IT General

There's no denying that Microsoft has been stuffing many of Windows' default apps with superfluous features, turning them into bloated pieces of software filled with (mostly) AI features no one needs, with the Copilot-infested Notepad being a prime example.

On Wednesday, Apple announced a cornucopia of new products. The iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone Duo, AirPods 5, Apple Watch Series 12, and Apple Watch Ultra 4 are all coming soon, and that's very exciting.

But what about after that? It turns out Apple still probably has some tricks left up its sleeve for the rest of 2026, as the rumor mill anticipates several new product launches before the end of the year. They may not all be as monumental as a foldable iPhone, but some of them are still pretty exciting.

Here are the Apple products we expect to see before the end of 2026.

SEE ALSO: Apple Event 2026: Everything announced, including iPhone Duo Two new MacBooks, including one with a touchscreen

Apple tends to launch new MacBook laptops between the annual iPhone event and the end of the year, and 2026 is looking no different. Two new MacBooks, in particular, stand out as products we'll see before the calendar turns.

The first is a MacBook Pro with an M6 chip, which was reported by Bloomberg earlier this year. We admittedly don't know a whole lot about this device yet, but the new chip should come with noticeable gains in performance and battery efficiency, if nothing else. This may not be a particularly revolutionary new MacBook model, which is fine, because the next one might be.

To be more specific, we're expecting a "MacBook Ultra" to launch this year. Reports and Apple's own beta software indicate it will have a touchscreen, which would be new for the MacBook line. It's possible this one will slip into early 2027, but fingers crossed it doesn't, as it'll reportedly have Dynamic Island in an OLED display and a thin chassis.

A new Apple TV 4K

Reports from the likes of Bloomberg's Mark Gurman also suggest we'll get a new Apple TV 4K refresh this year. It's been four years since the last one, so Apple's set-top box is probably due for an upgrade. The main things we know right now are that it will apparently use Apple's in-house WiFi/Bluetooth N1 chip for network connectivity, and it might have a redesigned Siri remote. It could also get Siri AI support, if that's your thing.

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HomePod Mini

You'll never believe this, but yet another report from Gurman earlier this year suggested some more Apple smart home products are on the way in 2026.

First, a new HomePod Mini is allegedly coming this year. It would be the first since all the way back in 2020. It's said to support Siri AI, contain the same N1 chip as the Apple TV 4K, and it might even come in a red color. Exciting! Those changes are on top of expected improvements, like better sound quality.

Home Hub

Last but certainly not least, Apple may have a brand new smart home product called Home Hub launching this year.

This one is supposedly a HomePod-esque device that also has a 7-inch display. It will use facial recognition to know who it looking at the display and change what it's showing, accordingly. Naturally, you'll also be able to do FaceTime calls, play music, display a gallery of your photos, and more. Reports also suggest it'll have a unique operating system that blends elements of homeOS and tvOS.

As always, things can change, and some of these devices might slip into 2027. But if you were worried that Apple was done after the "Surprise and Shine" event, worry not.

What about the iPhone 18?

If you were looking for the iPhone 18 at the iPhone launch event, then you would have been disappointed. Unfortunately for shoppers who want to spend less than $1,000 on a new phone, this is one device we do not expect to launch in 2026. Rumors point to a spring 2027 release date for the base model iPhone 18.

Follow our Apple event live blog to catch up on the latest news and announcements from the "Surprise and Shine" keynote, with live updates from Apple Park.

There was a time when I loved Amazon Fire Tablets. Modding them and repurposing them is a hobby of mine. One reason, aside from curiosity (or the old standby of "because I can") is that Fire OS has just been getting progressively worse. So I'm fighting back the best way I know how: with knowledge and a few nifty power-user tricks.

Good news, everyone! Apple's Polishing Cloth is "compatible" with the iPhone Duo.

Mercifully confirmed on Apple's website, the tech giant's microfibre cloth is ready to wipe clean its first foldable smartphone, which was announced at Apple's "Surprise and Shine" event on Wednesday — among many, many things.

SEE ALSO: Apple Event 2026: Live updates on folding iPhone Duo, iPhone 18 Pro, and new AirPods

Following the event, Apple added its new devices — iPhone Duo, iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max — to the webpage listing its most Emperor's New Clothes of products. The Polishing Cloth is technically compatible. We're just giving you the facts.

CONFIRMED. Credit: Apple / Mashable screenshot

Apple recently lowered the price on its Polishing Cloth, cutting that $19 price tag into a still-lofty-for-a-cloth $9. Considering the price of the new iPhone Duo, maybe buyers will want to just throw one in for fun.

Follow our Apple event live blog to catch up on the latest news and announcements from the "Surprise and Shine" keynote, with live updates from Apple Park.

See what our readers guessed would happen at today's Apple event in our Big Guessing Game

TL;DR: The Apple iPhone 17 is free from T-Mobile when you trade in your eligible phone on an Experience More or Experience Beyond plan. The Apple iPhone 17 Pro is also free with T-Mobile — claim by bringing your number on an Experience Beyond plan (no trade-in needed).

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple T-Mobile: Free iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro   Get Deal

Apple just announced a new lineup of phones, including the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, and the long-awaited folding iPhone Duo. Notably missing was the base model iPhone 18, which is rumored to be released in spring 2027. If the Pro models seem like overkill and you're not quite sold on a folding Apple phone yet, sticking with the iPhone 17 is your best bet for now.

And if you switch to T-Mobile or trade in your existing phone, you could get the iPhone 17 or iPhone 17 Pro for free. All of these deals are live now:

• iPhone 17e — free when you switch to almost any qualifying T-Mobile plan (no trade-in required).

• iPhone 17 — free on an Experience More or Experience Beyond plan when you turn in an eligible trade-in device.

• iPhone 17 Pro — free when you bring your existing number over to an Experience Beyond plan (no trade-in required).

T-Mobile requires you to pay local sales tax on the phone's full retail value upfront, along with a standard $35 device connection fee per line at checkout. Are these really "free" deals when you need to pay something upfront? It's a gray area, OK? Anyway, it's a small price to pay for a new iPhone.

Score the Apple iPhone 17 for free this week from T-Mobile.

Apple just announced the $1,199 iPhone 18 Pro and the $1,999 foldable iPhone Duo. If you were hoping to soften those prices by trading in your current phone, however, Apple may have some bad news for you.

Following its "Surprise and Shine" event, Apple updated its trade-in program and lowered the maximum amount it will pay for previously eligible iPhone models.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

An iPhone 16 Pro Max is now worth up to $610, down from $720. The iPhone 16 Pro took an even larger hit, dropping from as much as $630 to $510 — a $120 reduction. Some depreciation is expected whenever Apple releases a new generation of iPhones, but the timing is particularly notable because Apple had raised trade-in values for many of these same devices just last month. In August, the iPhone 16 Pro Max jumped from $695 to $720. Following this week's event, it's down to $610.

The cuts continue throughout Apple's older lineup. An iPhone 15 Pro Max is now worth up to $455, down from $530, while the iPhone 15 Pro fell from $420 to $370. Maximum trade-in values for the iPhone 14 Pro Max and iPhone 14 Pro dropped to $360 and $285, respectively.

Here are some of the most notable changes:

• iPhone 16 Pro Max: Up to $610, down from $720

• iPhone 16 Pro: Up to $510, down from $630

• iPhone 16 Plus: Up to $430, down from $485

• iPhone 16: Up to $430, down from $480

• iPhone 16e: Up to $270, down from $310

• iPhone 15 Pro Max: Up to $455, down from $530

• iPhone 15 Pro: Up to $370, down from $420

• iPhone 15: Up to $305, down from $335

• iPhone 14 Pro Max: Up to $360, down from $405

• iPhone 14 Pro: Up to $285, down from $335

Apple also added last year's iPhone 17 lineup to the trade-in program. The iPhone 17 Pro Max is eligible for up to $885, while the iPhone 17 Pro tops out at $785. Both the iPhone Air and standard iPhone 17 are worth up to $585.

Interestingly, those starting values are more generous than what Apple offered for the previous generation when it became eligible for trade-in. Last year's iPhone 16 Pro Max, for example, initially topped out at $700, compared with $885 for the iPhone 17 Pro Max today.

There may also be a small silver lining for anyone trading in a less-than-pristine device. Apple is reportedly becoming more forgiving of minor cosmetic damage, including small chips or cracks in the display. That could mean some damaged iPhones receive better assessments than they would have under the previous system, even as maximum trade-in values decline.

And the reductions aren't universal. They primarily affect iPhones. Every eligible iPad gained value, with the iPad Pro jumping from $720 to $905. Most Macs also received increases: The MacBook Pro rose from $855 to $1,315, while the Mac Studio climbed from $1,305 to $1,460. Apple Watch values were generally reduced or left unchanged.

Of course, these figures represent the most Apple will offer, not guaranteed payouts. The final amount depends on the device and its condition after inspection. Still, the timing stings: Apple's newest iPhones are more expensive, while many of the devices customers might use to help pay for them are suddenly worth less.

I'm one of those people who presses Alt+Tab hundreds of times a day to bounce between the many windows I have open. The problem is that Windows' built-in switcher starts to get awkward when I have lots of windows open, and aside from choosing how many thumbnails to display, there's not much room for customization.

Apple announced its latest rugged wearable, the Apple Watch Ultra 4, during its "Surprise and Shine" iPhone event on Wednesday. It's joined by the new flagship Apple Watch Series 12, some new AirPods, the new iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, and the long-rumored foldable iPhone Duo.

The Apple Watch Ultra 4 will start at $799, the same price as last year's Apple Watch Ultra 3. It also has the same design as its predecessor, but adds faster performance, a longer battery life, and new health and fitness features. Here's a rundown of its upgrades.

The Apple Watch Ultra 4 introduces new Health Sensing System, S11 chip Credit: Apple

The Apple Watch Ultra 4 is the latest iteration of Apple's biggest, most durable, and most expensive smartwatch. In a press release, the company called it "the ultimate sports and adventure watch" and "the most comprehensive wearable across health, fitness, and safety."

The Apple Watch Ultra 4 supports a new Health Sensing System that takes more accurate, continuous heart rate readings. That includes more heart rate variability (HRV) measurements to gauge cardiovascular stress and recovery indicators, Apple said. Users will be able to compare their daytime and nighttime HRV measurements.

The Health Sensing System also adds a Readiness fitness score that tells the user how prepared they are for certain workout activities based on past training sessions.

Credit: Apple

The Apple Watch Ultra 4 will work with iPhones' newly revamped Health app (out later this year), which will have a Longevity tab and use vision-based AI models to analyze users' movements for flexibility, balance, and more.

The Apple Watch Ultra 4 runs on the new S11 chip, which will power new "Audio Intelligence" features (also coming later this year). These include a "Live Rewind" tool that can transcribe 15 seconds of conversations, "Siri Recap" conversation summaries, and "Sound Recognition" alerts for users who are deaf and hard of hearing.

Credit: Apple

Privacy-wise, Apple said Audio Intelligence features "do not create or store audio recordings," and that raw audio is processed separately from the rest of the system before it's deleted. Apple, on-board apps, and even the user themselves can't access it.

The Health Sensing System, redesigned Health app, and Audio Intelligence features will also be available on the standard Apple Watch Series 12.

The Apple Watch Ultra 4 will offer up to 50 hours of battery life, up from 42 in the previous generation. In low power mode, it maxes out at 84 hours per charge. Apple said its "charging is now faster than ever," with just 15 minutes on an outlet translating to 18 hours of use.

Credit: Apple

The Apple Watch Ultra 4's case comes in the same standard colors as the Ultra 3 — black titanium and natural titanium — but its Alpine Loop, Trail Loop, and Ocean Band come in new hues. A luxe Apple Watch Hermès Ultra 4 variant will be available with a new extendable Grand H titanium band for $3,149. (It otherwise starts at $1,499.)

The Apple Watch Ultra 4 is set for release on Friday, Sept. 18, and preorders begin today.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple Watch Ultra 4 $799 at the Apple Store
  Pre-order Here

Follow our Apple event live blog to catch up on the latest news and announcements from the "Surprise and Shine" keynote, with live updates from Apple Park.

At Apple's "Surprise and Shine" event, newly minted CEO John Ternus unveiled the long-anticipated foldable, the iPhone Duo. Before we got to that big announcement though, Ternus and the Apple team showed off the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max. The iPhone announcements ended there with no regular iPhone 18 announced.

Apple CEO, John Ternus, showed off the iPhone Duo. But the regular iPhone 18 wasn't mentioned. Credit: Apple

The tech giant instead focused on three premium iPhone models, with the iPhone 18 Pro starting at $1,199 and the iPhone Duo starting at $1,999. This breaks from Apple's September tradition of releasing the full lineup of iPhones. Apple likely didn't want to overcrowd its announcements, especially with the high-profile launch of the iPhone Duo. But does that mean Apple is skipping the regular iPhone 18?

Going into the event, there were already rumors that Apple wasn't going to release the regular iPhone 18 just yet. Instead, the iPhone 18, along with the 18e and a new iPhone Air, is rumored to be coming March 2027. So if you wanted a more affordable iPhone model, you'll potentially need to wait another six months.

Until then, the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max will be available for preorder Sept. 12, while the iPhone Duo will be available for preorder Oct. 16. Plus, Apple still has the iPhone 17 and 17e available for purchase.

Like most of its products, Amazon has locked down its Kindle devices so that you can't easily make changes. Thankfully, some clever people have figured out ways to hack Kindles over the years. These are some of the very best mods of the past and present.

Apple took the wraps off its latest hardware lineup today, closing the book on months of leaks, dummy units, and supply chain chatter with an event at the Steve Jobs Theater at Apple Park. The keynote marked John Ternus's first turn on stage as Apple's CEO, following Tim Cook's move to executive chairman after 15 years running the company.

For his first keynote after taking charge just a week ago, Ternus made sure to make viewers aware of how deeply Apple Intelligence is threaded throughout the Apple ecosystem.

SEE ALSO: Apple Event livestream: See the new iPhone 18, meet new CEO John Ternus live

And there was plenty to weave it through. The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max arrived with a new burgundy finish replacing last year's divisive cosmic orange, massive battery gains, and a camera system that finally delivers on manual controls and a variable aperture. To outdo the iPhone Pro's turn into a pocket-sized DSLR, Ternus dropped one of Apple's most exciting product announcements in years: the iPhone Duo.

Now that the keynote has wrapped, here's a rundown of everything Apple announced, how it stacks up, and what's worth knowing before you decide whether to upgrade.

iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max Credit: Stan Schroeder / Mashable

Apple's Pro smartphone lineup gets what the company describes as its "most advanced camera system yet," built around a 48-megapixel Fusion Main camera with variable aperture — a first for iPhone. Six "laser-cut blades" automatically adjust across four aperture settings to manage depth of field and lighting, while a new sensor is designed to improve low-light shooting and group-photo detail.

SEE ALSO: iPhone 18 Pro price report: Apple confirms price hikes

A new "Pro controls" interface lets photographers manually adjust aperture, shutter speed, and white balance, and check exposure with an onscreen histogram; an API also lets external developers access the aperture range. The phones also introduce Apple Reference Image, a feature that captures signed sensor data processed through Apple's Private Cloud Compute to create an unalterable reference photo alongside the main image. In plainer terms, it's basically a digital negative that confirms what was in the original shot vs. the edited one.

Both phones run on the new A20 Pro chip, built on a 2-nanometer process with a 6-core CPU, 7-core GPU, and a 16-core Neural Engine that Apple says doubles the AI processing power of the previous A19 Pro. The Dynamic Island has also been redesigned to display up to three Live Activities at once.

Battery life sees a notable jump, particularly on the Pro Max, which Apple says can deliver up to 45 hours of video playback in eSIM-only configuration, which is the largest battery-life increase in iPhone history, according to the company. The phones also introduce Apple's next-generation C2 cellular modem, which the company says delivers faster uploads than its predecessor while using 15 percent less power.

iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max come in black, silver, glacier, and a "dangerously chic" burgundy. Rest in peace, cosmic orange. Both phones are also getting a $100 price hike with the 18 Pro and Pro Max starting at $1,199 and $1,299, respectively.

Pre-orders begin Sept. 12, with availability starting Sept. 18.

iPhone Duo arrives: Price, release date revealed Credit: Stan Schroeder / Mashable

It's been awhile since Apple launched a phone that genuinely excited the growing audience of tech skeptics. To wrap the keynote, Ternus introduced iPhone Duo, Apple's first foldable phone. Ternus and company are very confident about Duo, taking shots at the likes of Samsung and Motorola, contrasting it with their foldables as "two phones stuck together."

SEE ALSO: Apple's iPhone Duo is here, and Samsung is already throwing shade

When opened, the Duo has a 7.6-inch inner display and, according to Apple, is the thinnest iPhone ever made; when closed, a 5.4-inch outer display offers 90 percent of the iPhone 18 Pro's screen area. Both screens share the same aspect ratio, so content scales consistently between them, and a nano-texture finish is designed to cut glare and minimize the visibility of the fold crease.

Folded, it's about the size of a passport, with rounded corners and a continuous frame that genuinely looks unexpectedly cool in person.

iPhone Duo runs on the same A20 Pro chip as the Pro models and includes dual batteries that Apple says work together to deliver up to 44 hours of video playback using the outer display alone. The folding form factor enables several camera-specific features, including Smart Take, which uses on-device AI to automatically capture a photo when it detects subjects posing, and Duo FaceTime, which lets a nearby person join a video call through the outer display and camera.

Credit: Stan Schroeder / Mashable

iOS 27 has been adapted specifically for the device, moving controls to the side of the screen to preserve vertical space and introducing Split View, which allows two apps to run side by side on an iPhone for the first time.

iPhone Duo is available in Star White and Night Sky finishes, starting at $1,999. Pre-orders open Oct. 16, and ship on Oct. 23.

AirPods 5 improves ANC, sound quality Credit: Apple

The 5th-gen AirPods are here with Active Noise Cancellation, with the company saying the feature removes up to 50 percent more external noise than AirPods 4 with ANC. A new multiport acoustic architecture and an updated Adaptive EQ are designed to improve sound quality, while Apple Intelligence-powered Live Translation lets wearers hear conversations translated into their preferred language.

The standard AirPods 5 are priced at $129, while a version with a wireless charging case, longer battery life, and on-stem volume control is priced at $149.

Credit: Apple

Both are available for pre-order now and will ship on Sept. 18.

Apple Watch Ultra 4 and Apple Watch Series 12 add new health features Credit: Apple

Apple refreshed both ends of its watch lineup, the Series 12 and Ultra 4, around a shared new Health Sensing System that the company says provides the most accurate heart rate sensing of any wearable.

Powered by the new S11 chip in both models, the watches measure heart rate every 5 seconds throughout the day, while heart rate variability is now measured every 5 minutes. Both watches also introduce a "readiness" feature that combines recent activity, training load, vitals, and sleep data into a daily 0-10 score paired with one of four recommendations: Recover, Pace Yourself, Ready, or Go For It.

The S11 chip also enables a new Audio Intelligence suite on both watches, built on Apple Intelligence and Private Cloud Compute. It includes Sound Recognition, which alerts deaf or hard-of-hearing users to sounds like sirens, alarms or doorbells; Live Rewind, which replays the previous 15 seconds of conversation as a text snippet with a double press of the Digital Crown; Siri Recap, which generates summaries, not transcripts, of conversations; and Shazam-based music identification.

SEE ALSO: Apple's Siri Recap will remember your conversations for you

Apple says that the audio conversations on your watch are processed on-device and deleted immediately afterward. The company also stated that summaries don't identify who's speaking and that users must opt in to each feature individually.

With watchOS 27, both models also gain access to Siri AI through a new Siri app and a dedicated Siri Modular watch face. Where the two models diverge is on ruggedness, battery life, and design.

The Ultra 4 comes in a neat titanium finish in this Hermès variant. Credit: Apple

Apple Watch Ultra 4, aimed at athletes and outdoor use, offers up to 50 hours of everyday battery life and up to 84 hours in Low Power Mode, with a Max Extended Workout mode that can track outdoor activity for up to 45 hours; it comes in natural and black titanium, starting at $799.

Apple Watch Series 12 delivers 24 hours of everyday battery life, with a 25 percent boost to 10 hours during outdoor workouts, and comes in 42mm and 46mm sizes across aluminum, titanium, and a new ceramic option, starting at $399.

Both watches can be pre-ordered right now and will ship on Sept. 18.

Redesigned Health App Credit: Apple

Apple is also updating its Health app, arriving later this year on iPhone, with a new Insights tab that summarizes daily health data and a Longevity tab that introduces "Health Age," a metric that estimates how a user's health indicators compare with their chronological age.

The app will let users schedule lab tests covering more than 50 biomarkers for $119 at Quest Diagnostics locations across the U.S., and will add at-home movement assessments that use the iPhone camera and vision-based AI models to evaluate flexibility, strength, and balance.

The Health app is also adding support for logging perimenopause and menopause within Cycle Tracking, along with notifications for users 40 and older who show cycle patterns suggestive of perimenopause.

Siri AI features arrive soon Credit: Apple

It's finally here. After two long years since it was announced (which is an eternity in gen-AI development and scaling), Apple's revamped Apple Intelligence Siri will be released with iOS 27 later this month.

Similar to other AI-powered digital assistants, Siri AI is framed as a personal chatbot and assistant that draws on personal context, i.e., your messages, emails, photos, and other on-device information to answer questions, take action based on what's on a user's screen, and carry out tasks in third-party apps. It is rolling out in beta with iOS 27 across iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone Duo, Apple Watch Ultra 4, and AirPods 5.

Much of what Siri AI can do on iOS 27 was covered at its reveal at Apple's WWDC event back in June. The short rundown of Siri AI capabilities on iPhone is onscreen awareness and a camera-integrated mode that can answer questions about what a user is looking at.

On iPhone Duo, an all-new Siri app preserves conversation history synced through iCloud. On Apple Watch, Siri AI is accessible through a new Siri app and a dedicated Siri Modular watch face. On AirPods, users can respond to Siri hands-free using head gestures.

Apple said the assistant relies on on-device processing and its Private Cloud Compute system to handle more complex requests while keeping personal data encrypted and inaccessible to Apple.

Apple Intelligence, which underpins Siri AI along with features like Live Translation and the Health app's insights, becomes available with iOS 27 on Sept. 14 for supported devices set to one of 16 supported languages, including English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese and Korean, among others.

Follow our Apple event live blog to catch up on the latest news and announcements from the "Surprise and Shine" keynote, with live updates from Apple Park. See what our readers guessed would happen at today's Apple event in our Big Guessing Game.

UPDATE: Sep. 9, 2026, 5:43 p.m. EDT This article has been updated with some original photos from the Apple event.

Apple’s "Surprise and shine" keynote today made the $1,999 iPhone Duo look almost impossibly seamless. But now that people at Apple Park are actually opening, closing, folding, and gaming on the device, we have a better idea of what Apple’s first foldable looks like in real life.

SEE ALSO: Apple announces iPhone Duo, its first foldable iPhone

The short version: It looks impressively thin, the software responds quickly as the phone changes shape, and the crease isn’t quite as invisible as Apple’s presentation suggested (though it comes pretty close). Here are some early glimpses we’ve spotted so far — first and foremost from Mashable's Senior Editor, Stan Schroeder, who’s on the ground at the Apple event.

Mashable’s Stan Schroeder holds the unfolded iPhone Duo, showing its thin profile and subtle center crease. Credit: Mashable, Stan Schroeder Mashable’s Stan Schroeder tests the iPhone Duo’s camera on its large inner display. Credit: Mashable, Stan Schroeder

Early reactions were largely enthusiastic. Tech creator Max Weinbach called the iPhone Duo the "bar none best foldable," and was taken by the under-display camera, calling it "wild." "I wasn’t expecting that."

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Tech reviewer and Mashable 101 honoree iJustine, or Justine Ezarik, showed how compact the fully opened device looks when held in two hands, writing that the product is "amazingggg."

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Ezarik also demonstrated what it looked like to watch Netflix's "Clips" feature, which provides a vertical video feed, as well as an episode of Wednesday.

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She also showed off the Duo’s camera, including how the foldable design and outer display can be used while framing a shot.

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YouTube streamer IShowSpeed was similarly captivated while trying the phone during a livestream, repeatedly folding and unfolding it as viewers in the chat reacted, who were also impressed.

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A clip posted by journalist Geoff Keighley specifically highlighted the sleek animation when folding the Duo from its larger, tablet-like display into its compact outer screen. "I thought the transition to the inner display was just for show, but it’s so cool it’s as advertised in-person," replied one user.

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Keighley also tested games running across the open display in three perspectives enabled by the hinge. "Pokémon Go and watching TikToks on one mobile device is gonna be cool," wrote another user.

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The responses online haven't been universally glowing. Some people compared the shape to Microsoft’s Surface Duo or a Nintendo DS. Others questioned whether games would stutter as the display moved between positions.

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Senior Editor at Gizmodo, Ray Wong, gave a different perspective of the Duo, taping it from several angles as he opened and closed it. Viewed straight on, the 7.6-inch display looks nearly continuous, but tilt the phone toward an overhead light, and a subtle vertical crease becomes visible through the center.

"Can definitely see the screen crease at certain angles,” Wong wrote. Replies largely agreed that some kind of crease remains unavoidable on a folding screen, although several people noted that lighting and viewing angle appear to make a substantial difference. "They are magicians, not Gods!" one user pointed out.

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Another felt completely differently, writing, "Wow. the crease is really seamless."

If you want to unfold the iPhone Duo for yourself, you’ll get your chance when it reaches customers on Oct. 23.

Android keeps a running list of every Wi-Fi network you've ever joined, and it never expires on its own. Most people are carrying dozens of entries they've long forgotten. That list is more revealing — and more useful to strangers — than it first appears.

The rumour mill can rest, as Apple’s foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo, has been unveiled. And competitors are already hitting social media with pure cheek.

Announced at Apple's "Surprise and Shine" event on Wednesday, the tech giant's expensive new folding device was the talk of Cupertino, California, and beyond. Apple's answer to the foldables of competitors like Samsung and Google, the iPhone Duo has a 7.6-inch inner display that can fold in half.

SEE ALSO: Apple Event 2026: Live updates on iPhone 18 Pro, Apple Watch 12, and new AirPods

Following the reveal, Apple competitor Samsung, which revealed its own Galaxy Z Fold 8 in July, hit X with an unsubtle tweet.

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But it wasn't just smartphone makers freaking out about Apple's new foldable. The team behind Duolingo, the language app, apparently realise it shares a name with the device, with the official account spiralling about SEO and @ing new Apple CEO John Ternus.

"It's called the iPhone WHAT???" a Duolingo tweet reads.

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Jumping on the bandwagon, American dictionary Merriam-Webster threw in a tweet. "Not to brag, but our product has been foldable since 1828," the official account wrote, with quintessential "just gonna leave this here" energy.

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The iPhone Duo is undeniably Apple's buzziest device announced today, and Mashable's Olivia Tauber has all the details.

Follow our Apple event live blog to catch up on the latest news and announcements from the "Surprise and Shine" keynote, with live updates from Apple Park. See what our readers guessed would happen at today's Apple event in our Big Guessing Game.

It's finally here. The long-rumored, highly anticipated first-ever foldable device from Apple has arrived.

And it's the most expensive iPhone ever.

Apple unveiled the foldable known as the iPhone Duo at its big "Surprise and Shine" iPhone event on Wednesday. And Apple seems to have delivered. The sentiment across the internet seems fairly positive.

SEE ALSO: Apple Event 2026: Live updates on iPhone 18 Pro, Apple Watch 12, and new AirPods

If you're an Apple fan, you'll probably want an iPhone Duo. Maybe that is, until you see the price.

The iPhone Duo starts at $1,999 for the 256GB storage model. That's the most expensive starting price for an iPhone ever, but it's actually cheaper than the rumored price previously reported by analysts. There was an expectation that the iPhone Duo base model could have launched at as much as $2,300.

However, if you're looking to max out the iPhone Duo to its highest storage capacity of 2TB, you might be in for some sticker shock.

SEE ALSO: Apple announces iPhone Duo, its first foldable iPhone

A 2TB iPhone Duo will set you back $3,199. That's the most expensive iPhone ever. Period.

The 2TB iPhone Duo is a whopping $700 more than the brand new iPhone 18 Pro Max with 2TB of storage. 

In fact, the 2TB iPhone 18 Pro Max, which will retail for $2,499, is even less expensive than the 1TB iPhone Duo, which will launch at $2,599. That's a difference of a whole terabyte, and you're still paying $100 more for the iPhone Duo with half the storage space.

Apple fans will certainly be paying a premium for the company's first-ever foldable device.

Want more tech news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

See what our readers guessed would happen at today's Apple event in our Big Guessing Game.

In my search for a media center front-end, Home Assistant server, media server, and do-everything-else computer, I briefly considered buying a Raspberry Pi. Then I caught wind of the used Mac mini market, and it was clear which direction made more sense.

If you're not happy with your internet connection around the house, your ISP and Wi-Fi router are probably the first things you'll blame. But before you pay for a faster internet plan or a new router, there's a much cheaper solution you should try first: a simple unmanaged switch. Allow me to explain.

Apple’s first foldable iPhone comes with a radically different design — and a $1,999 starting price — but it retains one of the iPhone’s most familiar charging features.

Yes, the iPhone Duo supports MagSafe and Qi2 wireless charging at up to 25W. Apple says the phone can wirelessly charge to 50 percent in about 30 minutes when used with a MagSafe or Qi2 charger and a compatible power adapter rated at 35W or higher.

That support extends to Apple’s new accessories for the foldable device. The iPhone Duo Case and iPhone Duo Folio with Kickstand both contain built-in magnets that align with MagSafe and Qi2 chargers. In other words, users won’t have to remove the case whenever the phone needs a charge.

The two-part Duo Case wraps around both sides of the foldable phone and will be available in Sand and Navy Blue for $79. Apple’s $129 Duo Folio comes in Navy Blue and Taupe and includes a kickstand that can hold the phone at different angles for reading, watching videos, or making FaceTime calls.

SEE ALSO: Apple Event 2026: Live updates on iPhone 18 Pro, Apple Watch 12, and new AirPods

Both accessories, along with the iPhone Duo, go on sale for preorders on Oct. 16. Availability starts Oct. 23.

Credit: Screenshot: Apple How fast does the iPhone Duo charge?

If wireless charging isn’t fast enough, the iPhone Duo can reach 50 percent in around 20 minutes over a wired connection. Achieving that speed requires a USB-C cable rated for at least 60W and a compatible USB Power Delivery adapter.

Wireless charging takes around 10 minutes longer to reach the same level. Apple conducted its MagSafe testing with a 40W Dynamic Power Adapter, although the company says an adapter rated at 35W or higher is required for the fastest supported wireless charging speed.

Actual charging times will vary based on the adapter, temperature, settings, and how the phone is being used.

SEE ALSO: Apple announces iPhone Duo, its first foldable iPhone What is the iPhone Duo’s battery life?

Instead of trying to fit a single large battery around the folding display, Apple placed high-energy batteries on each side of the iPhone Duo. Software then manages them as a single dual-battery system.

Apple rates the Duo for up to 31 hours of video playback on its 7.6-inch inner display or up to 44 hours on the smaller 5.4-inch outer display. With usage divided evenly between the two displays, Apple estimates up to 24 hours per charge.

The phone’s A20 Pro chip and custom vapor chamber also help manage power and heat during gaming, multitasking, and AI workloads.

What else should you know about the iPhone Duo?

The $1,999 iPhone Duo is Apple’s first book-style foldable smartphone. When closed, it is roughly the size of a passport and provides a 5.4-inch outer display. Opening it reveals a 7.6-inch screen—the largest display Apple has put in an iPhone.

The Duo supports Apple Pencil via USB-C, runs two apps side by side, and can save app pairings for later use. Its hinge also lets the device support itself for hands-free video, FaceTime, time-lapse recording, or StandBy mode.

Other features include Touch ID in the side button, two 48-megapixel rear cameras, Spatial Audio, Ceramic Shield protection, and an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance. It comes in Star White and Night Sky, with storage options ranging from 256GB to 2TB.

Follow our Apple event live blog to catch up on the latest news and announcements from the "Surprise and Shine" keynote, with live updates from Apple Park.

See what our readers guessed would happen at today's Apple event in our Big Guessing Game.

There's still some heat left in this summer, and while an icy glass of lemonade is a great way to cool down, for a more thorough, deep chill that sends shivers into your bones, there's nothing better than a spine-tingling thriller TV show. Luckily, Netflix has these in spades.

Apple revealed the AirPods 5 wireless earbuds on Wednesday at its "Surprise and Shine" keynote event.

The AirPods 4 were announced two years ago, and the new version features some key upgrades. Like their predecessor, the new AirPods 5 come with two models. Unlike the previous gen, both feature active noise cancellation — but this doesn't result in a price hike.

In fact, the lower-tier model features ANC for $129, matching the price of the non-ANC model of the AirPods 4. The higher tier model goes for $149, which is $30 cheaper than the $179 AirPods 4 with ANC. This is especially notable in a time where most Apple prices have only gone up — including on the newly announced iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max.

SEE ALSO: Thank the AI industry for tech price increases: See the full list

The AirPods 5 and AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case are available for preorder now, with a release date of Friday, Sept. 18.

Here's what we else know about the newest addition to the AirPods lineup.

The Apple AirPods 5 features better noise cancellation, lower prices The volume stem on the AirPods 5 with wireless charging allows for more on-device control. Credit: Screenshot / Apple

We were expecting new AirPods with cameras at the September Apple event, but an update to the regular AirPods was also rumored in recent weeks.

The Apple AirPods 5 come with notable new features, including:

• Two models with and without ANC, priced at $129 and $149

• Updated adaptive EQ, which helps power better spatial audio

• 50% more active noise cancellation than the AirPods 4

• Improved transparency mode for a more natural sound

• On the $149 model, a wireless charging case, and volume adjustment on the earbud stem

AirPods 5 vs. AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case

Despite the name, there's more of a difference between the two AirPods 5 models than just their charging cases.

• Battery life: The$149 AirPods 5 feature five hours per charge with ANC, besting the battery life of the AirPods 4 with ANC by one hour. With the case, these earbuds offer 22 hours of battery life.

• Volume control: For the first time on non-Pro earbuds, the stem of the AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case has a force sensor volume swipe control on the stem.

• Wireless charging: The case on the more expensive AirPods 5 can be charged with an Apple Watch charger, Qi-compatible charger, and USB-C charger (which was available on the AirPods 4 with ANC).

Open-ear AirPods?

Technically, non-Pro versions of the AirPods have always been open-ear earbuds. That said, AirPods don't follow the model of most other open earbud models (that is, cuff or ear hook style buds).

Yes, there isn't an ear tip that sits in the ear canal, but the earbud is situated more as a semi-in ear bud than most other earbuds, which leave the ear canal completely unobstructed.

Follow our Apple event live blog to catch up on the latest news and announcements from the "Surprise and Shine" keynote, with live updates from Apple Park.