Apple's first foldable iPhone Duo takes on Galaxy Z Fold 8 as iPhone Air trade-in draws notice

The iPhone Duo enters a foldable market where Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8 is a direct rival. TechRadar reported that the Duo is priced at $1,999, £1,999 or AU$3,499, compared with the Galaxy Z Fold 8 at $1,899, £1,699 or AU$2,699. Both phones start with 256GB of storage, leaving Samsung with a price advantage in the regions cited.

Display sizes are close but not identical. The iPhone Duo has a 7.6-inch inner display and a 5.4-inch outer display, while the Galaxy Z Fold 8 also has a 7.6-inch inner display but a slightly larger 5.5-inch outer screen. Apple uses a matte-like nano-texture display, while Samsung uses a glossier anti-glare coating. Both are intended to make the screen easier to read in bright light, but TechRadar said it is not yet clear which material is better. The Duo supports the Apple Pencil USB-C on both displays; the Galaxy Z Fold 8 does not work with Samsung's S Pens.

The two devices also differ in design and materials. When open, the iPhone Duo has four rounded corners; when closed, it has two right-angled corners on the hinge side. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 has pointed corners all around. The Duo uses polished titanium side rails, while the Z Fold 8 uses matte aluminum. Apple protects the Duo with Ceramic Shield 2 on the front and the original Ceramic Shield on the back. Samsung uses Gorilla Glass Ceramic 3 on the front and Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the back of the Z Fold 8. The Duo includes Apple's Camera Control key in addition to power and volume controls; the Z Fold 8 has power and volume buttons. The Duo weighs 254g, 53g more than the 201g Z Fold 8, but it offers IP68 water and dust resistance, while the Z Fold 8 offers IP48 protection. The Duo comes in Star White or Night Sky, while the Z Fold 8 is available in Lavender, Graphite, Cream and Pistachio.

SIM support is another split. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 has a physical SIM slot and eSIM support, while the iPhone Duo is eSIM-only worldwide. A regular SIM can be converted to an eSIM during phone setup, but unless a customer requests a new SIM card from their carrier, they will remain on eSIM.

Battery claims differ as well. Apple does not publish battery capacities, but it says internal testing shows the iPhone Duo can deliver 31 hours of video playback on the inner display, 44 hours on the outer display, and all-day battery life in general use. Samsung's testing promise for the Galaxy Z Fold 8 is 26 hours of video playback. TechRadar said a direct comparison is not possible from the published figures alone.

On trade-ins, 9to5Mac reported that Apple usually waits for a new version of an iPhone before accepting trade-ins. That is not the case for the iPhone Air and iPhone 17, since there is no iPhone Air 2 or iPhone 18 yet. The new models are expected early next year at the soonest. Apple is accepting both devices because it wants to give their users a chance to upgrade to the iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone Duo. The iPhone 17 now starts at $899 after a $100 price increase, and Apple offers up to $585 for it. The iPhone Air also rose by $100, to $1,099, but it gets the same $585 maximum trade-in value. 9to5Mac said the table almost looks like a $100 error, though Apple probably bases the values on demand and parts. The iPhone Air uses almost the same chip as the iPhone 17 Pro.