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AirPods 4 vs. AirPods 5 Buyer's Guide

Apple announced the AirPods 5 earlier this month, giving its entry-level earbuds Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) as standard for the first time. The AirPods 5 start at $129, a $149 model adds a Wireless Charging Case, and both versions arrive in stores on Friday, September 18.


The launch also resets the way Apple tiers its cheapest earbuds. With the AirPods 4, the $50 step up from $129 to $179 bought ANC along with a wireless charging case. With the ‌AirPods 5‌, noise cancellation comes at the entry price and now there is only a $20 step up to the next tier.

Apple has stopped selling both versions of the AirPods 4 directly, but they remain widely available from third-party retailers, where the standard model has already dropped to $99 and the ANC model to $149.

Here's everything that differs between the AirPods 4 and the ‌AirPods 5‌:




























































































AirPods 4
(2024)
AirPods 4 With ANC
(2024)
‌AirPods 5‌
(2026)
‌AirPods 5‌ With Wireless Charging Case
(2026)
Active Noise Cancellation Active Noise Cancellation that removes up to 50% more external noise Active Noise Cancellation that removes up to 50% more external noise
Transparency mode Improved Transparency mode Improved Transparency mode
Adaptive Audio Adaptive Audio Adaptive Audio
Conversation Awareness Conversation Awareness Conversation Awareness
Adaptive EQ Adaptive EQ Redesigned acoustic architecture and updated Adaptive EQ Redesigned acoustic architecture and updated Adaptive EQ
Studio-quality audio recording Studio-quality audio recording
Live Translation Live Translation Live Translation
Force sensor Force sensor Force sensor Force sensor with swipe volume controls
Up to five hours of listening time on a single charge Up to four hours of listening time on a single charge with Active Noise Cancellation enabled (up to five hours with noise control off) Up to four hours of battery life on a single charge with Active Noise Cancellation enabled (up to six hours with noise control off) Up to five hours of battery life on a single charge with Active Noise Cancellation enabled (up to seven hours with noise control off)
Up to 30 hours of listening time with the charging case Up to 20 hours of listening time with the charging case with Active Noise Cancellation enabled (up to 30 hours with noise control off) Up to 20 hours of battery life with the charging case with Active Noise Cancellation enabled Up to 22 hours of battery life with the charging case with Active Noise Cancellation enabled
Charging Case (USB-C) Wireless Charging Case (USB-C) with support for the Apple Watch charger and Qi-certified chargers Charging Case (USB-C) Wireless Charging Case (USB-C) with support for the Apple Watch charger and Qi-certified chargers
Speaker for Find My Speaker for ‌Find My‌
Dust, sweat, and water resistant (IP54) Dust, sweat, and water resistant (IP54) Dust, sweat, and water resistant (IP57) Dust, sweat, and water resistant (IP57)
Previously $129, now discontinued Previously $179, now discontinued $129 $149



How Big Is the Upgrade?


The ‌AirPods 5‌ retain the H2 chip that debuted in the AirPods Pro 2 back in 2022, rather than the new headphone chip that had been rumored, and they retain Bluetooth 5.3, the same open-ear design, the same custom high-excursion driver and high dynamic range amplifier, and identical dimensions and weight down to the gram. Personalized Spatial Audio, Adaptive EQ, Voice Isolation, Personalized Volume, and Siri Interactions all came to the AirPods 4 two years ago.

Noise cancellation is the headline upgrade, and now included regardless of which 2026 model you choose. Apple says the ‌AirPods 5‌ remove up to 50% more external noise than the AirPods 4 with ANC, which it attributes to a redesigned acoustic architecture, and the same architecture underpins the claims of richer sound and a more natural Transparency mode. Durability improves from IP54 to IP57, so the earbuds and case are now rated for immersion rather than just splashes. Studio-quality audio recording is also new.

Should You Upgrade?


If you already own the AirPods 4 with ANC, there is not a strong case to upgrade. You already have Adaptive Audio, Transparency mode, Conversation Awareness, Live Translation, a wireless charging case with a ‌Find My‌ speaker, and the same H2 chip, so the $149 model would give you stronger noise cancellation, a higher IP rating, an extra hour of listening time, and swipe volume controls.

The case is stronger if you own the standard AirPods 4. Noise cancellation, Transparency mode, Adaptive Audio, Conversation Awareness, and Live Translation are all missing from that model, and the ‌AirPods 5‌ add every one of them at the same $129 you paid two years ago. The same goes for anyone still using the AirPods 3 or AirPods 2, where the jump also brings the newer fit, the H2 chip, USB-C, and Personalized Spatial Audio.

For new buyers, the ‌AirPods 5‌ are the clear default choice. The AirPods 4 are the better value option only when heavily discounted.

The open-ear fit remains the real dividing line in the lineup. If you want genuine isolation, want to use hearing health features, or want heart rate sensing during workouts, the $249 AirPods Pro 3 are still the earbuds to buy. By contrast, if in-ear tips irritate you or you want to stay more aware of your environment, the ‌AirPods 5‌ now offer a far more capable version of the design you will prefer.

Both ‌AirPods 5‌ models are available to pre-order now ahead of their release on Friday, September 18. AirPods frequently see hefty discounts on Amazon and other third-party retailers, so it is always worth seeking the best price using our Deals roundup.

Which AirPods 5 Model to Buy?


The difference between the two ‌AirPods 5‌ models is significant despite the $20 gap. The Wireless Charging Case works with Qi chargers and the Apple Watch charger, contains a speaker that makes it much easier to find in the ‌Find My‌ app, and comes with an extra hour of listening time on a charge and two extra hours across the case.

The $149 model is clearly the one to buy for most people, unless the AirPods are a secondary device or one that isn't going to be used often. Jumping up to the higher-end model only costs $20, which is a relatively small amount of money for the number of enhancements.
Related Roundup: AirPods 5
Buyer's Guide: AirPods (Buy Now)
Related Forum: AirPods

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iOS 27 Code Reveals New MagSafe Wallet Designs and Animation

iOS 27 code reveals a wave of new Hermès MagSafe wallet designs featuring Find My support, alongside a dedicated attachment animation for the accessories.


The code sleuth known as "pdfu" shared the findings on X, revealing new bandana print card holders in purple, brown, and orange, new tartan stitched designs in purple and brown, plain leather versions in navy and burgundy, a crocodile embossed style, and more. This represents a major expansion of Hermès' ‌MagSafe‌ wallet selection.

iOS 27 RC adds a dedicated Hermès MagSafe wallet attachment animation. There are also new wallet styles with Find My support. pic.twitter.com/oicAPgYQbD

— pdfu (@itspdfu) September 12, 2026


Alongside the new designs, pdfu said that the ‌iOS 27‌ release candidate adds an animation specifically for Hermès ‌MagSafe‌ wallets, distinct from the standard Apple ‌MagSafe‌ accessory animation that plays for other wallets. The leaker's post shows how the animation appears when a wallet is attached.

Hermès currently sells around half a dozen ‌MagSafe‌ card holder designs through its online store, including the silk Bandana Eperon d'Or, Jean patch, Pencils, and Chaine d'Ancre styles, alongside the Swift calfskin Lad print, with pricing ranging from $510 for the silk designs up to $1,025 for Lad.

‌Find My‌ support enables owners to locate the wallet in the ‌Find My‌ app and get a notification if it has been left behind.

Apple's own FineWoven Wallet with ‌MagSafe‌ and ‌Find My‌ costs $59. The company recently introduced new color options, and other than the switch from leather to its FineWoven material, the design of the accessory has remained the same since 2020.
Related Roundups: iOS 27, iPadOS 27
Related Forum: iOS 27

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Things 3 Updated for iOS 27 With Siri AI and Spotlight Integration

Cultured Code today released Things 3.24, adding integration with iOS 27's new Siri AI and system-wide Spotlight search.


The most significant addition is full support for ‌Siri‌ AI, allowing users to create to-dos by speaking naturally to add tasks. Once a to-do is created, users can continue the conversation to append notes, start dates, and alerts without opening the app.

Things 3.24 also indexes a user's entire database in Spotlight, allowing to-dos and projects to be surfaced through system-wide search. ‌Siri‌ AI can draw on that same Spotlight index to fulfill requests. Users who would prefer to keep their task data out of system search can turn the feature off in Things' settings.

The update brings a wider range of snooze intervals for notifications, adding 15 minute, one hour, and three hour options alongside a new "snooze until tomorrow" choice.

Cultured Code also adds an XL Portrait widget, giving users a way to view longer lists directly from the Home Screen. The update includes various other compatibility improvements for the new operating system.

Things 3.24 arrives alongside iOS 27, which Apple launches later today.
Related Roundups: iOS 27, iPadOS 27
Related Forum: iOS 27

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Apple Stores Said to Lose Video Walls, Regain Dedicated Genius Bars

Apple is working on a sweeping retail overhaul that would bring back dedicated Genius Bars to its stores, carve out new spaces for order pickup and Today at Apple classes, and do away with oversized video walls, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.


In this week's "Power On" newsletter, Gurman said that Apple intends to speed up store renovations over the coming years. Apple plans to rework the "Avenue," its term for the side sections of a store where accessories and services are displayed, reinstate standalone Genius Bars, and remove the large video screens installed in many locations.

Pickup and Today at Apple, which typically share a counter and a seating area today, will each get their own compact section along the Avenue, described internally as a "bay" and measuring about 10 feet across.

For pickup, Gurman described plans for an all-wood bay with a faint Apple logo worked into the upper section, with lockable drawers underneath for holding customer orders, fronted by a counter where staff can hand items over. The Today at Apple bay will feature a similar look, topped by a display similar to a large television, with drawers below for stashing iPads, laptops, and other class equipment, plus a fixed instructor table and stools nearby.

The video walls being phased out trace back to the retail vision pursued under former retail chief Angela Ahrendts, who treated Apple stores as public gathering places rather than purely transactional spaces. Gurman frames the current shift as a move away from that toward stores built primarily around service, fulfillment, and everyday shopping needs.

Where those screens come down, most stores will gain a wood finished Genius Bar built to echo the design Apple used before it introduced the open plan "Genius Grove." It includes counters set at two different heights for accessibility, backed by a wall of storage drawers and large product imagery. Gurman added that both the new bars and the Avenue bays are meant to look as though they always belonged in the store, rather than as visible retrofits, and that many renovated locations will also see their break rooms and other back-of-house areas refurbished.

Elements of the redesign are already live in a small number of stores around the world. Gurman expects the fuller version of the proposed store overhaul to reach most newly opened and renovated stores gradually, with the international rollout continuing over several years.

Separately, Gurman reports that Apple has tightened expectations for staff during pre-opening meetings, with employees to be more firmly required to stay on their feet, put away phones and drinks, and remain attentive. Once doors open to customers, timed for five minutes ahead of the posted hour, every staff member on site is expected to applaud as the first shoppers walk in.
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iPhone 18 Pro vs. iPhone 18 Pro Max Buyer's Guide

Apple recently unveiled the iPhone 18 Pro and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max, featuring a new Main camera with a variable aperture, new Pro camera controls, the A20 Pro chip, and more. With the foldable iPhone Duo now sitting above them in the lineup, the two Pro models are no longer the most expensive iPhones Apple sells, but they remain the most fully-featured traditional iPhones available.


The ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ starts at $1,199 and the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max starts at $1,299. Both see a $100 increase over the equivalent iPhone 17 Pro models, and the increases grow steeper further up the storage ladder, with a 1TB ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ now costing $300 more than a 1TB ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ did last year.

Both phones have the same OLED Super Retina XDR always-on display with ProMotion and the Dynamic Island, the A20 Pro chip, 5G connectivity, a 48 megapixel Pro Fusion camera system, and the same four color options. Both are also offered in the same four storage tiers, including a 2TB option that is available on the smaller Pro model for the first time. Although the two phones share the vast majority of features, there are eight differences between the devices.

Our guide highlights the crucial differences between the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max, and helps to answer the question of how to decide which of these two iPhone models is best for you. Both models share the same thickness of 0.34 inches (8.75 mm), but otherwise have very different sizes and weights.






















‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max
Height 5.91 inches (150.0 mm) 6.43 inches (163.4 mm)
Width 2.83 inches (71.9 mm) 3.07 inches (78.0 mm)
Weight 7.44 ounces (211 grams) 8.78 ounces (249 grams)



Other differences essentially come down to display size and battery life. As was the case last year, there are no camera differences between the two devices at all for this generation, with the variable aperture Fusion Main camera and the new manual Pro controls appearing on both models.






























‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max
6.3-inch display 6.9-inch display
2622-by-1206-pixel resolution 2868-by-1320-pixel resolution
4,056 mAh battery 5,391 mAh battery
Up to 36-hour video playback Up to 45-hour video playback
Up to 33-hour streamed video playback Up to 40-hour streamed video playback
Apple C2 modem in all countries Apple C2 modem outside the U.S., Qualcomm modem in the U.S.



Apple does not advertise battery capacities on its product pages, but energy labels published in Europe confirm the exact figures for models that retain a SIM card tray. The capacities above apply to those models. eSIM-only versions, including all iPhones sold in the United States, have slightly larger cells because there is no tray taking up internal space, and Apple has not yet disclosed those figures.

Apple lists its own C2 modem in the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ in every country, but the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max only uses the C2 outside the United States. U.S. units of the larger model instead contain a Qualcomm modem, and iOS code seen points to the same radio used in last year's ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ models, which would make it the Snapdragon X80.

The C2 supports both sub-6GHz and mmWave 5G, as the Qualcomm part does, and Apple says it is faster and more energy efficient than the C1X while adding AI-driven improvements to cellular quality and reliability. Real-world comparisons will not be possible until reviewers test both radios on the same networks. The clearest hint that the hardware genuinely differs is in the band listings, where the U.S. ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ supports LTE Band 106 and the U.S. ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max does not.

Pricing is also a key area of difference, with the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max reaching $2,499 when configured with 2TB of storage.























256GB 512GB 1TB 2TB
‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ $1,199 $1,399 $1,799 $2,399
‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max $1,299 $1,499 $1,899 $2,499



The ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max represents the most you can get out of a traditional iPhone with the best possible battery life, but that does not necessarily translate into a worthwhile purchase for all users. At 8.78 ounces (249 grams), it is heavier than any iPhone Pro Max that came before it, and with a 6.9-inch display it is a large and hefty device.

Some may find the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max's size excessive or uncomfortably large to hold, while others will love the larger display for consuming media. Screen size is ultimately a matter of personal preference, and since the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max share all of their other features, it comes down to individual taste.

Battery life is the one area where the gap between the two models has widened meaningfully this year. The ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max gained six additional hours of video playback over the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max, while the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ gained three. The result is a nine-hour advantage for the larger model, up from six hours in the previous generation. If getting through a long day without reaching for a charger is your priority, the case for the Pro Max is more persuasive than it has been for some time.

The added $100 in price for the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max seems fair for its additional display area and battery life, but it is important to weigh up these factors in your personal use-case. That $100 premium holds at every storage tier, so the larger model never becomes proportionally more expensive as capacity rises. Both devices become costly quickly with added storage, though, and the 1TB and 2TB tiers now carry surcharges that are considerably steeper than in previous years.

U.S. buyers have one extra factor to bear in mind. Choosing the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max in the United States means giving up Apple's own modem, and while the day-to-day difference is likely to be very small, it is an unusual position for the more expensive device to be in. If you specifically want the C2 and you are buying in the U.S., the smaller model is the only way to get it.

The most important decision point when choosing between the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max is undoubtedly screen size, but comfort, pocketability, weight, battery life, and now the modem are also important considerations that will depend based on your preferences. If you are hesitant about the size and weight of the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max, it may be better to stick with the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌, which no longer forces you to give up the largest storage option to get the smaller body. If size is not a concern, the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max is otherwise unlikely to disappoint, especially if price is not an issue.
Related Roundup: iPhone 18 Pro
Related Forum: iPhone

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Apple Watch Series 11 vs. Series 12 Buyer's Guide: 25+ Upgrades Compared

The Apple Watch Series 12 is now available for pre-order, and unlike last year's model, it brings a substantial list of changes over its predecessor. Here's everything that's new.


Last year, the Series 11 introduced just four changes over the Series 10, making it perhaps the smallest generational upgrade in the device's history. The Series 12 is a far more meaningful refresh, even though it essentially retains the same design for a third consecutive year.

It launches on Friday, September 18, at the same $399 starting price as the Series 11, which Apple has now discontinued. This guide lists all of the differences between the Series 11 and Series 12 models to help you understand the changes:


























































































Apple Watch Series 11 Apple Watch Series 12
S10 chip (2024) S11 chip (2026)
2GB RAM 4GB RAM
Electrical heart sensor "Health Sensing System" with second-generation electrical heart sensor
Third-generation optical heart sensor Fourth-generation, always-on optical heart sensor
Heart rate tracking High-frequency background heart rate tracking (every five seconds)
HRV Recovery HRV and overall HRV (measured up to 24x more often)
Vitals app with heart rate, respiratory rate, wrist temperature, and sleep duration Vitals app with heart rate, respiratory rate, wrist temperature, sleep duration, and HRV, plus daytime vitals view
Readiness app
More accurate step tracking
Steps complication
Audio Intelligence (Live Rewind, Siri Recap, Sound Recognition, and Shazam)
Ion-X glass with 2x scratch resistance (aluminum models) Ceramic Shield 2, 60% tougher than Ion-X (aluminum models)
Metal and sapphire crystal back Aluminum or titanium and zirconia back
Aluminum or titanium case Aluminum, titanium, or ceramic case
Aluminum: Jet Black, Rose Gold, Silver, and Space Gray Aluminum: Dark Bronze, Light Gold, Black, and Space Gray
Titanium: Slate, Gold, and Natural Titanium: Radiant Gold and Natural
Ceramic: Pearl White and Night Blue
Hermès: Silver titanium Hermès: Silver and Radiant Gold titanium
15 minutes of charging for up to 8 hours of normal use 15 minutes of charging for up to 12 hours of normal use
5 minutes of charging for up to 8 hours of sleep tracking 5 minutes of charging for up to 10 hours of sleep tracking
Now discontinued From $399



The new ceramic case marks the first ceramic Apple Watch since the Series 5 Edition in 2019, but it is slightly larger than the other models and weighs up to 52.9 grams in its 46mm Night Blue configuration. Even the aluminum and titanium models are now 1mm wider and around 2 grams heavier than their predecessors.

At the same time, the display appears to have shrunk slightly, even though its resolution is unchanged. Apple lists the 46mm Series 12 with 1,196 sq mm of display area, 2% less than the 1,220 sq mm of the Series 11, while the 42mm model drops 1.9% from 989 sq mm to 970 sq mm.

A marginally smaller screen in a wider case means thicker borders, and Apple also appears to have pulled the case back slightly around a larger front glass, which could make them look even more prominent. The Series 10 went through a similar change in 2024, when its visible aluminum edge shrank compared to the Series 9 but its overall bezel, including the black border under the glass, actually grew. The shift is less dramatic this time around, since the Series 12 keeps the same basic case design. Here's how the two generations compare in size, weight, and display area:
































46mm Apple Watch Series 11 Apple Watch Series 12
Dimensions 46mm x 39mm x 9.7mm 46mm x 40mm x 9.7mm
Display area 1,220 sq mm 1,196 sq mm
Aluminum (GPS) 37.8 grams 39.5 grams
Aluminum (Cellular) 36.9 grams 38.6 grams
Titanium 43.1 grams 44.9 grams


































42mm Apple Watch Series 11 Apple Watch Series 12
Dimensions 42mm x 36mm x 9.7mm 42mm x 37mm x 9.7mm
Display area 989 sq mm 970 sq mm
Aluminum (GPS) 30.3 grams 32.2 grams
Aluminum (Cellular) 29.7 grams 31.5 grams
Titanium 34.6 grams 36.5 grams



The new ceramic models, which have no Series 11 equivalent, are larger and considerably heavier still:






















Ceramic 46mm 42mm
Dimensions 47mm x 41mm x 9.85mm 43mm x 37mm x 9.85mm
Pearl White 51.3 grams 41.7 grams
Night Blue 52.9 grams 42.8 grams



The most significant upgrade between the two devices is the new Health Sensing System. It uses a larger electrode surface for better skin contact during ECG readings, redesigned photodiodes laid out in a ring for more efficient light capture, and bigger, more power-efficient green LEDs. The result is that the Series 12 measures heart rate every five seconds throughout the day, 60 times more frequently than before, and samples HRV up to 24 times more often. Apple claims this gives the Series 12 the most accurate heart rate sensing of any wearable.

That higher-frequency data powers several new health features that are exclusive to the Series 12. The Readiness app weighs up your recent activity, training load, vitals, and sleep score to produce a single daily score out of 10, alongside a recommendation ranging from "Recover" to "Go For It." There is also a separate Recovery HRV metric, a daytime view in the Vitals app, and new watch face complications for real-time heart rate and step count. Apple has also rebuilt its pedometer model and says the Series 12 now offers the most accurate step tracking of any smartwatch.

The Series 12 is the first model in two years to get a new chip, with the S11 replacing the S10 that powered both the Series 10 and Series 11, which itself was almost identical to the S9 chip from 2023. The new model also has twice as much RAM, with 4GB compared to 2GB in the Series 11.

The S11 chip enables Audio Intelligence, a new set of features exclusive to the Series 12 and Ultra 4. Live Rewind displays a transcript of the last 15 seconds of conversation with a double press of the Digital Crown, ‌Siri‌ Recap generates summaries of conversations, Sound Recognition alerts deaf or hard of hearing users to sounds like sirens and doorbells, and Shazam can automatically identify music playing nearby. According to Apple, audio is processed in a hardware-isolated Secure Exclave on the S11 chip and is never recorded.

Everyday battery life is unchanged at up to 24 hours, or up to 38 hours in Low Power Mode. The improvements instead focus on workouts and charging. The Series 12 offers up to 10 hours of battery life during an outdoor workout, which Apple says is 25% more than the Series 11, and 15 minutes of charging now delivers up to 12 hours of use rather than eight.

All other aspects, such as display resolution and brightness, 64GB of storage, 5G connectivity, and water and dust resistance all carry over from the Series 11 unchanged.

Is It Worth Upgrading?


For new buyers, the Series 12 is the obvious choice. It costs the same $399 that the Series 11 did at launch, while adding a more capable health sensing system, double the RAM, and a considerable list of exclusive features. With a new chip and more memory, it is also likely to be better placed for future Apple Intelligence features. The Series 11 is the better value option only when it can be found heavily discounted, which is likely as third-party retailers clear their remaining stock.

Last year, we concluded that virtually no users should upgrade from a Series 10 to a Series 11. This year, the picture is more nuanced. For most Series 11 owners, there is still no general-purpose reason to upgrade, since many key features are unchanged and ‌Siri‌ AI is coming to the Series 11 anyway. However, the Series 12 is worth considering if you rely on your Apple Watch for training and recovery insights, since continuous heart rate tracking, Recovery HRV, and Readiness are all exclusive to the new model. Deaf and hard of hearing users may find Sound Recognition a compelling reason to upgrade on its own, and some users will simply want the new ceramic finish.

Series 11 owners who are happy to wait may prefer to hold out for next year's "Series 13," which is rumored to bring the first major redesign since the Series 10, including a new band attachment system.

By contrast, upgrading is much easier to justify if you have a Series 9 or older. Series 10 owners would gain a new, thinner design with a wider screen, a tougher display on aluminum models, and a longer battery life in addition to all of this year's changes.
Related Roundup: Apple Watch 12
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Buy Now)
Related Forum: Apple Watch

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The MacRumors Show: iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo Announced!

The wait is over; Apple has now announced the iPhone 18 Pro and its first foldable, the iPhone Duo. We talk through our reactions to the range of new products on this week's episode of The MacRumors Show.


The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max gain a smaller Dynamic Island, new Glacier, Burgundy, and Black color options, and the 2nm A20 Pro chip, which delivers up to 40% faster sustained performance with help from a vapor chamber three times larger than before. The ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ now matches the iPhone 17 Pro Max with up to 24 hours of typical use, according to Apple, while the Pro Max gets up to 30 hours in what the company calls its biggest generational battery life leap ever.

Both models have a 48-megapixel main camera with variable aperture from ƒ/1.48 to ƒ/4.0, new Pro Controls for manual aperture, shutter speed, and white balance, texture and grain controls in Photographic Styles, and Apple Reference Image, which signs photo data at capture to verify authenticity. Pricing starts at $1,199 and $1,299, $100 more than last year, while higher storage tiers rose by as much as $500, and pre-orders begin Saturday, September 12 ahead of a September 18 launch.

The Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 introduce a new "Health Sensing System" that measures heart rate every five seconds and HRV as often as every five minutes, feeding a new daily Readiness score, and Apple claims it offers the most accurate heart rate sensing of any wearable. A new S11 chip with twice the RAM powers Audio Intelligence features including Sound Recognition, Live Rewind, which transcribes the last 15 seconds of speech, and Siri Recap, which summarizes conversation.

Aluminum models now have Ceramic Shield for 60% tougher displays, titanium models come in polished Radiant Gold and Natural, and ceramic returns for the first time since the Series 5 in Pearl White and Night Blue, with cases that are slightly larger and heavier. The Apple Watch Series 12 starts at $399 for 42mm, while the 46mm model rose $20 to $449, titanium starts at $699, and ceramic starts at $899, with orders open now ahead of launch on September 18.

The AirPods 5 retain their open-ear design but gain Active Noise Cancellation as standard, with Apple claiming up to 50% more noise reduction than AirPods 4 with ANC, plus a new multiport acoustic architecture and next-generation Adaptive EQ. The $129 model offers over four hours of listening with ANC and 20 hours total with the case, while a $149 model adds stem volume control, up to five hours with ANC, and a wireless charging case. Both models are available to order now.

The iPhone Duo is a book-style foldable with a 7.6-inch inner display and a 5.4-inch outer display that share the same aspect ratio, and Apple says it is the thinnest iPhone ever when unfolded. The inner screen has a nano-texture finish to reduce glare and crease visibility, while the device features a titanium frame, an IP68 rating, Touch ID in the side button, the A20 Pro chip, Apple's new C2 modem, MagSafe, and a dual-battery design rated for up to 44 hours of video playback on the outer display.

There is no Face ID, Action button or Telephoto camera. Apple Pencil support arrives later this year, limited to the USB-C ‌Apple Pencil‌. The ‌iPhone Duo‌ comes in Star White and Night Sky and starts at $1,999 with 256GB of storage, reaching $3,199 for 2TB, with pre-orders beginning October 16 ahead of an October 23 launch, shipping with iOS 27.1.

Apple also introduced AppleCare One Family, which covers every eligible device across up to six Family Sharing members in the U.S. for $49.99 per month. Alongside the new models, Apple raised prices on the iPhone 16, iPhone 17e, iPhone 17, and iPhone Air by $100 each to $799, $699, $899, and $1,099, respectively, and discontinued the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ and ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max. Apple also revealed that it is extending free satellite access by another year for iPhone 14, iPhone 15, and ‌iPhone 16‌ users.

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If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, catch up to hear our discussion about what we expected from the event to see what we got right and wrong.

Subscribe to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ for new episodes every week, where we discuss some of the topical news breaking here on MacRumors, often joined by interesting guests such as Michael Fisher, Kayci Lacob, Kevin Nether, John Gruber, Mark Gurman, Jon Prosser, Luke Miani, Matthew Cassinelli, Brian Tong, Quinn Nelson, Jared Nelson, Eli Hodapp, Mike Bell, Sara Dietschy, iJustine, Jon Rettinger, Andru Edwards, Arnold Kim, Ben Sullins, Marcus Kane, Christopher Lawley, Frank McShan, David Lewis, Tyler Stalman, Sam Kohl, Federico Viticci, Thomas Frank, Jonathan Morrison, Ross Young, Ian Zelbo, and Rene Ritchie.

‌The MacRumors Show‌ is on X @MacRumorsShow, so be sure to give us a follow to keep up with the podcast. You can also email us at podcast@macrumors.com or head over to The MacRumors Show forum thread. Remember to rate and review the podcast, and let us know what subjects and guests you would like to see in the future.
Related Roundups: iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone Duo
Related Forum: iPhone

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Ceramic Apple Watch Series 12 Is Bigger and Heavier Than Other Models

Apple Watch Series 12 models with a ceramic case are physically larger than the same model in aluminum or titanium, according to Apple's own tech specs.


At 46mm, Apple's tech specs page lists the aluminum and titanium case at 46mm by 40mm by 9.7mm, while the ceramic case sold under the same 46mm name measures 47mm by 41mm by 9.85mm, a millimeter taller, a millimeter wider, and 0.15mm thicker. The 42mm size follows the same pattern: 42mm by 37mm by 9.7mm for aluminum and titanium, versus 43mm by 37mm by 9.85mm for ceramic, a millimeter taller and 0.15mm thicker, with the width unchanged.

The display is unaffected. Apple lists the same 1,196 sq mm display area at 46mm and 970 sq mm at 42mm across all three materials, meaning the extra size is entirely case, not screen.

The ceramic models are also heavier. At 46mm, the Pearl White ceramic case weighs 51.3 grams and Night Blue weighs 52.9 grams, against 39.5 grams for the equivalent aluminum model and 44.9 grams for titanium, up to 34% heavier than aluminum and 18% heavier than titanium. The 42mm ceramic models weigh 41.7 grams in Pearl White and 42.8 grams in Night Blue, against 32.2 grams for aluminum and 36.5 grams for titanium, up to 33% heavier than aluminum and 17% heavier than titanium.

This appears to be the first time Apple has sold different physical case dimensions under the same nominal watch size. The increased size is presumably a design compromise owing to the entirely different material, although the earlier ceramic Apple Watch Edition models used identical case dimensions across materials at a given size, with only the weight changing between them.

Ceramic returns to the Apple Watch lineup with the Series 12 after a six-year absence, having last been offered on Series 5 in 2019 before Apple dropped it for Series 6 in 2020.

Apple Watch Series 12 in ceramic starts at $899, compared with $399 for aluminum and $699 for titanium, in Pearl White or Night Blue finishes. It launches on September 18.
Related Roundup: Apple Watch 12
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Buy Now)
Related Forum: Apple Watch

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Apple Watch Series 12 Has Smaller Screens and Bigger Cases

The Apple Watch Series 12 pairs a smaller display with a wider case than Series 10 and Series 11, even though the pixel resolution hasn't changed, according to Apple's own tech specs.


For the 46mm Series 12, Apple's tech specs page lists the display area at 1,196 sq mm, down 2% from 1,220 sq mm on Series 10 and Series 11. The 42mm size shows a similar 1.9% drop, from 989 sq mm to 970 sq mm. Pixel counts are identical across all three generations: 416 by 496 at 46mm, and 374 by 446 at 42mm.

The case grows as the screen shrinks. Apple's Series 12 tech specs list the 46mm case at 46mm by 40mm by 9.7mm, a millimeter wider than the 46mm by 39mm by 9.7mm case on Series 10 and Series 11, a roughly 2.6% increase in case footprint. The 42mm case grew from 42mm by 36mm to 42mm by 37mm over the same span, about 2.8%, with depth unchanged at 9.7mm for both sizes.

A smaller display combined with a bigger casing means bigger borders around the display, and it looks like Apple has also tweaked the design of the Series 12 to recede the casing and expand the front glass, which makes the borders look even larger.

There's recent precedent for a change like this translating into a visibly thicker bezel. Series 10 went through a similar shift when it replaced Series 9 in 2024, growing the case around the display. The Series 10's visible aluminum edge had actually shrunk by around 33% versus Series 9, while the total bezel, including the black glass border, had grown by about 17%, even though the case and display figures looked like an improvement on paper.

It looks like the Series 12 repeats that pattern, although to a less extreme extent. Unlike the Series 9 to Series 10 change, which was a full case redesign, Series 10, Series 11, and Series 12 all share the same approximate case design. The Apple Watch Series 12 starts at $399 and launches on September 18.
Related Roundup: Apple Watch 12
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Buy Now)
Related Forum: Apple Watch

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iPhone Duo Has Similar Main Camera to iPhone 17e

Apple's tech specs suggest the iPhone Duo's Main camera sensor is seemingly a match for the iPhone 17e's, not the standard iPhone 17's.


According to Apple's tech specs page for the iPhone Duo, the Main camera is a 26mm, ƒ/1.6 sensor with sensor-shift optical image stabilization and Hybrid Focus Pixels, also enabling a 12MP 2x Telephoto crop from the same sensor. The iPhone 17e's tech specs page lists an identical 26mm, ƒ/1.6 Main camera with Hybrid Focus Pixels, the same autofocus terminology Apple uses for the ‌iPhone Duo‌.

The match is not total, though. The ‌iPhone 17e‌'s tech specs describes plain "optical image stabilization" with no "sensor-shift" qualifier, while the ‌iPhone Duo‌'s does include it. That detail instead lines up with the standard iPhone 17's tech specs page, which pairs sensor-shift OIS with a different autofocus term, "100% Focus Pixels," the wording iPhone 18 Pro's tech specs page also uses but Duo and 17e do not.

This suggests that the Main camera of the ‌iPhone Duo‌ realistically falls somewhere between the ‌iPhone 17e‌ and ‌iPhone 17‌, possessing the sensor-shift optical image stabilization of the ‌iPhone 17‌, but with an iPhone 17e-style sensor that uses Hybrid Focus Pixels.

The overlapping Focus Pixels wording with the 17e is fueling speculation online that the two devices share a sensor. Apple has not published a sensor size or pixel pitch for the ‌iPhone Duo‌'s Main camera, leaving the matching Focus Pixels wording as the only official link to the 17e for now.

The ‌iPhone Duo‌ starts at $1,999, with pre-orders opening October 16 ahead of an October 23 release.
Related Roundups: iPhone 17e, iPhone Duo
Related Forum: iPhone

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iPhone 17 Pro vs. iPhone 18 Pro: 35+ Upgrades Compared

Apple yesterday announced the iPhone 18 Pro and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max, succeeding the iPhone 17 Pro that launched last September. The new models are built around the A20 Pro chip, a 48-megapixel Fusion Main camera with variable aperture, a redesigned vapor chamber, and a smaller Dynamic Island.


Last year's ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ brought one of the biggest design changes to the lineup in years, switching from a titanium frame and glass back to an aluminum unibody with Ceramic Shield 2. With that overhaul out of the way, this year's update is more about what's inside the phone than a new look, focused on the chip, camera, and battery rather than another redesign. The ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max, which shares nearly all of these changes, also gets a battery capacity increase of its own, delivering the largest jump in battery life in the iPhone's history.

The ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ starts at $1,199 for 256GB, up from the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌'s $1,099 starting price. Our guide breaks down every difference between the two generations to help you decide whether the upgrade is worth it. Here's everything that differs between the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌:

Chip, Performance, and Connectivity















































‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ (2025) ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ (2026)
A19 Pro chip A20 Pro chip
Built with TSMC's N3P process (3nm) Built with TSMC's N2 process (2nm), Apple's first 2nm smartphone chip
6-core CPU with 2 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores 6-core CPU with 2 super cores and 4 efficiency cores
50% more memory bandwidth than A19 Pro
6-core GPU with Neural Accelerators 7-core GPU with Neural Accelerators, up to 40% faster than A19 Pro
16-core Neural Engine Dual 16-core Neural Engine (32 total cores)
Vapor chamber cooling Next-generation vapor chamber with 3x more surface area than ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌'s, up to 40% higher sustained performance
New chip packaging that places silicon die beside memory, allowing it to attach directly to the vapor chamber
Qualcomm X80 modem Apple C2 modem



Rear Camera
































































‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ (2025) ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ (2026)
Fixed ƒ/1.78 aperture on the 48-megapixel Fusion Main camera Variable-aperture 48-megapixel Fusion Main camera with four stops: ƒ/1.48, ƒ/1.8, ƒ/2.8, and ƒ/4.0, using six laser-cut blades
API available for developers to control the aperture range within their own apps
Faster Night mode, tied to the new variable-aperture lens
Pro controls in the Camera app: manual lens aperture, shutter speed, white balance, and histogram
New sensor and computational imaging pipeline on the Fusion Main camera, delivering around 50% better low-light performance and more detail in the back of group photos
Photographic Styles 2, adjusting tone and color Photographic Styles 3, adding texture and grain controls alongside tone and color
Smart focus tracking
Cinematic mode recording up to 4K Dolby Vision at 30 fps Cinematic mode recording up to 4K Dolby Vision at 60 fps
Cinematic mode effects can be applied after capture, on video shot at up to 60 fps
Improved low-light video
Time-lapse video recording with stabilization, up to 4K Dolby Vision
Apple Reference Image (Fusion Main only), an opt-in feature that signs sensor data so a photo's authenticity can later be verified
Audio Mix Audio Mix with new algorithms for higher-quality voices, and the ability to isolate music




Front Camera
































‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ (2025) ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ (2026)
Photographic Styles 2, adjusting tone and color Photographic Styles 3, adding texture and grain controls alongside tone and color
Smart focus tracking
Cinematic mode effects can be applied after capture
Improved low-light video
Time-lapse video recording with stabilization, up to 4K Dolby Vision



Weight and Design




















‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ (2025) ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ (2026)
iPhone 17 Pro: Weighs 7.27 ounces (206 grams)
iPhone 17 Pro Max: Weighs 8.22 ounces (233 grams)
iPhone 18 Pro: Weighs 7.44 ounces (211 grams)
iPhone 18 Pro Max: Weighs 8.78 ounces (249 grams)
‌Dynamic Island‌ supports up to two simultaneous Live Activities Smaller ‌Dynamic Island‌, supports up to three simultaneous Live Activities
Available in Silver, Deep Blue, and Cosmic Orange Available in Silver, Black, Glacier, and Burgundy




Battery and Charging




















‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ (2025) ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ (2026)
iPhone 17 Pro: Up to 33 hours of video playback, up to 30 hours streamed
iPhone 17 Pro Max: Up to 39 hours of video playback, up to 35 hours streamed
iPhone 18 Pro: Up to 36 hours of video playback, up to 33 hours streamed
iPhone 18 Pro Max: Up to 45 hours of video playback, up to 40 hours streamed
Up to 50% charge in 20 minutes with a 40W adapter or higher Up to 50% charge in around 15 minutes with a 60W-capable adapter with Adjustable Voltage Supply
Up to 50% charge in 30 minutes with a 30W adapter or higher, paired with a MagSafe Charger Up to 50% charge in 30 minutes with a 35W adapter or higher, paired with a ‌MagSafe‌ Charger



Storage and Pricing




















‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ (2025) ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ (2026)
iPhone 17 Pro: Available with 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB storage
iPhone 17 Pro Max: Available with 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB storage
Available with 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB storage
iPhone 17 Pro: Launched at $1,099 (256GB)
iPhone 17 Pro Max: Launched at $1,199 (256GB)
iPhone 18 Pro: $1,199 (256GB), $1,399 (512GB), $1,799 (1TB), $2,399 (2TB)
iPhone 18 Pro Max: $1,299 (256GB), $1,499 (512GB), $1,899 (1TB), $2,499 (2TB)
Discontinued and no longer sold directly by Apple, now only available via third-parties iPhone 18 Pro: Sold directly by Apple, from $49.95 a month for 24 months via Apple Upgrade
iPhone 18 Pro Max: Sold directly by Apple, from $54.12 a month for 24 months via Apple Upgrade



Apple's redesigned vapor chamber and the A20 Pro's move to TSMC's 2nm process are among the most important updates under the hood this year, and together they raise sustained performance and unlock longer battery life. Battery life rises from 33 hours on the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ to 36 hours, and from 39 to 45 hours on the Pro Max, which is the largest battery gain Apple has delivered on an iPhone. Charging is faster too, reaching 50% in around 15 minutes with a 60W-capable adapter, down from 20 minutes last year.

The ‌Dynamic Island‌ sees the most visible external change, shrinking in size while expanding from two simultaneous Live Activities to three, letting users track a flight, a Maps route, and a timer at once without switching apps.

The most significant leap is the Main camera. It trades its fixed ƒ/1.78 aperture on the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ for a four-stop variable aperture ranging from ƒ/1.48 to ƒ/4.0, delivering around 50% better low-light performance and giving photographers optical control over depth of field that the iPhone has never offered before. Paired with new Pro controls for manual aperture, shutter speed, and white balance, Photographic Styles 3's added texture and grain sliders, and Apple Reference Image for verifying a photo's authenticity, the camera system does more to justify the Pro name than anything else in this update.

The ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ is clearly aimed at photographers and creators, but the longer battery life, faster charging, and more capable ‌Dynamic Island‌ give casual users real reasons to notice the difference too. Compared with last year's aluminum unibody overhaul, this is a more targeted upgrade rather than a wholesale reinvention, but between the chip, the camera, and the battery gains.

For existing ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ or ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max owners, there is no general-purpose reason to upgrade to either new model. The core design, display sizes, and everyday camera experience carry over largely unchanged, and both new models cost $100 more than their ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ equivalent. The upgrade is worth it if you specifically want variable aperture and manual Pro controls for photography, or if you rely on sustained performance for gaming or on-device AI tasks where the A20 Pro's cooling and Neural Engine gains will be most noticeable, but realistically this will only encompass a minority of users.

For new buyers coming from an iPhone 16 Pro or older, the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ is the better long-term purchase given the newer chip and camera system. That being said, if you can get an ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ at a substantially lower price, it is probably worth buying last year's model instead.

Pre-orders for the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max open Saturday, September 12, with availability beginning Friday, September 18.
Related Roundups: iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro
Related Forum: iPhone

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Apple Considering Ads Inside Visual Intelligence, Code Suggests

Apple may be exploring a way to let search providers show sponsored results inside Visual Intelligence, according to code uncovered in iOS 27.



The find comes from MacRumors' Aaron Perris, who said in a post on X that the code points to Apple allowing search providers to insert their own sponsored results into ‌Visual Intelligence‌, rather than Apple selling the ad space itself. He compared it to the sponsored product listings already seen on Amazon and Google. It is not clear whether Apple would take a cut of ad revenue.

The feature would let third party search providers, such as Google, insert items such as sponsored product images alongside the organic results ‌Visual Intelligence‌ already returns when a user points their camera at an item to shop for it. That would set it apart from the advertising pushes Apple has driven directly in its own apps over the past year.

Apple has been steadily expanding its advertising business across the App Store and Maps. The company began showing additional sponsored slots in ‌App Store‌ search results in March, and ads went live in Apple Maps in the United States and Canada last month.

‌Visual Intelligence‌ already routes shopping queries to services like Google Image Search and retailers such as Etsy, Amazon, and Anthropologie, so ad supported results from those partners would build on functionality that already exists in ‌iOS 27‌.
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Apple Details How iOS 27 Adapts to iPhone Duo's Displays

Apple has detailed how iOS 27 was rebuilt to adapt in real time to the iPhone Duo, the company's first foldable iPhone, reshaping the interface as the device folds, unfolds, and switches between its two displays.


Lock Screen controls, the Dock, and app navigation elements now sit along the side of the display instead of across the bottom, freeing up vertical space for content. When open, the ‌iPhone Duo‌ shows two Home Screen pages. The status bar is now a circular, flexible system that fits into the corner of the screen, and the Dynamic Island runs vertically along the side of the outer display.


The interface also changes based on the device's angle. It reorients when the phone is turned on its side and switches to the appropriate display when flipped over. Apple said building this required changing how individual apps lay out content as the screen changes shape, including moving the Dock to a vertical orientation. Controls stay anchored to the side of the screen throughout, and the Lock Screen moves its buttons aside to give more room for the wallpaper.


The ‌iPhone Duo‌ supports side-by-side multitasking, which is a first for the iPhone. Split View lets users run two apps at once, and it's possible to open two windows of the same app, such as Safari, or use Siri AI on one side of the screen while viewing content on the other. Users can swipe up from the bottom to switch apps or save a pair of apps to return to later.


The software also adjusts to how the phone is angled rather than just whether it's open or closed. Content shifts away from the crease when the device is partially folded, where taps are harder to register, and audio tuning algorithms account for the changing distance between the speakers as the phone moves through different positions. When laid flat on a table, iOS uses sensors in each half of the device to let users view content without a stand.


Setting the ‌iPhone Duo‌ down triggers StandBy on whichever display faces up, even when the phone isn't charging, turning it into a photo frame, widget hub, or clock. New Calendar and Weather faces join the existing Clock and Modular options, the Photos face now shows Shared Albums, and each face supports additional colors, fonts, and complications.


Apple has built new APIs for developers to adapt their apps to the dual-display design, and the ‌iPhone Duo‌ support is coming to Device Hub in Xcode. Netflix, Zoom, and Slack have already updated their apps to make use of the larger inner display.


The folding design also enables four camera features not available on other iPhone models. Smart Take uses on-device AI running on the A20 Pro's Neural Engine to analyze a scene and automatically capture a photo when its subjects are posing.

Duo Preview shows a live camera preview on the outer display so a subject can check their framing before taking a shot. Kid Cue plays Peanuts animations on the outer display to get a child's attention. Duo FaceTime lets people standing near the person on a call join in through the outer display.


There are a host of other features such as video playback controls and a keyboard that appear on the lower half of the display when set flat, a split keyboard when the display is partly folded, and more.

Pre-orders for ‌iPhone Duo‌ open at 5 a.m. Pacific on Friday, October 16, with availability beginning Friday, October 23.
Related Roundups: iOS 27, iPadOS 27, iPhone Duo
Related Forums: iOS 27, iPhone

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Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 Get Wave of New Bands

The Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 feature a refreshed band lineup for the fall, adding new colors and materials.



Here's a breakdown of what's new across the band lineup:


  • Sport Band: New Navy Blue, Magenta, Olive, Burgundy, Wildflower Blue, Pale Succulent, Sand, and Black colors for Apple Watch Series 12.

  • Sport Band (ceramic hardware): Sand and Navy Blue to match the new ceramic Apple Watch Series 12 models; not available as a standalone purchase.

  • Sport Loop: New Olive, Burgundy, Limestone, Magenta, and Chambray Blue colors, plus a new inkjet-printed plaid pattern in Burgundy and Light Umber.

  • Nike Sport Band and Nike Sport Loop: Five new colors; Essential White, Chalk Calm, Pavement Grey, After Dark Black, and Green Spark.

  • Milanese Loop: New Radiant Gold and Natural colors to match the titanium case, plus a new Dark Bronze option, priced at $99.

  • Link Bracelet: A new stainless steel bracelet in Radiant Gold and Natural, priced at $349.

  • Modern Buckle: New woven material with flecks of color, in Mulberry, Camel, Sage, and Navy Blue, now available with gold hardware for the first time alongside natural hardware, priced at $199 (42mm only).

  • Magnetic Link: Available in Wildflower Blue, Burgundy, Camel, and Midnight, priced at $99.

  • Solo Loop: New Wildflower Blue, Burgundy, Olive, and Navy Blue colors, priced at $49.

  • Braided Solo Loop: New Olive, Magenta, Wildflower Blue, Burgundy, Navy Blue, and Black colors, priced at $99.

  • Trail Loop: New Dark Umber, Sand, and Burgundy colors for the Apple Watch Ultra 4, priced at $99 (49mm only).

  • Alpine Loop: New Desert, Dark Olive, and Burgundy colors for the Ultra 4, priced at $99 (49mm only).

  • Ocean Band: Now made from a translucent silicone material, offered in Translucent Gray, Translucent Kelp, and Translucent Black, priced at $99 (49mm only).

  • Hermès Noir Satin Clou de Selle: A new band with a gold-finish clasp and saddle stud, exclusively paired with the new Hermès radiant gold titanium case, priced at $499.

  • Hermès Rocabar Club: A new knitted H pattern band inspired by horse-jumping competitions, in four Bleu Nuit colorways paired with Gris Titane, Orange, Bleu Brighton, and Vert accents, priced at $499.

  • Hermès En Mer: A new water-resistant knit band for the Apple Watch Ultra 4 with a pillowed stripe and titanium buckle, in Argile, Bordeaux, Bleu Nuit, and Orange colorways, priced at $549 (49mm only).

  • Hermès Scub'H Diving: A new rubber band for the Ultra 4 with circular porthole-like cutouts, in Vert Vertigo, Gris Titane, and Bleu De Malte colorways, priced at $549 (49mm only).

  • Hermès Grand H Titane: A new titanium version of the Grand H bracelet for the Apple Watch Ultra 4, priced at $2,199 (49mm only).

  • Hermès Kilim Single Tour: Bleu De Malte, Cuivre, and Béton colorways, priced at $499.



The new Apple Watch bands are available to order today, with availability in stores beginning Friday, September 18.
Related Forum: Apple Watch

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Apple Watch Series 12 Comes in New Finishes, Including Ceramic

Apple Watch Series 12 comes in a refreshed selection of case finishes and materials, including ceramic.



Here's a breakdown of the case types, finishes, and pricing across the new Apple Watch lineup:

  • Apple Watch Series 12 (aluminum): Available in space gray, black, light gold, and dark bronze (starts at $399).

  • Apple Watch Series 12 (titanium): Available in radiant gold and natural (starts at $699).

  • Apple Watch Series 12 (ceramic): Available in pearl white and night blue (starts at $899).

  • Apple Watch Ultra 4 (titanium): Available in natural and black finishes (starts at $799).

  • Apple Watch Hermès Series 12 (titanium): Available in radiant gold and silver (starts at $1,399).
  • Apple Watch Hermès Ultra 4 (titanium): Available in natural titanium (starts at $1,499).


The ceramic finish returns with the Series 12 this year, pairing with sand and navy blue Sport Bands that feature a ceramic pin-and-tuck closure to match the case.

Pre-orders for both Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 are open today, with availability beginning Friday, September 18.
Related Roundup: Apple Watch 11

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Three All-New 'Audio Intelligence' Features Arrive With Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4

Apple today announced "Audio Intelligence," a new suite of Apple Intelligence-powered features for the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 that use the built-in microphone to help users catch missed moments in conversation and stay aware of important sounds.


The Apple Watch's Audio Intelligence comprises four features:


  • Siri Recap: Uses ambient listening to generate high-level notes from conversations, such as takeaways from a team meeting or a parent-teacher conference, producing an Apple Intelligence-generated title, summary, and key points reviewable in the Siri app.

  • Live Rewind: Lets users "go back in time for 15 seconds," transcribing and displaying what was just said in a conversation with a double press of the Digital Crown.

  • Shazam: Automatically identifies music playing nearby and surfaces the song title and artist on the Music Recognition widget in the Smart Stack.

  • Sound Recognition: Brings sound alerts to Apple Watch for users who are deaf or hard of hearing, listening for sirens, alarms, doorbells, a baby crying, and more, even when their iPhone isn't nearby.



Apple emphasized that ‌Siri‌ Recap is opt-in and configurable, telling users they "control if and when ‌Siri‌ Recap takes notes." Users can set it to always listen or schedule it for specific contexts, such as only at work or never at night, and can toggle it on or off at any time from Control Center. Apple reiterated that none of the Audio Intelligence features create or store audio recordings, with raw audio processed in an isolated Secure Exclave on the S11 chip and deleted immediately after use.

Audio Intelligence and ‌Siri‌ AI both require an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone, with Live Rewind and ‌Siri‌ Recap limited to the iPhone 16 or later (excluding the iPhone 16e).

The features arrive in beta later this year, starting in English, with additional languages to follow, and will not initially be available in the EU.
Related Forum: Apple Watch

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Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 Offer These Eight New Health and Fitness Features

The Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 offer a range of new health and fitness features. Here's everything that's new.


Apple today revealed the following features for the two new devices:


  • New "Health Sensing System": A redesigned sensor architecture with three main improvements, including increased electrode surface area for better ECG skin contact, photodiodes arranged in a ring for more efficient light capture, and larger, more power-efficient green LEDs for accurate heart rate readings during motion.

  • Continuous heart rate sensing: Heart rate is now measured every five seconds throughout the day, 60 times more frequently than before, viewable via a new watch face complication.

  • Higher-frequency HRV: Heart rate variability is sampled up to 24 times more often, with separate recovery and overall HRV values shown in a new section of the Heart Rate app.

  • Daytime vitals view: A new toggle lets users switch between overnight and daytime vitals, potentially catching shifts in metrics before they show up in overnight readings.

  • VO2 Max test: A new test has users set up their iPhone to watch them perform a series of exercises, delivering results immediately alongside data from their Apple Watch.

  • Most accurate step tracking: A redesigned pedometer model with new machine learning algorithms improves distance accuracy for indoor workouts and all-day step counts.

  • Steps complication: A brand-new watch face complication, enabled by the S11 chip, lets users track their step count in real time.

  • Longer workout battery life: Up to 10 hours during an outdoor workout, 25% more than the previous model, with 15 minutes of charging now delivering up to 12 hours of extra battery. The Apple Watch Ultra 4 goes further, with up to 50 hours of everyday battery life, 84 hours in Low Power Mode, and a new Max Extended Workout mode rated for up to 45 hours of outdoor tracking; 15 minutes of charging adds up to 18 hours of battery.



The Apple Watch Series 12 starts at $399 and the Apple Watch Ultra 4 starts at $799, with pre-orders for both open today and availability beginning Friday, September 18.
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AirPods 5 Include ANC as Standard, Pricier Variant Now Gatekeeps Wireless Charging Instead

Apple no longer charges extra for Active Noise Cancellation on AirPods, folding it into the $129 AirPods 5 instead of reserving it for the higher-end model.


Apple today announced the AirPods 5. ANC now comes standard on the base model rather than being exclusive to its pricier variant, as it was with the outgoing AirPods 4, which cost $129 without ANC and $179 with it.

There is still a pricier version of the AirPods 5, called "AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case." This model starts at $149 and includes a force sensor with swiping volume controls, an hour of additional battery life with ANC enabled, and wireless charging. The ‌AirPods 4‌ with ANC were priced at $179.

AirPods 5 are available for pre-order starting today, with both the $129 and $149 models arriving in stores on Friday, September 18.
Related Roundup: AirPods 4
Buyer's Guide: AirPods (Caution)
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Apple Adds AppleCare One Family Plan for Up to Six People

Apple today announced AppleCare One Family, a new option for U.S. customers that extends ‌AppleCare‌ coverage to every eligible device across an Apple Family Sharing group of up to six people for one fixed monthly price.


‌AppleCare‌ One Family costs $49.99 per month and includes all of the same benefits as ‌AppleCare‌+, such as coverage for accidental damage like drops and spills, battery replacement service, and priority support from Apple Experts. It also includes theft and loss protection for eligible iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch models, and allows six total claims per year across the group.

Once a subscriber signs up, they can add devices from their iPhone, ‌iPad‌, or Mac, including "most devices less than four years old and in good working condition." Newly purchased devices are added automatically at no extra cost, and the price stays the same regardless of how many eligible products end up being covered.

To use the new plan, customers must set up Family Sharing in the Settings app on their iPhone, ‌iPad‌, or Mac and invite up to five other people to join. Any eligible devices those family members already own can then be covered under the same subscription, eliminating the need to buy and manage a separate ‌AppleCare‌ plan for each person.

‌AppleCare‌ One Family builds on AppleCare One, the multi-device subscription Apple introduced in the U.S. in July 2025 at $19.99 per month for up to three products. That plan has since expanded to Australia, France, Germany, and the UK, and today's announcement gives U.S. customers with larger households a way to consolidate coverage under a single subscription rather than juggling individual plans.

‌AppleCare‌ One Family will be available in the United States starting September 14. More details are available on Apple's AppleCare webpage.
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iPhone 18 Pro's Redesigned Vapor Chamber Triples Cooling Surface Area

Apple today announced a redesigned thermal system for iPhone 18 Pro and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max, built around a next-generation vapor chamber with three times the surface area of the one in iPhone 17 Pro.


The new vapor chamber constantly cycles deionized water throughout the system for significantly improved cooling performance, allowing the A20 Pro chip to sustain higher performance for longer under heavy workloads.

Apple redesigned the silicon packaging with "custom packaging inspired by our M-series chips," placing the silicon die and memory side by side rather than stacked, which removes the memory from the chip's thermal path and lets the A20 Pro connect directly to the vapor chamber.

According to Apple, the combination of the new packaging, new thermal materials, and the larger vapor chamber delivers up to a 40% gain in sustained performance over the previous generation, which the company calls the highest sustained performance yet in an iPhone.
Related Roundup: iPhone 18 Pro

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iPhone 18 Pro Introduces 'Apple Reference Image' to Verify Photo Authenticity

Apple today announced Apple Reference Image, a new opt-in feature for the iPhone 18 Pro and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max that helps users to prove a photo hasn't been altered since it was taken.



Apple Reference Image is powered by a new sensor in the Main camera that signs sensor data at the pixel level at the moment of capture. When a photo is taken in the new Reference mode, that signed data is sent to Private Cloud Compute, which develops it into what Apple calls an unalterable reference image, "like having a digital negative."

Reference images appear in the Photos app alongside the corresponding photo, letting users visually compare the two to check whether any edits were made. Apple is also opening APIs in iOS, iPadOS, and macOS 27 so third-party apps can display these reference images.

Apple positioned the feature as one part of a broader push on image authenticity, alongside existing image metadata and upcoming support for the SynthID standard, which will help identify images that were generated or edited with AI. Apple said SynthID support will arrive in a software update later this year and will be included with most edited images, depending on which edits were applied.

Apple Reference Image will not be available at launch in China due to regulatory requirements. In the EU, Apple Reference Image capture also won't be available at launch on the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ models, but users running iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27 will still be able to develop and view reference images.
Related Roundup: iPhone 18 Pro

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New Texture and Grain Controls Coming to Photographic Styles With iPhone 18 Pro

Apple today announced new texture and grain controls for Photographic Styles with the iPhone 18 Pro and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max.


Photographic Styles are tone presets that adjust the color and warmth of a photo as it is captured, rather than as a filter applied afterward, while preserving skin tones.

The ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max gain a redesigned computational imaging pipeline for the 48-megapixel Fusion Main camera that Apple says produces sharper, more detailed shots. The new texture and grain controls build on that pipeline, allowing users to further dial in their desired appearance for more creative control over their photos.

It is not clear if older iPhone models such as the iPhone 17 Pro, which otherwise support the latest version of Photographic Styles, will receive the feature via a software update.
Related Roundup: iPhone 18 Pro

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Apple Publishes Developer Video Series for iPhone Duo

Apple today published a new YouTube playlist aimed at helping developers prepare their apps for the iPhone Duo, its first foldable iPhone.



The "Get ready for iPhone Duo" playlist, published on the Apple Developer YouTube channel, is described by Apple as a guide to help developers "prepare your apps for launch on iPhone Duo." It contains six videos: "Design for iPhone Duo," "Prepare your app for iPhone Duo," "Raise the bar with iPhone Duo," "Strike a pose with adaptive layouts on iPhone Duo," "Leverage multiple displays and scenes on iPhone Duo," and "Build a great camera experience for iPhone Duo."

The iPhone Duo features a number of special software features. Essential controls have moved to the sides of the display to sit within thumb's reach, the Home Screen dock is now oriented vertically, and the status bar has been redesigned to fit into the corner of the display. Software transitions between the outer and inner displays as the device opens, with controls staying in a consistent position while content scales up.

The iPhone Duo starts at $1,999 for 256GB, with storage options going up to 2TB. Preorders begin October 16, with availability starting October 23.
Related Roundup: iPhone Fold

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iPhone 18 Pro Gains Manual Aperture, Shutter Speed Controls, and More

Apple today announced Pro Controls, a new customizable camera interface for the iPhone 18 Pro and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max that lets users manually adjust aperture, shutter speed, and white balance, or check exposure levels with a live histogram.


Pro Controls is built around the variable aperture on the new Main camera. Six laser-cut blades move smoothly between four aperture settings, and the Camera app can adjust aperture automatically based on depth of field and lighting, or users can take manual control themselves for what Apple calls "truly unique shots that weren't possible before" on an iPhone.

Pro Controls works across both photo and video capture. It also introduces Smart Focus Tracking, which uses on-device AI models to lock onto a subject and maintain focus even if that subject briefly leaves the frame and comes back into view.

The new interface arrives alongside broader camera upgrades on the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max, including a redesigned computational imaging pipeline, updated Photographic Styles with new texture and grain controls, and the ability to apply Cinematic effects after capture to video shot at up to 60 fps. Variable aperture is also exposed to developers through a new API, giving third-party apps access to the same range of aperture settings.

The ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ starts at $1,199 and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max starts at $1,299. Pre-orders open on Saturday, September 12, ahead of availability on Friday, September 18.
Related Roundup: iPhone 18 Pro

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iPhone Duo Gets Its Own Case and Folio With Kickstand

Apple today introduced two dedicated accessories for iPhone Duo, its Case and a Folio with Kickstand.



The iPhone Duo Case is a thin, two-part design that wraps around both the front and back of the device. It uses built-in magnets that align with th iPhone Duo for what Apple calls a "magical attach experience." The case is made from polycarbonate with a matte coating and comes in Sand and Navy Blue.

The iPhone Duo Folio with Kickstand takes a different approach, using TechWoven, Apple's custom technical fabric, and covering only the back of the device rather than wrapping the edges. It includes an integrated kickstand that snaps flush against the case when not in use and props up at a range of angles for reading, watching video, or FaceTime calls. It uses the same magnetic alignment, and Apple says it is able to charge via MagSafe behind the kickstand, even when it's propped open. The Folio with Kickstand is available in Taupe and Navy Blue.



Apple says both cases go through thousands of hours of testing during design and manufacturing, consistent with the rest of its case lineup. The iPhone Duo Case and Folio with Kickstand are currently unavailable, but will presumably become available for pre-order soon.
Related Roundup: iPhone Fold

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Apple Debuts New Accessories for iPhone 18 Pro and AirPods Pro 3

Apple today announced a new lineup of accessories for the iPhone 18 Pro, ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max, and AirPods Pro 3, including a redesigned clear case with MagSafe and all-new wrist straps.



The new colors span much of Apple's accessory range:



The Wrist Strap is new, and Apple highlighted its compatibility with the ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ alongside the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max.



Apple has also updated its clear case with MagSafe, giving it a new circular ‌MagSafe‌ alignment ring in place of the square outline introduced with last year's model.



The new cases, straps, and wallet are available to order now.





Related Roundups: AirPods Pro 3, iPhone 18 Pro
Buyer's Guide: AirPods Pro (Neutral)
Related Forum: AirPods

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Apple Announces Foldable 'iPhone Duo'

Apple today announced the "iPhone Duo," a new kind of iPhone featuring two screens and a foldable inner display.


The two halves of the iPhone Duo connect into a single continuous frame with the same aspect ratio across both displays, and Apple said the transition between open and closed is designed to feel fluid. When fully open, Apple says it is the thinnest iPhone ever made, with an architecture that packages its components into the camera plateau.

The frame is machined and polished titanium, with Ceramic Shield on the back and Ceramic Shield 2 on the front, and the device carries an IP68 rating. iPhone Duo comes in two colors: Star White and Night Sky. Touch ID is built into the side button, and the device can also be unlocked using an Apple Watch.



A custom hinge, made from more than 100 tiny precision components, holds the display flat when open and controls the folding motion. Apple said the structure uses a multi layer lamination design with viscoelastic adhesives that let the display's layers glide against each other during folding "like pages in a book," preventing distortion over time. A titanium plate forms the bottom layer for added durability, with carbon fiber support plates creating a stiff, lightweight base for the display to rest on.



The inner display measures 7.6 inches, which Apple said is 50% larger than the iPhone 18 Pro Max and 80% larger than the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌, while the outer display is 5.4 inches and offers 90% of the screen area of the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌. Apple Pencil support is coming to both displays later this year.



For the display surface itself, Apple said it created a custom nano texture finish that cuts down on glare and reflections. The company also described a separate micro lens texture, produced using maskless laser lithography that writes each lens pixel by pixel, which it said creates a "perceptually flat matte surface" that minimizes the visibility of the fold crease while still feeling premium to the touch.



The iPhone Duo also features a number of special software features. Essential controls have moved to the sides of the display to sit within thumb's reach, the Home Screen dock is now oriented vertically, and the status bar has been redesigned to fit into the corner of the display. Software transitions gracefully between the outer and inner displays as the device opens, with controls staying in a consistent position while content scales up.



iOS also adapts to how the device is angled or propped, and it can be used partially folded, with content sliding away from the crease where taps are harder to register. Custom audio tuning adjusts for the changing distance between the speakers depending on how the device is positioned. Users can run two apps at once or open the same app twice, and can swipe up from the bottom to switch apps or pair two apps together to reopen later. A new Standby mode adds widgets for music, calendar, or weather, and Apple said the device can double as a bedside clock with a soft glow.



The iPhone Duo uses the same 48MP Fusion main camera design Apple has used elsewhere in its lineup alongside a 48MP Fusion ultra wide camera, the same ultra wide used in the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌, and supports Apple's upgraded Photographic Styles. Since the device can stand on its own, Apple said it opens up new options for capturing time lapses in 4K Dolby Vision HDR.



The outer display houses a 12MP Center Stage front camera, which Apple said improves selfies by letting people preview the shot before taking it. The inner display has its own FaceTime camera hidden behind the screen, which works whether the device is fully open or propped on a surface, and the two cameras can dual capture front and rear scenes simultaneously.

A new Duo ‌FaceTime‌ feature lets someone else join a video call from the outer display. A Smart Take feature tracks a scene and automatically takes the photo once everyone in a group shot is ready, removing the need to set a timer, and the outer display can play animations to help hold a child's attention for the camera.



The iPhone Duo contains Apple's A20 Pro chip, just like the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌. It also features the new C2 modem, which Apple said is up to 50% faster than the C1X, adds 5G mmWave support in the U.S., and uses up to 15% less battery. Apple also said AI algorithms improve everyday cellular reliability, including reconnecting faster in areas with weak coverage, and that the device delivers up to 35% higher sustained performance than the iPhone 17 Pro. The iPhone Duo is eSIM only worldwide.



Each half of the device has its own battery, which Apple said operate together as a single battery for all day use, rated at up to 31 hours of video playback on the inner display and 44 hours on the outer display. Using both screens equally, Apple rates the device for up to 24 hours of battery life, with fast charging reaching 50% in around 20 minutes and just five minutes of charging providing up to five hours of video playback on the outer display.

New accessories include a Duo Folio case with a built in kickstand, along with an iPhone Duo case made of two separate parts that wrap around each half of the device.



The iPhone Duo starts at $1,999 for 256GB, with storage options going up to 2TB. Preorders begin October 16, with availability starting October 23.
Related Roundup: iPhone Fold

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Apple Extends Free Satellite Access for iPhone 14, 15, and 16 Users

Apple today announced it is extending free access to satellite features for an additional year for existing iPhone 14, iPhone 15, and iPhone 16 users.



The extension applies to devices activated in a country that supports Apple's satellite features prior to midnight Pacific Time on September 9. Apple revealed the update in its press release for the new iPhone 18 Pro and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max.

This marks at least the third time Apple has extended free access to the features for iPhone 14 users, whose satellite trial was originally set to run for two years from the phone's launch in November 2022 before Apple pushed the expiration date back in 2025 and again this year. Free access for iPhone 15 users, whose trial was set to expire this year, has similarly been extended, and ‌iPhone 16‌ owners are now covered by the same rolling extension for the first time.

Apple's satellite features include Emergency SOS via satellite, Messages via satellite, Find My via satellite, and Roadside Assistance via satellite, with availability varying by country. The features rely on Apple's satellite partner Globalstar and let users reach emergency services, share their location, or send messages when they have no cellular or Wi-Fi signal.

Apple has not confirmed what, if anything, it plans to charge for the features once free access eventually ends. For now, the practical effect is that iPhone 14, iPhone 15, and ‌iPhone 16‌ owners who activated their devices before today's cutoff can keep using the features at no cost for at least another year.
Related Roundup: iPhone 16
Related Forum: iPhone

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iPhone 18 Pro Features Smaller Dynamic Island With Support for Three Live Activities

The iPhone 18 Pro and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max feature a smaller Dynamic Island, with support for up to three simultaneous Live Activities.



Until now, the ‌Dynamic Island‌ has only supported a maximum of two simultaneous Live Activities. Here is how three Live Activities display at the same time:



Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said ahead of the event that the redesigned ‌Dynamic Island‌ would be "smaller and improved" and let users toggle between three live tasks.
Related Roundup: iPhone 18 Pro

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iPhone 18 Pro Starts at $1,199, Pro Max at $1,299

Apple today announced the iPhone 18 Pro and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max, with pricing starting at $1,199 for the Pro model and $1,299 for the Pro Max, both with 256GB of storage as the base configuration.


The increase amounts to $100 over the equivalent iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max pricing, matching what Bloomberg's Mark Gurman had predicted ahead of today's event. That is a smaller jump than many analysts had floated over the summer.

Both models now offer a 2TB storage option for the first time, sitting above the previous 1TB ceiling for an added cost.

Apple is also offering the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max through its Apple Upgrade program, which starts at $34.99 a month over 24 months and can come in lower for customers who trade-in an eligible device. Separately, customers trading in an iPhone 14 or newer toward a new purchase can get up to $1,200 off.

The pricing arrives after months of speculation that Apple would raise iPhone prices more steeply this year, following a broader run of cost increases across its Mac, iPad, and home product lines earlier in 2026 tied to the global memory shortage.
Related Roundup: iPhone 18 Pro

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