to the A19 Pro chip.

The vapor chamber cooling system is three times as large in the iPhone 18 Pro models as it is in the iPhone 17 Pro models for improved thermal management.

The main 48-megapixel Fusion camera on both the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max has variable aperture, allowing for greater control of depth of field. In a darker environment, for example, the lens opens wider to let in more light.

Color options include Black, Silver, Glacier, and Burgundy, and the rear aluminum and Ceramic Shield glass area are now more color matched.
This article, "Apple Announces iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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