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An early benchmark result attributed to the iPhone Duo has appeared, giving a first look at how Apple's foldable performs ahead of its October 23 launch, MacRumors reports.

According to the report, published October 14, the result is a Geekbench 7 entry for a device with the model identifier iPhone19,4, running iOS 27.1. It lists a single-core score of 3,986 and a multi-core score of 11,067. The listing shows a 6-core CPU and a 7-core GPU configuration for the A20 Pro, a chip built on a 2-nanometer process, with a base frequency of 4.93GHz. The same base frequency has appeared in benchmark results for the iPhone 18 Pro.

Apple CEO John Ternus has used a new interview with TIME to explain why Apple took so long to enter the foldable market, describing some early rival foldables as feeling "kind of cheap and crappy," according to MacRumors and 9to5Mac, which summarized the piece.

Ternus is on the cover of TIME's Best Inventions of 2026 issue, which MacRumors says is due October 26. The interview centers on the iPhone Duo, Apple's first foldable, which opens for pre-orders today, October 16, ahead of its October 23 on-sale date.

According to 9to5Mac's reading of the interview, Ternus was involved in Apple's foldable research as far back as 2011, when he and five other engineers filed a patent application covering the batteries and circuit boards such a device might need…

Apple has detailed how customers can pay for and accessorise the iPhone Duo as pre-orders open today, October 16, at 5 a.m. PT on apple.com and in the Apple Store app. According to an updated Apple Newsroom post, buyers can choose home delivery or pickup at a local Apple Store.

Apple says eligible iPhone 13 or later models can receive instant trade-in credit ranging from $175 to $885, which can also reduce monthly payments. Through the Apple Upgrade programme, which is run with Klarna, customers can choose a 12- or 24-month lease; Apple lists a 24-month lease from $57.99 per month, before taxes and trade-in credit. Apple Card Monthly Installments are offered at 0% APR in the U.S., with 3% Daily Cash earned up front.

Apple has opened a "get ready" step for the iPhone Duo, its first foldable iPhone, letting buyers prepare their order before pre-orders go live on Friday, October 16. According to a MacRumors report published on October 15, customers have until 9 p.m. Pacific time on Thursday to complete the step in the Apple Store app or on Apple's online store.

Apple says completing the preparation lets shoppers check out with a single click once ordering begins. In practice, that means choosing a configuration and confirming details such as payment and delivery in advance, so the final purchase takes a tap rather than a full checkout. Apple has used similar preparation tools ahead of other high-demand launches, where stock and delivery slots can move quickly.

Alongside its new home hub, Apple has introduced a certified range of third-party smart home accessories under the name Apple Home Collection. According to Apple's newsroom announcement on October 13, the lineup covers cameras, a video doorbell, a smart lock and climate controls, all made by partners and designed to work with the Home app.

The security products come from LG. Apple lists a wired video doorbell at $249.95, a floodlight camera at $399.95, a plug-in outdoor camera at $299.95 and a plug-in indoor camera at $199.95, with the three outdoor items sold in the US, Canada and the UK. The doorbell uses two cameras, and its chime can sound through HomeView, HomePod or HomePod mini.

On October 13, Apple announced a set of smart home products without a traditional event. The centrepiece is HomeView, a new home hub priced at $299. It has a 7-inch display and an A18 chip with Siri AI support, and shows apps, widgets and personalised content for up to six people. Temperature and humidity sensors are built in, and third-party apps can run from a nearby iPhone or iPad. Pre-orders are open and it launches November 13, though not in the European Union.

The fourth-generation Apple TV 4K also costs $299 for the 128GB model. It moves to an A19 chip, which Apple says brings up to 50 percent faster CPU performance, and adds far-field microphones for hands-free Siri, Wi-Fi 7 and an updated $59 Siri Remote.

Apple has acknowledged that some iPhone 18 Pro Max owners on AT&T have lost cellular service, which blocks calls, texts and mobile data. MacRumors reports that thousands of owners described the problem on Apple's Support Community and elsewhere.

In a statement, Apple said the issue affects "a small number" of iPhone 18 Pro Max users on the AT&T network. It said iOS 27.0.1 and an AT&T carrier settings update are intended to prevent it from happening in the first place.

For phones already affected, a software fix does not work. Apple says they must be replaced. Owners can contact Apple Support or AT&T, or visit an Apple Store or AT&T location. MacRumors says Apple Stores appear likely to replace affected units at no charge.

Shortly before the iPhone Duo's pre-orders, Gadget Review summarised what Apple has and has not published about service costs for its first foldable. Several of the figures come from other outlets and we could not check each one independently.

In the United States, the report says the Duo falls under Apple's generic iPhone fee schedule: $29 for screen or back-glass damage, $99 for other accidental damage and a $149 deductible for theft or loss. A standalone U.S. AppleCare+ price for the Duo was not listed. The report cites the AppleCare One plan at $19.99 a month for up to three devices, with extra devices at $5.99 each.

Apple introduced the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 at its September 9 event. Both are built around a new S11 chip, which Ubergizmo says handles on-device machine learning more efficiently.

On health, the watches get an updated sensor system that improves heart-rate accuracy and adds hypertension notifications. A new Functional Strength Training mode covers resistance workouts. Existing features such as sleep apnea detection and stress and cycle tracking remain.

Software additions lean on Apple's new AI features, including on-wrist translation, summaries of messages and notifications, and voice requests that can work without a paired iPhone.

Apple has introduced the iPhone Duo, its first foldable phone. Pre-orders begin on Friday, October 16 at 5 a.m. Pacific time, and the phone goes on sale on October 23 in the United States and more than 70 other countries and regions. Another 28 markets follow on October 30.

U.S. pricing starts at $1,999 for 256GB, then $2,199 for 512GB, $2,599 for 1TB and $3,199 for 2TB. It comes in Star White and Night Sky.

The Duo uses a book-style design. It has a 5.4-inch outer screen and a 7.6-inch inner display, and MacRumors reports a matte nano-texture finish intended to cut glare and make the crease less visible. The rear cameras are a 48-megapixel main and a 48-megapixel ultra wide, with a 12-megapixel Center Stage camera on the outer display.

Apple has priced the iPhone 18 Pro at $1,199 and the iPhone 18 Pro Max at $1,299 in the United States. Both figures are $100 higher than the corresponding iPhone 17 models. Each model starts with 256GB of storage.

For the first time the Pro line offers a 2TB tier, above the 1TB ceiling of previous generations. A separate event recap reports that the extra cost of the 1TB option pushes the total price increase over last year to $300.

On the hardware side, MacRumors' event coverage says the phones use a new A20 Pro chip, described there as Apple's first 2-nanometer smartphone processor.

Apple announced the fifth-generation AirPods on September 9. The standard model costs $129 and the version with a Wireless Charging Case costs $149. Pre-orders started the same day, and the earbuds reached stores on September 18 in the US and more than 65 other countries and regions.

The headline change is noise control. Apple says the open-ear active noise cancellation removes up to 50 percent more noise than AirPods 4 with ANC, and Transparency mode is also improved. Adaptive Audio blends the two depending on surroundings, and Conversation Awareness lowers media volume when the wearer starts to speak.