Better cameras and a folding iPhone: The top 5 things to know about the new iPhones

Apple's annual September iPhone event is here, which means the year's most anticipated devices are now official.

The tech giant has announced three new iPhones, plus the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple AirPods 5 — but naturally, smartphones are the star of the lineup. Pre-orders for the new iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max begin at 10pm AEST on September 12, with the iPhone Duo available from mid-October.

Keen to upgrade your phone this year, or just curious about what's new? Here's five key things about this year's iPhone range, plus a quick summary of the key features and specs.

There's a flippin' new iPhone

Or to be more accurate, foldin' new iPhone. The iPhone Duo is the first-ever foldable Apple phone, offering a passport-sized device when closed and the company's all-time largest and thinnest iPhone display when opened.

With rounded corners and a unique, asymmetric shape when folded, the Duo brings something brand new to the iPhone line-up. The 7.6-inch main display is 80% larger than the iPhone 18 Pro, and 50% larger than the 18 Pro Max, offering a serious viewing experience when open. Unfold the device, and you can enjoy split-screen views, side-by-side app use, and drag-and-drop functionality for when you need to get things done.

This is a phone made for media and multi-tasking, essentially functioning as a versatile mini iPad with Apple Pencil stylus integration, along with speakers on the top and bottom for a spatial audio experience. It's covered in tough Ceramic Shield front and back, powered by Apple's lightning-speed A20 Pro chip for fast processing and gaming, and promises 24 hours of battery life across both screens per full charge (and up to 44 hours of video playback on the external display alone).

Apple has also tweaked iOS for Duo to complement one-handed, unfolded and folded use, moving notifications and the task bar to the right hand side to allow for more vertical space and easier navigation. There's even Touch ID integration on the side power button, so you can easily unlock or use tap and pay features whether your Duo is open or closed.

This is a long-awaited move from Apple: with its main competitors Samsung and Google already ahead in the foldable game, the pressure was on to finally enter the flip-and-fold phone market. You'll be able to pre-order the Duo from 10pm AEST on October 16, with the phones hitting stores from October 23.

One more thing about the iPhone Duo: it's eSIM only, so you won't be able to insert a physical SIM card.

The new iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are official

Looking for a more traditional iPhone experience? Apple also announced this year's Pro and Pro Max smartphones, with the biggest changes being upgrades to the already-elite camera system (more on that below!).

The new phones come with Apple's powerful new A20 Pro silicon chip, which the company claims will offer up to 40% faster sustained performance compared to the iPhone 17 Pro. You'll also get a bigger vapour chamber, so more intensive gaming and multi-tasking before your device gets warm.

Battery life also gets boost, and the 18 Pro Max promises up to 44 hours of video playback on a single full charge. For normal use, that's about 29 hours of usage per charge, including calls, internet and app use, gaming and streaming across 5G networks.

Buyers can pre-order either new 18 Pro phone from 10pm AEST on September 12. iPhones will ship beginning September 18.

Cameras get an upgrade

The iPhone Duo, iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max come with an enhanced 48-megapixel Fusion camera in the rear. The Duo includes Dual Fusion 48-megapixel main and 48-megapixel Ultra Wide lenses, while the Pro devices feature 48-megapixel Main, 48-megapixel Ultra Wide and 48-megapixel Telephoto cameras.

The big reveal across the Fusion system is a new physical aperture control, which allows serious users to adjust how much light enters the lens. This means you'll get more options for low-light pics, depth of field and focus, although you're also free to let your iPhone automatically pick the best settings for your environment.

Camera and photography features include:

• Centre Stage front camera
• Dual capture photo and video (front and back cameras)
• Macro photography
• 2x Telephoto capabilities, 8x optical zoom (2x on the iPhone Duo)
• Smart Take (automatically snaps a photo hands-free when all subjects are ready)
• Photographic styles
• Video in 4K and at up to 120 frames per second
• Dolby Vision HDR
• Time lapse
• Portrait mode

AI is there, but not the focus

We've become used to new phone launches being AI-centric, but the 18 Pro and Duo release puts physical changes, hardware and interface updates first.

Apple Intelligence is still a key feature, and on iOS 27 will integrate with fan favourite assistant Siri to offer fast, real-time help such as live translation or the option search what you see from the camera lens. But this year's most interesting AI-related update is what Apple calls Reference Image Authenticity, which is built into the cameras.

This feature will essentially verify that your photos or videos aren't AI-generated, by using a cryptographic signature that is attached to every image or clip. Apple will also support the SynthID standard developed by Google, which digitally watermarks and identifies AI-generated content.

Be prepared to pay more

All three new iPhones are Apple's premium smartphones, so won't come cheap. Prices begin at $2,099 for the iPhone 18 Pro in the smallest storage size, up to an eye-watering $5,899 for the biggest iPhone Duo.

iPhone 18 Pro prices

• 256GB: $2,099
• 512GB: $2,499
• 1TB: $3,299
• 2TB: $4,499

iPhone 18 Pro Max prices

• 256GB: $2,299
• 512GB: $2,699
• 1TB: $3,499
• 2TB: $4,699

iPhone 18 Duo prices

• 256GB: $3,499
• 512GB: $3,899
• 1TB: $4,699
• 2TB: $5,899

If that's a big upfront ask, buying on a SIM-only plan with Telstra, Optus or Vodafone allows you to spread the cost out over 12, 24 or 36 months. You can also finance the iPhone with Afterpay if you're buying straight from the Apple Store via six, 12 or 24 months of monthly payments.

Keep an eye out for pre-order and launch offers, and remember that you can potentially save hundreds by trading in your old phone. You can also wait until the cheaper-priced iPhone 18 (and possibly iPhone 18e) are announced, which is expected in early 2027.

iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo compared: features at a glance

All images: Apple