iPhone 18 Pro goes on sale as foldable Duo draws massive preorders

Apple ↘ 0.26% unveiled the iPhone 18 Pro, Pro Max, and its first foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo, at the Steve Jobs Theater in Cupertino on September 9, generating strong preorder demand across multiple markets as the Pro models go on sale September 18.ua+1

The launch marks the most substantial camera overhaul Apple has shipped in years and the company's long-awaited entry into the foldable smartphone segment, a move that is reshaping buying patterns from Taiwan to South Korea to China.

Camera Overhaul Leads the Pro Lineup

The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max feature a 48MP main camera with a physically adjustable aperture — a first for any iPhone. Six laser-cut blades shift between four aperture settings, widening to let in more light in dim conditions or narrowing to keep more of a scene in focus. The phones run on the new A20 Pro chip with a dual 16-core Neural Engine and introduce a suite of manual controls including shutter speed, white balance, and a live histogram.mashable+1

Apple also debuted Apple Reference Image, a cryptographic authenticity feature that creates an unalterable "digital negative" of a photo, aimed at helping verify images at a time when AI-generated content is increasingly difficult to distinguish from real photography.mashable

Mashable's Stan Schroeder, who tested the camera extensively, noted that while the variable aperture and manual settings are welcome additions, "I do bet that the majority of people will try out the manual aperture setting once and then leave it on auto".mashable

Foldable Debut Drives Global Interest

The iPhone Duo, Apple's first foldable device, opens from a 5.4-inch phone into a compact tablet form factor. It is set to become available on October 23, with preorders opening October 16. In China, the 256GB model had already attracted 1.29 million reservations on Apple's JD.com ↗ 1.05% flagship store as of Thursday, with resale prices on secondary platforms reaching as high as 49,999 yuan — more than triple the official 15,999 yuan price.realnoevremya+1

In Taiwan, preorder demand for the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max is running up to 20 percent ahead of last year's cycle, according to Digitimes.digitimes

Samsung Benefits from the Foldable Buzz

Apple's foldable entry has had an unexpected side effect in South Korea. Sales of Samsung Electronics' Galaxy Z Fold 8 rose about 10 percent in the week following the iPhone Duo unveiling, according to Yonhap, as some consumers who had been waiting for Apple's device opted for Samsung's alternative instead. The price gap is a factor: the iPhone Duo's 256GB model costs 3.29 million won in South Korea, more than 1 million won above the Galaxy Z Fold 8's 2.28 million won price tag.koreatimes+1

Samsung has leaned into the moment, running "Welcome to Foldable" billboard campaigns in Seoul's Gwanghwamun and COEX districts. Counterpoint Research projects that cumulative global foldable shipments will surpass 100 million units by year's end, with 37 percent year-on-year growth expected in 2027 as Apple and Samsung drive adoption.mk+1