How the IPhone Duo Compares to the Pixel 11 Pro Fold and Galaxy Z Fold 8
After years of rumors, Apple has finally released a foldable phone: the iPhone Duo . Initial reactions online have been largely positive—especially the way iOS adapts to the phone and the cool wallpaper transition effect—but one question arises: how does Apple’s new device compare to foldable phones already on the market?
The iPhone Duo now competes with the Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold and the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 (which I’ll focus on here, not the Z Fold 8 Ultra ). There are key similarities and differences between these three devices that suggest whether the iPhone Duo will be successful. And, having already used foldable phones from Google and Samsung, I have some ideas about what it will take for the iPhone Duo to succeed.
Folding phones: weight and dimensions
Google and Samsung have been doing this longer than Apple, and their phones are thinner and lighter than the iPhone Duo. This could play a role when Apple’s phone goes on sale, with pre-orders starting Friday, October 16. It’s also clear that Apple and Samsung have opted for a “passport”-style approach: shorter and wider displays, meaning a more tablet-like main display. The Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold has the aspect ratio of a standard smartphone when closed, but with a more square main display.
Folding phones: displays
You can compare the display sizes of a passport-style foldable phone to a more traditional foldable form factor: the Pixel 11 Pro Fold has significantly more vertical space when all of these foldable phones are folded, which is an important factor. If, like me, you’ll use your foldable phone more folded than unfolded, the external display becomes very important. (But more on that later.) It’s worth noting that, according to industry sources, both Apple and Google use Samsung to supply displays for their phones.
Folding phones: prices, storage capacity and RAM.
If you want a foldable phone, it won’t come cheap, no matter which brand you choose. The iPhone Duo is slightly more expensive than its competitors and offers up to 2 TB of storage—something Google and Samsung don’t offer. RAM is also worth mentioning: the iPhone Duo has 12 GB, Google’s phone has 16 GB, and Samsung offers 12 or 16 GB in the Galaxy Z Fold 8, depending on the storage size. But that’s not a completely fair comparison: the Duo runs iOS, which has different RAM requirements than Android devices.
Folding phones: cameras
Folding phones have multiple cameras—a front-facing camera is required for both the internal and external displays—and it’s notable that Apple doesn’t disclose the specs of its internal selfie cameras. Only Google’s foldable phone has a telephoto lens. In the modern era, software processing is as important as hardware, so comparing phones based on this metric is somewhat subjective. It will be interesting to see how the iPhone Duo’s photos compare to those of the iPhone 18 Pro, which has a more advanced camera system.
Folding phones: other comparison parameters
Unlike phones from Google and Samsung, the iPhone Duo lacks face unlock, and the Galaxy Z Fold 8 lacks IP68 water resistance like the iPhone Duo and Pixel 11 Pro Fold (though it’s not waterproof for long ). Battery life is a key factor when choosing a smartphone, but the battery capacity figures listed here provide only limited information. The Pixel 11 Pro Fold has a 4,806 mAh battery, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 has a 4,800 mAh battery, and Apple doesn’t disclose the battery capacity of the iPhone Duo, although it claims up to 44 hours of video playback between charges on the external display. Software optimization and other factors also play a role, so a fair comparison will require real-world testing.
Speaking of software, there are certainly differences between iOS and Android. Judging by what we’ve seen on the iPhone Duo, iOS feels elegant and well-thought-out, with floating buttons, a split keyboard, dual-pane mode, and a few other nice touches—certainly helped by Apple’s experience with the iPad. In my opinion, it feels smoother than the interface on a foldable Android smartphone, though that doesn’t mean Google and Samsung phones are inferior.
What is it like to use foldable phones?
Specifications can only scratch the surface, and while the iPhone Duo has made a strong impression, judging by what we’ve seen from Apple so far, no one has really used it yet. The real test of whether the foldable iPhone will be a hit will depend on how well it performs in all aspects of everyday life.
I’ve been using foldable phones from Samsung and Google for several years, and, aside from the rather high price, the main problem I still prefer with standard phone form factors is that, in most cases, there’s no need to open the entire display—meaning you get a bulky and heavy device with no real benefits. Checking messages on the go, making contactless payments, taking photos: most tasks you do with a phone don’t require or aren’t suited for a tablet-sized screen. This is precisely what these foldable phones struggle with. Would you use an iPad to take a photo at a concert, call your parents, or navigate an unfamiliar city?
Apple seems to have gotten the software right, and the iPhone Duo feels as high-quality as you’d expect from a foldable iPhone—but even if you can afford it, you might find the cost of a thicker, heavier, and more compact phone isn’t worth it just to have access to a larger screen sometimes. The iPhone Duo actually competes well with foldable phones from Samsung and Google, but its real competition will come from other iPhone models.