Apple iPhone 18 Pro series and Duo: what to expect

In a few hours' time, Apple will announce its first foldable iPhone. And while we initially thought it would be called iPhone Ultra, some last-minute rumors suggest it may actually end up as the iPhone Duo. Hat tip to the Surface Duo.

And while the foldable iPhone will garner most of the attention, we’re still getting two new Pro models which are expected to offer some new camera tricks, alongside the new Apple A20 Pro chip and bigger batteries. Here’s what we expect to see at today’s “Surprise and shine” event.

iPhone Ultra (Duo?)

It almost feels like an eternity of rumors going into today’s announcement, but we’re finally set to see what Apple cooked up with its inaugural folding phone. Earlier rumors pointed to the iPhone Fold moniker, which was later adjusted to a consistent stream of iPhone Ultra, but a last-minute leak claims it might end up being called the iPhone Duo.

Naming aside, we should see a wide-body fold with a 4:3 passport-style LTPO OLED cover display. That cover screen is expected to come in at 5.49 inches and offer a punch-hole cutout selfie camera. That may seem unlike Apple, but the folding iPhone will not feature Face ID at all and will instead bring back Touch ID for biometric authentication. The sensor will be placed inside the power button on the right-hand side.

In terms of design, Apple is expected to use a mix of titanium and aluminum. Titanium will be used on the chassis and stress-bearing parts like the hinge mechanism, while the rest of the body will feature aluminum for better heat dissipation. According to the rumor mill, the device will measure a mere 4.5mm when unfolded and 9-9.5mm in its folded state. Expect two colors - white and dark blue.

But the star of the show is the 7.76-inch main display, which will feature a 4:3 aspect ratio and a “nearly invisible crease”. That barely visible crease is the reason why Apple waited so long to launch a foldable in the first place. The display itself is expected to be made by Samsung using the latest M16 luminescent material. It will have a punch-hole cutout in the corner for the selfie cam, and a last-minute rumor suggests it will also support the Apple Pencil.

Under the hood, the foldable iPhone is said to be powered by Apple’s 2nm A20 Pro chipset alongside 12GB of RAM. The back will allegedly bring two 48MP cameras with a main and ultrawide configuration. The absence of a telephoto camera is notable, as competitors like Xiaomi already have a book-style fold with a proper 50MP telephoto lens.

Elsewhere, the folding iPhone will not feature a physical SIM slot. It is expected to offer a 5,500mAh battery, which would be the largest cell fitted on an iPhone to date.

And now some pricing and availability rumors.

The baseline 256GB storage model is expected to range between $2,000-$2,200, though there are reports that Apple may absorb the additional memory costs and launch the device at $1,999. The highest 2TB storage trim will allegedly top out at $3,000.

Oh, and most rumors point to a limited supply at launch. Shipments (at least in the US) are expected to start in October, but other markets will have to wait. According to the most recent rumors, Apple will offer its folding phone in a handful of markets, including China.

iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max

The iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max will bring identical designs to their predecessors and some minor hardware changes. On the outside, we’re getting new colors, with Dark Cherry (Pantone 6076) being the “hero color” for this generation. Funnily enough, Chinese makers like Xiaomi have already beaten Apple to the punch with their own dark red colored phones on the market.

The other new hues for the 18 Pros include Light Blue (Pantone 2121) and Dark Gray (Pantone 426C), while the fourth option, Silver (Pantone 427C) looks to be identical to the current iPhone 17 Pro.

Outside of the refreshed colors, the 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max are expected to be thicker and heavier than last year. The 18 Pro Max is rumored to come in at 9mm thick and weigh 240 grams. And the 18 Pro Max is getting a larger camera array, as Apple is expected to bring a variable aperture for its main camera.

On the front, both 18 Pro models will feature a narrower Dynamic Island with the TrueDepth camera hardware packed under the display. Under the hood, both phones are suggested to bring the A20 Pro (2nm) chipset paired with 12GB RAM.

Both phones are also getting larger batteries. iPhone 18 Pro will reportedly bring a 4,288 mAh cell in its eSIM-only version, and a 4,056 mAh one in the physical SIM version. The 18 Pro Max is expected to pack a 5,567 mAh battery in the eSIM-only version, while the model that retains the physical SIM card will have a 5,391 mAh cell.

Which leads us to pricing and availability. Some rumors claim the 18 Pro series could be up to $200 more expensive than last year, meaning $1,299 and $1,399 starting prices, respectively. Others claim a more conservative $100 price hike, so it remains to be seen. Pre-orders are expected to start on September 12 (Saturday), while first sales should commence on Friday, September 18.