Apple Event impressions below. For links to today’s Switch 2 Zelda pre-orders, go here.
The iPhone Duo is the most radical change to the iPhone design in its nearly 20-year history. Apple unveiled the device during its “Surprise and shine” event, where new CEO John Ternus used Steve Jobs’ famous “One more thing…” line to usher in the foldable iPhone era.
Apple revealed this $1,999 iPhone shortly after five other devices: the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, Apple Watch 12, Apple Watch Ultra 4, and AirPods 5. It was a jam-packed event that somehow ran under 90 minutes, and we live-blogged every major detail.
Of course, for our loyal Substack audience, we have so many thoughts – all delivered straight to your inbox. It’s the biggest shake-up to Apple’s devices in a long time, and we’ll have even more to say on The Shortcut Live tomorrow starting at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT.
For now, here are our early impressions, plus all the small details you might’ve missed.
1. Let’s start with dbrand’s MNML iPhone 18 Pro cases
Apple’s shiny new iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are more durable than ever, but still susceptible to accidental damage. If you plan to pick one up, our sponsor dbrand might have just what you’re looking for with its new MNML case line.
The MNML case is dbrand’s first ultra-thin case that’s designed to protect your device from scratches and light drops. Despite being so thin, dbrand says the case can survive drops up to 10 feet, notably high for any thin case. It also comes with a sandstone texture on the outside for extra grip, click buttons, and MagSafe magnets.
The case ships in four colors: black, dark red, dark blue, and tan. It’s available for the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, as well as AirPods Pro 3.
MNML cases
2. Thoughts on the iPhone Duo
The big dog, the one everyone keeps staring at on Instagram and X, the one that our humble Substack leader - Matt Swider - claims he’s “definitely” buying on day one (for himself, not us). The iPhone Duo is Apple’s first foldable phone ever, and the way it’s positioned is interesting in and of itself.
Whereas most folding phones try to emphasize that they do, in fact, fold in half, Apple wants this to be thought of as the most immersive (and versatile) iPhone experience you can have. From the 5.4-inch cover screen to the 7.6-inch folding display, Apple has optimized iOS 27 to work better for the funkier form factor. Apps have new layouts and dynamically adapt based on which screen you’re using, tools and controls live on the right side for easy access, split-screen multitasking lets you run two apps at the same time, and you get access to all of the new Siri AI features launching this fall.
It seems like an extremely well-built piece of hardware. Apple uses titanium for the build, which keeps it lightweight and thin at just 5.2mm when open (0.4mm thinner than iPhone Air). The hinge seems extremely sturdy, while the folding screen itself has a nano texture for a glare-free experience. Plus, we’re hearing the crease is barely noticeable… although we don’t know for sure whether it’s gone entirely.
It’s the most impressive-looking iPhone we’ve seen in a long time, which comes at a cost. At $1,999 and up depending on how much storage you need, the iPhone Duo could be out of reach for some. But for Apple’s most loyal early adopters? Yeah, this thing’ll sell like hot cakes.
iPhone Duo price and specs
🙏 Apple’s first foldable phone
📱 5.4” cover screen, 90% of the iPhone 18 Pro screen area
📺 7.6” inner screen, 50% larger than the iPhone 18 Pro Max screen
🎬 Identical 1.4:1 aspect ratio inside and out
💦 IP68 rating makes it more dust- and water-resistant than most other foldables
🤳 Apple’s first under-display selfie camera
🖊️ Any regular Apple Pencil works on either display; no special S Pen needed
📷 Dual cameras: 48MP main camera and 48MP ultra-wide
📲 iOS 27 is fully optimized for larger displays with unique app layouts, easy-to-reach controls, and more
🎨 Two colors: Night Sky and Star White
🔋 24-hour “all-day” battery life and up to 44 hours with just the cover screen
🔌 50% wired charging in 20 minutes and 50% MagSafe charging in 30 minutes
🏷️ $1,999 starting price for 256GB model, upwards of $3,000 for 2TB
📦 Preorders begin October 16; goes on sale October 23
3. Samsung already fired back at Apple’s dig
We love when tech brands fight with each other – it’s usually good news for us consumers, spurring innovation and driving down prices. The latter is really needed right now.
Ternus didn’t mention Samsung specifically during the Apple Event, but he did say that other foldables “feel like two phones awkwardly stuck together.” That’s true of everything before the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Fold 8, but Samsung has led the way in thin fold designs.
It didn’t take long for Samsung to fire off some shade of its own. “Let us know when you’re done reheating our leftovers,” chimed in Samsung’s official X account. With the iPhone Duo adding Apple Pencil support, MagSafe, and better dust resistance, it’s only a matter of time before Samsung has to match those perks with the Galaxy Z Fold 9.
4. More MNML case designs up for pre-order
In addition to the new MNML cases, dbrand is introducing a couple of new wallet accessories to complement them. There’s the new slim wallet, which comes with a thin, sandstone design and can hold three cards. There’s also the kickstand wallet, which takes the slim wallet and adds a kickstand for hands-free use. Both come in the same colors so your entire setup matches, and if you bundle them with your case, you can save a few bucks at checkout.
We’re hyped to get our hands on these cases and use them with our iPhone 18 Pros.
MNML cases
5. iPhone 18 Pro & 18 Pro Max thoughts
The phone I’m upgrading to is the iPhone 18 Pro Max, which was also announced alongside the regular iPhone 18 Pro. While not as flashy or revolutionary as the iPhone Duo, these two new iPhone Pros have enough upgrades to make me more interested in jumping from my 17 Pro Max than I expected.
The biggest difference-maker for me is battery life. Apple says the regular iPhone 18 Pro will last as long as the iPhone 17 Pro Max does, thanks to a bigger battery and the more efficient A20 Pro. Meanwhile, the iPhone 18 Pro Max gets the best battery life of any iPhone, reaching up to 45 hours of video playback on a charge. That’s six hours longer than the 17 Pro Max, which makes me think this could be the ultimate smartphone for traveling.
I’m also hype for the new camera system. Apple didn’t change the 48MP ultra-wide and telephoto lenses this year, but they did give the main camera an important upgrade: it now comes with a variable aperture, which dynamically adjusts how much light hits the sensor based on the light around you. At night, it can let in 50% more light than before, while daytime photos will use a narrower aperture for a wider depth of field and less blur.
Oh, and the new colors are dope. I’m 100% getting the Black model (the one so many people wanted from the 17 Pro). I will admit, for a pop of color, Burgundy looks very nice, as does the new Glacier finish. Silver looks pretty good too, since they all ship with color-matched back glass instead of a two-toned finish.
iPhone 18 Pro prices and specs
📸 Triple-lens 48 MP rear camera
👀 Main Camera has a six-blade variable aperture for smooth bokeh photos
🏝️ Smaller Dynamic Island supports up to 3 apps (up from 2)
⚙️ New 2nm A20 Pro chip with 32-core Neural Engine
🥶 Improved vapor chamber cooling
🔋 iPhone’s longest battery life yet
🔌 50% charge in 15 mins
📲 iOS 27, customizable Liquid Glass, improved search, 80% faster AirDrop transfers, enhanced parental controls, iPhone Handoff
🎨 Burgundy, Glacier, Silver, Deep Black
💰 $100 more expensive starting prices: $1,199 iPhone 18 Pro and $1,299 iPhone 18 Pro Max
📦 Preorders begin September 12; goes on sale September 18
6. Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 refresh
The new Apple Watches are positioned to compete not just with other smartwatches, but fitness wearables as a whole. The Series 12 and Ultra 4 bring major health-tracking upgrades, including continuous heart rate tracking, heart rate variability identification, improved Readiness scores, and more granular strength-training data.
Together, these upgrades seem positioned to compete with wearable devices like the Whoop and Fitbit Air, which many people wear alongside their Apple Watches (myself included). The new Apple Intelligence-infused Health app and the watches’ more powerful health tracking could be enough to convince people to go all-in on tracking their health with Apple Watch, although I want to spend some time with them to know whether it’s worth sacrificing my beloved Whoop MG.
Meanwhile, AI is also at the core of these watches. Apple Intelligence has a bigger presence with Audio Intelligence, which can alert you to certain sounds like doorbells and alarms if you’re hard of hearing. There’s also this weird instantaneous recap feature that recalls what someone just said 15 seconds ago: double-tap the Digital Crown to bring it up, and you can read what the person just said.
That ties in with Siri Recap, which records everything people say around you during the day and gives you a recap when you go to bed. This is how a lot of AI wearables work, which eventually leads to privacy concerns. Apple notes it won’t store audio recordings for the feature to work, but I don’t know… it’s a little weird recording what everyone says all day, right?
Apple Watch Series 12 pricing and specs
⌚ Same look, upgraded with new S11 processor and health sensors
💗 Up to 60x more heart rate monitoring that happens every 5 seconds
📲 Redesigned Health App, arriving later this year, adds Longevity tab and Health Age
🎙️ Audio Intelligence enables real-life conversation rewind
🛡️ Ceramic Shield 2 screen on aluminum models is 60% tougher
🔋 24 hours of “everyday” battery life. Recharge 12 hours of use in just 15 mins
🏺 Ceramic options return in pearl white and night blue
🎨 6 color options: dark bronze, black, light gold, space gray aluminum, radiant gold, and natural titanium
💰 $399 for aluminum cases, $699 for titanium, and $899 for ceramic
📦 Preorders begin today; goes on sale September 18
Apple Watch Ultra 4 pricing and specs
🔋 2+ days of battery life (up to 45 hours of Max Extended Workout tracking)
⌚ Same look, upgraded with new S11 processor and health sensors
💗 60x more heart rate monitoring that happens every 5 seconds
📲 Redesigned Health App, arriving later this year, adds Longevity tab and Health Age
🎙️ Audio Intelligence enables real-life conversation rewind
🎨 2 color options: Natural Titanium and Black Titanium
💰 $799 across the board
📦 Preorders begin today; goes on sale September 18
7. AirPods 5 seem like a solid value
The sleeper gadget of Apple’s event? The new AirPods. I’m wildly impressed with the value Apple has presented with the AirPods 5. It’s a big step up from the AirPods 4 we reviewed in 2024, borrowing some features from the AirPods Pro 3 that Matt loved last year.
For just $129, you get a pair of AirPods with better sound quality, improved ANC, longer battery life, and Siri AI integration.
For an extra $20, you can get an upgraded version of AirPods 5 that comes with touch controls on the stems, slightly longer battery life, and wireless charging. This is the version I’ll be recommending to virtually everyone, and it could go even cheaper during Black Friday.
While we didn’t get AirPods Pro 4 today, the AirPods 5 continue to prove that Apple’s earbuds are at the top of their game.
AirPods 5 prices and specs
🔕 Active noise cancellation available by default on all AirPods 5 models
➕ 50% improved noise reduction, enhanced transparency mode, new adaptive EQ and Live Translation mode
Added on-stem touch controls
🏷️ $129 for AirPods 5, $149 for AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case
💸 Wireless charging model is $30 cheaper than its predecessors
📦 Preorders begin today; goes on sale September 18
We’ll answer questions about Apple’s new devices via our Substack email (we read and respond to all your replies) and in our Substack chat.
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