New Flagship Lineup and Foldable Entry
Apple has officially entered the foldable smartphone market with the launch of the iPhone Duo, marking a significant shift in its hardware strategy. The device, which features the company’s largest display to date and the new A20 Pro chip, joins the newly announced iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. According to GSMArena, the iPhone Duo is positioned as a direct competitor to existing foldables like the Samsung Z Fold8, with a starting price of $1,999 in the U.S. and £1,999 in the UK.
The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max models have also been released, with starting prices of $1,199 and $1,299 respectively. Apple has confirmed that these are the only new models currently available, explicitly noting that a standard iPhone 18 or other variants such as the ‘Air’ are not part of this initial launch cycle.
Security Warning: The Rise of Phishing Sites
The excitement surrounding the launch has been accompanied by a sharp increase in cybercriminal activity. Security researchers at WhoisXML API have identified a surge in fraudulent websites registered with ‘Apple’ and ‘iPhone’ in their domain names, aimed at deceiving consumers looking for pre-order deals. As reported by The Guardian, these sites often use AI to mimic the aesthetics of official retail pages.
Alexandre François, an investigator at WhoisXML API, noted that domain registrations referencing new Apple models typically peak on the day of the keynote. Fraudsters often lure victims with prices substantially lower than the official retail value, sometimes creating artificial urgency by imposing short purchasing deadlines. A common red flag identified by security experts is the insistence on payment via bank transfer or cryptocurrency, which denies consumers the protection typically offered by credit or debit card transactions.
Consumer Protection Measures
To mitigate these risks, experts advise that consumers only purchase devices through official Apple channels or authorized retailers. Apple maintains that its Safari browser includes built-in warnings for known phishing and malware sites. However, as François points out, many new scam sites remain absent from blocklists in the days immediately following a product announcement, leaving consumers vulnerable if they rely solely on automated browser warnings.
If a consumer suspects they have interacted with a fraudulent site or provided financial details, the recommended immediate actions include contacting their financial institution to report potential fraud and updating all account passwords.