From iPhone Duo to Watch Series 12 models, Apple is reportedly planning several new products for the ‘Surpise and shine’ event.
The successor to the iPhone 17 Pro Max could come in new colourways
Apple's ‘Surprise and shine' event is finally set to take place today. The hardware showcase has been rumoured to mark a significant change in the iPhone lineup. The company is expected to introduce its first foldable iPhone alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, new Apple Watch models and AirPods. The foldable, reportedly called the iPhone Duo, is expected to feature a book-style design, with prices starting at around $2,000. The event will also reportedly bring new health and fitness features to the Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4, alongside updates to Apple's AirPods lineup.
According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple has settled upon iPhone Duo as the moniker of its first-ever foldable iPhone. This contradicts multiple reports surfacing over the last few months, which suggested that the purported handset may arrive as the iPhone Ultra. But despite the reported change in the naming strategy, it is expected to use a passport-sized book-style folding design similar to Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8.
The form factor is said to be short and wide when opened, making it suited for watching videos and running multiple apps side by side.
The foldable is expected to feature an inner display designed to provide a larger canvas for multitasking, including iPad-like functionality. Apple is also reportedly working on software that will allow users to run apps side by side on the larger screen. The iPhone Duo will reportedly be powered by Apple's A20 Pro chipset, along with the company's new in-house C2 modem. The phone is also tipped to feature a magnetic hinge system and support for the Apple Pencil stylus.
For optics, the purported foldable could feature two 48-megapixel cameras on the rear. A separate 12-megapixel camera is reportedly being developed for selfies and video calls. Regarding its pricing, Gurman said that the iPhone Duo could start at $2,000 (roughly Rs. 1.90 lakh) for the base model with 256GB of onboard storage. Its highest configuration, meanwhile, could touch the $3,000 (roughly Rs. 2.85 lakh) mark.
The higher prices are reportedly partly linked to increased memory component costs, with Apple said to be absorbing some of the additional expense on the base model. The foldable is expected to go on sale as early as October and could be offered in White and Dark Blue colour options.
Alongside the iPhone Duo, Apple is also expected to introduce the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max at the ‘Surprise and shine' event. The two models are reportedly set to retain the familiar candy-bar design, with only minor visual changes compared with their predecessors.
The biggest design change could be a smaller Dynamic Island. The cutout, introduced with the iPhone 14 Pro series in 2022, is reportedly being refined to accommodate more live information. The updated system could allow users to toggle between three live tasks at the top of the display, compared with two currently.
The iPhone 18 Pro models are expected to be powered by Apple's A20 Pro chipset and could feature longer battery life. Apple is also reportedly working on a redesigned vapour chamber to improve thermal management and prevent the phones from overheating during demanding workloads.
The camera system is expected to receive several upgrades, including new lenses and additional software features aimed at professional users. The Pro Max model could get an exclusive variable aperture feature, enabling users to have more control over depth of field while also improving low-light photography.
Apple is reportedly not planning to launch the standard iPhone 18, iPhone 18e or a second-generation iPhone Air at this event. Those models are expected to arrive next year.
The Apple Watch Series 12 and Watch Ultra 4 are not expected to receive a major design overhaul. Apple is reportedly only preparing changes to their cases, bands and colour options. The Series 12 could also see the return of a ceramic case option, while the higher-end Watch Ultra 4 is expected to offer improved battery life.
Health and fitness tracking are expected to be a major focus of the new models. Apple is reportedly preparing a new Readiness app designed to provide users with deeper insights based on information collected by the watch's sensors. The app could build on the existing Vitals experience and track metrics such as heart rate and blood oxygen levels. The same feature was previously discovered in the watchOS 27 beta code as well.
A revamped Health app for the iPhone is expected to complement the new Apple Watch health capabilities. Another reported feature is a privacy-focused system that can analyse a user's day and generate a summary of what happened, including information from conversations. Per Gurman, the system will not provide transcripts and will not record or store audio.
The last product on Apple's list for today's event is reported to be the AirPods 5. Like its predecessor, the earbuds could be offered in two variants, with and without wireless charging capabilities. Among the handful of upgrades could be improved active noise cancellation (ANC).
Gurman said that Apple had planned to introduce higher-end AirPods with built-in camera sensors at the event. Those earbuds, which could use the cameras to analyse the surrounding environment, are now expected to be delayed until next year.
You can catch up on all of the last-minute leaks of the event in our live blog here. Stay tuned for our coverage of Apple's ‘Surprise and shine' event, which begins today at 10:30 pm IST in India.
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