Apple unveiled its first foldable, the iPhone Duo, on September 9. It is an exorbitantly expensive device (outside the USA) that is considerably thicker and heavier than the Galaxy Z Fold 8, yet it surprised me because several of Apple’s hardware choices address weaknesses Samsung has left unresolved after eight generations of foldable phones.
iPhone Duo hardware that challenged Samsung
Apple’s inner display uses a matte nano-texture finish that does not eliminate the crease but reduces reflections and makes the crease less noticeable under indoor lighting, and it gives the screen a paper-like feel. Apple also uses an under-display camera for the inner screen; Samsung introduced under-display camera technology with the Galaxy Z Fold 3 but abandoned it in newer foldables in favor of better picture quality and a wider field of view. The iPhone Duo supports a proper Flex Mode-style experience, allowing the device to remain open halfway with supported apps placing content on one half and controls on the other. Apple has added Apple Pencil support for both displays. The iPhone Duo carries an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance.
Where the Galaxy Z Fold 8 still leads
The Galaxy Z Fold 8 remains lighter and thinner: it weighs 201 grams versus the iPhone Duo’s 254 grams, and measures 9.7mm folded and 4.5mm unfolded compared with the iPhone Duo’s 11.3mm and 5.2mm. Samsung’s foldable offers more powerful multitasking—running three apps in split-screen mode plus additional pop-up windows—while the iPhone Duo is limited to two apps side by side. Samsung DeX provides a desktop-style experience that Apple’s external display output does not replicate. The Fold 8 is also cheaper, particularly outside the US. The Fold 8 can stand in a tent position, but it cannot remain open in the same laptop-like, halfway position offered by the iPhone Duo and some other Galaxy Z Fold models. Samsung no longer offers S Pen compatibility on its foldables, and when it did support a stylus it was limited to the inner display. Samsung was the first company to make foldable phones water-resistant, but it remains limited to IP48 for dust protection while Apple achieved IP68 certification with its first foldable.
Apple’s arrival, years after reports that it was developing a foldable, nonetheless brought matte-coated inner glass, an under-display camera, true halfway-fold functionality, stylus support on both displays, and full dust resistance—features Samsung had not fully delivered on the standard Galaxy Z Fold 8. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 remains an excellent and in many ways more practical foldable, but Apple’s first attempt checked several boxes Samsung left empty. I hope this prompts an uncomfortable review at Samsung’s headquarters; TM Roh and his team should never have allowed Apple to surprise Samsung on its own home turf.
