Apple has unveiled its new iPhone 18 lineup, introducing major upgrades to its flagship Pro models while entering the foldable smartphone market for the first time with the $1,999 (around 245000 taka) iPhone Duo.
The company announced the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max on September 9, highlighting improvements to the camera, battery life, performance and artificial intelligence. The company has also introduced its first foldable iPhone, the iPhone Duo, marking one of the biggest changes to Apple's smartphone lineup in years.
The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max retain the familiar iPhone design but bring several significant hardware and software upgrades.
The biggest change is the camera. Apple has introduced a new 48-megapixel Fusion Main camera with variable aperture, a feature that allows the camera to adjust how much light enters the lens. In simple terms, users will have greater control over both low-light photography and the amount of background blur in a picture.
The camera can automatically adjust the aperture depending on lighting and the desired depth of field, while more advanced users can manually control four aperture settings. Apple has also added new controls for shutter speed, white balance and exposure through a redesigned Pro controls system.
Video capabilities have received an upgrade as well. Users can now apply certain Cinematic effects after recording, while Time-lapse recording supports 4K and Dolby Vision HDR. Apple has also improved its Audio Mix feature to provide clearer voices and better separation of music.
One particularly unusual addition is Apple Reference Image, which is designed to help establish whether a photograph captured by the iPhone is authentic. The system uses sensor data to create a digitally signed reference version of an image, allowing users to compare it with the edited version.
Apple says the technology could be particularly useful for photographers and journalists at a time when AI-generated and manipulated images are becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish from real photographs.
Both Pro models are powered by Apple's new A20 Pro chip, built using a 2-nanometre manufacturing process.
Apple says the chip has 50% more memory bandwidth than the previous-generation A19 Pro, while its new GPU can be up to 40% faster. The chip also has a redesigned Neural Engine aimed at running more demanding AI functions directly on the phone.
The phones also feature a new vapor-chamber cooling system designed to keep the devices running at high performance for longer periods, particularly during gaming and other demanding tasks.
Apple is also introducing its C2 cellular modem and N1 wireless chip, bringing support for Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and Thread.
Battery life is another major focus of the new Pro models.
Apple says the eSIM-only iPhone 18 Pro can provide up to 36 hours of video playback, while the Pro Max can reach up to 45 hours. The Pro Max is also described by Apple as having the largest increase in battery life in an iPhone to date.
The phones will run iOS 27, which brings a more advanced version of Apple Intelligence and a new Siri AI.
The updated Siri is designed to understand personal context and interact with information across messages, emails, photos and other parts of the phone. It can also understand what is displayed on the screen and take actions based on that information.
For example, users could ask Siri about something currently displayed on their screen or use the Camera app to ask questions about an object or scene in front of them.
Apple says much of its AI processing will take place directly on the device, while more demanding tasks will use its Private Cloud Compute system, which the company says is designed to preserve user privacy.
Apple has also redesigned the Dynamic Island on the Pro models.
The smaller version can display up to three Live Activities simultaneously, while continuing to house Face ID and other functions.
The phones will be available in four finishes: black, silver, glacier and the new burgundy.
The iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at $1,299. Both will be offered with storage options ranging from 256GB to 2TB. Pre-orders begin September 12, with sales starting September 18.
The other major announcement is the iPhone Duo, Apple's first foldable smartphone.
According to Reuters, the device resembles a passport when folded and opens horizontally into a 7.6-inch display. It also has a smaller external screen that can be used when the phone is closed.
Apple is positioning the Duo as a pocket-sized productivity device rather than simply a larger phone. When unfolded, users can run multiple app windows simultaneously, making it possible to handle tasks such as video calls and messaging on a much larger display.
The device has a titanium body and a custom hinge, with Apple arguing that its design offers a more practical foldable experience than existing competitors.
The Duo will also use Apple's A20 Pro chip and C2 modem. Apple says its battery can provide up to 24 hours of mixed use with the dual-screen setup and can reach 50% charge in around 20 minutes.
But the biggest talking point is its price: $1,999 (around 245000 taka).
The iPhone Duo will go on sale October 23.
Apple is arriving relatively late to the foldable smartphone market. Companies such as Samsung and Huawei have already released multiple generations of foldable devices.
But Apple's entry could significantly change the market because of the size of its global customer base.
Analysts cited by Reuters expect Apple to capture a substantial share of the growing foldable market. The company is effectively betting that customers who have ignored foldables until now may be willing to consider one if it carries the iPhone name.
The move also represents a major shift for Apple. The company has traditionally entered new product categories after competitors and then attempted to redefine them through its hardware, software and ecosystem.
For existing iPhone users, the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max offer upgrades that are mostly focused on making the existing iPhone experience better: a more flexible camera, longer battery life, faster performance and more capable AI.
The iPhone Duo, meanwhile, is a fundamentally different product. Instead of offering another incremental upgrade to the traditional smartphone, it turns the iPhone into a device that can function more like a small tablet when unfolded.
With the Pro models starting at $1,199 and the foldable Duo at $1,999, Apple is also making clear that its newest technologies will come at a premium.