Apple has released the first developer betas of macOS 27.2, iOS 27.2, iPadOS 27.2, watchOS 27.2, visionOS 27.2, and tvOS 27.2.
Registered developers can download the betas via Apple’s developer portal. Or they can be downloaded over-the-air once the proper configuration profile has been installed from the Developer Center.
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Apple is considering a 2029 return to the server market, perhaps in conjunction with Nvidia, according to The Information (a subscription is required to read the article).
Apple once had an Xserve line of servers, but discontinued it in 2011. It was as rack-mounted server,and could function as a file server, web server or run high-performance computing applications in clusters. A dedicated cluster Xserve, the Xserve Cluster Node, without a video card and optical drives was also available. The Xserve was discontinued in 2011, and replaced with the Mac Pro Server (now discontinued, as well) and the Mac Mini Server (also discontinued).
According to the report, Apple is developing an enterprise AI server for AI developers, businesses and governments that could come in versions featuring either two or four planned M8 Ultra chips. The tech giant has considered using NVLink Fusion to connect M8 chips in its planned AI server, which is not expected before 2029 and could still be canceled or launched without Nvidia technology, according to The Information.
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The federal judge overseeing an antitrust case by Elon Musk’s companies against Apple and OpenAI is demanding to see any settlement agreements that may have led X Corp and SpaceXAI to drop their claims against Apple, reports Politico.
Judge Mark Pittman, a conservative Trump appointee based in Fort Worth, Texas, ordered the Musk-owned businesses on Wednesday to produce for his review any agreements with Apple related to the decision to dismiss its claims against the company, the article adds.
Pittman’s ruling comes after OpenAI moved to compel X to disclose information about its resolution with Apple in the dispute over dominance of the potentially trillion-dollar artificial intelligence market.
On September 14, Musk’s X and SpaceXAI filed a motion to voluntarily dismiss (with prejudice) their claims against Apple in the antitrust lawsuit they brought against the company and OpenAI.
The motion to voluntarily dismiss the claims was filed without any explanation, and noted that X and SpaceXAI will continue to pursue antitrust claims against OpenAI. The court filing provided no specific details or reasons for dropping Apple from the suit.
Filed initially in August 2025, the idiotic lawsuit accused Apple and OpenAI of conspiring to lock up generative AI and smartphone markets. Plaintiffs claimed Apple rigged App Store rankings and integration features to unfairly privilege ChatGPT over xAI’s Grok. Apple maintained its integration was non-exclusive and rankings were unbiased, while OpenAI labeled the suit a campaign of “lawfare.”
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The average smartphone lifespan jumped 10% year-over-year, reaching 32 months (2 years, 8 months) in 2026. According to Reviews.org‘s second annual Smartphone Lifespan Report, U.S. consumers are delaying device upgrades by 12 months beyond their original plans.
Here are some highlights from the report:
People are keeping their phones longer, with the average ownership time increasing from 29 months in 2025 to 32 months in 2026.
Americans plan to upgrade after 20 months, but wait 32 months in practice.
The average American paid $634 for their current phone (median $600).
Most people upgrade for faster performance (21.3%) or better battery life (19.2%), while only 4.9% upgrade for a better camera.
An iPhone 11 or older remains the most common iPhone model in active use (9.4%), followed by the iPhone 13 (8.0%).
iPhone leads overall U.S. ownership at 58%, compared to 42% for Android.
Methodology
Reviews.org surveyed 1,000 U.S. adults on August 15, 2026, via Pollfish. Results were weighted by device type.
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Season six of “Slow Horses,” the Emmy and BAFTA TV Award-winning spy drama, debuts today on Apple TV with the first episode, followed by one episode weekly until October 21.
It stars Academy Award winner Sir Gary Oldman, who has been honored with Golden Globe, Emmy Award, Actor Award and BAFTA TV Award nominations for his outstanding performance in the series. It’s adapted from “Joe Country” and “Slough House,” the sixth and seventh novels in Mick Herron’s CWA Gold Dagger Award-winning “Slough House” book series.
Here’s how the series is described: “Slow Horses” is a darkly humorous espionage drama that follows a dysfunctional team of British intelligence agents who serve in a dumping ground department of MI5 known unaffectionately as Slough House. Oldman stars as Jackson Lamb, the brilliant but cantankerous leader of the spies who end up in Slough House due to their career-ending mistakes and who frequently find themselves blundering around the smoke and mirrors of the espionage world. Season six sees the Slow Horses on the run as Diana Taverner embroils them all in a fatally high-stakes game of retaliation and revenge.
The ensemble cast includes Academy Award nominee Kristin Scott Thomas, Emmy Award nominee Jack Lowden, Saskia Reeves, BAFTA TV Award nominee Christopher Chung, Aimee-Ffion Edwards, Rosalind Eleazar, Joanna Scanlan, BAFTA Award nominee Samuel West, Ruth Bradley, Tom Brooke, Academy Award nominee Jonathan Pryce and Hugo Weaving, alongside new addition, BAFTA TV Award winner Lenny Rush. Additionally, Olivia Cooke will reprise her role as Sidonie “Sid” Baker in the sixth season.
The first five seasons are now streaming on Apple TV.
About Apple TV
Apple TV is available on the Apple TV app in over 100 countries and regions, on over 1 billion screens, including iPhone, iPad, Apple TV 4K, Apple Vision Pro, Mac, popular smart TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony, VIZIO, TCL and others, Roku and Amazon Fire TV devices, Chromecast with Google TV, PlayStation and Xbox gaming consoles, and at tv.apple.com, for $14.99 per month with a seven-day free trial for new subscribers.
For a limited time, customers who purchase and activate a new iPhone, iPad, Apple TV 4K or Mac can enjoy three months of Apple TV for free. For more information, visit apple.com/tvpr and see the full list of supported devices.
I hope you’ll help support Apple ]World Today by becoming a patron. Almost all our income is from Patreon support and sponsored posts. Patreon pricing ranges from $2 to $10 a month. Thanks in advance for your support.
A longtime Key Second Assistant Director on “Shrinking,” Apple TV’s series starring Jason Segel and Harrison Ford, says she was abruptly fired after a long day of shooting on July 10 by Executive Producer Kip Kroeger because of so-called “different needs of production,” reports Deadline.
In her seven claim compliant filed today in L.A. Superior Court against WBTV, “Shrinking”EP/director Randall Winston doesn’t buy it, the article adds. As the document from attorney Avi Gholian exclaims of the industry vet’s multi-season “Shrinking”stint: “no performance deficiency, misconduct. or business rationale was identified then or anytime thereafter.”
From the Deadline report: Filing earlier today with the California Civil Rights Department before going to the LASC docket, McKoin alleges the real reason she was canned was because of reporting an intentional “sexual abuse” by Winston at the June 22, 2024 Shrinking Season 2 wrap party, She says it was because of that and because of her raising a stink about of “inaccurate time records and pay statements.” Production and WBTV problems that Loot and Young Sheldon alum McKoin and her lawyers assert resulted in zero “corrective action” on the former and a lot of her Shrinking bosses not making a “big deal” about the former.
McKoin says the CAA-repped Winston subjected her “to unwelcome, severe harassment because of her sex, including by grabbing and groping her breast without her consent at a work-related function in the presence of a coworker” at the 2024 party. “Such conduct was sufficiently severe to alter the conditions of Plaintiff employment and to create a hostile, intimidating, and offensive working environment.”
WBTV had no comment when contacted by Deadline about the complaint and the allegations McKoin makes. Representatives for the multi-Emmy nominated Winston did no response when Deadline reached out about the claims against their client.
“Shrinking” has been renewed for a fourth season. The first three seasons are now streaming on Apple TV.
Here’s how the series is described:“Shrinking” follows a grieving therapist (Segel) who starts to break the rules and tell his clients exactly what he thinks. Ignoring his training and ethics, he finds himself making huge, tumultuous changes to people’s lives … including his own.
About Apple TV
Apple TV is available on the Apple TV app in over 100 countries and regions, on over 1 billion screens, including iPhone, iPad, Apple TV 4K, Apple Vision Pro, Mac, popular smart TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony, VIZIO, TCL and others, Roku and Amazon Fire TV devices, Chromecast with Google TV, PlayStation and Xbox gaming consoles, and at tv.apple.com, for $14.99 per month with a seven-day free trial for new subscribers.
For a limited time, customers who purchase and activate a new iPhone, iPad, Apple TV 4K or Mac can enjoy three months of Apple TV for free. For more information, visit apple.com/tvpr and see the full list of supported devices.
I hope you’ll help support Apple World Today by becoming a patron. Almost all our income is from Patreon support and sponsored posts. Patreon pricing ranges from $2 to $10 a month. Thanks in advance for your support.
Lynn University in Boca Raton, Florida, has been recognized as an Apple Distinguished School for the September 2026 to December 2029 program term.
Schools apply and are selected for this distinction based on their commitment to continuous innovation in education and using Apple products to inspire, imagine, and impact teaching and learning.
“We feel incredibly fortunate to have been on this journey with Apple for so long. Equipping every Lynn student with the same remarkable technology creates a shared experience and gives them a powerful toolkit to learn, create and explore,” said Lynn President Kevin M. Ross. “Most importantly, Apple shares our commitment to continually asking, ‘What’s next?’ and finding new ways to enhance the student experience.”
Apple Distinguished Schools are centers of leadership and educational excellence, with a clear vision for how technology-rich environments support learning goals. In Apple Distinguished Schools, forward-thinking leaders and their communities work to inspire, imagine, and impact teaching and learning, and they have documented results of academic accomplishments.
About Lynn University
Lynn serves approximately 3,500 students from 100 countries and is ranked among the nation’s most innovative schools by U.S. News & World Report. Its academic model features the award-winning Dialogues curriculum, four-week block scheduling, three-year bachelor’s degrees and integrated Apple technology.
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Nearly three in four US TV viewers regularly use their smartphones for other media while watching television, highlighting growing competition for audience attention between TV and mobile video, according to new Omdia consumer research.
Omdia’s research shows that simultaneous media use is becoming increasingly widespread across age groups:
Among 55–64-year-olds, simultaneous media use has risen from 42% in 2023 to 56% in 2026
Among 45–54-year-olds, it has increased from 62% to 73% over the same period
Among 35–44-year-olds, the direction is also upwards, from 69% to 76% during that time
The findings highlight how competition for viewers’ attention is extending beyond TV programs and streaming services to the smartphone screen. Short-form video, in particular, is increasingly competing for viewers’ attention even while the television remains on.
“We don’t have a content problem. We have an attention problem,” said María Rúa Aguete, Global Head of Media & Entertainment at Omdia. “Three in four US TV viewers are using their phones while watching TV, and increasingly what they are doing is watching more video. The battle is no longer simply TV versus mobile. Both screens are on. The question is: which one has your attention?”
Short-form and vertical video are playing an increasingly significant role in this shift. Viewers are becoming accustomed to highly personalized, instantly accessible video experiences on smartphones, adding another source of competition for traditional television and streaming services.
For broadcasters, streaming platforms, advertisers and content owners, this changing behavior reinforces the need to consider TV and mobile as part of the same viewing experience, as audiences increasingly move their attention between the two.
“The future isn’t TV versus mobile. It’s TV and mobile,” added Rúa Aguete. “The companies that understand how audiences move between those screens, and how to capture attention on both, will be best positioned to win.”
The findings are based on Omdia’s latest research into changing video consumption habits, the attention economy and the growth of short-form and vertical video, presented by Rúa Aguete at IBC 2026 in Amsterdam.
Since I can’t cover everything, here are some recommended articles from some other neat sites:
° From AppleInsider: The age of the Intel Mac is coming to an end in every sense, as Apple now classifies the last 21.5-inch Intel-based iMac as a “vintage product.”
° From Macworld: Apple TV shows aren’t worth the long wait between seasons.
° From 9to5Mac: New Apple Watch features may require a new legal precedent for privacy.
° From MacRumors: Apple has updated its U.S. trade-in estimates, cutting values for every eligible iPhone while raising them across the iPad and Mac lineups.
° From The MacObserver: Early iOS 27 and macOS 27 user reviews point to smoother performance, but Reddit reports also show bugs and differing experiences across devices.
° From GeekBench: Benchmark results for Apple’s M6 chip and M5 Ultra are available.
° From MacVoices Live!: On the new episode, “Take Control Books Publisher Joe Kissell continues the discussion of the OS27 releases, exploring Apple’s next-generation Siri and Apple Intelligence.
This is an update of an article I ran in August, but it seems timely, so here it is: macOS 27 Golden Gate removes AFP support, ending Time Machine compatibility with Time Capsule after nearly two decades.
However, as MacRumors notes, a GitHub project called TimeCapsuleSMB, created by James Chang, an engineer at Microsoft, offers a potential workaround for owners not yet ready to move on.
That’s cool, but, as I’ve said repeatedly, Apple definitely should consider reviving its AirPort line-up.
History of the AirPort Line-Up
In 2016, Apple discontinued the AirPort Express, the AirPort Extreme, and AirPort Time Capsule line of wireless router/backup hardware. I think it ranks as one of the top two dumb ideas the tech giant made in discontinuing products. (The other is when it quit making semi-affordable Mac displays. Thankfully, it reversed course on that.)
Apple should revive its AirPort lineup.
In November 2016 Bloomberg reported that this was a move to try to sharpen the company’s focus on consumer products that generate the bulk of its revenue. The AirPort Express, the AirPort Extreme, and AirPort Time Capsule, which cost US$99, $199, and $299, respectively, made up a small slice of Apple’s revenue and were part of Apple’s “other products” category on its financial statements.
What I want to see
With Apple’s planned entrance into more smart home products (rumored to be a doorbell, tabletop robot, and more) I want to see a WiFi 7 compatible AirPort mesh networking system akin to that of the Eero and Orbi with a base station that doubles as a server hub for Apple’s HomeKit to make smart home devices easy to set up and use.
An Intego blog by Kirk McElhearn from June 15, 2020, perfectly sums up my feelings: A mesh wi-fi system could form part of a broader Apple home network. Imagine if the HomePod, Apple TV, or future Apple in-home devices, acted as a satellite for a wi-fi access point, as well as being a HomeKit hub; this could get more people to buy these media devices, knowing that they would serve more than one purpose.
In addition, the Time Capsule, an AirPort base station with a built-in hard drive, was a great way to ensure that people backed up their Macs. It meant that both desktop Macs and laptops could be automatically backed up without needed to connect an external hard drive. This was not without its quirks, but the technology was seamless. Apple could have extended this backup to iOS devices as well, allowing local backups instead of or in addition to iCloud backups.
Beyond these two elements, it’s Apple’s abdication of the core technology we use to access content on our devices at home that seems surprising.
With all the concerns about privacy and the exploitation of user data, this is an area where Apple could have taken a stance. They could have built their AirPort devices into a mesh wi-fi system, perhaps adding that capability to the HomePod as well, which could give more value to that device. Perhaps Apple has some plans for this in the future, but for now, Amazon has a huge advantage in the smart home market.
I hope you’ll help support Apple World Today by becoming a patron. Almost all our income is from Patreon support and sponsored posts. Patreon pricing ranges from $2 to $10 a month. Thanks in advance for your support.
The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has won a temporary pause on an order requiring it to respond to Apple’s requests for documents from 14 federal agencies, reports 9to5Mac.
In July the DoJ asked a federal court to reconsider a recent ruling that would allow the tech giant to to seek documents from 14 separate government agencies in the antitrust case against the company. Earlier that month it was reported that Apple had won a discovery fight in their ongoing 2024 Department of Justice antitrust lawsuit, successfully blocking subpoenas they issued to 14 federal agencies—including the CIA, FBI, and NASA—that sought internal documents on how these agencies evaluate and purchase smartphones.
The subpoenas served to federal agencies were ruled overbroad and too burdensome, particularly because many requested documents involve classified or privileged material.
Then the DOJ, backed by declarations from officials at several federal agencies and offices, asked Judge Jose Linares to reconsider that decision. Notably, neither the Commerce Department nor the FTC submitted a declaration.
In its motion, the DOJ argued that Linares applied the wrong legal standard by treating the agencies as parties to the case rather than non-parties entitled to greater protection from discovery.
n a decision issued earlier today, Linares granted the DOJ’s bid to pause the discovery order while District Judge Julien Neals considers the government’s appeal over whether it can be required to respond to Apple’s discovery requests for documents, notes 9to5Mac.
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Apple has announced that developers can now download the Xcode 27 Release Candidate and submit apps and games built with the latest SDKs [software development kits] for approval for apps for the upcoming operating system updates.
macOS 27 Golden Gate, iOS 27, iPadOS 27, tvOS 27, visionOS 27, and watchOS 27 will launch on Monday, September 14. Apple says that starting April 2027, apps and games uploaded to App Store Connect need to meet the following minimum requirements:
iOS and iPadOS apps must be built with the iOS 27 & iPadOS 27 SDK or later
tvOS apps must be built with the tvOS 27 SDK or later
visionOS apps must be built with the visionOS 27 SDK or later
watchOS apps must be built with the watchOS 27 SDK or later
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“Last Seen,” a new Australian thriller starring Gotham Award winner Patrick Brammall, is now streaming on Apple TV.
Produced by 60Forty Films, the drama is adapted by writer and executive producer Kris Mrksa from CWA John Creasey Dagger Award-winning author Ryan David Jahn’s book, “The Dispatcher.”
Emmy Award-nominated filmmaker Christian Schwochow directs and executive produces the series, which is entirely set and filmed in Victoria, Australia. “Last Seen” has debuted with two episodes, followed by a new episode every Wednesday until October 7.
Here’s how the series is described: Police detective Ian Ridley’s (Brammall) life fell apart 11 years ago when his young daughter, Maggie, disappeared without a trace. Now working as a police dispatcher, the only thing that has kept him going is his implacable refusal to accept that she might be gone forever. When he receives a distress call from a teenage girl he is certain is Maggie, he will stop at nothing to find her and reunite his broken family, whatever the cost.
In addition to Brammall (“Colin from Accounts,” “The Devil Wears Prada 2,” “Evil”), the series also stars Maxine Peake (“Say Nothing,” “Black Mirror”), Brendan Cowell (“Dune: Prophecy,” “Plum”), Daniel Henshall (“Mickey 17,” “How to Make Gravy”), Zahra Newman (“Thirteen Lives,” “Addition”), Jessica Wren (“Mr Inbetween,” “Devil’s Playground”), Tobias Muhafidin (“Bali 2002”) and newcomer Chloe Jean Lourdes.
About Apple TV
Apple TV is available on the Apple TV app in over 100 countries and regions, on over 1 billion screens, including iPhone, iPad, Apple TV 4K, Apple Vision Pro, Mac, popular smart TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony, VIZIO, TCL and others, Roku and Amazon Fire TV devices, Chromecast with Google TV, PlayStation and Xbox gaming consoles, and at tv.apple.com, for $14.99 per month with a seven-day free trial for new subscribers.
For a limited time, customers who purchase and activate a new iPhone, iPad, Apple TV 4K or Mac can enjoy three months of Apple TV for free. For more information, visit apple.com/tvpr and see the full list of supported devices.
I hope you’ll help support Apple World Today by becoming a patron. Almost all our income is from Patreon support and sponsored posts. Patreon pricing ranges from $2 to $10 a month. Thanks in advance for your support.
According to NoteBookCheck, though Apple stopped short of specifying the exact node, Apple’s A20 Pro — introduced at yesterday’s “Surprise and Shine” event — has long been rumored to use TSMC’s base N2 process, while competing offerings such as Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 and MediaTek’s Dimensity 9600 Pro are expected to adopt the more advanced N2P node.
As noted by TrendForce, Tom’s Hardware further explains that Apple’s first 2nm chip overall is the M6, unveiled in August. Sharing some of the M6’s architecture, the A20 Pro reportedly features dual neural engines as well as new CPU and GPU cores.
The report adds that A20 Pro packs a six-core CPU with two performance cores that are 20% faster than the previous generation, plus four efficiency cores with neural accelerators, as Apple calls it a “desktop-class” processor and the fastest smartphone CPU.
According to Tom’s Hardware, its seven-core GPU delivers a 40% generational performance boost, with higher bandwidth and new neural accelerators that enable up to 2x faster FP8 compute. The two neural engines pack 32 cores in total, while memory bandwidth reportedly jumps 50% to what Apple calls the widest memory interface in an iPhone.
Beyond the chip itself, Apple has also revamped the A20 Pro’s packaging. The new approach places the silicon and memory dies side by side, keeping memory out of the SoC’s thermal path and allowing the dies to connect directly to the vapor chamber.
The redesigned chamber has three times the surface area of the iPhone 17 Pro, helping Apple achieve up to 40% higher sustained performance than the 17 Pro and twice that of the 16 Pro, according to MacRumors.
On the other hand, while Apple has unveiled its C2 modem to reduce the company’s reliance on Qualcomm, MacRumors points out that the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max may use different modems, at least in the U.S.
Apple’s technical specifications page lists its C2 modem for the iPhone 18 Pro, but does not specify a modem for the U.S. version of the iPhone 18 Pro Max, the report notes, adding that pre-launch reports suggested that some iPhones could continue to use Qualcomm modems. With the C2 also powering the iPhone Duo, supply constraints could be one possible explanation, according to the report.
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There will be a daily usage limit for Siri AI — coming on Monday with iOS 27 — with expanded access available for a fee in the future.
In Apple’s announcement of the Health Sensing features of the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4, the company notes there will be usage limits on Siri AI, intelligent photo editing tools, Image Playground, and Apple Foundation Cloud models in the Shortcuts app.
From the announcement: Certain Apple Intelligence features that rely on server-side models are subject to daily usage limits, including but not limited to Siri AI, intelligent photo editing tools, Image Playground, and AFM 3 Cloud models in Shortcuts. Daily limits may vary by feature, request complexity, system demand, system policies, and other factors. Expanded access to such features will be available for a fee in the future.
Apple hasn’t provided details on what the fee will be or how it will be charged. However, at June’s Worldwide Developer Conference, the company said that higher iCloud+ tiers will include expanded access to the limited Apple Intelligence features.
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Apple has announced the AppleCare One Family for U.S. customers. It extends AppleCare coverage to every eligible device across an Apple Family Sharing group of up to six people for a monthly price.
“AppleCare One Family covers every eligible device for up to six people,” Apple says. “After you sign up, easily add devices straight from your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, including most devices less than four years old and in good working condition.” Apple also mentions that “new devices are automatically added, and the price stays the same.”
AppleCare One is available now for $49.99 per month. This includes:
All AppleCare+ benefits, with theft and loss coverage for iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch.
Covers devices for up to six people in your Family Sharing group, including yourself.
Six total claims per year with Family.
I hope you’ll help support Apple World Today by becoming a patron. Almost all our income is from Patreon support and sponsored posts. Patreon pricing ranges from $2 to $10 a month. Thanks in advance for your support.
Since I can’t cover everything, here are some recommended articles from some other neat sites:
° From AppleInsider: Apple has produced a series of videos for developers showing how their apps will look on the iPhone Duo, and without modification, they could look really ugly.
° From 9to5Mac: Apple has updated its trade-in values. Ironically, it lowers the values for iPhones while increasing them for iPads and most Macs.
° From Macworld: We weren’t expecting much. But Apple managed to spring a few pleasant surprises when announcing its new watches.
° From Inc.: India’s Reliance Jio has introduced a new pricing structure for rich communication services (RCS) business messaging, allowing brands to send marketing, transactional and one-time password (OTP) messages to iPhone users on its network.
° From MacRumors: Despite rumors of an increase in thickness, the iPhone 18 Pro Max has the same physical dimensions as the iPhone 17 Pro Max. It is 163.4mm x 78mm x 8.75mm, but it did get 16 grams heavier.
° From MacVoices Live!: On the new episode, the MacVoices Live! examines Apple’s transition from Tim Cook to John Ternus, weighing Cook’s legacy, Apple’s dramatic financial growth, Vision Pro, and criticism of his tenure.
Apple has confirmed that macOS 27 Golden Gate will arrive on September 14 with iOS 27 — and likely iPadOS 17. tvOS 27, watchOS 27, and visionOS 27.
macOS Golden Gate was formally announced at WWDC on June 8, 2026. Apple said that the operating system update focuses on refining features introduced in the previous release based on user feedback.You can read all about macOS Golden Gate here.
There’s still time for some last minute tweaking, apparently. Apple has rolled out release candidates for those operating systems. A release candidate (RC), also known as gamma testing or “going silver,” is a beta version with the potential to be a stable product, which is ready to release unless significant bugs emerge.
I hope you’ll help support Apple World Today by becoming a patron. Almost all our income is from Patreon support and sponsored posts. Patreon pricing ranges from $2 to $10 a month. Thanks in advance for your support.
As expected, Apple debuted the first foldable iPhone today. But it’s not an “iPhone Fold” or an “iPhone Ultra.” It’s the “iPhone Duo.”
Opened, it’s the thinnest iPhone ever, with a 7.6-inch inner display that’s the largest ever screen on an Apple smartphone. It packs a special nano-texture finish that minimizes glare. Closed, the 5.4-inch outer display delivers 90% of the screen area of iPhone 18 Pro in a “pocketable” design. Both displays share the same aspect ratio, so content scales proportionally; Apple says this ensures visual continuity.
Apple CEO John Ternus says the iPhone Duo has an innovative hardware design and a precision hinge “that offers a smooth, satisfying feel with every use.” Powered by the new A20 Pro, iPhone Duo features an advanced thermal management system with a custom-designed vapor chamber and a dual-battery architecture.
Beneath the inner display, a new FaceTime camera stays hidden when not in use to keep the screen uninterrupted. The displays also feature ProMotion, Always On, and 3000 nits of peak outdoor brightness. Later this year, iPhone Duo will support Apple Pencil with USB-C, allowing users to take notes, sketch, or mark up documents on either display.
Touch ID is integrated into the side button for authentication whether the smartphone is open or closed. Users can also unlock the iPhone Duo using their Apple Watch. The design also features Camera Control to quickly launch the camera, including the brand-new Siri Camera mode, which lets Siri see what the user sees to answer questions and take action.
The iPhone Duo is crafted from grade 5 titanium with an enclosure that has a mirror-polished finish and a 3D-printed hinge cover with a contrasting micro-blasted finish. Ceramic Shield protects the back of iPhone Duo, and Ceramic Shield 2 on the front has 3x better scratch resistance than the previous generation, according to Apple.
The iPhone Duo is available in two colors — star white and night sky — and crafted from grade 5 titanium.
The iPhone Duo is also splash-, water-, and dust-resistant with an IP68 rating. The hinge is engineered from more than 100 components to control opening and closing and support the center of the display. Internally, support ribs reinforce the structure for added stiffness, while antenna splits with ceramic fiber inserts.
The inner display is designed with a scratch-resistant coating and a nano-textured cover layer that’s made from a custom polymer that purportedly has up to 40% higher stiffness than other materials used in the industry. High-strength glass sits above and below the folding display panel, with custom adhesives that allow the layers to glide past one another like the pages of a book relieving bend stress, and a titanium plate at the bottom further enhances durability, according to Apple.
With the iPhone Duo’s 48MP Fusion Main camera, users can shoot sharp photos at up to 48MP resolution, capture in the 24MP default, and get closer to the subject with an integrated optical-quality 2x Telephoto.
The 48MP Fusion Ultra Wide camera — the same as on iPhone 18 Pro models — captures wider fields of view and enables macro photography, while the Center Stage front camera can automatically take photos and videos in any orientation, so users don’t have to rotate iPhone for landscape selfies. Under the inner display, a new FaceTime camera helps users connect with friends and family whether the iPhone Duo is held open or propped on a surface for hands-free calls.
Apple says the foldable design with dual displays unlocks camera experiences that are not possible on any other iPhone. To wit:
With Smart Take, users no longer miss out on being in the photo because they are behind the shutter or racing to beat a timer. On-device AI models running on A20 Pro analyze the scene in real time and automatically capture photos when subjects are posing.
Users can take a selfie with the higher-resolution rear cameras and preview their shot on the outer display.
Duo Preview shows the live preview on the outer display, helping subjects pose, check their framing, and guide the shot.
Kid Cue plays animations from Peanuts on the outer display to grab the attention of children so they look at the camera.
Duo FaceTime lets people who are with the user join a video call on the outer display, so everyone can share the moment without crowding around one screen.
Available in taupe and navy blue, the iPhone Duo Folio has an integrated kickstand that folds neatly back into place when not in use.
The iPhone Duo supports 4K120 fps recording in Dolby Vision on the 48MP Fusion Main camera. Users can now apply Cinematic effects after capture at up to 60 fps, and Audio Mix introduces new algorithms that deliver higher-quality voices and can now isolate music. Time-lapse supports 4K in Dolby Vision HDR, and users can prop iPhone Duo up without needing a tripod to easily capture longer-duration videos.
The foldable iPhone has apps especially designed for it. Developers can adapt their apps using new application programming interfaces in the latest software developer kits and upcoming support for iPhone Duo in Device Hub in Xcode.
Pricing and Availability
The iPhone Duo is available in star white and night sky, and starts at US$1,999, or $83.29 per month for 24 months, in 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB storage capacities.
Apple Upgrade, a leasing program provided by Klarna and available in the U.S., gives eligible customers monthly payment options for iPhone Duo, with 12- and 24-month leasing terms starting as low as $57.99per month for 24 months. For more information, visit apple.com/shop/apple-upgrade.14
Customers in more than 70 countries and regions, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, France, Germany, India, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Singapore, South Korea, Türkiye, the UAE, the UK, the U.S., and Vietnam, will be able to pre-order iPhone Duo beginning at 5 a.m. PT on Friday, October 16, with availability beginning Friday, October 23. The iPhone Duo will be available in 28 other countries and regions beginning Friday, October 30.
The iPhone Duo Case will be available for $79 in navy blue and sand, and the iPhone Duo Folio with Kickstand will be available for $129 in navy blue and taupe. iPhone Duo Case and iPhone Duo Folio with Kickstand will be available to order beginning Friday, October 16.
The iPhone Duo will be available with iOS 27.1. Some features may not be available in all languages or regions, and availability may vary due to local laws and regulations. For more information about availability, visit apple.com.
Apple Intelligence will be available with iOS 27 on Monday, September 14, for users with an Apple Intelligence-enabled device set to a supported language. Apple Intelligence is available with support for these languages: English, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish, Vietnamese, Chinese (simplified), Chinese (traditional), Japanese, and Korean. Some features may not be available in all regions or languages. For feature and language availability and system requirements, see apple.com/apple-intelligence.
Siri AI is rolling out with iOS 27 as a beta on Monday, September 14, for users with a supported device set to English, with support for French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish coming in October. Some features may not be available in all regions or languages.
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