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Apple’s Surprise and Shine Event: All the Small Things

Source: Apple.

Source: Apple.

An Apple event can only cover so much. Some of the most useful details turn up in the product pages, technical specifications, footnotes, and summary slides after the presentation ends. We’ve collected our favorite smaller changes from yesterday’s Surprise and Shine event below:

iPhone Duo

  • In the hands-on area after Apple’s event, Ben Bajarin reported that the Duo’s hinge crease is barely noticeable, except at specific angles.
  • David Imel was impressed by the matte finish on the Duo.
  • iJustine has an excellent video showing off multitasking using both the outer and inner screen of the Duo.
  • Apple has released a six-video playlist on YouTube and in the Apple Developer app called “Get ready for iPhone Duo” to help get designers up to speed with the phone’s new format. The Human Interface Guidelines have been updated too.
  • The vertical strip along the side of the Duo uses App Control icons for what would be tab bars and nav bars on other devices.
  • For developers, Apple has released five tech talk videos in the Apple Developer app, including “Raise the bar with iPhone Duo.” Additional materials, workshops, and the Xcode 27.1 beta are coming later this month.
  • Continuous Angle API lets developers receive ongoing updates about the Duo’s hinge angle to power interactive effects.
  • Developers who don’t update for the iPhone Duo may have their apps letterboxed.

iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max

Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4

  • Apple published a study that compares its new Apple Watch Series 12 to other wearables, and the results are impressive.
  • Your Readiness score changes during the day, adjusting based on workouts and changes in your daytime vitals.
  • Audio Intelligence requires more than just a new Apple Watch. Features like Live Rewind and Siri Recap won’t work with the iPhone 16e or iPhone 15 Pro models even though those iPhones support Apple Intelligence.
  • Unsaved Siri Recaps are automatically deleted after seven days, and unless saved, Live Rewind transcripts disappear around 30 seconds after your Watch’s screen dims. Siri Recaps can be edited and exported to other apps like Notes.

You can follow all of our September 2026 Apple event coverage through our September 2026 Apple Event hub or subscribe to the dedicated September 2026 Apple event RSS feed.

iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo: The MacStories Overview

The iPhone Duo.

The iPhone Duo.

Apple’s iPhone lineup is taking a different shape this year.

At today’s Surprise and Shine event, the company introduced the iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max alongside the iPhone Duo, its first foldable iPhone. The Pro models build on the familiar design introduced last year, while the Duo marks the debut of an iPhone with a brand new form factor that combines a smaller, outer display with a larger, almost iPad mini-like internal display.

As a longtime iPad user who’s long been fascinated by foldables (and I’ve tried some over the years, too), I’ve been eagerly anticipating Apple’s debut in this space. Based on what we’ve seen today, it looks like Apple was able to deliver on the promise of a new iPhone category that combines the best of iOS with concepts borrowed from iPadOS, turning the iPhone into a versatile pocket computer that epitomizes Apple CEO John Ternus’ concept of the “personal hub”.

As we’ll see in this article, while the iPhone 18 Pro’s story largely revolves around the camera (unsurprisingly) and improved performance (some of the A20 Pro’s numbers are, in fact, a surprise merely a year after the A19 Pro), the iPhone Duo marks a new beginning for iOS, which now supports features that never existed on the platform before, as well as a series of interactions that Apple is exploring for the first time.

Let’s dive in.

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Apple’s Surprise and Shine Event: All the New Accessories

Apple’s hardware announcements usually bring a wave of smaller additions to the Apple Store. We’ve gone through the new cases, straps, wallets, and Apple Watch bands introduced alongside today’s products and collected the details below.

iPhone cases and accessories

iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max cases

Apple announced new silicone and TechWoven cases for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. The silicone case is $49 in the U.S. and comes in Burgundy, Olive, Crisp Blue, Navy Blue, Magenta, and Black. The TechWoven case is $59 in the U.S. and comes in Burgundy, Olive, Taupe, Chambray Blue, Mulberry, and Black. Apple is also offering a clear case for $49 in the U.S.

Silicone case (left) and TechWoven case (right) for iPhone 18 Pro.

Silicone case (left) and TechWoven case (right) for iPhone 18 Pro.

iPhone Duo cases

Apple announced two cases for the upcoming iPhone Duo. The first is simply called the iPhone Duo Case. It will cost $79 in the U.S. and comes in Sand and Navy Blue. The second is the iPhone Duo Folio with Kickstand, which comes in Taupe and Navy Blue for $129 in the U.S. Its built-in stand snaps back into place when not in use.

The iPhone Duo Case.

The iPhone Duo Case.

The iPhone Duo Folio with Kickstand.

The iPhone Duo Folio with Kickstand.

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Apple Introduces Two AirPods 5 Models

Source: Apple.

Source: Apple.

Two years after bringing noise cancellation to its open-ear AirPods models, Apple is back with AirPods 5. Announced at today’s Surprise and Shine event, the new earbuds offer two models, both with Active Noise Cancellation (ANC). For those who prefer AirPods’ fit and the design without silicone ear tips, here’s what’s changed.

Source: Apple.

Source: Apple.

The biggest surprise is that both models of the new AirPods 5 feature ANC. When the AirPods 4 debuted, they were $129 for the model with no ANC and $179 for the model that included noise cancellation. Today’s update puts ANC in both models and retains the lower model’s $129 price tag. The second model is $20 more, which buys you a wireless charging case and slightly longer battery life.

According to Apple, the AirPods 5 feature a new acoustic architecture that eliminates up to 50% more external noise than the AirPods 4 with ANC. Transparency mode and Adaptive EQ have been improved, too.

As for that extended battery life on the more expensive model? Apple says you’ll get an additional hour of ANC listening, extending the battery life from four to five hours. With additional charges from the case, Apple claims up to 22 hours of listening with ANC enabled on the $149 model, compared to 20 hours on the $129 model.

Source: Apple.

Source: Apple.

The more expensive model also adds volume control to the stem of the AirPods 5, which wasn’t available in either model of the AirPods 4, and the case includes a speaker that works with Find My. Both models have been rated for better water resistance at IP57 compared to the AirPods 4’s IP54 rating.

I’m glad to see both models of the AirPods 5 support ANC and that Apple held the price on the base model. I think $20 for wireless charging, better battery life, and the other advantages of the top model is a great deal too. I’m not going to trade in my AirPods Pro, but the AirPods 5 are a good deal that I expect will sell fast during the winter holiday season.

You can follow all of our September 2026 Apple event coverage through our September 2026 Apple Event hub or subscribe to the dedicated September 2026 Apple event RSS feed.

Apple’s Surprise and Shine Event: By the Numbers

Apple covered a lot of ground at today’s Surprise and Shine event, and the numbers help put the announcements in perspective.

After every Apple event, we like to collect the notable specs, comparisons, and other stats from the presentation and Apple’s supporting materials (Tech Specs pages and Newsroom posts). This year, I wanted to make this article a little more special than usual, so I did two things: I set up a workflow to collect even more data during the event (a combination of transcription and, later, YouTube summarization), and I’ve created a few interactive widgets explore some of the latest specs and numbers in more detail.

You can find the complete set of numbers below. Enjoy memorizing all of these.

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All the ‘Surprise and Shine’ Release Dates and Features, Visualized

At today’s Surprise and Shine event, Apple announced a lot of dates. Most of the new hardware arrives on September 18, but the brand new iPhone Duo won’t launch until October. Before then, Apple’s next round of major OS updates arrives on September 14.

Here’s a rundown of the preorder, release, and rollout dates. Later today on MacStories, John and I will be sharing detailed overviews of all the major announcements from today, and you can expect our annual OS reviews to be published – as always – next week.

As a bonus, check out the calendar widget we’ve prepared to visualize all of Apple’s release notes. Stay tuned for more of these on MacStories today: we’re going to have some fun with our coverage this year.

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Apple’s Surprise and Shine Event: Replay the Keynote and Product Videos

If you didn’t follow the livestream of today’s Apple Surprise and Shine event, you can replay it on Apple’s Events site or YouTube.

The keynote video can be streamed here and on the Apple TV using the TV app. A high-quality version will also be available through Apple Podcasts as a video and audio podcast. An American Sign Language version of the event keynote is available on the Apple Events page too.

Apple Surprise and Shine Keynote

Product Videos:

You can follow all of our September 2026 Apple event coverage through our September 2026 Apple Event hub or subscribe to the dedicated September 2026 Apple event RSS feed.

Logitech Releases the Developer-Focused MX Keypad for AI Automation

Source: Logitech.

Source: Logitech.

Today, Logitech introduced the MX Keypad. If it looks familiar, that’s because it’s one-half of Logitech’s existing MX Creative Console. However, instead of bundling a 3 x 3 keypad with a dialpad, the MX Keypad is just the keypad for $99.

I reviewed the MX Creative Console in 2024, and I still use it and write about ways to automate tasks with it. It’s an excellent pair of devices, so it’s not surprising that Logitech has adapted the keypad to a new use case.

Keypad, cable, and kickstand. Source: Logitech.

Keypad, cable, and kickstand. Source: Logitech.

The MX Keypad’s hardware is identical to the keypad from the Creative Console. In addition to the keypad itself, it comes with a kickstand you can use to prop it up at an angle and connects via USB-C to your Mac. My MX Creative Console review has more detail about the hardware, along with images and a short video.

I like the MX Creative Console a lot, and according to Logitech, so did software developers looking for ways to automate their AI workflows. While Logitech didn’t expressly say why it dropped the dialpad for the MX Keypad, it makes sense to me having used the MX Creative Console for months. Dialpads are great for timeline-based creative work, but less so for development work. Yes, developers might want to use the dialpad to control screen brightness or volume, but by limiting the MX Keypad to just the keypad, Logitech was able to hit a lower price point, making the device more appealing to a bigger audience.

I’ve been impressed by the number of ways Logitech has opened its devices up to automators who like to tinker, too. Similar to devices like the Stream Deck, Logi Options+ lets you build Smart Actions based on keyboard shortcuts and macros. But there’s more than that. If you’d prefer to let someone else do the automation, Logitech runs a Smart Actions marketplace with plugins tailored to certain apps. For developers there’s also a Logi Actions API for building plugins with access to each Logitech device’s full capabilities.

Source: Logitech.

Source: Logitech.

From a developer standpoint, the combination of automation options means the MX Keypad opens up a variety of possibilities like:

  • launching agents,
  • monitoring agent activity via the device’s dynamically updated keys,
  • triggering saved prompts,
  • activating voice input, and
  • automating many other repetitive tasks.

Logitech is also teaming up with GitHub Copilot as part of the MX Keypad launch, similar to the partnership that was announced with Adobe as part of the MX Creative Console. There’s a Copilot plugin available that adds Copilot controls to the keypad’s keys. Logitech customers can also take advantage of GitHub’s offer for three months of GitHub Copilot Pro+ for free.

Logitech’s MX Keypad is primarily a repackaging of an existing device with a GitHub Copilot deal thrown in to make it a better value. But it’s good to see the company addressing the developer market more directly. Having used the MX Creative Console primarily for automation and development-type work myself, dropping the dialpad from the package to lower the price is a good tradeoff. I use the dial and its other buttons occasionally, but for automation, the keypad is where it’s at, and between Smart Actions and a full plugin SDK you can point your agent at, the MX Keypad is a great choice for automators.

The Logitech MX Keypad is available directly from Logitech and from Amazon.

Perplexity Introduces ‘Hybrid Compute’ for Computer Agent on Apple Silicon Macs

Source: Perplexity.

Source: Perplexity.

Perplexity has announced hybrid compute for Personal Computer on Apple silicon Macs. Personal Computer already combined cloud-based Computer tasks with access to local files and apps, but its AI processing was primarily cloud-based. Recently, Perplexity also introduced Portable Computer, a local-first version of Computer that can escalate work to the cloud with a user’s permission.

Hybrid compute approaches the problem from a different direction. Tasks start in the cloud but if a new local classifier detects potentially sensitive information, the user is alerted and asked whether they want to route it to a local model, although users also have the option to let the flagged data be used by a frontier cloud-based model. Gemma E4B, Qwen3.6 35B-A3B, and a Perplexity post-trained version of Qwen3.6 35B are available at launch for that local work, with more models to come in the future.

Tasks that don’t require sensitive information are handled in the cloud by frontier models that also orchestrate the cloud and local tasks. Users select the cloud orchestrator and Perplexity chooses the helper frontier models used.

Another key feature is that hybrid compute works with tasks begun from an iPhone or iPad, too. Those devices could already kick off a session, but now they can also run tasks that use sensitive information locally if your Mac is turned on and running Perplexity.

Yesterday, I got a demo of the feature that walked through three scenarios:

  • an attorney researching a legal brief, with sensitive client data on their Mac, allowing them to update it locally,
  • an analyst using web-based data to update a confidential slide deck for a presentation about a company’s financials, and
  • a small business owner kicking off pricing research from her iPhone that was combined with private pricing data for her business that never left her Mac.

I haven’t tried hybrid compute myself yet, but if it works as advertised, it’s a big step forward for Perplexity, and one that a lot of its competitors are also chasing. AI agents are only as good as the tools and data to which they have access. Tool calling has been a big focus over the last year and more, but data privacy is an equally important issue that needs to be solved before more companies, especially those in regulated industries, adopt agentic tools like Personal Computer. It’s good to see Perplexity tackling this head-on.