iPhone 18 Pro and Apple's First Foldable: What the September Event Was Expected to Bring
Ahead of the September 9 keynote, reports pointed to an A20 Pro, a variable aperture camera and a foldable expected to be called iPhone Ultra. It launched as the iPhone Duo at $1,999.
Apple held its September event on Wednesday, September 9, and this year it was expected to do something it had avoided for nearly two decades of iPhones: ship a folding model. Reports pointed to the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max and a foldable widely expected to be called iPhone Ultra, with the standard iPhone 18 moving to spring 2027.
<blockquote><strong>Update, October 25:</strong> This preview was written before the keynote. The foldable launched as the <a href="/mobiles/apple-iphone-duo">iPhone Duo</a> from $1,999, below TrendForce's estimate, and went on sale on October 23, including in India from ₹2,99,900. The new colour was Burgundy, and the variable aperture camera came to both Pro models, not only the Pro Max (<a href="https://www.apple.com/sg/newsroom/2026/09/apple-debuts-iphone-18-pro-and-iphone-18-pro-max/">Apple Newsroom</a>, <a href="https://www.businesstoday.in/technology/news/story/apple-iphone-duo-sale-begins-today-in-india-prices-store-timings-and-how-to-buy-563097-2026-10-23">Business Today</a>).</blockquote>
Expected versus announced
| Item | Expected before the event | Announced |
|---|---|---|
| Foldable name | iPhone Ultra | iPhone Duo |
| Foldable US price | $2,099 to $2,299 (TrendForce estimate) | From $1,999 |
| Pro chip | A20 Pro on 2nm | A20 Pro on 2nm |
| Variable aperture camera | Possibly Pro Max only | Both Pro models |
| New colour | Dark Cherry | Burgundy |
| Standard iPhone 18, 18e, iPhone Air 2 | Delayed to spring 2027 | Standard iPhone 18 and 18e in spring 2027 |
| Pro prices (256GB) | Not known | $1,199 and $1,299; ₹1,64,900 and ₹1,79,900 |
The fold was the headline
The Pro line was expected to get its usual refresh: an A20 Pro on a 2nm process, a smaller Dynamic Island, a simplified Camera Control button and a new colour, with a larger battery and a variable aperture main camera on the Pro Max.
The foldable was the real story. TrendForce had estimated a US starting price of $2,099 to $2,299, which would have made it Apple's most expensive phone by a wide margin. Samsung has sold folding phones since 2019, and Apple's late entry fits its pattern of waiting until a technology meets its durability and quality bar rather than chasing the trend.
Apple had reportedly moved the standard iPhone 18, the cheaper iPhone 18e and the iPhone Air successor to spring 2027, leaving September entirely to premium models. Anyone wanting a cheaper new iPhone this year has to wait or buy last year's models at a discount.
Reading the split launch
Splitting launches into two windows, premium models in September and cheaper ones in spring, gives Apple more room to manage supply and spreads spending across the year. It also puts more weight on the September launch, since spring models cannot make up for a soft premium start.
For Indian buyers
India was part of the first wave for both the Pro models and the Duo. The Pro models start at ₹1,64,900 and ₹1,79,900, and the Duo starts at ₹2,99,900.
What to watch next
Reviews of the Duo's hinge and battery life, and whether supply catches up with early demand, are the next things to follow.
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