Apple’s first foldable, the iPhone Duo, supports the Apple Pencil (USB-C), a capability that highlights the absence of S Pen support on Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8 series. The iPhone Duo shares the short, wide form factor of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 but is noticeably thicker and substantially heavier.
iPhone Duo brings Apple Pencil support
The iPhone Duo accepts the Apple Pencil (USB-C) as an optional paid accessory. The stylus must be charged separately, cannot be stored inside the device, and works on both the inner and outer screens. Support for a stylus on a phone is notable for Apple given Steve Jobs’ historical criticism of phone styluses.
Samsung’s S Pen retreat leaves a gap
Samsung introduced S Pen support to foldables with the Galaxy Z Fold 3 in 2021 and continued that support through the Galaxy Z Fold 6 in 2024. To make foldables thinner and lighter, Samsung removed S Pen support with the Galaxy Z Fold 7, and this year neither of the two Galaxy Z Fold 8 series phones supports the S Pen. Despite having drawing and writing apps such as Samsung Notes and PENUP, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra therefore do not fully leverage their large screens for stylus-based creativity and productivity.
Apple traded slimmer dimensions for additional display layers in the iPhone Duo. Those extra layers make the screen appear flatter and reduce the crease, and an anti-reflective matte coating at the top of the display reportedly makes writing with the Apple Pencil feel similar to drawing on paper. Given the iPhone Duo’s thicker and more expensive design compared with the Galaxy Z Fold 8, Samsung can no longer rely on thinness alone as a reason to exclude stylus support.
