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Apple Watch Series 12 Has Smaller Screens and Bigger Cases

Hartley Charlton — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 15:52:18 +0000

The Apple Watch Series 12 pairs a smaller display with a wider case than Series 10 and Series 11, even though the pixel resolution hasn't changed, according to Apple's own tech specs.

For the 46mm Series 12, Apple's tech specs page lists the display area at 1,196 sq mm, down 2% from 1,220 sq mm on Series 10 and Series 11. The 42mm size shows a similar 1.9% drop, from 989 sq mm to 970 sq mm. Pixel counts are identical across all three generations: 416 by 496 at 46mm, and 374 by 446 at 42mm.

The case grows as the screen shrinks. Apple's Series 12 tech specs list the 46mm case at 46mm by 40mm by 9.7mm, a millimeter wider than the 46mm by 39mm by 9.7mm case on Series 10 and Series 11, a roughly 2.6% increase in case footprint. The 42mm case grew from 42mm by 36mm to 42mm by 37mm over the same span, about 2.8%, with depth unchanged at 9.7mm for both sizes.

A smaller display combined with a bigger casing means bigger borders around the display, and it looks like Apple has also tweaked the design of the Series 12 to recede the casing and expand the front glass, which makes the borders look even larger.

There's recent precedent for a change like this translating into a visibly thicker bezel. Series 10 went through a similar shift when it replaced Series 9 in 2024, growing the case around the display. The Series 10's visible aluminum edge had actually shrunk by around 33% versus Series 9, while the total bezel, including the black glass border, had grown by about 17%, even though the case and display figures looked like an improvement on paper.

It looks like the Series 12 repeats that pattern, although to a less extreme extent. Unlike the Series 9 to Series 10 change, which was a full case redesign, Series 10, Series 11, and Series 12 all share the same approximate case design. The Apple Watch Series 12 starts at $399 and launches on September 18.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 11

Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Don't Buy)

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AirPods 5 and Apple Watch Series 12 Pre-Orders Open on Amazon, With Early Discount

Mitchel Broussard — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 15:42:19 +0000

Apple yesterday announced the Apple Watch Series 12, Apple Watch Ultra 4, and AirPods 5 at its "Surprise and Shine" event, and today all of these devices are up for pre-order on Amazon. This also includes the first cash discount on the Apple Watch Series 12.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

AirPods 5

You can pre-order the AirPods 5 and AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case right now on Amazon, available for $129.00 and $149.00, respectively. There are no pre-order deals yet on these devices, and they will officially launch on September 18.

PRE-ORDER

AirPods 5 for $129.00

PRE-ORDER

AirPods 5 w/ Wireless Charging Case for $149.00

If you're looking to save some money, and don't need Active Noise Cancellation, Amazon currently has the previous generation AirPods 4 for $99.00, down from $129.00. There's also a solid deal on the AirPods Max 2 for $449.00, down from $549.00.

Apple Watch Series 12

Apple Watch Series 12 models are also up for pre-order on Amazon today, starting at $399.00 for 42mm GPS devices and $449.00 for 46mm GPS devices. These will also launch on September 18 alongside the new AirPods 5.

PRE-ORDER

Apple Watch Series 12 (42mm GPS) for $399.00

PRE-ORDER

Apple Watch Series 12 (46mm GPS) for $449.00

If you're interested in the cellular models of the Apple Watch Series 12, you have a chance to get the first savings on these devices via Amazon. The 42mm Cellular Series 12 is available for pre-order at $489.99, down from $499.00, which isn't a large markdown but it is the only deal you'll find on these brand-new watches online right now.

$9 OFF

Apple Watch Series 12 (42mm Cell) for $489.99

PRE-ORDER

Apple Watch Series 12 (46mm Cell) for $549.00

You can also pre-order the new Titanium Apple Watch Series 12 models starting at $699.00, and the Ceramic model is available for $949.00.

Apple Watch Ultra 4

The Apple Watch Ultra 4 is available for pre-order on Amazon for $799.00 in Black and Natural Titanium color options. This device will launch on September 18, alongside the Series 12 and AirPods 5.

PRE-ORDER

Apple Watch Ultra 4 for $799.00

For a full breakdown of everything Apple announced this week, be sure to visit our dedicated post with all of the biggest pieces of news from the event.

If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

Deals Newsletter

Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find in 2026? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!

Related Roundup: Apple Deals

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Why iPhone Duo's Under-Screen Camera Isn't in the Corner

Tim Hardwick — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 15:37:11 +0000

If you're wondering why the under-screen camera on the iPhone Duo's inner display isn't placed in the top-right corner, Chinese leaker Instant Digital has provided an explanation.

"The iPhone Duo's under-display camera wasn't placed in the top-right corner of the inner screen because of engineering difficulties," said the leaker in a Weibo post this morning. "The next generation will likely move it there, aligning it perfectly with the outer screen's camera." That sounds like a real engineering challenge, since the opposing rear cameras are the thickest things in the whole phone, but let's wait and see.

Related Roundup: iPhone Duo

Tag: Instant Digital

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Shop the Best Cases for Your New iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone Duo

Mitchel Broussard — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 15:11:58 +0000

It's iPhone pre-order week, which means anyone looking to get the new iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max will likely be looking for new cases and protection for the smartphones. Below we're tracking all of the best case and screen protector options from the most popular accessory brands, including ZAGG, Nomad, and more.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Most of these retailers aren't offering discounts on these new case accessories, but at ZAGG you can get 20 percent off your order when you purchase any two accessories. This is a perfect opportunity to save some money with a new case and screen protector for your new iPhone.

ZAGG - iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo cases and screen protectors (20% off two items)

Nomad - iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo cases

Belkin - iPhone 18 Pro cases and screen protectors

Burton Goods - Leather iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo cases

Casely - Colorful iPhone 18 cases

ESR - iPhone 18 Pro and AirPods 5 cases

OtterBox - iPhone 18 Pro cases

There are some iPhone Duo case and screen protector options available from these retailers as well, but shoppers should remember the Duo itself won't launch until later in October. If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

Deals Newsletter

Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find in 2026? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!

Related Roundup: Apple Deals

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Apple Isn't Revealing the iPhone Duo's Under-Screen Camera Resolution

Tim Hardwick — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 15:06:02 +0000

Hidden beneath the 7.6-inch inner screen of the foldable iPhone Duo is an under-display FaceTime camera. The long-rumored feature is a first for Apple, yet the company hasn't provided as much detail about it as the device's other cameras.

For example, unlike the 12-megapixel sensor on the outer front display and the two 48-megapixel lenses on the back, Apple has not revealed the megapixel count of the under-screen camera. Apple's tech specs page for the iPhone Duo offers the following details about its capabilities:

Under-display FaceTime camera

Center Stage for video calls

ƒ/1.8 aperture

Tap to zoom and rotate

Ultra‑stabilized video

1080p video recording at 30 or 60 fps

Animoji and Memoji in FaceTime

Wide color capture for photos and Live Photos

Lens correction

Auto image stabilization

QuickTake video at 1080p at 30 fps and 60 fps

Spatial Audio and stereo recording

Wind noise reduction

Audio Mix

Apple says the under-display camera records video at up to 1080p at 60 frames per second, compared to 4K at up to 60 fps for the outer front camera and 4K at up to 120 fps for the Main rear camera. This means the sensor is at least 2 megapixels – the minimum necessary to shoot 1080p video. However, its apparent inability to shoot 4K video may suggest it is less than 8 megapixels. Given that Apple has kept quiet, perhaps it's closer to 2 megapixels.

The under-screen camera's f/1.8 aperture is faster than the outer camera's f/2.2 aperture, which makes sense since it is probably helping to compensate for light lost through the display. Of course, Apple has not detailed the resulting trade-offs in image quality. How it affects photos and video is only likely to become clear once we get more time with the device.

According to a December 2023 report, LG Innotek was developing an under-display camera for Apple using a "freeform optic" lens array designed to reduce distortion and compensate for brightness loss. Again though, we don't know if this is the camera that made it into the iPhone Duo.

Another thing to note is that the display layer over the camera appears to lack the anti-reflective nano-texture coating found on the rest of the screen, resulting in a glossy dot. The screen also likely covers the lens with a lower density patch of pixels.

Regardless, the difference means the camera's location is less discreet than one might expect depending on the angle of ambient light. Apple even subtly acknowledges this in its marketing materials with a circular shadow on the screen, but going on the video below and the variable reflectivity, the effect can be more pronounced than the company is letting on.

Under-screen camera visibility on the iPhone Duo (video credit: Instant Digital https://t.co/teZ9DhbDkT) pic.twitter.com/tCbR81B52F
— Tim Hardwick (@waxeditorial) September 10, 2026

Video shared by Instant Digital on Weibo

Samsung has grappled with the same issue. The Korean company previously used under-display cameras in models including the Galaxy Z Fold6, before switching to a conventional 10-megapixel punch-hole camera with the Galaxy Z Fold7. This is Apple's first attempt at under-screen camera technology, so future iterations of the Duo may be better at hiding what can appear like a small smudge or blemish in the display – depending how you look at it.

Apple says preorders for the iPhone Duo will go live at 5:00 a.m. Pacific Time on Friday, October 16, with availability beginning Friday, October 23.

Related Roundup: iPhone Duo

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iPhone Duo Has Similar Main Camera to iPhone 17e

Hartley Charlton — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 13:59:14 +0000

Apple's tech specs suggest the iPhone Duo's Main camera sensor is seemingly a match for the iPhone 17e's, not the standard iPhone 17's.

According to Apple's tech specs page for the iPhone Duo, the Main camera is a 26mm, ƒ/1.6 sensor with sensor-shift optical image stabilization and Hybrid Focus Pixels, also enabling a 12MP 2x Telephoto crop from the same sensor. The iPhone 17e's tech specs page lists an identical 26mm, ƒ/1.6 Main camera with Hybrid Focus Pixels, the same autofocus terminology Apple uses for the ‌iPhone Duo‌.

The match is not total, though. The ‌iPhone 17e‌'s tech specs describes plain "optical image stabilization" with no "sensor-shift" qualifier, while the ‌iPhone Duo‌'s does include it. That detail instead lines up with the standard iPhone 17's tech specs page, which pairs sensor-shift OIS with a different autofocus term, "100% Focus Pixels," the wording iPhone 18 Pro's tech specs page also uses but Duo and 17e do not.

This suggests that the Main camera of the ‌iPhone Duo‌ realistically falls somewhere between the ‌iPhone 17e‌ and ‌iPhone 17‌, possessing the sensor-shift optical image stabilization of the ‌iPhone 17‌, but with an iPhone 17e-style sensor that uses Hybrid Focus Pixels.

The overlapping Focus Pixels wording with the 17e is fueling speculation online that the two devices share a sensor. Apple has not published a sensor size or pixel pitch for the ‌iPhone Duo‌'s Main camera, leaving the matching Focus Pixels wording as the only official link to the 17e for now.

The ‌iPhone Duo‌ starts at $1,999, with pre-orders opening October 16 ahead of an October 23 release.

Related Roundups: iPhone 17e, iPhone Duo

Buyer's Guide: iPhone 17e (Neutral)

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iPhone 17 Pro vs. iPhone 18 Pro: 35+ Upgrades Compared

Hartley Charlton — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 13:18:06 +0000

Apple yesterday announced the iPhone 18 Pro and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max, succeeding the iPhone 17 Pro that launched last September. The new models are built around the A20 Pro chip, a 48-megapixel Fusion Main camera with variable aperture, a redesigned vapor chamber, and a smaller Dynamic Island.

Last year's ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ brought one of the biggest design changes to the lineup in years, switching from a titanium frame and glass back to an aluminum unibody with Ceramic Shield 2. With that overhaul out of the way, this year's update is more about what's inside the phone than a new look, focused on the chip, camera, and battery rather than another redesign. The ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max, which shares nearly all of these changes, also gets a battery capacity increase of its own, delivering the largest jump in battery life in the iPhone's history.

The ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ starts at $1,199 for 256GB, up from the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌'s $1,099 starting price. Our guide breaks down every difference between the two generations to help you decide whether the upgrade is worth it. Here's everything that differs between the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌:

Chip, Performance, and Connectivity

‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ (2025)	‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ (2026)
A19 Pro chip	A20 Pro chip
Built with TSMC's N3P process (3nm)	Built with TSMC's N2 process (2nm), Apple's first 2nm smartphone chip
6-core CPU with 2 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores	6-core CPU with 2 super cores and 4 efficiency cores
	50% more memory bandwidth than A19 Pro
6-core GPU with Neural Accelerators	7-core GPU with Neural Accelerators, up to 40% faster than A19 Pro
16-core Neural Engine	Dual 16-core Neural Engine (32 total cores)
Vapor chamber cooling	Next-generation vapor chamber with 3x more surface area than ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌'s, up to 40% higher sustained performance
	New chip packaging that places silicon die beside memory, allowing it to attach directly to the vapor chamber
Qualcomm X80 modem	Apple C2 modem

Rear Camera

‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ (2025)	‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ (2026)
Fixed ƒ/1.78 aperture on the 48-megapixel Fusion Main camera	Variable-aperture 48-megapixel Fusion Main camera with four stops: ƒ/1.48, ƒ/1.8, ƒ/2.8, and ƒ/4.0, using six laser-cut blades
	API available for developers to control the aperture range within their own apps
	Faster Night mode, tied to the new variable-aperture lens
	Pro controls in the Camera app: manual lens aperture, shutter speed, white balance, and histogram
	New sensor and computational imaging pipeline on the Fusion Main camera, delivering around 50% better low-light performance and more detail in the back of group photos
Photographic Styles 2, adjusting tone and color	Photographic Styles 3, adding texture and grain controls alongside tone and color
	Smart focus tracking
Cinematic mode recording up to 4K Dolby Vision at 30 fps	Cinematic mode recording up to 4K Dolby Vision at 60 fps
	Cinematic mode effects can be applied after capture, on video shot at up to 60 fps
	Improved low-light video
	Time-lapse video recording with stabilization, up to 4K Dolby Vision
	Apple Reference Image (Fusion Main only), an opt-in feature that signs sensor data so a photo's authenticity can later be verified
Audio Mix	Audio Mix with new algorithms for higher-quality voices, and the ability to isolate music

Front Camera

‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ (2025)	‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ (2026)
Photographic Styles 2, adjusting tone and color	Photographic Styles 3, adding texture and grain controls alongside tone and color
	Smart focus tracking
	Cinematic mode effects can be applied after capture
	Improved low-light video
	Time-lapse video recording with stabilization, up to 4K Dolby Vision

Weight and Design

‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ (2025)	‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ (2026)
iPhone 17 Pro: Weighs 7.27 ounces (206 grams) iPhone 17 Pro Max: Weighs 8.22 ounces (233 grams)	iPhone 18 Pro: Weighs 7.44 ounces (211 grams) iPhone 18 Pro Max: Weighs 8.78 ounces (249 grams)
‌Dynamic Island‌ supports up to two simultaneous Live Activities	Smaller ‌Dynamic Island‌, supports up to three simultaneous Live Activities
Available in Silver, Deep Blue, and Cosmic Orange	Available in Silver, Black, Glacier, and Burgundy

Battery and Charging

‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ (2025)	‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ (2026)
iPhone 17 Pro: Up to 33 hours of video playback, up to 30 hours streamed iPhone 17 Pro Max: Up to 39 hours of video playback, up to 35 hours streamed	iPhone 18 Pro: Up to 36 hours of video playback, up to 33 hours streamed iPhone 18 Pro Max: Up to 45 hours of video playback, up to 40 hours streamed
Up to 50% charge in 20 minutes with a 40W adapter or higher	Up to 50% charge in around 15 minutes with a 60W-capable adapter with Adjustable Voltage Supply
Up to 50% charge in 30 minutes with a 30W adapter or higher, paired with a MagSafe Charger	Up to 50% charge in 30 minutes with a 35W adapter or higher, paired with a ‌MagSafe‌ Charger

Storage and Pricing

‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ (2025)	‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ (2026)
iPhone 17 Pro: Available with 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB storage iPhone 17 Pro Max: Available with 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB storage	Available with 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB storage
iPhone 17 Pro: Launched at $1,099 (256GB) iPhone 17 Pro Max: Launched at $1,199 (256GB)	iPhone 18 Pro: $1,199 (256GB), $1,399 (512GB), $1,799 (1TB), $2,399 (2TB) iPhone 18 Pro Max: $1,299 (256GB), $1,499 (512GB), $1,899 (1TB), $2,499 (2TB)
Discontinued and no longer sold directly by Apple, now only available via third-parties	iPhone 18 Pro: Sold directly by Apple, from $49.95 a month for 24 months via Apple Upgrade iPhone 18 Pro Max: Sold directly by Apple, from $54.12 a month for 24 months via Apple Upgrade

Apple's redesigned vapor chamber and the A20 Pro's move to TSMC's 2nm process are among the most important updates under the hood this year, and together they raise sustained performance and unlock longer battery life. Battery life rises from 33 hours on the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ to 36 hours, and from 39 to 45 hours on the Pro Max, which is the largest battery gain Apple has delivered on an iPhone. Charging is faster too, reaching 50% in around 15 minutes with a 60W-capable adapter, down from 20 minutes last year.

The ‌Dynamic Island‌ sees the most visible external change, shrinking in size while expanding from two simultaneous Live Activities to three, letting users track a flight, a Maps route, and a timer at once without switching apps.

The most significant leap is the Main camera. It trades its fixed ƒ/1.78 aperture on the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ for a four-stop variable aperture ranging from ƒ/1.48 to ƒ/4.0, delivering around 50% better low-light performance and giving photographers optical control over depth of field that the iPhone has never offered before. Paired with new Pro controls for manual aperture, shutter speed, and white balance, Photographic Styles 3's added texture and grain sliders, and Apple Reference Image for verifying a photo's authenticity, the camera system does more to justify the Pro name than anything else in this update.

The ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ is clearly aimed at photographers and creators, but the longer battery life, faster charging, and more capable ‌Dynamic Island‌ give casual users real reasons to notice the difference too. Compared with last year's aluminum unibody overhaul, this is a more targeted upgrade rather than a wholesale reinvention, but between the chip, the camera, and the battery gains.

For existing ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ or ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max owners, there is no general-purpose reason to upgrade to either new model. The core design, display sizes, and everyday camera experience carry over largely unchanged, and both new models cost $100 more than their ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ equivalent. The upgrade is worth it if you specifically want variable aperture and manual Pro controls for photography, or if you rely on sustained performance for gaming or on-device AI tasks where the A20 Pro's cooling and Neural Engine gains will be most noticeable, but realistically this will only encompass a minority of users.

For new buyers coming from an iPhone 16 Pro or older, the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ is the better long-term purchase given the newer chip and camera system. That being said, if you can get an ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ at a substantially lower price, it is probably worth buying last year's model instead.

Pre-orders for the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max open Saturday, September 12, with availability beginning Friday, September 18.

Related Roundups: iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro

Buyer's Guide: iPhone 17 Pro (Don't Buy)

Related Forum: iPhone

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Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 Have Increased RAM Without Price Increase

Joe Rossignol — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 13:15:51 +0000

MacRumors has confirmed that the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 have increased RAM compared to the previous-generation models.

Both new models are equipped with 4GB of RAM, according to Apple's developer tool Xcode 27.

Apple Watch Series 11 and Apple Watch Ultra 3 models are equipped with 2GB of RAM, so the Series 12 and Ultra 4 have twice as much memory.

Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 models are equipped with a new S11 chip that powers new Apple Intelligence features when the watches are paired to an iPhone 15 Pro or newer. The increased RAM will help to enable these new functions, such as Live Rewind text snippets and Siri Recap summaries, and give a boost to Siri AI.

Despite a severe memory chip shortage that has driven up the price of RAM and resulted in Apple raising prices on iPhones, iPads, Macs, and more in recent months, the Series 12 and Ultra 4 start at $399 and $799 respectively in the U.S., meaning the devices have the same starting prices as the Series 11 and Ultra 3 even with more RAM.

Related Roundups: Apple Watch 11, Apple Watch Ultra 3

Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Don't Buy), Apple Watch Ultra (Don't Buy)

Related Forum: Apple Watch

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Apple Considering Ads Inside Visual Intelligence, Code Suggests

Hartley Charlton — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 12:55:58 +0000

Apple may be exploring a way to let search providers show sponsored results inside Visual Intelligence, according to code uncovered in iOS 27.

The find comes from MacRumors' Aaron Perris, who said in a post on X that the code points to Apple allowing search providers to insert their own sponsored results into ‌Visual Intelligence‌, rather than Apple selling the ad space itself. He compared it to the sponsored product listings already seen on Amazon and Google. It is not clear whether Apple would take a cut of ad revenue.

The feature would let third party search providers, such as Google, insert items such as sponsored product images alongside the organic results ‌Visual Intelligence‌ already returns when a user points their camera at an item to shop for it. That would set it apart from the advertising pushes Apple has driven directly in its own apps over the past year.

Apple has been steadily expanding its advertising business across the App Store and Maps. The company began showing additional sponsored slots in ‌App Store‌ search results in March, and ads went live in Apple Maps in the United States and Canada last month.

‌Visual Intelligence‌ already routes shopping queries to services like Google Image Search and retailers such as Etsy, Amazon, and Anthropologie, so ad supported results from those partners would build on functionality that already exists in ‌iOS 27‌.

Tag: Visual Intelligence

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iOS 27 RC Adds Long-Rumored Camera App Controls Customization

Tim Hardwick — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 12:45:50 +0000

In the iOS 27 Release Candidate that Apple released to developers on Wednesday, Apple added the long-rumored ability to customize the Camera app's controls. Way back in May, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that Apple planned to make the Camera app more customizable, but it's only now that the feature has made it into the beta roadmap.

To customize the Camera app's controls, tap the button with six circles inside in the bottom-right of the Camera's UI and look for a new Edit button in the top-left corner.

From the new "Add Photo Controls" tray that appears, you can add or remove the widget-like controls to the top of the Camera app's UI, then press Done in the top right when you're happy with your selection. Depending on your iPhone model, you can choose from the following controls:

Flash

Live Photo

Aspect Ratio

Timer

Exposure

Styles

Filters

Depth Control

Night Mode

Center Stage

File Format

Shared Library

A "Rest to Essentials" option at the bottom of the widget tray lets you revert to the default set of controls.

When the customization feature didn't appear in Apple's iOS 27 preview at WWDC in June, Gurman said he believed that Apple was holding it back specifically for the release of new iPhone 18 Pro models, which bring some of the most significant camera hardware upgrades in several years.

While the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max have now been unveiled, it appears that Apple is making the customization feature available to all iPhone models capable of running iOS 27. Apple is set to officially release iOS 27 to the public on Monday, September 14.

Related Roundups: iOS 27, iPadOS 27

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Apple Details How iOS 27 Adapts to iPhone Duo's Displays

Hartley Charlton — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 12:10:20 +0000

Apple has detailed how iOS 27 was rebuilt to adapt in real time to the iPhone Duo, the company's first foldable iPhone, reshaping the interface as the device folds, unfolds, and switches between its two displays.

Lock Screen controls, the Dock, and app navigation elements now sit along the side of the display instead of across the bottom, freeing up vertical space for content. When open, the ‌iPhone Duo‌ shows two Home Screen pages. The status bar is now a circular, flexible system that fits into the corner of the screen, and the Dynamic Island runs vertically along the side of the outer display.

The interface also changes based on the device's angle. It reorients when the phone is turned on its side and switches to the appropriate display when flipped over. Apple said building this required changing how individual apps lay out content as the screen changes shape, including moving the Dock to a vertical orientation. Controls stay anchored to the side of the screen throughout, and the Lock Screen moves its buttons aside to give more room for the wallpaper.

The ‌iPhone Duo‌ supports side-by-side multitasking, which is a first for the iPhone. Split View lets users run two apps at once, and it's possible to open two windows of the same app, such as Safari, or use Siri AI on one side of the screen while viewing content on the other. Users can swipe up from the bottom to switch apps or save a pair of apps to return to later.

The software also adjusts to how the phone is angled rather than just whether it's open or closed. Content shifts away from the crease when the device is partially folded, where taps are harder to register, and audio tuning algorithms account for the changing distance between the speakers as the phone moves through different positions. When laid flat on a table, iOS uses sensors in each half of the device to let users view content without a stand.

Setting the ‌iPhone Duo‌ down triggers StandBy on whichever display faces up, even when the phone isn't charging, turning it into a photo frame, widget hub, or clock. New Calendar and Weather faces join the existing Clock and Modular options, the Photos face now shows Shared Albums, and each face supports additional colors, fonts, and complications.

Apple has built new APIs for developers to adapt their apps to the dual-display design, and the ‌iPhone Duo‌ support is coming to Device Hub in Xcode. Netflix, Zoom, and Slack have already updated their apps to make use of the larger inner display.

The folding design also enables four camera features not available on other iPhone models. Smart Take uses on-device AI running on the A20 Pro's Neural Engine to analyze a scene and automatically capture a photo when its subjects are posing.

Duo Preview shows a live camera preview on the outer display so a subject can check their framing before taking a shot. Kid Cue plays Peanuts animations on the outer display to get a child's attention. Duo FaceTime lets people standing near the person on a call join in through the outer display.

There are a host of other features such as video playback controls and a keyboard that appear on the lower half of the display when set flat, a split keyboard when the display is partly folded, and more.

Pre-orders for ‌iPhone Duo‌ open at 5 a.m. Pacific on Friday, October 16, with availability beginning Friday, October 23.

Related Roundups: iOS 27, iPadOS 27, iPhone Duo

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iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max Benchmarks Reveal Speed of A20 Pro Chip

Tim Hardwick — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 11:06:15 +0000

Early benchmark results for the A20 Pro chip in the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max appeared early this morning in the Geekbench 7 database, offering us a first look at the new models' CPU and graphics performance ahead of the devices reaching customers.

Based on these early results – which are unconfirmed – the A20 Pro chip across the Pro models appears to deliver around 21% to 23% faster performance in single-core and 27% to 28% faster performance in multi-core than the A19 Pro chip in the iPhone 17 Pro. It's a pretty impressive jump.

The iPhone 18 Pro result lists a single-core score of 4,719 and a multi-core score of 12,677, while an iPhone 18 Pro Max entry delivers similar results, scoring 4,725 and 12,575, respectively. Both identify a six-core CPU running at approximately 4.93 GHz.

There are similarly formidable gains on the graphics side for the A20 Pro. Based on early Metal scores in the Geekbench 6 database (also unconfirmed) the full 7-core GPU variant of the chip in the iPhone 18 Pro models is around 38% to 40% faster than the A19 Pro's 6-core GPU.

The graphics results broadly match Apple's claim in its iPhone 18 Pro press release and product page that the A20 Pro offers up to 20% faster CPU performance compared to the A19 Pro chip in the iPhone 17 Pro models, while the A20 Pro's new seven-core GPU is up to 40% faster than the A19 Pro.

Built using a 2-nanometer process, the chip also features a six-core CPU with integrated Neural Accelerators and 50% more memory bandwidth than its predecessor. Apple also says the new chip packaging and redesigned vapor chamber enable up to 40% better sustained performance than the previous generation.

Note that these one-off benchmarks, which have yet to be independently verified, don't tell us how the devices will perform during prolonged gaming or other demanding workloads – benchmark results and real-world performance are never totally analogous.

Related Roundup: iPhone 18 Pro

Tag: Geekbench

This article, "iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max Benchmarks Reveal Speed of A20 Pro Chip" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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iOS 27 to Upgrade Apple TV Remote App in Two Ways

Tim Hardwick — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 09:33:59 +0000

Apple has updated the design of the virtual Apple TV Remote for the iOS 27 Release Candidate, which was released yesterday, and there are two new features that have been added to the iPhone app's interface.

First up, Apple has added a new button to the top-right corner of the Remote UI with a glyph showing four squares. Pressing the button pops out an app menu similar to the Apple TV home screen that allows you to quickly select an app and launch it.

Second, you can now drag down from the top of the virtual trackpad with your finger to reveal the Apple TV's top shelf carousel, where shows in your watch list are displayed, along with shows that you've started so that you can continue watching.

The two new features, hidden behind feature flags, were discovered by MacRumors and later demonstrated on X (Twitter) by code sleuth "pdfu."

Apple TV Remote is about to get a lot more useful.

iOS 27 RC introduces a refreshed design and two new features, both currently hidden behind feature flags:
1. An app launcher to open apps on your Apple TV.
2. Top Shelf content from the selected app on your Apple TV, with... pic.twitter.com/aOFoToCnrR
— pdfu (@itspdfu) September 9, 2026

The next-generation Apple TV 4K will ship with an upgraded Siri Remote, according to previously discovered macOS 26.7 code findings. We don't know what those upgrades will be, but these two new Remote app features could hint at what's to come. The new Apple TV 4K is likely to be unveiled later this month or in October.

Starting in iOS 27, the virtual Apple TV remote can also be added to the iPhone's Home Screen again, so it's no longer limited to Control Center. If you're on the iOS 27 beta, you can find it by swiping down on the Home Screen and searching for "remote."

Related Roundups: Apple TV, iOS 27, iPadOS 27

Buyer's Guide: Apple TV (Don't Buy)

Related Forum: Apple TV and Home Theater

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Touch ID Isn't the Only Way to Unlock an iPhone Duo

Tim Hardwick — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 08:41:48 +0000

Apple's new iPhone Duo lacks Face ID. That may irk users who are used to the seamless unlocking experience that a facial biometric system provides, but fortunately Apple has brought over one of the Mac's best authentication features to its foldable iPhone to make up for it.

Touch ID is integrated into the Duo's side button for authentication whether iPhone Duo is open or closed, but like regular iPhones, if you own an Apple Watch, you can opt to have it unlock your iPhone Duo without you having to press a thing. Pre-orders for iPhone Duo begin at 5:00 a.m. Pacific Time on Friday, October 16, with availability beginning Friday, October 23.

Related Roundup: iPhone Duo

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Apple Announces macOS Golden Gate Release Date

Joe Rossignol — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 07:15:27 +0000

Apple this week announced that macOS 27, also known as macOS Golden Gate, will be released to all users with a compatible Mac on Monday, September 14.

iOS 27, iPadOS 27, watchOS 27, tvOS 27, and visionOS 27 will be released on the same day.

macOS Golden Gate features Siri AI, design improvements, performance enhancements, and more. A developer beta has been available since June, while a public beta followed in July, and now the update will be widely released on September 14.

macOS Golden Gate is compatible with all Macs with an M1 chip or newer:

MacBook Neo (2026)

MacBook Air with Apple silicon (2020 and later)

MacBook Pro with Apple silicon (2020 and later)

iMac (2021 and later)

Mac mini (2020 and later)

Mac Studio (2022 and later)

Mac Pro (2023 and later)

macOS 26 aka macOS Tahoe is the final macOS release compatible with Intel-based Macs.

Intel Macs that can run macOS Tahoe, but not macOS Golden Gate:

13-inch MacBook Pro (2020, Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports)

16-inch MacBook Pro (2019)

27-inch iMac (2020)

Mac Pro (2019)

Apple said Intel-based Macs will continue to receive security updates for three years.

macOS 27 Golden Gate can still run Intel apps on Apple silicon, as it is the final major macOS release to include Apple's full Rosetta translation layer.

Related Roundup: macOS Golden Gate

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iPhone 18 Pro Launching on September 18 With These 10 New Features

Joe Rossignol — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 07:05:00 +0000

Apple this week unveiled the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. While the devices look very similar to the iPhone 17 Pro models, there are still quite a few new features and incremental changes compared to the previous generation.

Below, we have recapped 10 new features coming with the iPhone 18 Pro models, which can be pre-ordered starting Saturday, September 12 at 5 a.m. Pacific Time and will begin arriving to customers and launch in stores Friday, September 18.

A20 Pro chip, the first 2nm chip in an iPhone. It has a 6-core CPU, a 7-core GPU, and a 32-core Neural Engine. Apple says the chip delivers up to 20% faster CPU performance and up to 40% faster graphics performance compared to the A19 Pro chip in the iPhone 17 Pro. Apple also says sustained performance is up to 40% faster.

Three new color options: Burgundy, Black, and Glacier. Orange is no longer an option. The rear aluminum and Ceramic Shield glass area are now more color matched.

A smaller Dynamic Island with support for up to three Live Activities at once.

The main 48-megapixel Fusion camera on both the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max has variable aperture, allowing you to adjust the amount of light that reaches the image sensor for greater control over depth of field. Apple says this upgrade will allow for improved low-light photography and crisper details in the back of group photos. Aperture options include ƒ/1.48, ƒ/1.8, ƒ/2.8, and ƒ/4.0.

In the Camera app on iPhone 18 Pro models, new Pro controls allow you to manually control or adjust shutter speed, white balance, and aperture, and there is an option to use a histogram.

iPhone 18 Pro models can record time-lapse videos in 4K and Dolby Vision HDR.

Both of the iPhone 18 Pro models have longer battery life compared to the previous generation — especially the iPhone 18 Pro Max. If we go by Apple's offline video playback metric, the iPhone 18 Pro Max has up to 15% longer battery life compared to the iPhone 17 Pro Max. Fast charging to 50% now takes 15 minutes, down from 20 minutes.

The revamped vapor chamber cooling system in the iPhone 18 Pro models has three times more surface area than the one in the iPhone 17 Pro models, for even better heat dissipation.

At least some iPhone 18 Pro models in some countries have Apple's second-generation C2 cellular modem for 5G and LTE. Apple says the C2 chip has "AI-powered improvements" to cellular quality and reliability, delivering "meaningfully faster uploads when compared to its previous C1X modem while consuming 15% less energy. In the U.S., the chip supports mmWave 5G.

There is now a 2TB storage capacity for both the Pro and Pro Max models — it was previously exclusive to the iPhone 17 Pro Max.

Related Roundup: iPhone 18 Pro

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Hands-On With the iPhone Duo: The Crease is Still There, But Barely

Juli Clover — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 01:44:32 +0000

After today's iPhone event, Apple invited members of the media to test out the new iPhone Duo. We were able to take a look, and we have some initial thoughts to share.

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The ‌iPhone Duo‌ is priced starting at $1,999, and it feels like it. This is a premium device that's thin, but feels sturdy. The outer display is 5.4 inches, so it's smaller than the iPhone 18 Pro when it's closed, but the inner display is 7.6 inches.

Apple used a nano-texture polymer for the inside display, and the material cuts glare but also reduces the visibility of the crease. The display layer has a micro lens texture written pixel by pixel using maskless laser lithography for a perceptually flat, matte surface. It does indeed minimize the look and feel of the fold in the middle of the ‌iPhone Duo‌.

You can still see the crease and it's visible in certain lighting, but Apple did a better job than Samsung at hiding it. Of course, foldable creases can become more visible as a device folds and unfolds, so it will be interesting to see how the ‌iPhone Duo‌ holds up over time. Apple says there are viscoelastic adhesives that let the layers glide over each other, so that might help.

There's no visible camera cutout on the inner display of the ‌iPhone Duo‌, because Apple put it under the screen. It's invisible on a lighter screen, but when the display is darker, you can see the camera area somewhat.

Apple knew software would be important, and apps adapt well to the new form factor. The main controls are on the side of the displays and there's a new vertical dock. The status bar tucks in the corner, which makes sense for a foldable, and everything is where you want it for one-handed use.

You can run two apps side by side, or two instances of the same app (like two Safari pages), but there's no option to resize them. They each take up one half of the display. Two apps can be locked together as a pair so they launch together in the future and you can swipe over to other apps.

Apps work when the ‌iPhone Duo‌ is open, closed, and half-folded too. You can prop the ‌iPhone Duo‌ up and controls will move to the bottom of the display. iOS can adapt to the orientation and angle of the device, and it slides content away from the crease to make sure everything is easy to tap regardless of position. Audio also tunes automatically based on position.

StandBy works even when the ‌iPhone Duo‌ isn't charging. You just need to fold the Duo in half in a tent orientation and you'll see widgets, music, calendar, weather, and more. It works as a bedside clock too, and there's even a new glow alarm clock feature.

There are only two cameras in the ‌iPhone Duo‌. It has a 48MP Fusion Main camera and a 48MP Ultra Wide camera, but no Telephoto camera. There is 2x zoom, but that's just a cropped-in view from the Main camera. The outer display front camera is 12MP.

You can do some unique things with the ‌iPhone Duo‌'s camera setup. Apple added 4K Dolby Vision time lapses, a feature that works well with the ‌iPhone Duo‌ since it can prop itself up for longer shots. A Smart Take option uses AI to capture a shot when everyone is in frame, so you can set it up, run over to get in a group photo, and have the iPhone automatically take a picture. The outer display can show Peanuts animations to get children to smile (Kid Cue), and when you're taking a photo of someone, they can see themselves on the outer display and give you feedback on the shot setup (Duo Preview). FaceTime can also use both displays and someone can join a ‌FaceTime‌ call with you using the outer display camera, so you don't have to crowd together in one camera (‌FaceTime‌ Duo).

The ‌iPhone Duo‌ has the same A20 Pro chip as the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌, and Apple's new C2 modem that's faster and more efficient than the C1X. The C2 supports mmWave 5G speeds in the United States.

The $1,999 starting price is for 256GB storage. You can get up to 2TB, but that option will cost you $3,199. ‌iPhone Duo‌ pre-orders start on Friday, October 16, with a launch to follow on October 23.

Related Roundup: iPhone Duo

Tag: September 2026 Apple Event

This article, "Hands-On With the iPhone Duo: The Crease is Still There, But Barely" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Everything Apple Announced at the September 2026 Event

Juli Clover — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 01:25:29 +0000

Apple's "Surprise and Shine" event took place today, and the company introduced the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, the new foldable iPhone Duo, new Apple Watch models, and AirPods 5. It took Apple over an hour to announce everything, but we have an 11-minute recap for those who want a quick but detailed overview of everything.

Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.

Our full event coverage is below with more information on all of today's announcements.

iPhone Duo

Apple Announces Foldable 'iPhone Duo'

iPhone Duo: Pricing, Pre-Orders, and Release Date Announced

Here's What Apple Says About the iPhone Duo's Crease

Apple Explains What's Inside the iPhone Duo's Folding Screen

iPhone Duo Beats iPhone Air as Apple's Thinnest iPhone, But Only When Open

iPhone Duo is Dust-Tight With IP68 Rating, Unlike Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold8

iPhone Duo Battery Life Depends on Which Screen You Use

iPhone Duo Doesn't Have an Action Button

iPhone Duo Only Works With the $79 USB-C Apple Pencil, Not the Apple Pencil Pro

iPhone Duo Will Ship With iOS 27.1, Hinting at Update's Release Date

iPhone Duo Gets Its Own Case and Folio With Kickstand

Apple Publishes Developer Video Series for iPhone Duo

Samsung Mocks iPhone Duo

iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max

Apple Announces iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max

iPhone 18 Pro: Pre-Orders and Release Date Announced

Apple Unveils A20 Pro as First 2nm Smartphone Chip

Both iPhone 18 Pro Models Feature Variable Aperture Camera

Apple Reveals iPhone 18 Pro Models Will Be Available in Four New Colors

iPhone 18 Pro's $100 Price Increase is Actually $300 If You Want 1TB Storage

iPhone 18 Pro Max Has 'Longest Battery Life in an iPhone' at Up to 45 Hours

Apple Reveals iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max Battery Capacities

iPhone 18 Pro Max Is Heavier Than iPhone 17 Pro Max, Not Thicker

iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max: Here's How Much RAM Each Has

iPhone 18 Pro's Redesigned Vapor Chamber Triples Cooling Surface Area

iPhone 18 Pro Gains Manual Aperture, Shutter Speed Controls, and More

iPhone 18 Pro Introduces 'Apple Reference Image' to Verify Photo Authenticity

New Texture and Grain Controls Coming to Photographic Styles With iPhone 18 Pro

iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo Feature Apple's New C2 Modem

iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max Have Different Modems

iPhone 18 Pro is eSIM-Only in These Countries

Apple Debuts New Accessories for iPhone 18 Pro and AirPods Pro 3

Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4

Apple Announces Apple Watch Series 12 With S11 Chip, Upgraded Health Sensors and Ceramic Models

Apple Announces Apple Watch Ultra 4 With Two-Day Battery Life and Upgraded Health Tracking

Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 Offer These Eight New Health and Fitness Features

Three All-New 'Audio Intelligence' Features Arrive With Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4

Apple Watch Series 12 Comes in New Finishes, Including Ceramic

Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 Get Wave of New Bands

AirPods 5

AirPods 5 Announced With Improved Noise Cancellation, Audio Quality, and More

AirPods 5 Include ANC as Standard, Pricier Variant Now Gatekeeps Wireless Charging Instead

Software

Apple Announces iOS 27 Release Date

Apple Seeds iOS 27 and iPadOS 27 Release Candidates

macOS Golden Gate Release Candidate Now Available

Apple Seeds watchOS 27, visionOS 27, and tvOS 27 Release Candidates

iOS 27's 'iPhone Handoff' Feature Limited to T-Mobile and Deutsche Telekom at Launch

iOS 27 Will Let You Redeem Apple Gift Cards on the Back of Your iPhone

Apple's Fine Print: Daily Usage Limits for Siri AI, 'Expanded Access' Coming for a Fee

Other News

Apple Raises Prices of iPhone 16, iPhone 17, iPhone Air, and iPhone 17e

Apple Discontinues iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max

Apple Extends Free Satellite Access for iPhone 14, 15, and 16 Users

Apple Adds AppleCare One Family Plan for Up to Six People

Apple Event Live Blog: iPhone Duo, iPhone 18 Pro, and More Expected

The Apple Watch Series 12, Apple Watch Ultra 4, and AirPods 5 are available for pre-order today. Pre-orders for the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max will begin on Saturday, September 12 at 5:00 a.m. Pacific Time. The new devices will launch on September 18.

Pre-orders for the ‌iPhone Duo‌ will start on October 16, with a launch to follow on October 23.

Tag: September 2026 Apple Event

This article, "Everything Apple Announced at the September 2026 Event" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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iPhone Duo is Dust-Tight With IP68 Rating, Unlike Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold8

Juli Clover — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 00:46:16 +0000

The iPhone Duo has an IP68 dust and water resistance rating, beating Samsung and tying Google.

Samsung's latest Galaxy Z Fold8 models have an IP48 dust and water resistance rating, which means they aren't able to hold up to dust as well. Google's Pixel 11 Pro Fold also has an IP68 rating.

IP6X for dust means the ‌iPhone Duo‌ is "dust-tight" and no dust is able to get in. The IPX8 rating for water means it is protected from water deeper than 1 meter. Apple says the device can handle a maximum depth of 6 meters for up to 30 minutes. IP68 is the same dust and water resistance rating as other iPhones, and dust matters because it can get into the hinges of foldables and cause damage.

Apple warns that water and dust resistance "are not permanent conditions," and resistance can decrease as a result of normal wear. iFixit will likely do a teardown on the ‌iPhone Duo‌, and we'll see how it holds up to dust.

The ‌iPhone Duo‌ has other durability features, including a titanium frame, titanium hinge cover, and 10-layer display.

Related Roundup: iPhone Duo

Tags: Samsung, September 2026 Apple Event

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iOS 27's 'iPhone Handoff' Feature Limited to T-Mobile and Deutsche Telekom at Launch

Juli Clover — Wed, 09 Sep 2026 23:49:35 +0000

Apple is adding a new iPhone Handoff feature in iOS 27 that will let you use the same number on two iPhones and swap between them as needed. iPhone Handoff requires carrier support, and Apple says there may be carrier fees when setting it up.

The new iPhone Handoff option was mentioned at today's event and in the iPhone Duo press release, and it turns out it's going to be limited at launch. Apple says it will only be available on T-Mobile in the U.S. and Deutsche Telekom in Germany when ‌iOS 27‌ comes out.

To use iPhone Handoff, you need two iPhones running ‌iOS 27‌ or later that are connected to Wi-Fi and signed into the same Apple account with FaceTime, iMessage, and Messages in iCloud turned on.

iPhone Handoff can be enabled during new iPhone setup, or in the Settings app. When you set up a new iPhone, you can make your current iPhone your secondary iPhone.

With iPhone Handoff enabled, one iPhone is the main iPhone and the other iPhone is the secondary iPhone that shares the same number. Some carrier services like Call Forwarding, Caller ID, and account management can only be managed on the main iPhone. iPhone Handoff also does not swap your Apple Watch from one iPhone to another.

Moving between a main iPhone and secondary iPhone happens automatically when you unlock one of the devices. Apple says your phone number will automatically become active, and you'll see the message "Switched to this iPhone" to confirm.

A phone number can only be active on one iPhone at a time when using iPhone Handoff. Payment cards in the Wallet app and car keys can work across both iPhones, but Apple warns some Wallet items like transit passes, IDs, or corporate badges might only work on one iPhone at a time.

iPhone Handoff works with Dual SIM as long as both eSIMs are from carriers that support iPhone Handoff. Both eSIMs will switch together simultaneously when you unlock your iPhone. Each eSIM has to be set up separately.

Once set up, iPhone Handoff remains activated until you contact your carrier to turn it off. More information can be found in Apple's support document for the feature.

‌iOS 27‌ is set to launch on Monday, September 14. T-Mobile has not announced iPhone Handoff pricing.

Related Roundups: iOS 27, iPadOS 27

Tag: September 2026 Apple Event

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