Apple held its annual September launch event on September 9, 2026, introducing its first foldable i Phone alongside the i Phone 18 Pro series. The presentation took place at Apple Park in Cupertino, California, and was streamed globally. Alongside the new smartphones, Apple announced updates to the Apple Watch, AirPods 5, and enhancements to Siri’s artificial intelligence capabilities. The event highlighted Apple’s push into new form factors and deeper AI integration across its product lineup.
The foldable i Phone, internally referred to as the i Phone Duo during development, features a flexible OLED display that unfolds to a tablet-sized screen. Apple emphasized durability improvements in the hinge mechanism and a new titanium frame to support the design. The i Phone 18 Pro models come with a periscope telephoto lens capable of 5x optical zoom, a faster A19 Bionic chip, and improved battery life. Apple also announced that the Apple Watch Series 10 includes a micro-LED display for brighter visuals and longer battery endurance. AirPods 5 gained adaptive noise cancellation that adjusts in real time based on ear shape and ambient sound.
Apple positioned the foldable i Phone as a tool for multitasking, allowing users to run two apps side by side when unfolded. The device supports Apple Pencil hover and input, marking the first time the accessory works with an i Phone. Early demonstrations showed users editing documents, watching videos, and messaging simultaneously on the expanded screen. Apple said the foldable design aims to reduce the need for carrying both a phone and a tablet for certain tasks. The company noted that app developers have been preparing updates to optimize for the new display aspect ratio.
Siri received a major update with on-device processing for faster responses and better privacy. Apple introduced a new conversational mode that allows Siri to follow context across multiple requests without needing to repeat wake words. The AI can now summarize emails, suggest calendar events based on message content, and offer real-time translation during calls. These features rely on the A19 Bionic chip’s neural engine, which Apple says performs twice as fast as the previous generation. Privacy remains central, with Apple stating that most AI processing occurs locally on the device rather than in the cloud.
Is the foldable i Phone more expensive than the i Phone 18 Pro? Yes, the foldable i Phone starts at $1,499, while the i Phone 18 Pro begins at $1,099.
Does the Apple Watch Series 10 still support blood oxygen monitoring? Yes, the Apple Watch Series 10 retains the blood oxygen sensor and adds a new temperature-sensing feature for cycle tracking.
Can AirPods 5 connect to non-Apple devices? AirPods 5 use Bluetooth 5.3 and can pair with Android and Windows devices, though some features like automatic switching and spatial audio are optimized for Apple ecosystems.