Apple officially entered the foldable phone race on September 9, 2026, unveiling the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and its first-ever foldable device, the iPhone Duo. Samsung got there back in 2019, so Apple is arriving fashionably late β and at a fashionably steep price, with the Duo starting at $1,999.
I went through my own phone history while reading up on the launch, and it turned into a bit of a trip down memory lane. Twenty-five years, fourteen phones. Here’s the full list:
| # | Brand & Model | Year | Location | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Motorola T2688 | 2001 | Fuzhou | My first mobile phone |
| 2 | Nokia 8250 | 2003 | Shanghai | Stylish upgrade |
| 3 | O2 Xda Atom Exec | 2006 | Shanghai | First smartphone, Windows Mobile |
| 4 | HTC Dream | 2009 | Singapore | First Android, slide keyboard |
| 5 | Apple iPhone 4 | 2010 | Singapore | My first iPhone |
| 6 | Apple iPhone 5 | 2012 | Singapore | Slim and sleek |
| 7 | Apple iPhone 5S | 2013 | Singapore | Touch ID arrived |
| 8 | Apple iPhone 6 Plus | 2015 | Singapore | First big-screen iPhone |
| 9 | Apple iPhone 7 Plus | 2017 | Singapore | Dual-camera experience |
| 10 | Apple iPhone XS Max | 2018 | Singapore | Super Retina OLED |
| 11 | Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max | 2020 | Singapore | 5G begins |
| 12 | Apple iPhone 14 Pro | Feb 2023 | Singapore | Dynamic Island, Always-On Display |
| 13 | Apple iPhone 15 Pro | Nov 2023 | Singapore | Titanium body, USB-C |
| 14 | Apple iPhone 17 Pro | Dec 2025 | Singapore | Aluminum body, Apple AI |
Looking at this timeline, a pattern jumps out. The early years were defined by hardware firsts β a slide keyboard, a bigger screen, dual cameras, 5G. But the last few generations have been defined by material choices and software features rather than raw hardware leaps: titanium, then back to aluminum, then “Apple AI” as the headline feature. That’s a quieter kind of progress, and it’s part of why this year’s launch didn’t move me.
So, About the iPhone 18 Pro
Comparing the iPhone 18 Pro to my current iPhone 17 Pro, there just isn’t much of an upgrade to justify switching. The real story of this launch is the Duo, Apple’s first foldable β but at $1,999 and up, it’s priced well outside “casual upgrade” territory for most people, myself included.
I’ll sit this generation out and keep an eye on the iPhone 20 Pro instead, hoping it brings a bigger leap. In the meantime, it’s time to add a fifteenth row to the list above.
This is entry #15 in my ongoing phone history β check back when the iPhone 20 Pro (hopefully) earns a spot on the table.