Apple's event shines a light on four areas of innovation, with the biggest test in foldables
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Apple held its Surprise and Shine event earlier this month, unveiling its latest range of devices, including the iPhone 18 Pro/Pro Max, iPhone Duo, Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 and AirPods 5.
The standout was the much-anticipated foldable iPhone Duo, combining top-end specifications with what appeared to be a refined user experience. Beyond this, Apple maintained a strong focus on features that drive consumer device purchases. This included compute, cameras and battery performance in the iPhone, health and fitness in its smartwatches, and improved acoustics in the new AirPods. The major software development was the Siri AI revamp, bringing more personalised and contextual experiences alongside increasingly agentic capabilities.
In this report, we dissect Apple’s new product developments and innovations from the event while assessing what they mean for the wider mobile industry.
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Apple's event shines a light on four areas of innovation, with the biggest test in foldables
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Apple's event shines a light on four areas of innovation, with the biggest test in foldables
More info
This report is one of more than 140 published annually as part of the GSMA Intelligence data and research subscription, which is designed for organisations that require regular access to our insights. Contact our sales team for details.
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