This year, Apple is embracing change. The tech behemoth is in a new era—longtime CEO Tim Cook stepped down at the start of the month, and his successor, John Ternus, took the reins right as the company unveiled its most ambitious gadget since the iPhone did away with the home button in 2017. That was the big news from the annual September keynote event at its HQ in Cupertino, California—but it wasn’t the only highlight.
Ternus kicked off his first keynote with a speech about the place Apple’s products play in people’s lives, explaining the path forward in creating an intelligent personal hub—all powered by the iPhone. This year, Apple’s new products are embracing AI tools, ratcheting up the focus on high-level photography, and standardising the health features available on its wearables. As a callback for real Apple fans, Tim Cook made an appearance in a video handoff to his successor.
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Ternus was also able to say the three most magic words you can hear at an Apple event: “One more thing…” This was the big news, as Apple officially entered the world of foldable phones with the iPhone Duo, a R51,300 device that introduces a whole new way to use its gear.
Here’s what you need to know about the next generation of Apple devices.
AirPods
AirPods 5
The standard version of Apple’s wireless buds will now give users more control. Active Noise Cancellation is now standard (previously only available in the more premium AirPods 4), and an upgraded version will provide even more ways to adjust its use.
- New internal architecture for improved Spatial Audio
- Active Noise Cancellation is 50 percent more effective
- Siri AI capabilities available hands-free
- Live Translation
- Improved battery
- R2,599
- Available from 18 September
AirPods 5 with Charging Case
- On-stem volume control
- Extended battery life
- Wireless charging case
- R2,999
- Available from 18 September
Apple Watch
The ways users engage with Apple’s smartwatches are more similar than ever; most of the new features announced are available on both the standard Series 12 and the more rugged, powerful Ultra 4. The big highlight is new Health updates and Audio Intelligence features, which allow for on-device recording and transcription recaps.
- New health sensing system for better data capture on-wrist; Apple claims the most accurate heart rate tracking on a smartwatch
- Redesigned Health app with new readiness score and Health Age reading, longevity feature, and VO2 max testing
- Audio Intelligence—features to help identify audio in the world around you, live audio recording, and Siri Recap recording on-watch
- New S11 chip
Apple Watch Series 12
- Recycled aluminum: space grey black light gold bronze
- Titanium: natural titanium and gold
- Ceramic: pearl white and light blue
- 24-hour battery
- Starting at R9,999
- Available from 18 September
Apple Watch Ultra 4
- Extended battery life—two-day estimate
- Black and Natural Titanium colors
- R17,799
- Available from 18 September
iPhone
Apple is going all-in on premium for 2026. For the first time since introducing multiple device classes, the standard iPhone did not receive an update at the keynote. The Pro series and the new Duo give high-power users new tools and a form factor that will reimagine how people use their smartphones.
iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max
Apple’s premium handsets got more powerful, with a big boost for AI tasks and tools. But the biggest changes come in the camera system, which introduces a new adjustable aperture for more photo and video capabilities.
- Aluminum and glass design
- four colors: Black, Silver, Glacier, and Burgundy
- Upgraded Apple Intelligence and Siri AI capabilities
- A20 Pro chip, which Apple claims is the fastest in any smartphone
- New thermal design for heat management
- Best battery life in any iPhone and improved fast charging
- New advanced camera with aperture adjustment—48MP Fusion Main Camera
- New photo and video features and Pro Controls, like shutter speed adjustment and focus tracking
- Apple Reference Image feature to authenticate photos
- Updated Dynamic Island
Starting at $1,199 for the Pro and $1,299 for the Pro Max, which works out to roughly R19,300 and R21,000 respectively at current exchange rates. South African pricing has yet to be confirmed. Pre-orders open September 12, with general availability from September 18.
Here it is: Apple’s entry into the foldable phone category. The company says it wants the device to feel like using an iPad, even in the smaller form factor (it’s about the size of a passport). While there are other foldable phones out there, it looks to redefine what it means to use a smartphone.
- Largest iPhone display ever, thinnest iPhone ever
- Custom hinge mechanism
- Made of aerospace-grade titanium
- 7.6-inch inner display, 5.4-inch outer display
- Apple Pencil capable
- New Touch ID and Apple Watch unlock
- two colors: Star White and Night Sky
- IP68-rated for dust and water resistance
- Dual-screen functionality
- A20 Pro chip
- All-day battery life and fast charging
- Dual-camera system (48MP Fusion Ultrawide and 2x Telephoto)
- Centre Stage front camera; inner FaceTime camera
Starts at $1,999, which works out to roughly R32,300 at current exchange rates, with storage options ranging from 256GB to 2TB. South African pricing has yet to be confirmed. Pre-orders open October 16, with general availability from October 23.
This article by Brett Williams, NASM originally published on Men’s Health US
