Apple Unveils First Foldable iPhone, iPhone 18 Pro Lineup, New Watches and AirPods 5
Apple unveiled a new hardware lineup on September 9, 2026, led by iPhone Duo, the company's first foldable iPhone, alongside iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, Apple Watch Series 12, Apple Watch Ultra 4, and AirPods 5. Apple published separate launch announcements and technical specifications for each product.
iPhone Duo is the most significant design change in the new lineup. The Grade 5 titanium device has a 7.6-inch folding Super Retina XDR inner display and a 5.4-inch outer Super Retina XDR display, both with ProMotion adaptive refresh rates up to 120Hz and peak outdoor brightness of 3,000 nits. It measures 5.2mm thick when open and 11.3mm when folded, weighs 254g, carries an IP68 rating, and uses Touch ID in the side button rather than Face ID.
Powered by the A20 Pro chip, iPhone Duo uses a dual-battery design and a custom vapour chamber. Its 48MP Dual Fusion rear camera system combines a 48MP Main camera with an optical-quality 2x option and a 48MP Ultra Wide camera with macro support. Apple also includes a 12MP Center Stage outer camera and an under-display FaceTime camera on the inside. Video recording on the Main camera reaches 4K Dolby Vision at up to 120fps.
Apple rates iPhone Duo for up to 24 hours of typical use, up to 44 hours of video playback on the outer display, or up to 31 hours on the inner display. It can reach 50% charge in around 20 minutes with a 60W-capable wired adapter, or around 30 minutes with compatible MagSafe wireless charging. The phone is eSIM-only worldwide and will ship with iOS 27.1.
iPhone Duo comes in Star White and Night Sky, with 256GB, 512GB, 1TB and 2TB storage options. Apple's regional launch material lists a starting price of AED 8,499. Pre-orders begin on October 16 in more than 70 countries and regions, with initial availability from October 23 and a further rollout from October 30.
Apple also introduced iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, with 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch Super Retina XDR OLED displays respectively. Both use an aluminium unibody design with Ceramic Shield 2 on the front and Ceramic Shield on the back, and are powered by A20 Pro with a six-core CPU, seven-core GPU and dual 16-core Neural Engine. Apple's N1 wireless chip adds Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and Thread support, while the C2 modem handles cellular connectivity.
The Pro camera system uses three 48MP Fusion cameras. The 48MP Main camera introduces variable aperture to iPhone, with four selectable settings from ƒ/1.48 to ƒ/4.0. It is joined by a 48MP Ultra Wide camera and a 48MP Telephoto camera offering a 100mm 4x optical view, while the front uses an 18MP Center Stage camera. Apple has also added Pro controls for shutter speed and white balance, along with a histogram view.
For eSIM-only models, Apple quotes up to 36 hours of video playback for iPhone 18 Pro and up to 45 hours for iPhone 18 Pro Max. Qatar is specifically listed among the markets where eSIM-only versions of the two Pro models will be sold. Those versions use the space previously occupied by a physical SIM to provide a larger battery and two additional hours of video playback.
iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are available in Black, Silver, Glacier and the new Burgundy finish, with 256GB, 512GB, 1TB and 2TB capacities. Apple's Qatar Newsroom lists starting prices of AED 5,099 for iPhone 18 Pro and AED 5,499 for iPhone 18 Pro Max. Pre-orders start on September 12, with initial availability beginning September 18.
Apple Watch Series 12 introduces the S11 chip and a new Health Sensing System that takes higher-frequency heart-rate and heart-rate-variability measurements and powers a new readiness score. Apple says the system delivers the most accurate heart-rate sensing in a wearable, based on testing against leading competing wearables. The watch also supports features including ECG, blood oxygen sensing, sleep tracking, sleep apnoea notifications and other health functions, although availability of some health features varies by market and regulatory approval.
Series 12 is available in 42mm and 46mm sizes with an Always-On Retina LTPO3 display reaching up to 2,000 nits. Battery life is rated at up to 24 hours in normal use or 38 hours in Low Power Mode, with 80% charging in about 30 minutes. Aluminium finishes are Dark Bronze, Black, Light Gold and Space Gray; titanium comes in Radiant Gold and Natural; ceramic models come in Pearl White and Night Blue. Apple's regional price starts at AED 1,599, with availability beginning September 18.
Apple Watch Ultra 4 retains a 49mm Grade 5 titanium case and is offered in Natural and Black titanium. It uses the S11 chip and the new Health Sensing System, alongside precision dual-frequency GPS and satellite communications. Its Always-On Retina LTPO3 display reaches 3,000 nits. Apple rates battery life at up to 50 hours of normal use, 84 hours in Low Power Mode and up to 45 hours in its maximum extended outdoor workout mode. The regional starting price is AED 3,199, with availability beginning September 18.
AirPods 5 arrive in two versions: one with a USB-C charging case and another with a Wireless Charging Case. Both use Apple's H2 headphone chip and an open-ear design with Active Noise Cancellation. Apple says the new system removes up to 50% more external noise than AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation. Other features include next-generation Adaptive EQ, Transparency mode, head gestures for Siri, Live Translation and IP57 dust, sweat and water resistance.
With Active Noise Cancellation enabled, the standard AirPods 5 are rated for up to four hours per charge and 20 hours with the case. The Wireless Charging Case version increases those figures to five hours and 22 hours, adds on-stem volume control, and can charge by USB-C, Apple Watch charger or Qi-certified charger. Apple's regional pricing is AED 539 for AirPods 5 and AED 629 for AirPods 5 with the Wireless Charging Case, with store availability beginning September 18.
Apple's regional launch materials list the above prices in UAE dirhams rather than Qatari riyals. Software and feature availability also varies by region and language. iOS 27 and watchOS 27 are scheduled for September 14, while Apple's published launch-language list for Apple Intelligence does not include Arabic. Siri AI is due to begin rolling out in beta in English on September 14, with French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese and Spanish support planned for October.
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