NEW YORK — Apple's newest iPhone lineup officially went on sale Friday, drawing crowds of customers at stores around the world for the first major product launch under new Chief Executive Officer John Ternus.

The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, unveiled the previous week at Apple's annual product event alongside the company's first foldable device, the iPhone Duo, feature a redesigned camera system built around a DSLR-like variable aperture, a change Apple says improves performance in low-light environments and allows for enhanced depth-of-field control in photos. The iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199, while the larger iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at $1,299, with both models also available through Apple's lease-based Upgrade program for customers who prefer to spread the cost over monthly payments.

Beyond the camera upgrades, Apple introduced a new authentication feature aimed at addressing growing concerns about AI-manipulated images. The company said the new iPhone 18 lineup can detect AI-generated photos by automatically creating an unalterable Reference Image that remains attached to any edited version of a photo, giving users and viewers a way to verify whether an image has been artificially altered from its original form.

Ternus, who succeeded Tim Cook as Apple's chief executive officer earlier this month, marked the launch by visiting the........

© International Business Times