Apple plans iPhone Duo and home products launch on 13 October

Apple reportedly plans to unveil new home products on 13 October, including a smart home hub called HomePad and a new operating system rumoured to be named homeOS. The foldable iPhone Duo, Apple's most expensive iPhone ever, starts at $1,999 for the 256GB model. Pre-orders for the Duo open on 16 October, with market launch on 23 October.9to5mac.com

The 13 October date matters because it would mark Apple's first major home-focused hardware push in years, pairing a new hub device with a dedicated operating system rather than an update to existing products. The HomePad is reported to run homeOS, a new system blending iPhone widgets, iPad-style app layouts, and Apple Watch-style icons, with Siri AI as the primary input method alongside touch support.

What the October launch covers

Apple has held an October event 10 times since 2010, most recently the Halloween-themed Scary Fast event on 30 October 2023. Bloomberg reported Apple plans to unveil the smart home hub, a new generation of the HomePod mini, and a new Siri AI-powered Apple TV 4K on 13 October, though it did not specify whether an event would be held.

If the 13 October product unveiling holds, 9to5Mac calculated Apple could announce the event as early as 5 October, and likely no later than 7 October, based on the gap between announcement and event dates in past years. Apple is also expected to announce an OLED iPad mini, new iMacs, and several new MacBook Pros, including touchscreen models, in 2026, though whether those appear at the same event is undetermined.

iPhone Duo pricing runs from $1,999 outright for the 256GB model to $83/month over 24 months of financing. Apple's newer Apple Upgrade lease programme cuts the entry cost: a 24-month lease costs $57.99/month, and a trade-in of an iPhone 17 Pro Max drops the monthly payment to $9.24 on a 12-month lease or $21.12 on a 24-month lease. The trade-in credit remains fully applied if the buyer purchases the Duo outright at lease end.9to5mac.com

How the Duo pricing works

Apple Upgrade, launched recently, lets customers lease Apple products at lower monthly prices with the option to buy the device when the lease ends, and the total cost never exceeds the original list price. Perpetually renewing leases costs more over time than buying. If a customer later trades in the Duo for a new model rather than buying it, the monthly cost rises because the device trade-in discount no longer applies.

The Duo's nanotexture cover layer, a matte coating designed to hide the crease at the fold, can be replaced as it wears. Apple Vice President for Hardware Engineering Kate Bergeron said Apple invested significant development effort to make the layer last, in an interview with Italian Instagram creator Angelica Siciliani Fendi. Apple's support website lists the replacement at $19 in the US with AppleCare+; the cost without AppleCare+ is not yet known, and German pricing has not been published.

Other AppleCare+ repair prices for the Duo include $29 each for front or rear glass damage and a $99 deductible for inner display damage or other accidental damage. Battery replacement is free under AppleCare+ if capacity falls below 80%. Replacement of the cover layer will likely be handled only by Apple Stores and authorised service providers. Forum users have questioned why Apple is promoting replaceability before the device ships.

What happens on 13 October

homeOS, the operating system reportedly running on HomePad, blends design elements from other Apple systems: iPhone-style widgets, iPad-like app layouts, and Apple Watch-style icons on the home screen. Mark Gurman reported in Bloomberg that the default interface is built around photo slideshows and clock displays, similar to StandBy Mode on the upcoming iPhone Duo, with users able to swipe up from the clock or photos to open the app launcher.

Siri AI is the central input method for homeOS, though Apple apps and a home screen are also available via touch. Built-in apps include Music, Podcasts, Photos, Weather, FaceTime, Notes, Calendar, Messages, and Reminders. No App Store is expected at launch, but third-party widgets can be brought over from an iPhone. On his podcast, Gurman described homeOS as an operating system built around personal search and personal context.