Apple’s ‘Surprise and Shine’ event landed early Thursday morning here, with a foldable iPhone, new Pro models, two new watches and AirPods 5. Pre-orders and a software date are now set.
iPhone Duo, from $3,499, is official
iPhone Duo is Apple’s first foldable iPhone. Closed, it has a 5.4-inch outer display; open, a 7.6-inch inner screen with a nano-texture finish. It uses the same A20 Pro chip as iPhone 18 Pro, is built from grade 5 titanium, and is eSIM-only, which Telstra, Optus and Vodafone already support. Colours are star white and night sky, and it starts at $3,499 including GST for 256GB. A Duo Case is $119, and a Folio with a kickstand is $199.
Pre-orders open at 11pm on Friday, 16 October, with phones due on sale from Friday, 23 October. Australia is in the first wave. Duo will ship with iOS 27.1, not the 27.0 release due this coming week.
iPhone 18 Pro starts at $2,099
iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max bring a 48MP Fusion Main camera with variable aperture, a smaller Dynamic Island that can show three Live Activities at once, and the A20 Pro chip. They come in black, silver, glacier and a new burgundy, starting at $2,099 including GST for the 18 Pro and $2,299 for the 18 Pro Max, in 256GB, 512GB, 1TB and 2TB.
There is no standard iPhone 18 this year; the more affordable models are expected in spring 2027. Pre-orders open at 10pm AEST this Saturday, 12 September — a day later than usual, because Friday is the 25th anniversary of 11 September — with availability from Friday, 18 September. Eligible customers can use Afterpay Pay Monthly in Apple Stores, online or in the Apple Store app, over 6, 12 or 24 months.
Apple Watch Series 12, Ultra 4, and AirPods 5
Apple Watch Series 12 starts at $649 including GST, and Apple Watch Ultra 4 at $1,349. Both use a new Health Sensing System and S11 chip, with a daily readiness score and heart rate measured every five seconds. Hypertension notifications will not be available in Australia at launch, pending regulatory clearance; Apple expects them later this year. Audio Intelligence features, including Live Rewind and Siri Recap, are due later in 2026. Pre-orders are open now, with availability on 18 September.
AirPods 5 are open-ear earbuds with Active Noise Cancellation, starting at $219 including GST, or $249 with the Wireless Charging Case, which adds on-stem volume control and longer battery life. They are due the same day.
iPhone Handoff won’t work here at launch
iOS 27 will let you use the same phone number on two iPhones, with the number following whichever device is unlocked. At launch, though, iPhone Handoff is limited to T-Mobile in the United States and Telekom in Germany. There is no date yet for Telstra, Optus or Vodafone.
What to watch next week
iOS 27, including Siri AI in English, is due early Tuesday morning, Australian time. The new iPhones, watches and AirPods 5 go on sale on Friday. If you want an 18 Pro on launch day, have your configuration ready before pre-orders open at 10pm Saturday.
