Apple introduced the first foldable iPhone on September 9, alongside iPhone 18 Pro and new Apple Watches. Most of the coverage will be about the hinge. What follows is the same announcement read for the things that change your bill: how these phones connect, which carriers support what, and what Apple will and will not finance.
iPhone Duo
The headline product. Opened, a 7.6-inch inner Super Retina XDR display, 50 percent larger than iPhone 18 Pro Max. Closed, a 5.4-inch outer display with 90 percent of the screen area of iPhone 18 Pro. Grade 5 titanium, Ceramic Shield 2 on the front with 3x the scratch resistance of the previous generation, and an IP68 rating to 6 meters for 30 minutes.
| iPhone Duo | iPhone 18 Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $1,999 | $1,199 |
| Apple monthly | $83.29 for 24 months | $49.95 for 24 months |
| Apple Upgrade lease | From $57.99/mo, 24 months | From $34.99/mo, 24 months |
| Display | 7.6-inch inner, 5.4-inch outer | 6.9-inch or 6.3-inch |
| Chip | A20 Pro | A20 Pro |
| Rear cameras | 48MP Dual Fusion: Main + Ultra Wide | 48MP Pro Fusion: Main (variable aperture) + Ultra Wide + Telephoto |
| Front camera | 12MP Center Stage + under-display FaceTime | 18MP Center Stage |
| Video playback | Up to 44 hours, outer display | 36 hours Pro, 45 hours Pro Max |
| Storage | 256GB to 2TB | 256GB to 2TB |
Battery is split across two cells, one on each side, rated up to 31 hours of video playback on the inner display, 44 hours on the outer, and 24 hours of typical use with both used equally. Touch ID moves into the side button. Colors are star white and night sky.
The part that affects your plan
- eSIM-only, worldwide. No SIM tray at all, and dual eSIM with two lines active at once. A carrier that has not implemented eSIM cannot be used on this phone.
- mmWave in the US. Apple's C2 modem now supports it, so the phone is no longer the constraint on the fastest urban 5G.
- iPhone Handoff, new in iOS 27, moves one number between two iPhones. Apple says it launches with T-Mobile in the US and Telekom in Germany only.
- Satellite features are free for two years from activation, and Apple is extending existing owners by another year.
Two active lines make it easy to test a carrier without giving up your number.
Read the eSIM guide →iPhone 18 Pro
Also on A20 Pro, in 6.9-inch and 6.3-inch sizes, from $1,199. The camera is the differentiator against the Duo: a three-camera 48MP Pro Fusion system — Main, Ultra Wide and Telephoto — with a variable aperture on the main lens offering ƒ/1.48, ƒ/1.8, ƒ/2.8 and ƒ/4.0, plus an 18MP Center Stage front camera against the Duo's 12MP. Optical zoom runs 0.5x, 1x, 2x, 4x and 8x against the Duo's 0.5x, 1x and 2x. iPhone 18 Pro is also the only one of the two with Pro controls and Apple Reference Image. Apple rates iPhone 18 Pro at up to 36 hours of video playback and the Pro Max at 45 hours, with 30 hours of use per charge on the Max and 50 percent charge in around 15 minutes. iPhone 18 Pro Max is $1,299. Colors are burgundy, glacier, silver and black.
For most buyers on this site the comparison is simple: iPhone 18 Pro is $800 cheaper and has the better camera system. iPhone Duo buys you the folding display and the second screen.
Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4
Both are available September 18. Series 12 starts at $399 in 46mm and 42mm, across aluminium, titanium and ceramic cases. Ultra 4 starts at $799 with a 49mm titanium case. Both run the new S11 chip and the redesigned Health Sensing System, which adds a readiness score, hypertension notifications, sleep score, and background heart rate readings every five seconds.
| Series 12 | Ultra 4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $399 | $799 |
| Case | 46mm or 42mm | 49mm titanium |
| Everyday battery | Up to 24 hours | Up to 50 hours |
| Low Power Mode | Up to 38 hours | Up to 84 hours |
| Workout tracking | Not rated separately | Up to 45 hours Max Extended |
| Satellite | Not listed | Emergency SOS, Messages, Find My |
What each carrier charges to add a watch line, and which ones include it.
See smartwatch plans →Software dates
iOS 27 and Apple Intelligence arrive Monday, September 14. Siri AI ships the same day as a beta in English, with French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese and Spanish following in October. iPhone Duo ships with iOS 27.1. Siri AI will not be available in the EU on iOS at launch.
Paying for it
Apple Trade In offers $175 to $885 toward iPhone Duo for an iPhone 13 or newer. Apple Card Monthly Installments and the Apple Upgrade lease both require selecting AT&T, T-Mobile or Verizon at checkout, and neither supports a prepaid carrier plan — an important restriction if your plan is the reason your bill is low.
What Apple's financing terms exclude, and the routes that still work.
Read the prepaid guide →
Jean Gilles has researched personal finance, consumer technology, and wireless pricing for over a decade. He founded ShopCellPlans in 2019 and writes every review on the site.
Frequently asked questions
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