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After months of leaks and rumours, Apple has officially taken the wraps off its 2026 iPhones, but this year's launch looks a little different. This year we're getting three new devices: the iPhone 18 Pro, the iPhone 18 Pro Max, and the foldable iPhone Duo. A standard iPhone 18 model isn't part of the lineup this time, and we're yet to see a sequel to last year's iPhone Air.
The iPhone Duo is naturally the flashiest part of the announcement, as Apple's first foldable phone. Much like the Galaxy Z Fold 8, the iPhone Ultra is a small passport-style device that unfolds to be roughly the same size as an iPad mini, with a similar aspect ratio.
The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max still get some solid updates, however. On top of the requisite chipset upgrade, the pair feature larger batteries and a revamped primary camera with variable aperture.
The new phones are also more expensive this time around, but the biggest increases have been saved for higher capacity models. The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max now start at $2,099 and $2,299 respectively, which is a $100 bump in both cases. But if you were looking to get a 2TB iPhone 18 Pro Max, you'll pay $4,699. That's a $900 increase on last year.
And when it comes to the iPhone Duo, you're looking at a minimum of $3,499 for a 256GB model, or as much as $5,899 if you want to max out with 2TB.
Before we get into the nitty-gritty of what's new, here's the important stuff.
The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will be available for pre-order from 10pm AEST on September 12, ahead of a September 18 release date, while iPhone Duo pre-orders start at 11pm AEDT on October 16 ahead of an October 23 release date.
Compare the cheapest iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max plans below.
iPhone 18 Pro 256GB Plans
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#1
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Optus
$60 Optus Choice Plus Plan
$97.30/mth
Min. cost $2,137.80
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#2
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Vodafone
$58 Small Plan
$103.30/mth
Min. cost $2,143.80
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#3
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Telstra
$74 Basic Upfront Mobile Plan
$132.30/mth
Min. cost $2,172.80
Link not supplied
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iPhone 18 Pro Max 256GB Plans
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#1
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Optus
$60 Optus Choice Plus Plan
$102.86/mth
Min. cost $2,337.96
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#2
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Vodafone
$58 Small Plan
$108.86/mth
Min. cost $2,343.96
|
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#3
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Telstra
$74 Basic Upfront Mobile Plan
$137.86/mth
Min. cost $2,372.96
Link not supplied
|
iPhone Duo
Previously tipped to be known as the iPhone Fold or iPhone Ultra, the iPhone Duo is Apple's long-rumoured foldable phone. As aforementioned, the iPhone Duo has a passport-like form factor when folded, with a 5.4-inch display. When unfolded, it becomes a 7.6-inch device, similar to an iPad mini.
As expected, the iPhone Duo leans on some Apple's learnings from the iPhone Air. When unfolded, it is just 5.2mm at its slimmest point, and it has the same kind of titanium frame. It is a bit heavier, at 254g, however. Similarly, the iPhone Duo doesn't have a physical SIM slot. This means users will need an eSIM for mobile connectivity.
The external display is protected with Ceramic Shield 2 on the front, while the back uses standard Ceramic Shield. The internal display has a custom nano-texture finish to reduce glare and reflections, as well as minimise crease. Apple says it has a multi-layer laminated design to keep the screen flat. Both the iPhone Duo's screens will work with Apple Pencil with USB-C later this year. Notably, the iPhone Duo has an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance.
Inside is the same A20 Pro chipset you'll find in the iPhone 18 Pro models. Apple says the CPU is up to 20% faster when compared to the iPhone 17 Pro, the GPU is up to 40% faster, and that you can get up to 35% more sustained performance.
In terms of battery, Apple says the iPhone Duo can achieve 31 hours of video playback on the internal display or 44 on the external display. It also says you can get a full 24 hours of usage when using both screens equally.
On the camera front, the iPhone Duo has a 48MP primary lens and a 48MP ultra-wide lens on the back, a 12MP selfie camera on the outer display, and an under-display "FaceTime" camera on the inner display. Neither support Face ID, with the iPhone Duo relying on Touch ID in the power button instead.
Apple has redesigned iOS to better suit the iPhone Duo's foldable form factor. Essential controls are moved to the side, rather than sitting on the bottom, on both displays. The dock is also oriented vertically, and WiFi, coverage, and battery have been combined into a single icon. When unfolded, Apple's core apps can take advantage of the larger display, or alternatively, two apps can be run side-by-side.
iPhone Duo pricing is as follows:
- iPhone Duo 256GB: $3,499
- iPhone Duo 512GB: $3,899
- iPhone Duo 1TB: $4,699
- iPhone Duo 2TB: $5,899
You'll be able to buy either in a choice of star white or night sky.
Dodo's NBN 500 Unlimited plan is our pick for the best NBN 500 plan for September.
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Dodo
FTTP, HFC
Editor's Pick
nbn500 Unlimited Plan
$62.99/mth
Min. cost $62.99
|
iPhone 18 Pro & iPhone 18 Pro Max
The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max naturally succeed last year's iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, and are fairly similar aesthetically. Like last year's models, the phones feature a camera plateau, a build that is largely aluminium, and a Ceramic Shield glass panel to enable wireless charging. The glass panel is coloured matched to the aluminium, however, for what Apple calls a more refined look.
The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max both have the same display size as last year's models, measuring in at 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch, respectively. The physical Dynamic Island is slightly smaller, however, and as a result, can now display up to three Live Activities at once.
Both Pro models are powered by Apple's new A20 Pro chipset with a six-core CPU, seven-core GPU, and two NPUs. Apple says the CPU is up to 20% faster when compared to the iPhone 17 Pro, and the GPU is up to 40% faster. When combined with the new "next-generation" vapour chamber, Apple says the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max can deliver up to 40% better sustained performance when compared to last year's models.
The pair of phones also get a bump in battery life: the 6.3-inch iPhone 18 Pro offers up to 34 hours of video playback per charge, up from 31 last year. The 6.9-inch iPhone 18 Pro Max promises up to 43 hours of video playback, up from 37 in the iPhone 17 Pro Max.
In both cases, Apple says a 15-minute charge with a 40W adapter will take the phone from flat to 50%. On the iPhone 18 Pro Max, a five-minute charge provides around seven hours of video playback.
When it comes to cameras, the iPhone 18 Pro models still feature three 48MP lenses on the back. The big change is a new 48MP primary lens with variable aperture. This means the camera can let more light in dark situations, but also narrow the depth of field for group shots for more consistent focus.
The primary lens is paired with a 48MP ultra-wide lens and 48MP zoom lens that return from last year's model, as well as the 18MP Centre Stage selfie camera.
There are also some changes on the software front, including cinematic effects that can be added to videos after they've been shot, smart focus tracking for video, and pro controls that let you manually adjust settings like aperture, shutter speed, and white balance. Photographic styles now let you adjust texture and grain.
Full pricing for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max is as follows:
- iPhone 18 Pro 256GB: $2,099
- iPhone 18 Pro 512GB: $2,499
- iPhone 18 Pro 1TB: $3,299
- iPhone 18 Pro 2TB: $4,499
- iPhone 18 Pro Max 256GB: $2,299
- iPhone 18 Pro Max 512GB: $2,699
- iPhone 18 Pro Max 1TB: $3,499
- iPhone 18 Pro Max 2TB: $4,699
Both phones are available in a choice of silver, black, glacier, and burgundy.
Here's how the specs of every new iPhone model compare:
| iPhone 18 Pro | iPhone 18 Pro Max | iPhone Duo | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Display | 6.3-inch OLED | 6.9-inch OLED | 5.4-inch + 7.6-inch OLED |
| Resolution | Super Retina XDR | Super Retina XDR | Super Retina XDR |
| Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 120Hz | 120Hz |
| Rear Cameras | 3x 48MP + LiDAR | 3x 48MP + LiDAR | 2x 48MP |
| Front Camera | 18MP | 18MP | 12MP + FaceTime |
| Processor | A20 Pro (6-core) | A20 Pro (6-core) | A20 Pro (6-core) |
| Storage | 256GB - 2TB | 256GB - 2TB | 256GB - 2TB |
| Water-Resistance | IP68 | IP68 | IP68 |
| 5G | Sub 6 | Sub 6 | Sub 6 |
| SIM | Physical + eSIM | Physical + eSIM | eSIM |
| Price | From $2,099 | From $2,299 | From $3,499 |
What about the iPhone 18?
Apple didn't formally acknowledge the standard iPhone 18's absence during its keynote. The rumour mill does, however, suggest we'll see the iPhone 18 launch alongside the iPhone 18e and iPhone Air in the first half of next year. Precedent suggests this could happen in March.
Old iPhone price increases
In something of an unprecedented twist, Apple has increased the price of several older iPhone models alongside today's announcement of new models. The iPhone 17 now starts at $1,549, up from $1,399, for example. Here are the changes in full:
- iPhone 17e 256GB: Was $999, now $1,149
- iPhone 17e 512GB: Was $1,399, now $1,549
- iPhone 17 256GB: Was $1,399, now $1,549
- iPhone 17 512GB: Was $1,799, now $1,849
- iPhone Air 256GB: Was $1,799, now $1,899
- iPhone Air 512GB: Was $2,199, now $2,299
- iPhone Air 1TB: Was $2,599, now $3,099
- iPhone 16 128GB: Was $1,249, now $1,349
You might still be able to get these new devices for the old price at retailers like JB Hi-Fi.
Apple has discontinued the iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone 16 Plus.
These are the most popular NBN 50 plans with WhistleOut users this week:
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#1
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Dodo
All Fixed Line nbn®
Editor's Pick
nbn50 Unlimited Plan
$57.99/mth
Min. cost $57.99
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#2
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amaysim
All Fixed Line nbn®
NBN50
$75/mth
Min. cost $75
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#3
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Belong
All Fixed Line nbn®
NBN Standard Plus – Unlimited
$55/mth
Min. cost $55
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#4
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Tangerine Telecom
All Fixed Line nbn®
Value Plus NBN 50/20
$64.90/mth
Min. cost $64.90
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#5
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Superloop
All Fixed Line nbn®
Extra-value nbn50/20
$69/mth
Min. cost $69
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#6
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TPG
All Fixed Line nbn®
nbn50 Unlimited Plan
$69.99/mth
Min. cost $69.99
Link not supplied
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#7
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iiNet
All Fixed Line nbn®
nbn50 Liimitless
$69.99/mth
+ $10 Upfront
Min. cost $79.99
Link not supplied
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#8
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Kogan Internet
All Fixed Line nbn®
Silver Unlimited
$69.90/mth
Min. cost $69.90
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#9
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Flip
All Fixed Line nbn®
Unlimited Family nbn50
$68/mth
Min. cost $68
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#10
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Vodafone
All Fixed Line nbn®
Essential+ nbn®
$94/mth
Min. cost $94
Link not supplied
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Alex Choros
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