Apple has unveiled its first foldable phone, the iPhone Duo, seven years after Samsung helped kickstart the foldable category. Despite arriving late, the iPhone Duo includes several features and design choices that the Galaxy Z Fold 8 lacks.
iPhone Duo has stronger dust and water protection
The iPhone Duo carries an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance, while the Galaxy Z Fold 8 is certified IP48. Samsung first added water resistance to foldables and upgraded to IP48 with the Galaxy Z Fold 6 in 2024; all Galaxy Z series phones launched since have kept that same rating and do not offer dust protection. Apple’s IP68 rating therefore adds protection against dust, dirt and sand in addition to water.
Apple Pencil support on both displays
Apple has added Apple Pencil compatibility for both the iPhone Duo’s inner and cover displays. Samsung had introduced stylus support on past foldables—starting with the Galaxy Note lineage and later enabling S Pen compatibility on models such as the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Z Fold 6—but it removed S Pen support beginning with the Galaxy Z Fold 7. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 does not offer S Pen support on the standard model.
Under-display inner camera
The iPhone Duo uses an under-display front-facing camera (UDC) on its inner screen. Samsung first put a UDC on a foldable with the Galaxy Z Fold 3 but removed it with the Galaxy Z Fold 7. The Fold 8 instead uses a wider-angle inner selfie camera that can fit more people in the frame. Apple’s UDC provides an uninterrupted, notch-free inner display—useful for video, browsing and gaming—while users can rely on the cover display camera for higher-quality selfies.
Flex Mode–style UI when partially unfolded
Apple has implemented a Flex Mode equivalent: when the iPhone Duo is partially unfolded and placed in landscape, supported apps display content on the top half and controls on the bottom. Samsung has offered a similar split-view approach on the Galaxy Z Fold series for years, but that functionality is absent from the standard Galaxy Z Fold 8 (it is available on the Z Fold 8 Ultra).
Square front-facing sensor design
Apple continues the square front-facing sensor introduced with the iPhone 17 series on the iPhone Duo; that sensor is capped at 12MP, compared with the 18MP Center Stage cameras on the iPhone 17 and iPhone 18 lineups. A square sensor allows cropping for portrait and landscape from the same capture. Samsung has not introduced a similar square-format front sensor for its Galaxy Z foldables.
Speaker placement and stereo effect
Both devices have stereo loudspeakers, but Apple places speakers on opposite halves of the iPhone Duo to preserve a stereo effect whether the phone is open or closed. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 locates both loudspeakers on the cover display half, which produces a stereo effect when folded and held in landscape but loses that separation when watching video on the unfolded inner screen.
Matte nano-texture inner display
Where the Galaxy Z Fold 8 uses an anti-reflective coating on its foldable display, the iPhone Duo’s inner screen features a custom nano-texture finish. Apple says the finish gives a matte, paper-like appearance and reduces glare and reflections; it could also make the crease less noticeable, though side-by-side tests will be needed to measure the practical difference.
Battery life claims and charging
Apple claims the iPhone Duo can deliver up to 31 hours of video playback using its foldable display, compared with the Galaxy Z Fold 8’s claimed 26 hours. Manufacturers’ testing methods can differ, so real-world comparisons will be required to confirm either lead. Apple also says the iPhone Duo can reach 50% charge in around 20 minutes using a 60W-capable adapter or higher, without disclosing the phone’s peak charging wattage. The iPhone Duo supports MagSafe and Qi2 wireless charging up to 25W with built-in magnets; the Galaxy Z Fold 8 supports 20W wireless charging and requires a magnetic case for Qi2 accessories.
Pricing gap
The iPhone Duo is priced higher than the Galaxy Z Fold 8. In the United States the Galaxy Z Fold 8 is $1,900 and the iPhone Duo is $2,000. In India the Fold 8 starts at INR 174,999 (~$1,840) while the iPhone Duo costs INR 299,900 (~$3,154). UK buyers face a £300 premium for the iPhone Duo, and buyers in France and the Netherlands see a €340 markup versus the Galaxy Z Fold 8.
Apple’s iPhone Duo therefore arrives with a set of features—stronger ingress protection, Apple Pencil support on both screens, an under-display inner camera, a Flex Mode–style interface, a square front sensor design, staggered speaker placement, a nano-texture inner display, and claims of longer video playback and faster charging—that the Galaxy Z Fold 8 does not offer on its standard model.
