Apple iPhone Duo vs Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8: a big battle of small differences

Date:
Mon, 26 Oct 2026 21:45:00 +0000

Description:
Samsung was first by a mile with its Z Fold lineup, but is Apple's iPhone Duo now the best? The answer isn't so simple.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter The Apple iPhone Duo isn't the first foldable. Its not even the second foldable. Its maybe the fourth, the fifth, or the sixth following in the footsteps of fantastic flexible phones like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra , the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 , Motorolas Razr Fold , and so many other really strong, solid, and sometimes excellent foldables.

But that doesnt make it any less special. To understand Apples iPhone Duo,
you need to compare it to its nearest competitor, the one we saw just months earlier from Samsung : the passport-sized Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8.

There are a lot of similarities. Lets start with the screens. Both have 7.6-inch inside, or main, screens. Those are the foldable ones. Apples is a Super Retina XDR OLED , and the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 is a dynamic OLED. Latest Videos From TechRadar Watch full video here: (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future) The cover screens are also quite similar. On the Apple iPhone duo, we have a 5.4-inch Super Retina XDR display, and on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8, a 5.5-inch AMOLED. At a glance, they share that sort of nearly passport-sized shape, although Samsung went for more symmetry, giving its foldable pretty much square corners, while Apple went for a slightly unusual asymmetrical design on its 5.4-inch cover display, which is flat on one side with the hinge and curved on the other (and something we've seen before with Google's Pixel Pro Fold line). You may like iPhone Duo vs Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8: 7 key differences Apple iPhone Duo review: this is the foldable Apple fans have been waiting for Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 review: a shot in the arm for the foldables market

There are a lot of contrasts like this, and I think one of the things that people have tried to do is get me to admit" that Samsung is better, maybe simply because its first, but also because there are areas in which the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 is obviously better than the iPhone Duo. There are also places where the iPhone Duo outshines the Z Fold 8.

Lets dig into some of the key differences and why, ultimately, it may not add up to a conclusive win for either side. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. Design and Displays From a build-materials standpoint, these are both excellent devices. Apple starts with titanium, polishes it to a fingerprint-attracting shine, and Samsung opts for a
pleasing brushed aluminum frame, though there is some titanium underneath the screen.

They both have some really strong glass covers and backs: Apple has the Ceramic Shield 2 on the front and back, and Samsung has Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2. They're both durable materials. Admittedly, I have had the Z Fold 8 for a little bit longer, and it has a couple of noticeable scratches on the cover screen. I honestly have no idea how they got there. Image 1 of 2 (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future) (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future) Image
1 of 2 View Original Image 2 of 2 View Original On the flexible displays Switching to the all-important flexible inner displays, both are 7.6 inches, so its kind of a wash on screen real estate. They both have roughly the same bezel: it's quite thin on the Z Fold 8, and maybe a tiny bit thinner on the iPhone Duo. What to read next I took the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 on vacation, and it proved me wrong in so many ways I've taken over 650 photos on
Samsung's new foldables here's which model I prefer One month with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8: the good, the bad, and everything in between

One device has squared corners, and one has curved corners. Both support 3000 nits of brightness, but again, the iPhone Duo's inner display has slightly higher resolution. Its 1878 x 2670, while the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 has
1848 x 2448. Again, that is a relatively small difference, but I think that you notice just a tiny bit more sharpness on the Duo.

Ultimately, that minor resolution disparity isn't what really matters on the inner screen. Lets look at one of the biggest differences, and a place where the iPhone Duo stands significantly above the Galaxy Z Fold 8. Image 1 of 3 (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future) (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future) (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future) Image 1 of 3 View Original Image 2 of
3 View Original Image 3 of 3 View Original If youre lucky enough to have the two devices side by side, just shine a light on them, and you will see a difference. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8s flexible display is really lovely, and
it is pretty hard to see the crease, except when you shine a light on it;
then you can really notice this sort of little half-inch-wide, wavy area that runs vertically on the display.

On the iPhone Duo, it is much harder to see the same thing, thanks to the
nano texture covering, a really smart bit of material design on Apples part. To be clear, Apple didnt get rid of the crease entirely.

You can feel it if you put your finger in the right place, but it is difficult, especially when youre using the screen and looking directly at it in any light, to see the crease because the nano texture disperses the light. Its just such a smart way to handle this, and it makes for a better
experience when youre using the inner screen. It all hinges on this
Underneath that visible or invisible crease is the hinge. Samsung has spent nearly a decade perfecting this technology, building ever thinner, lighter, and smaller devices with less noticeable creases and hinges, and the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 is an excellent example of that effort. The hinge sits neatly against the back, and when you open it, you can barely notice the mechanics. iPhone Duo vs Galaxy Z Fold 8 Hinge mechanism closeup of the two phones
iPhone Duo Galaxy Z Fold 8 With the iPhone Duo, however, Apple clearly looked at the competition and said, "How can we go a step further?"

When you unfold a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8, it doesnt fold completely flat at first. You can torque it just a tiny bit, and then it lies basically flat. With the iPhone Duo, you open it completely flat full stop. Image 1 of 3 (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future) (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future) (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future) Image 1 of 3 View Original Image 2 of
3 View Original Image 3 of 3 View Original Looking at the hinge areas and the mechanics at the top and the bottom of the Z Fold 8, theres a little bump for each hinge part. On the iPhone Duo, those hinge areas are flat. The hinges
are almost invisible, and thats not just an aesthetics thing. This foldable
is better sealed than the competition.

The iPhone Duo is rated IP68, while the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 is rated
IP48. This means that you could drop your iPhone Duo into the water, and it could survive. It also has dust resistance, though I wouldn't assume that means sand resistance.

As for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8, it stops short of that. I think it could handle maybe a little splash, but its not something you drop in water, and
its definitely not something you want to get too much dust in. So thats a clear, distinctive advantage the Duo has over the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8. (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future) The iPhone Duo's design isn't a slam dunk, mainly because Apple built a foldable that is noticeably heavier and thicker than its nearest rival.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 weighs just 201 g. The iPhone Duo weighs 254 g. That is a significant difference. Unfolded, the iPhone Duo is just 5.2 mm thick. That makes it the thinnest iPhone ever, but unfolded, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 is only 4.5 mm thick; folded, it's 9.7 mm, compared to the iPhone Duos beefier 11.3 mm.

Essentially, Apple has built a heavier and thicker device, and when I put the Folio case on it, I feel it in my pocket. I have not put a case on the Galaxy Z Fold 8, but when I have that phone in my pocket, I sometimes forget its there. Thats a big difference, and its clearly a win for Samsung and its Z Fold 8. Swipe to scroll horizontally iPhone Duo vs. Galaxy Z Fold 8 specs Row 0 - Cell 0

iPhone Duo

Galaxy Z Fold 8



Dimensions:

Unfolded: 164.6 x 117.8 x 5.2mm, Folded: 84.1 x 117.8 x 11.3mm

Unfolded: 164.6 x 117.8 x 5.2mm, Folded: 84.1 x 117.8 x 11.3mm

Weight:

254g

201g

Displays:

Main: 7.6-inch Super Retina XDR, Cover: 5.4-inch Super Retina XDR

Main: 7.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X, Cover: 5.5-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X

Resolution:

Main: 1878 x 2670, Cover: 1398 x 2034

Main: 2448 x 1848, Cover: 1972 x 1248

Refresh rate:

1-120Hz (main and cover)

1 - 120Hz (main and cover)

Peak brightness:

3,000 nits

3,000 nits

CPU:

A20 Pro

Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy

RAM:

12GB

12GB, 16GB (1TB model only)

Storage:

256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB

256GB, 512GB, 1TB

OS:

iOS 27

Android 17 with One UI 9

Cameras:

48MP wide (f/1.6), 48MP ultra-wide (f/2.2)

50MP wide (f/1.8), 50MP ultra-wide (f/1.9)

Selfie cameras:

11MP Center Stage camera (f/2.2) outer, 4MP (f/1.8) inner

10MP (f/2.2) inner, 10MP (f/2.2) outer

Battery:

4,800mAh (approximate)

4,800mAh

Charging:

60W wired, 35W wireless

45W wired, 20W wireless

Colors:

Star White, Night sky

Lavender, Graphite, Cream, Mint (Samsung Store exclusive) Write in It is
worth noting that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 like the Z Fold 8 Ultra does give up something to achieve that thinness. It doesn't have a digitizing layer, meaning it cannot support an S Pen or a digitizing pen of any kind.

The iPhone Duo supports Apple Pencil. Granted, it's just one Apple Pencil right now: the Apple Pencil USBC model. Why is that? Because you cant charge an Apple Pencil by placing it on your iPhone Duo. You have to plug it in separately, charge it up, and then pair it. So its not perfect, but it does make the tablet side of the iPhone Duo even more useful.

I say this not just because its an opinion, but because its an experience I once had with Samsungs Galaxy Z Fold line. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 was
the last one to support the S Pen. It didnt slip into the device, but you could buy a case/S Pen combo.

I loved having the ability to open up the device and just start sketching on it, because thats the amazing thing about owning one of these foldables. They're true two-in-one devices a phone and a tablet in your pocket. So why wouldn't you want to draw on that tablet?

Yes, with either device you can use an analog stylus to draw, but digitizing pens that recognize pressure and angle are so much better. Take a picture, it'll last longer (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future) Okay, lets talk cameras. This is an area where the two devices are quite similar. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 has a 50-megapixel ultra-wide and a 50-megapixel wide camera on the outside; the iPhone Duo has a 48-megapixel wide camera and a 48-megapixel ultra-wide. In my experience, the two-megapixel difference
doesnt make a difference. Image 1 of 2 (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future) (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future) Image 1 of 2 View Original Image 2 of
2 View Original They end up being comparable cameras, and the only real difference is how theyre positioned on the back of each foldable. I actually prefer the horizontal array on the iPhone Duo because, when you fold the
phone and set it on a table screen-up, the Duo doesnt rock around as much as the Galaxy Z Fold 8. Place that one screen-up on your desk, and it tends to rock on the camera array.

To see how the cameras compare, take a look at the slideshow below. Previous
1 / 7 Next iPhone Duo vs Galaxy Z Fold 8 comparison Comparing Ultrawide cameras on the passport-style folding phones iPhone Duo Galaxy Z Fold 8
iPhone Duo vs Galaxy Z Fold 8 comparison Comparing wide cameras on the passport-style folding phones iPhone Duo Galaxy Z Fold 8 iPhone Duo vs Galaxy Z Fold 8 comparison Comparing cameras on the passport-style folding phones iPhone Duo Galaxy Z Fold 8 iPhone Duo vs Galaxy Z Fold 8 comparison Comparing wide cameras on the passport-style folding phones iPhone Duo Galaxy Z Fold 8 iPhone Duo vs Galaxy Z Fold 8 comparison Comparing Ultrawide cameras on the passport-style folding phones iPhone Duo Galaxy Z Fold 8 iPhone Duo vs Galaxy Z Fold 8 comparison Comparing Ultrawide cameras on the passport-style folding phones iPhone Duo Galaxy Z Fold 8 iPhone Duo vs Galaxy Z Fold 8 comparison Comparing wide cameras on the passport-style folding phones iPhone Duo Galaxy Z Fold 8 Both phones have a camera on the cover display.

The iPhone Duo has a 12-megapixel Center Stage camera, which takes great portrait mode photos (see below). The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 has a 10-megapixel camera. Again, very similar differences, and almost not worth talking about.

How you feel about these shooters will come down to the style of photography you prefer. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8, or Samsung in general, can tend to oversaturate pictures a bit, though less so on recent devices. Overall, you should expect excellent photography for both the iPhone Duo and the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8. iPhone Duo vs Galaxy Z Fold 8 comparison Comparing cover camera selfies on the passport-style folding phones iPhone Duo Galaxy Z Fold
8 The inner display cameras take a turn.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 has a real cutout for its 10-megapixel inner display camera, which is a good lens for selfies and video calls. By
contrast, on the inside of the iPhone Duo, you have a hidden camera behind pixels that look a little different than the rest of the flexible display.

Its not my favorite thing about the iPhone Duo, but even more so, Im not thrilled that its just a 4-megapixel camera. That's fine for FaceTime calls, but it's not ideal for photography. So thats an area where the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 wins. iPhone Duo vs Galaxy Z Fold 8 comparison Comparing inner
screen cameras on the passport-style folding phones iPhone Duo Galaxy Z Fold
8 Tangentially related to cameras, the iPhone Duo lacks Face ID (you do get Touch ID) or a facial recognition camera. It's a big oversight for such an expensive iPhone. Samsung provides face unlocking, which basically makes it easier to unlock and access password-protected systems on the Galaxy Z Fold
8. The software touch Lets talk a little bit about software.

Samsungs been doing this a really long time, and it's clear that it's figured out the platform for a 2-in-1 device. The software never feels awkward. You get the full use of the space on both screens. On the iPhone Duo, its a
little bit different because it can feel like Apple is still figuring things out in real time.

The iPhone Duo runs iOS 27, but its really a tablet/phone hybrid. The dock always sits vertically on the right-hand side, whether on the inner or outer screen. It has split-screen multitasking, but it supports a maximum of two apps never the same app. You could have sort of a third thing going on with picture-in-picture, but I'm not sure that counts.

With the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 and other Z Fold devices, you get three full apps: two side-by-side, and a floating screen on top. Still, it's only a 7.6-inch display, and I can't say how much use youre gonna get out of that tiny third app. Things get a little crowded, but again, it just feels like Samsung has figured this out, and Apple is still working on it. (Image
credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future) Let's talk performance: Apples iPhone Duo features the A20 Pro, and the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 is powered by
Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy. Both are excellent, efficient 2-nanometer mobile CPUs that help give you all-day battery life. The phones also have similarly sized batteries in the 4800 mAh range.

In our benchmark testing, performance was very close, though Apple has the edge here. Both can do video editing (Apple shoots up to 4K video; Samsung ramps up to 8K). They both can play console-grade games. They both can browse the web, do email, and multitask. Performance is excellent on both sides.

With Apple finally jumping into the folding space, we are seeing developers play catch-up, and many apps still dont look right on the inner screen, or even the main screen. Some do, and some are exceptional. Some developers have done really wild and silly things and built custom apps (Toastie, DeckMan, Tiny Computers), and we haven't seen that with Samsung. But Samsungs been doing this so long that 99% of major app vendors seem to have figured out how to properly support their folding device on Android.

There's no doubt that Apple will catch up in this area because its early
days, and Apples now committed to the folding space. We will see an iPhone
Duo 2 maybe in a year or two, and by then we wont really be talking about app support, though we may still be talking about Apples decision to put the dock on the side. Im hopeful that by iPhone Duo 2 or iOS 28, Apple will have decided to give people more customization options, including letting them put the dock on the bottom. (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future) Finally, we
get to price. The iPhone Duo starts at $1,999 / 1,999 / AU$3,499 for the 256-gigabyte model, and the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 starts at $1,899 / 1,699
/ AU$2,699 for the 256-gigabyte model. With the Z Fold 8, you can go up to 1 terabyte, and with the iPhone duo, you can go up to 2 terabytes, though youre gonna pay over $3,000.

These are expensive devices, and while I think people will use trade-ins, payment plans, or leases, none of them beats the others on affordability.
When people ask about the overall value of these devices, I tell them that,
as true 2-in-1 devices (phone and tablet), they're better values than you might think.

So, overall, whos the winner? No one. Everyone. The truth is, Ive struggled
to decide which foldable I truly like better. I love that the Samsung Galaxy
Z Fold 8 is a really thin and light device, but the iPhone Duo's virtually creaseless inner screen is a game changer. It is a beautiful phone and
tablet. Yes, the Duo is a little heavier, and I dont love that, but I think Apple will improve that over time too.

In the end, there is no winner. There is no loser. These are two excellent passport-style foldable devices. The iPhone Duo clearly appeals to iOS,
Apple, and Apple ecosystem fans. Theyve been waiting for this. With the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8, Samsung introduced a new form factor that I think almost perfectly splits the difference between the bigger, taller Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra and the smaller Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8. It's a content-consumption and productivity device that fits neatly in your pocket, and it does so more lightly than the iPhone Duo.

What I encourage you to do is take a close look at the specs of both, decide which lane you live in, iOS or Android, and then make your choice. I honestly think youll be happy either way. 79 at Amazon 79 at Argos 1,999 at Mobiles.co.uk 256GB 2,599 at Simply Be 1TB | Silver



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/phones/samsung-galaxy-phones/apple-iphone-duo-vs-sam sung-galaxy-z-fold-8-ive-tested-both-passport-style-foldables-and-i-still-cant -tell-you-which-i-prefer-but-thats-a-good-thing


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