Apple’s First Foldable iPhone Faces a Tough Test Against Samsung
Apple is asking buyers to pay nearly $2,000 for a phone that unfolds into a small tablet. The iPhone Duo, which went on sale Oct. 23, is the company’s first foldable phone—and its first direct challenge to Samsung, which has been refining the design for years.
The Duo opens like a book to reveal a 7.6-inch display, matching the screen size of Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8. The phones look remarkably similar, but Samsung’s model is lighter and starts about $100 cheaper. Apple, meanwhile, has turned in strong early battery results and added a screen finish intended to cut glare.
Neither phone is an easy purchase. Both cost a great deal, and repairing a damaged inner screen could be painful. Apple has made a compelling first effort, but whether it has found the right formula is less clear.
Two approaches to folding phones
Samsung launched its first Galaxy Fold in 2019. Early models had their share of problems, including questions about screen durability, but the company has continued to refine its folding hardware and software.
Apple waited. The iPhone Duo arrives with a polished titanium frame, an A20 Pro processor and a large OLED screen inside. It also runs a version of iOS redesigned for the folding format.
Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8 uses Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor and One UI 9. Years of experience show in some of Samsung’s software choices, though Apple appears to have an advantage in early battery testing.
Prices are close, but still steep
The iPhone Duo starts at $1,999 with 256GB of storage. The 512GB version is $2,199, and the 1TB model costs $2,599. Apple’s 2TB option reaches $3,199.
Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8 starts at $1,899.99 for 256GB. Its 512GB model is $2,099.99, and the 1TB version costs $2,499.99. That makes Samsung about $100 less at each comparable storage level. It has also been available since August, giving retailers and carriers time to offer promotions.
Those deals can come with conditions, such as a trade-in or a long commitment to monthly bill credits. And when a phone already costs close to $2,000, a $100 difference may not be what settles the decision. How the phones feel and work day to day might matter more.
Samsung’s phone is lighter and thinner
Both devices fold horizontally, with a smaller screen on the outside and a larger one inside. The difference in weight, though, is noticeable on paper: the iPhone Duo weighs 8.96 ounces, while the Galaxy Z Fold 8 weighs 7.09 ounces.
That nearly two-ounce gap may become apparent if you carry the phone all day or hold it open for a long time. Samsung’s device is also thinner when closed, at about 0.38 inches compared with 0.44 inches for the Duo. Apple’s rounded titanium edges may feel more comfortable to some people, while Samsung’s design is flatter, with sharper edges.
The outer screens are fairly small by current flagship-phone standards. Apple’s measures 5.4 inches; Samsung’s is 5.5 inches. They’re fine for everyday tasks, but you may find yourself opening the phone whenever you want more room. I’d try both in person. A phone can feel exciting in a store and less comfortable after hours of use.
Displays and stylus support
Both inner displays are 7.6-inch OLED panels with adaptive refresh rates up to 120Hz and peak outdoor brightness of 3,000 nits. Their main difference is how they handle reflections.
Apple gave the Duo’s inner screen a nano-texture finish to reduce glare and make the crease less noticeable. That could be useful in bright rooms or near a sunny window. Samsung’s glossy display may make colors look richer, while early impressions of Apple’s matte screen suggest it can sacrifice some contrast and vibrancy. It’s a trade-off, and personal preference will matter.
The iPhone Duo also supports the USB-C Apple Pencil through iOS 27.2, released Oct. 26. Users can sketch or mark up documents on the large display. There is a catch: the phone works only with the USB-C Pencil, not the Apple Pencil Pro, and the USB-C model does not have the pressure sensitivity found on more advanced versions. Still, it may be handy for notes or signing documents.
Samsung dropped S Pen support on the Galaxy Z Fold 8 as it worked toward a thinner design.
Samsung offers more flexible multitasking
Samsung’s experience with foldable software is especially evident when several tasks need to happen at once. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 can show three apps in split-screen mode, with pop-up windows available for additional flexibility. It also supports Samsung DeX, which offers a desktop-style interface when connected to a compatible external display.
Apple has added Split View to the Duo, allowing two apps to run side by side. That’s new for the iPhone and should make better use of the larger screen. But Apple’s layout is more fixed, without Samsung’s floating-window options.
Some third-party apps also need more time to adapt. Early reviewers found that a few apps appeared with large black bars or awkward layouts on the Duo’s inner display. Developers can update their apps, and some already have, but for now Samsung’s foldable software feels more established. If you’re considering the Duo, it’s worth thinking about the apps you use most. A big screen is less useful if those apps don’t make good use of it.
Early battery tests favor Apple
Foldable phones have to power a large screen without becoming uncomfortably bulky. Apple uses two internal batteries and an A20 Pro processor designed for efficiency. Samsung pairs a 4,800mAh battery with its Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip.
Both phones have enough processing power for demanding apps. In one independent test involving continuous web browsing over 5G, the iPhone Duo lasted 13 hours and 20 minutes, compared with 10 hours and 6 minutes for the Galaxy Z Fold 8.
A separate video-streaming test over Wi-Fi, with the inner displays set to maximum brightness, gave the Duo a reported 18 hours and 15 minutes. Samsung’s phone lasted 16 hours and 30 minutes. The tests used different methods, so the results aren’t directly interchangeable, but both point to a promising start for Apple.
Apple claims up to 31 hours of video playback on the inner display. That figure comes from controlled testing, and real-world battery life will depend on how the phone is used.
Apple says the Duo can charge to 50% in about 20 minutes with a compatible wired charger. Samsung supports 45W wired charging and fast wireless charging. For people who spend long days away from a charger, Apple’s early battery results are encouraging.
Camera quality has a trade-off
The Duo has two 48-megapixel rear cameras, while the Galaxy Z Fold 8 has two 50-megapixel cameras. Both take strong everyday photos, but neither includes a dedicated telephoto lens. That limits their ability to zoom in compared with some other premium phones.
Apple offers 2x optical-quality zoom by cropping into the main sensor. Samsung uses a similar approach, relying on digital zoom for more distant subjects. If close-up shots are important, a phone such as the iPhone 18 Pro Max or Galaxy S26 Ultra may be a better fit.
Samsung also offers the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, starting at $2,099.99. It adds a 200-megapixel main camera and a dedicated telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom. Depending on available discounts, the price difference from the iPhone Duo may be smaller than it first appears.
Apple has added a few camera features designed for group photos. Smart Take can recognize when people are posing and automatically take a picture, so nobody has to rush back into the frame before a timer ends. Duo Preview lets the person being photographed see themselves on the outer screen. Another feature, Kid Cue, plays Peanuts animations on that screen to encourage children to look toward the camera.
The Galaxy Z Fold 8 can also show a preview on its outer display and can be propped partly open for hands-free photos. That’s useful when you want to be in the picture, rather than behind the camera.
Durability and repair costs deserve attention
Apple rates the iPhone Duo IP68 for dust and water resistance. Samsung gives the Galaxy Z Fold 8 an IP48 rating, so Apple’s phone has stronger dust protection under standardized testing. Neither rating means the hinge or folding screen is guaranteed to withstand years of rough handling.
There have also been reports of cracks on the Duo’s inner display near the hinge, sometimes appearing within hours or days of purchase. Apple acknowledged a problem affecting a small number of devices and told affected owners to contact AppleCare about replacements. The company has not said what caused the issue or how many phones are involved. It also said an AppleCare+ plan is not required to request a replacement for this acknowledged problem.
Apple estimates that replacing a damaged inner display costs $999 without AppleCare+. Some other damage repairs may cost as much as $1,499. If damage is limited to the replaceable inner display cover layer, replacement is listed at $49 without AppleCare+. Eligible repairs cost less with AppleCare+, though the plan itself adds to the overall expense.
Samsung’s folding screens and hinges can also be costly to repair, with prices varying by model, damage and coverage. Either way, the advertised purchase price is only part of the calculation. A repair bill approaching $1,000 would be hard to shrug off.
eSIM-only on the iPhone Duo
Apple’s foldable is eSIM-only worldwide, so it has no physical SIM card slot. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 supports eSIM and a physical nano-SIM, though availability can vary by market.
Most U.S. customers are unlikely to have a problem with eSIM, since major carriers support it. But travelers who like to buy physical SIM cards abroad may prefer Samsung’s added flexibility. Check with your mobile provider before choosing the Duo.
Which foldable makes more sense?
The iPhone Duo is an appealing first foldable from Apple. It has a bright, glare-reducing display, early battery results that look impressive and the convenience of Apple’s ecosystem. But Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8 is lighter, a little cheaper and more flexible for multitasking. Those advantages may matter more once the novelty of a folding phone wears off.
It’s also worth asking how often you’d actually use the inner screen. If most of your day involves texting or checking email, you may spend more time on the outer display than expected. The larger screen is most useful for things like reading documents or watching videos while traveling.
Samsung deserves credit for sticking with foldable phones when the idea still looked like an expensive experiment. Apple’s entry is exciting, and its display and battery performance stand out. Still, nearly $2,000 is a lot to pay for a phone that is heavier than Samsung’s and lacks a dedicated telephoto camera. The possibility of a $999 screen repair doesn’t help.
If I were considering either model, I’d want to hold both before deciding—and I’d be curious to see how Apple’s first foldable holds up after a few months of everyday use. The question I keep coming back to is simple: how often would I really open the screen? If the answer is “not much,” the price becomes difficult to justify.
Would you spend close to $2,000 on a foldable phone, or do these devices cost too much for a problem you never had?
