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iPhone Duo vs. iPhone 18 Pro: What you’ll miss with Apple’s first foldable

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A picture of the iPhone Duo alongside the iPhone 18 Pro used in a story comparing the two devices.
iPhone Duo vs iPhone 18 Pro: Apple’s foldable trades some flagship camera and security features for its folding design.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

So you’re eyeing the iPhone Duo. Before you preorder, know this: The iPhone Duo versus iPhone 18 Pro fight is closer than you might think, but the folding phone loses by more than a few rounds.

Apple’s latest flagships launched together during Wednesday’s Surprise and Shine event. But to achieve its cutting-edge design, the Duo trades some camera and other features that the two iPhone 18 Pro models keep. Here’s what you’d give up if you buy the first folding iPhone.

Apple TV Remote app hides slick new app launcher in iOS 27

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A picture of the Apple TV Remote app used in a story about new features coming with iOS 27.
The iOS 27 Apple TV Remote app adds a new app launcher button.
Photo: Apple

The Apple TV Remote app receives a sneaky upgrade in iOS 27. Apple tucked away two new features inside the app’s redesigned interface, and they’re hiding in plain sight.

The changes first surfaced in the iOS 27 release candidate. One of them brings a full app launcher to the remote, while the other surfaces streaming recommendations on the remote screen.

Today in Apple history: Macintosh 512K, aka the ‘Fat Mac,’ quadruples the memory

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Photo of Apple's Macintosh 512K aka Fat Mac with keyboard and drive at launch
The "Fat Mac" solved one of the original Mac's biggest problems.
Photo: Apple

September 10: Today in Apple history: Macintosh 512K, aka the 'Fat Mac,' quadruples the memory September 10, 1984: Apple ships the Macintosh 512K, the first upgrade to the first-gen Macintosh 128K.

Coming less than eight months after the original Macintosh, the 512K Mac makes no sweeping changes to the computer’s form factor. Instead, the big upgrade is quadrupling the RAM. This leads Apple fans to refer to the computer as the “Fat Mac.”

iPhone 18 Pro vs. iPhone 17 Pro: How much better is the new Pro?

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iPhone 18 Pro vs. iPhone 17 Pro
All the pro-differences a year makes.
Photo: Apple/ Rajesh Pandey/Cult of Mac

The iPhone 18 Pro gets a flashy new main camera, longer battery life, and some other nice-to-have upgrades. But if you already got an iPhone 17 Pro last year, are these improvements enough to justify an upgrade?

While there’s plenty to like about the iPhone 18 Pro, the higher starting price makes the decision a little harder. Here is how Apple’s two Pro iPhones compare. 

Are Apple Watch’s new readiness and Health Age metrics scientific? Yes, but …

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Apple Watch Series 12 Readiness feature
Should you ”go for it” just because your Apple Watch says you're ready?
Photo: Apple

Apple introduced a new fitness feature for Apple Watch called “readiness” during its Surprise and Shine event today. Readiness gives you a score from zero to 10, along with recommendations like “recover,” “pace yourself,” “ready” or “go for it.”

But what exactly is it telling us we’re ready for? According to Apple, your readiness score “tells you when to rest or put yourself to the test.” But can a smartwatch really know that?

What happens when your Apple Watch tells you to “go for it,” but your body tells you otherwise? Most personal trainers will tell you that learning to listen to your body is an important part of training. So what should you do when your body and your Apple Watch disagree?

Apple again extends free iPhone satellite access by one year

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iPhone 17 Pro in Cosmic Orange
Another free year of satellite connectivity for iPhone owners.
Photo: Unsplash

Apple extended free satellite connectivity on older iPhones for another year. That gives existing users more time with the satellite features without having to pay to keep using them.

The company announced a similar extension during last year’s iPhone 17 launch and the year before that, too.

Looks like iPhone Duo avoided the curse of the crease

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Detail shot of the top of the iPhone Duo folding phone.
Thanks to its clever hinge and nano-texture glass, the iPhone Duo appears crease-free (at least for now).
Photo: Apple

Judging by social media, the iPhone Duo looks like it will be a big hit, not least because the first folding iPhone appears to have no visible screen crease when opened to full size.

That’s a big drawback for other foldable devices. Here are some other revealing tidbits about the iPhone Duo.

Price hikes hit iPhone 17 and more

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Apple raises iPhone 17 prices
Hope you didn't expect the launch of the iPhone 18 Pro to lower iPhone 17 prices.
Photo: Brijesh H/Pexels

iPhone 17 just went up $100. The same goes for several other mid-range Apple models — they all got a price hike on Wednesday, the same day Apple unveiled the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo.

The launch of new iPhone models usually brings price cuts on previous models. Not this time. And we can lay the blame on a global shortage of memory chips driving up Apple’s production costs.

AirPods 5 mean it’s time to replace your old earbuds

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AirPods 5: Active Noise Cancellation all around
AirPods 5 promise improvements in so many ways.
Screenshot: Apple

Apple is bringing active noise cancellation to its most affordable wireless earbuds with the AirPods 5, which the company unveiled today during its Surprise and Shine event. The new open-ear model promises up to 50% more noise reduction than AirPods 4 with ANC, while adding improved sound quality, Siri AI and Live Translation. And these features come in the $129 version.

Today’s launch means you should take a hard look at your current AirPods. If they are three years old or more, it could be time to replace them.

Apple Watch Series 12 is the upgrade long-term users have been waiting for

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A picture of the Apple Watch Series 12 used in a story about Apple announcing the same.
Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 get a new S11 chip, redesigned health sensors and on-wrist Apple Intelligence.
Photo: Apple

Apple Watch Series 12 finally gets the upgrade long-time owners have been waiting for. The new model pairs the new, faster chip with a redesigned health sensing system. It also brings Apple Intelligence to your wrist for the first time.

Apple unveiled the Apple Watch Series 12 and the beefier Apple Watch Ultra 4 on Wednesday during its Surprise and Shine event. Both watches arrive alongside a new watchOS 27 update. They share the same faster Apple silicon processor and advanced health sensors, and together mark one of the most notable hardware refreshes the Apple Watch has seen in years.

iPhone Duo merges iPhone and iPad into one brilliant device

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The newly unveiled iPhone Duo is a pocket-size iPad
Apple's first foldable is the iPhone Duo, not the Ultra or Fold.
Screenshot: Apple

The just announced iPhone Duo is an iPad that fits in your pocket. The 7.6-inch screen is 50% larger than the iPhone 18 Pro Max, but folds up to be easily pocketable.

iPad users are well accustomed to side-by-side multitasking, and the Duo offers that too. And the dual-display design enables some camera tricks no other iPhone can pull off.  

“With the largest display ever on iPhone that still fits easily in your pocket, combined with the power of A20 Pro, iPhone Duo helps you stay more immersed and productive wherever you go, whether you’re enjoying content, multitasking across apps, or gaming,” said John Ternus, Apple’s new CEO.

The biggest iPhone 18 Pro upgrades you might have missed

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iPhone 18 Pro in burgundy
The iPhone 18 Pro hides some useful upgrades.
Photo: Apple

The iPhone 18 Pro’s variable aperture camera and longer battery life grabbed plenty of attention at Apple’s launch event. But the new iPhones pack plenty of other notable upgrades.

From adding Cinematic effects after recording to checking how a photo has been edited, there’s more to the new Pro lineup than its headline features.

This is when iOS 27, iPadOS 27, watchOS 27 and macOS Golden Gate arrive

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iPhone, Mac and iPad got so many performance improvements
iOS 27 is almost here!
Image: Apple/Cult of Mac

UPDATE: This article is now moot because the wait is over! iOS 27 is now out for everyone:

 


After months of beta testing, Apple will release iOS 27, iPadOS 27, watchOS 27 and macOS Golden Gate to the public this month. And at its “Surprise and Shine” event, the company finally provided a release date.

The new operating systems will be released publicly in less than a week, on September 14.

Apple’s Surprise and Shine event: iPhone Duo, iPhone 18 Pro and more

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New Apple CEO John Ternus onstage during Surprise and Shine event
John Ternus talks up the iPhone during his first event as Apple CEO.
Photo: Apple

Apple kicked off its Surprise and Shine event Wednesday with a cinematic passing of the torch as former CEO Tim Cook introduced his successor, John Ternus.

Ternus then praised the company’s crown jewel — the iPhone, which he called an “intelligent personal hub” superpowered by artificial intelligence — before unveiling a slew of new products, including the first folding iPhone, known as the iPhone Duo.

Other new and upgraded products included the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, Apple Watch Series 12, Apple Watch Ultra 4 and AirPods 5. Plus, various Apple execs also showcased new software features coming soon in iOS 27 and the company’s other software platforms.

“iPhone sits at the center of an amazing ecosystem of intelligent features and experiences that work seamlessly across the products you use every day,” Ternus said, before name-checking the new AI-powered Siri and advanced features in the new Apple Watch and AirPods.

“Simply put, iPhone brings powerful AI capabilities together with your personal context on the device you have with you all the time,” Ternus continued. “So today, we’re going to take these experiences even further with the next generation of iPhone.”

Today in Apple history: After liver transplant, Steve Jobs makes heartfelt return at Apple event

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Photo of CEO Steve Jobs onstage at Apple event on September 9, 2009, after his liver transplant
September 9, 2009, marked the start of Steve Jobs' final run at Apple.
Photo: Apple

September 9: Today in Apple history: Steve Jobs returns to Apple following liver transplant September 9, 2009: Apple CEO Steve Jobs makes his public return to the company after a successful liver-transplant surgery. Appearing onstage at Apple’s fall event, Jobs receives a standing ovation that lasts nearly a minute. He then opens the keynote on an unusually personal note by discussing his health.

“I wouldn’t be here without such generosity,” Jobs tells the audience, referring to the organ donor whose liver he received. “I hope all of us can be as generous and elect to become organ donors.”

Before revealing Apple’s new iPad nano line, Jobs says, “I’m vertical, I’m back at Apple, and I’m loving every day of it.”

Build your own iPhone and Android app without coding for just $99.99

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Photo of a hand holding an iPhone with a MacBook keyboard in the background, used to illustrate a post about Swiftspeed AI app builder
Go from bright idea to polished app with this no-code AI development tool.
Photo: cottonbro studio/Pexels CC

If you ever wanted to turn a clever idea into a blockbuster app but stalled out on the coding, the Swiftspeed AI app builder can fill that gap. It lets you create native iOS, Android and web apps without writing code.

And it won’t cost you a fortune or tie you into monthly fees. You can grab a lifetime subscription to the Swiftspeed Pro Plan for just $99.99, down from $1,440, with no recurring payments.

iPhone 18 Pro could avoid the massive price hike everyone feared

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iPhone 17 Pro lying face down
iPhone 18 Pro will seemingly feature a smaller Dynamic Island.
Photo: Unsplash

Apple’s iPhone 18 Pro lineup apparently won’t get the huge price hike that many people predicted/feared. The new models will cost slightly more than their predecessors, according to a last-minute leak, but don’t expect a massive jump.

The same leak also covers previously rumored design details, such as big camera upgrades. The Pro Max will reportedly pack a variable-aperture lens for depth-of-field control and better low-light images. And for better heat dissipation, Apple will seemingly add vapor chamber cooling to the new iPhones.

Cosmic orange kicked ass. Will dark cherry iPhone 18 Pro make a similar splash?

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iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max might add a
Will dark cherry be tech's hot new color?
Concept image: Apple/Cult of Mac

When Apple released the cosmic orange iPhone 17 Pro last year, it did the unthinkable: It made the color orange both cool and commonplace.

Since then, a growing number of tech companies have embraced orange, producing a wide range of iPhone accessories and other gear in the surprisingly bold color. Now, the only question is, can Apple do it again … this time with dark cherry?

Even before Apple’s expected unveiling of the iPhone 18 Pro lineup during tomorrow’s Surprise and Shine event, it looks like the company might have another hit color on its hands.

Today in Apple history: iTunes Music Store hits 10 million downloads

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Screenshot from Avril Lavigne's
Avril Lavigne's "Complicated" becomes the 10 millionth iTunes song download.
Photo: Avril Lavigne

August 8: Today in Apple history: iTunes Store hits 10 million music downloads September 8, 2003: Apple reveals that the iTunes Music Store recently sold its 10 millionth song download. The tune in question? Avril Lavigne’s “Complicated.”

Come to think of it, “You fall, and you crawl, and you break, and you take what you get and you turn it into [success]” describes Apple pretty well in the late ’90s and early 2000s.

watchOS 27 Readiness app could be Apple Watch’s best-kept secret

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An Apple Watch running on watchOS 27 used in a story about the unreleased Readiness app.
The hidden watchOS 27 Readiness app may point to a bigger health push for Apple Watch.
Photo: Apple

The watchOS 27 Readiness app could be the Apple Watch’s most interesting new feature. It’s still hiding in unreleased beta code, with no interface in sight. But clues suggest it could reshape how your wrist tracks recovery.

The Readiness app is just one of the many finds recently pulled from watchOS 27’s code. Beta references also point toward deeper strength-training data and a possible storage bump for future Apple Watch models.

iOS 27 leak reveals Apple’s big plans for iPhone camera app

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iPhone 17 Pro camera
iOS 27 may pack iPhone 18 Pro-exclusive Camera app features.
Photo: Unsplash

A leak shows off several camera-focused features that Apple will introduce with iOS 27 later this week. This includes exposure scopes, with waveform and histogram displays to monitor exposure easily. 

Apple will also presumably add focus peaking support to the iPhone’s stock Camera app.

Apple Watch Ultra 4 rumors: Everything we know so far

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A picture of the Apple Watch Ultra used in a story about the Apple Watch Ultra 4.
The Apple Watch Ultra 4 is expected to debut alongside new iPhones in September.
Photo: Apple

The Apple Watch Ultra 4 is tipped to arrive next month, with fresh leaks pointing to the biggest under-the-hood upgrade the rugged wearable has seen in years.

Apple already locked in a September 9 event, and the Ultra 4 is widely expected to headline the wearables side of that show. Rumors disagree on how much the watch’s exterior will change. But they do agree on one thing: A faster chip is on the way.