New form factor, same rivalry: Samsung and Apple are back at it again.
Just weeks after Samsung launched the Galaxy Z Fold 8, its first-ever ‘wide’ foldable, Apple hit back with its first folding phone of any description: the iPhone Duo. With Samsung’s display arm supplying the screens for the Duo, the timing is no coincidence.
While Xiaomi, Huawei and Motorola are all active in this sector, it’s likely to be a straight fight between Apple and Samsung in the UK and US, where the two brands dominate the phone markets.
I absolutely loved the Galaxy Z Fold 8 when I tried it, and our reviewer Luke Baker was similarly impressed in his full review. But it still has plenty of room for improvement.
While Apple hasn’t addressed all of these (where is the telephoto camera?!), I’m looking enviously at three iPhone Duo features that Samsung failed to include.
Beach-proof design
A foldable without proper dust resistance will always make me uneasy. You never know when pesky particles might penetrate that hinge and cause significant damage.
After my disastrous Galaxy Z Fold 7 debacle at the beach, I was really hoping that the Fold 8 would address this. But it didn’t. By sticking with an IP48 rating, it remains vulnerable to any particles smaller than 1mm in diameter – which definitely includes grains of sand.
Luke Baker
By contrast, the iPhone Duo becomes only the second mainstream folding phone line (after Google’s Pixel 10 Pro Fold and 11 Pro Fold) to introduce a proper IP68 rating. This matches what you’ll find on basically all the top phones, making it essentially dust-proof.
While you’ll still have to watch out for dust getting into the hinge mechanism, a bit of compressed air usually works wonders. Crucially, you can rest easy knowing that it won’t be causing the phone any long-term damage.
The iPhone Duo is fully dust-resistant
Apple
As someone who loves a good beach day, this is a crucial upgrade.
Give me my magnets!
Samsung has been frustratingly stubborn when it comes to building Qi2 support into its devices. More than a year after the Pixel 10 debuted its ‘Pixelsnap’ architecture, all Galaxy phones still require a case for compatibility.
Foldables and cases aren’t a great mix, and I’d actually encourage people to use the Galaxy Z Fold 8 case-free. That basically means opting out of one of the most convenient and versatile technologies we’ve seen in years.
Luke Baker
Samsung might finally fix this on the Galaxy S27 series, but it means we’ll be waiting until at least the Z Fold 9 to see it on a Galaxy foldable.
While early rumours suggested it might be omitted, Apple hasn’t made the same mistake on the iPhone Duo. Like other iPhones, it has full MagSafe support, meaning that any accessories you already have will be compatible.
Apple
Remember, this isn’t only about convenient magnetic wireless charging. The MagSafe accessory ecosystem is huge, ranging from grips and stands to wallets and even cooling fans. It’s endlessly versatile.
What a flex
I was extremely disappointed to learn that the Galaxy Z Fold 8 missed out on ‘Flex Mode’.
It’d become a signature of the Samsung foldable experience, allowing for hands-free video calling and photography, dedicated gaming controllers and control panels for video streaming services.
Luke Baker
Despite the similar form factor, Apple has decided that its equivalent is too important to omit. Known as ‘StandBy’, the mode transforms the outer screen into a smart display, allowing it to imitate a digital clock or photo frame.
Crucially, the hinge will stay open at any angle, meaning you can fine-tune it to your preferences, so watching videos will be a breeze.
The iPhone Duo’s StandBy mode looks impressive
Apple
Finally, Apple has gone one better than even the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra by introducing ‘Smart Take’, an AI-powered feature which automatically takes a photo when it looks as though everyone is in the frame and ready. If it works as intended, the days of starting a timer and then rushing to get in the photo could be over.
These shortcomings are easier to excuse in the UK, where the Z Fold 8’s £1,699 starting price is a full £300 less than the iPhone Duo. But in the US, where the Fold 8 and Duo are both priced from $1,999, Samsung will face an uphill battle to convince buyers when it’s leaving out features like these.
However, as compelling as the iPhone Duo looks, it’s not even the best foldable that launched this week.
from Tech Advisor
via I love the Galaxy Z Fold 8 – but I want these 3 iPhone Duo features