Apple iPhone 18 Pro, AirPods 5 and Apple Watch ultra 4 available now

Apple’s long-awaited iPhone 18 is finally here. Since the phone’s announcement at the tech giant’s traditional September event, anticipation has been mounting for the iPhone 18 Pro, which boasts an improved camera and processor.

The event was hosted by the company’s new CEO, John Ternus – though the former CEO Tim Cook made a guest appearance – where he unveiled the iPhone 18 Pro, AirPods 5, Apple Watch ultra 4 and the folding Duo phone.

Apple

The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max look superficially similar to last year’s Pro models, but come in different colours, with a powerful new processor inside. This is designed to make the most of new Apple Intelligence features, including a significantly improved Siri virtual assistant.

The phones also have a new 48-megapixel main camera which has a variable aperture for the first time on an iPhone, offering greater flexibility in low light and capabilities previously reserved for traditional cameras.

Just as importantly, battery life has been improved, with the larger of the two models offering up to 45 hours of video playback, it’s claimed.

As had been predicted, there was no mention of the base iPhone 18 – that’s expected next year.

Pricing

Pricing predictably has increased. The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max cost £100 more than their predecessors, that is, from £1,199 and £1,299 respectively.

Apple

Saved for the end of the presentation as “One more thing” – the phrase Apple uses for devices it thinks are extra-special – was the first foldable iPhone, called the iPhone Duo.

This is a phone shaped and sized roughly like a passport with a 5.4-inch display when closed and a 7.6-inch screen when you open it out. That’s almost as big as the original iPad mini, with a similarly shaped display. Apple has introduced special software to make the move from inner to outer screen look especially slick, and has built hardware to reduce the dreaded crease between the two halves of the inner screen to almost nothing.

There are two cameras on the Duo, unlike the three-camera Pro models. Despite that, this is the priciest iPhone ever, starting at £1,999, which is at the higher end of what other brands charge for their foldables. The tech required for a multi-screen phone that folds in half always adds cost, and sometimes time. Unlike the other products launched today, this one won’t be available to pre-order until 16 October, before general sale from Friday, 23 October.

Apple

There were more products announced. The Apple Watch saw two new versions, Series 12 and Ultra 4. An improved health tracking system is key to the new releases, with hardware that now measures heart rate data every five seconds (it used to be every five minutes). It also tracks heart rate variability more frequently, and Apple claims the new models will offer the most accurate heart rate sensor in any wearable.

A key new feature will be Audio Intelligence, which can recognise sounds like doorbells and can rewind 15 seconds to transcribe what somebody just said, for instance.

Unlike the iPhone 18 Pro, the pricing for the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 have not increased from last year’s prices.

Apple

Pricing was key to the other device released, AirPods 5. It first announced AirPods with noise-cancelling, priced the same as the AirPods 4 (without noise-cancelling) at £129. Apple unveiled a new pair of earbuds with a wireless charging case and volume controls on the earbud stems for £149, a price cut compared to the previous AirPods 4 with ANC.

Apple has introduced a powerful range of new products, with advanced features, improved iPhone cameras, an all-new iPhone form factor and smarter Apple Watches. Although there are price upticks for some iPhones, other products have been untouched by the cost increases on most new tech devices.

And then there’s the foldable: the iPhone Duo offers remarkable design and intriguing software, even if it does cost almost £2,000.