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Apple Sets Australian Pre-Orders for iPhone 18 Pro and Foldable iPhone Duo

Apple will open Australian pre-orders for the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max on September 12 and the foldable iPhone Duo on October 16, starting at AU$2,099 and AU$3,499.

The iPhone 18 Pro starts at AU$2,099 for the 256GB model, and the iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at AU$2,299 for the same storage. Retailers JB Hi-Fi and The Good Guys, as well as telcos Vodafone, Optus and Telstra, have confirmed they will carry the new handsets. TechRadar said a wide range of Australian retailers and telcos will offer pre-orders for all three phones, in addition to Apple's official Australian store.

Apple is offering up to AU$1,595 in trade-in credit for the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max. TechRadar said that figure is based on an iPhone 17 Pro Max, while an older iPhone X would receive AU$70 in credit. JB Hi-Fi, Vodafone and Optus will also accept trade-ins for credit toward the phones, and customers can get an estimate from those companies before pre-orders begin. Apple is also introducing an Afterpay financing program in Australia that allows monthly payments over 6, 12 or 24 months, instead of Afterpay's usual four payments spread fortnightly. Under that plan, the iPhone 18 Pro starts at AU$87.46 per month over 24 months and the iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at AU$95.79 per month. The monthly payment option is available only through Apple's Australian website and stores, not third-party stores.

For the iPhone Duo, pre-orders start on Friday, October 16 at 10pm AEST. Pricing begins at AU$3,499 for the 256GB model and reaches AU$5,899 for the 2TB configuration. For comparison, TechRadar said Samsung's equivalent Galaxy Z Fold 8 starts at AU$2,699. Trade-in credit of up to AU$1,595 is also available, with estimates offered at Optus, Vodafone or JB Hi-Fi. Afterpay financing for the Duo starts at AU$145.79 per month over 24 months.

The iPhone Duo is Apple's first foldable and its answer to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8. It has a 5.4-inch outer display and a 7.6-inch Super Retina XDR inner display, and TechRadar described it as looking like a squat iPhone mini when folded and an iPad mini when opened. It uses the new A20 Pro chipset and a titanium frame that Apple says is reinforced by ceramic fibres. The Duo lacks some core iPhone features, including Face ID, a telephoto camera and the action button. It also adds Apple Pencil support, a first for any iPhone, and exclusive software features for the larger folding display, including new Liquid Glass animations and multitasking features.

The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max have new variable aperture main cameras, which let users adjust light depending on what they are photographing. Both phones use the A20 Pro chip, which Apple claims has a 20% faster CPU and 40% faster GPU than the A19 Pro found in the iPhone 17 Pro, Pro Max and iPhone Air. According to TechRadar, battery life is also said to be improved.