New Apple CEO unveils latest iPhone lineup, including a foldable model
called Duo
[September 10, 2026] By
BARBARA ORTUTAY
CUPERTINO, California (AP) — Apple on Wednesday unveiled its latest
generation of iPhones, including a widely anticipated foldable version
called Duo.
The company's new CEO, John Ternus, who took over from Tim Cook on Sept.
1, introduced the latest lineup at the company's Cupertino, California
headquarters.
After cycling through other updates to the iPhone, the Apple Watch and
AirPods, Ternus told the audience inside the Steve Jobs Theater that
“actually there is one more thing," in a nod to the trademark phrase
from Jobs that the company's legendary late founder himself borrowed
from the 1970s detective show “Columbo.”
The foldable phone has the “largest display ever on an iPhone, yet fits
into your pocket,” Ternus said.
The phone opens to a 7.6 inch display that is 80% larger than the newest
iPhone 18 Pro. It will let people use an Apple Pencil on the phone, a
capability previously reserved for iPad users. Duo, Ternus said, “will
redefine the experience of using a foldable phone.”
The Duo lets users split the screen to use two different apps on the
device, or two windows of the same website for things like comparison
shopping. With a starting price of $1,999, it is the most expensive
iPhone yet.
The Duo “was always going to eclipse Apple’s other announcements at the
event,” said Ben Wood, chief analyst at CCS Insight. “The device adds a
distinctive new design to the iPhone lineup and marks the company’s
entry into the niche foldable smartphone category.”
Wood said that while there is certain to be demand for the Duo, which
costs less than some analysts had anticipated, foldables still account
for less than 5% of the overall smartphone market.
New iPhone 18 models
The iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max, Ternus said, bring improvements to the
battery, camera, and performance. They will start at $1,199 and $1,299,
respectively. Customers can preorder the phones starting on Sept. 12 and
they will be available on Sept. 18, although the Duo will be available
on Oct. 23.
The new models feature a long battery life — 45 hours of video playback
for the Pro Max — and faster charging. The camera offers what Apple
called “cinematic effects” from regular video captured on the phone, as
well as new options for manual controls and “smart focus tracking,”
which lets users focus on a single moving subject, such as a kid during
a soccer game.
Apple is also focusing on Siri's new AI capabilities with the new
phones, emphasizing privacy and security to stand apart from rivals who
are further along in incorporating AI.
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Apple CEO John Ternus speaks during an announcement of new products
on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026, in Cupertino, Calif. (AP Photo/Jeff
Chiu)
 Many of Apple’s biggest rivals, such
as Samsung, Motorola and Google, have already come out with foldable
smartphones. But Apple is not one to rush on new technologies.
“The foldable launch is straight out of Apple’s playbook: Wait for
the product to work out its kinks and for the market to offer
glimpses of viability, then enter and shape the category,” said
Forrester analyst Dipanjan Chatterjee. But, he added, the question
will be whether it can expand demand for what's still a niche
product category.
Compared with earlier generations, the iPhone 18 costs about $100
more due partly to a global memory chip shortage. The iPhone 17's
price ranges from $799 to $1,999 depending on the model.
Earlier this year, Apple unveiled artificial intelligence advances,
including upgrades to its Siri assistant, emphasizing a focus on
privacy and day-to-day use as the company tries to catch up with
rivals on AI.
Ternus takes center stage
The keynote address for Ternus was his opportunity to set the tone
for his vision of Apple's future, Chatterjee said.
“John Ternus inherits perhaps the most successful consumer
technology juggernaut in modern times. That is both a boon and a
burden for him. Tim Cook’s perfected execution, scale, and
monetization set a high bar, and Ternus must extend that run,”
Chatterjee said. “But he must sustain that momentum while
positioning Apple to disrupt itself in the near future, when the
iPhone, or any smartphone for that matter, will cease to be the
consumer’s primary conduit to the world.”
Wood noted that, with all the excitement around the Duo, the
official arrival of Ternus as CEO “felt like less of a story” than
he'd expected.
“This event marks a seamless transition from Tim Cook, and its
timing to coincide with the iPhone Duo was undoubtedly planned,”
Wood said. “However, despite the media frenzy about this new device,
it is the broader strength of Apple’s hardware, software and
services that will drive the company forward.”
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