Samsung Has Led Foldables for Years. Now Apple Is Here.

Samsung's wide Galaxy Z Fold 8 costs $1,899 and is already on sale; Apple's iPhone Duo costs $1,999 and arrives on 23 October. Both open to a 7.6-inch screen. A side-by-side look at price, design, battery and software.

Samsung's earlier Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Z Fold 5. The company has sold folding phones for seven years. Photo: Dinkun Chen, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

By the UISC BD Editorial Desk · United Information Service Center · Published 13 September 2026 · 5-minute read

Apple's entry into foldables has sent searches comparing Samsung and Apple sharply higher on Google this week. For the first time, buyers can choose a book-style foldable from both companies. Here is how they line up on the published specifications.

At a Glance

Price (256GB): Galaxy Z Fold 8 $1,899 · iPhone Duo $1,999. Samsung also sells a Fold 8 Ultra from $2,099.
Outer screen: Fold 8 5.5-inch · Duo 5.4-inch.
Inner screen: 7.6-inch on both.
Chip: Fold 8 Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy · Duo Apple A20 Pro.
Battery: Fold 8 4,800 mAh · Duo 4,883 mAh across two cells.
Memory: Fold 8 up to 16GB RAM.
Main camera: Fold 8 50MP.
Software: Fold 8 Android 17 with One UI 9 and seven years of updates · Duo iOS.
Availability: Fold 8 on sale since 5 August · Duo on sale 23 October.

Design: Two Different Ideas of "Wide"

Samsung redesigned the Fold 8 around a wider, squatter shape — its first wide-screen foldable. It aims to feel more like a normal phone when closed and more like a widescreen tablet when open, with a slimmer crease and improved anti-reflective coating.

Apple built the Duo around a titanium hinge of more than 100 components and claims IP68 water resistance, which it describes as a first for a book-style foldable.

Software Is the Real Decision

On paper the two phones are close. In practice, most people will choose based on the system they already use.

Already on iPhone, Mac and Apple Watch? The Duo keeps everything connected, and switching away costs time and money.
Already on Android? The Fold 8 has years of foldable-specific software refinement and a seven-year update promise.

Value

The Fold 8 is $100 cheaper and available now, and Samsung phones are often discounted within months of launch. The Duo is Apple's first attempt, and first-generation hardware carries more uncertainty about long-term durability until independent testing arrives.

Our Take

There is no universal winner. Anyone who wants a foldable today, or prefers Android, has a mature option in the Fold 8. Anyone committed to Apple's ecosystem should wait for Duo reviews before paying $1,999.

Full details: everything confirmed about the iPhone Duo. Prefer a regular flagship? See the iPhone 18 Pro and Google's Pixel 11 range.

Sources

"Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 launch: price, specs, availability," CNBC — cnbc.com
"Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 goes official with wide redesign, $1,899," 9to5Google — 9to5google.com
"Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 (Wide & Ultra): release date, price and specs," Tech Advisor — techadvisor.com
"iPhone Duo: price, release date, specs, and features," TechCabal — techcabal.com

foldable phone comparison (1)

Galaxy Z Fold 8 vs iPhone Duo: How the Two Big Foldables Compare