iPhone Duo vs Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8: 7 key differences, from displays to durability

Date:
Thu, 10 Sep 2026 16:52:46 +0000

Description:
We compare the iPhone Duo to its closest competitor, the Samsung Galaxy Z
Fold 8.

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 It took years, but Apple
finally gave the world its first foldable phone the iPhone Duo at its Surprise and Shine event earlier this week. The Duo steps into a busy foldables market, with one particular model primed to give it a run for its money: the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 .

The Z Fold 8 is the latest in a long line of Galaxy foldables, and Apple's first foldable bears a number of similarities to Samsung 's passport-shaped device. But for anyone considering investing in either the Z Fold 8 or iPhone Duo, there are a number of key differences to be aware of. Theres still a month to go until iPhone Duo preorders open, and even longer until the device begins shipping (October 23). But still, theres no time like the present to check out seven major areas in which the iPhone Duo and the Galaxy Z Fold 8 differ. Latest Videos From TechRadar Watch full video here: A dollar
disparity Image 1 of 2 The iPhone Duo (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future) Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 (Image credit: Peter Hoffmann) Image 1 of 2 View Original Image 2 of 2 View Original The first notable difference between the iPhone Duo and Galaxy Z Fold 8 is how much they cost.

The iPhone Duo retails for $1,999 /1,999 / AU$3,499, which is significantly more than the Galaxy Z Fold 8's $1,899 / 1,699 / AU$2,699 (at least in
certain regions), with both phones starting with the same 256GB of storage.
If you want the best deal on a wide foldable, Samsung has the clear
advantage. You may like Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra vs Galaxy Z Fold 8 the key differences compared I compared the iPhone Ultra's rumored screen sizes
to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra vs Galaxy Z Fold 7 the 5 biggest changes Diverging displays Image 1 of 2 The iPhone Duo
(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future) Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 (Image credit: Future) Image 1 of 2 View Original Image 2 of 2 View Original Both Samsung
and Apple have gone for roughly the same shapes for their respective foldable displays, but with a small size difference. The iPhone Duo uses a 7.6-inch main inner display and a 5.4-inch outer display. The Galaxy Z Fold 8s inner display also measures 7.6 inches across, but its outer screen is marginally larger at 5.5 inches.

Theres also an interesting split in how Samsung and Apple have treated the material in their phones' screens. The iPhone Duo uses a matte-like nano-texture display instead of a glossier, anti-glare coating like the
Galaxy Z Fold 8. Both materials serve the same purpose to make the screen easier to read under bright light. But which one is better remains to be seen at this point. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me
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Apple has also given the iPhone Duo stylus support on both displays, via the Apple Pencil USB-C . Samsung used to offer stylus support on its foldables, but unfortunately for wannabe doodlers, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 does not work
with any of Samsungs S Pens. Different designs and mismatching materials
Image 1 of 2 The iPhone Duo (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future) Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 (Image credit: Richard Priday / TechRadar) Image 1 of 2 View Original Image 2 of 2 View Original Despite their similar passport shapes,
the iPhone Duo and Galaxy Z Fold 8 do differ quite significantly in terms of design.

The iPhone Duo, for instance, has four rounded corners when open, but when closed, it has two right-angled corners on the hinge side. Samsung, by contrast, has gone with pointed corners all around on the Galaxy Z Fold 8, which arguably gives it a more cohesive look. What to read next Samsung
Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra vs Oppo Find N6 hinge comparison I touched the iPhone Duo and Apple just solved the foldable crease problem Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 review: a shot in the arm for the foldables market

For side rail materials, its a case of polished titanium on the iPhone Duo versus matte aluminum on the Galaxy Z Fold 8. Both look great on their respective phones, but which finish is better will be up to the viewer.

These two phones also use different display materials to shore up their durability. Apple has equipped the Duo with its own Ceramic Shield 2
toughened glass on the front, and the original Ceramic Shield on the back. Samsung instead uses Gorilla Glass Ceramic 3 and Gorilla Glass Victus 2 to protect the Galaxy Z Fold 8s front and back, respectively.

Apple has also equipped the iPhone Duo with the same Camera Control key that you find on other iPhones, making the edges of the phone surprisingly busy. Samsung lacks equivalents for these buttons on the Galaxy Z Fold 8, which simply offers a power button and volume controls.

Interestingly, the iPhone Duo is some 53g heavier than the Z Fold 8 (254g vs 201g), but it does offer IP68 water and dust resistance, while the Z Fold 8 only offers IP48-level protection.

The last thing to mention is color options. The iPhone Duo comes in either Star White or Night Sky (deep blue), while the Galaxy Z Fold 8 has a wider selection of Lavender, Graphite, Cream, and Pistachio. SIM support split
Image 1 of 2 The iPhone Duo (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future) Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 (Image credit: Peter Hoffmann) Image 1 of 2 View Original Image 2 of 2 View Original When it comes to actually adding your phone number to one of these phones, theres an important difference to consider here too. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 offers a physical SIM slot as well as eSIM support for virtual numbers. However, the iPhone Duo is eSIM-only worldwide.

You can easily convert a regular SIM into an eSIM during phone set-up. But unless you re-request a SIM card from your carrier, youll be locked into the eSIM way of life from then on. Branching battery tech Image 1 of 2 The iPhone Duo (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future) Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 (Image credit: Peter Hoffmann) Image 1 of 2 View Original Image 2 of 2 View Original Since Apple doesnt publish its battery sizes itself, we dont know right now what the capacity of the iPhone Duo is. Instead, Apple says its internal testing reveals the iPhone Duo is capable of 31 hours of video playback when using the inner display, 44 hours when just using the outer display, or all-day battery life when it comes to general use.

Samsungs testing promise for the Galaxy Z Fold 8 is 26 hours of video playback, which sounds like its inferior to Apple's on paper. However,
without doing consistent battery testing on both phones, we dont yet know for sure which phone will last longer in the real world.

For refuelling, Apple claims the iPhone Duo can charge up to 50% full in 20 mins with a compatible wired charger, or 30 minutes with a MagSafe or Qi2 wireless charger. Samsungs claim is a 63% wired charge in 30 minutes, which doesnt quite map onto Apples information either. This will also require some of our own testing to figure out which device charges faster. Contrasting cameras Image 1 of 2 The iPhone Duo (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 (Image credit: Future) Image 1 of 2 View Original Image 2 of 2 View Original The iPhone Duo and Galaxy Z Fold 8 each have four cameras, serving the same purposes. But there are some technical differences to pay attention to.

On the back of the iPhone Duo, Apple has stuck with its typical 48MP main and 48MP ultra-wide combination. That puts the Duo at a small resolution disadvantage compared to the Galaxy Z Fold 8, which boasts two rear 50MP cameras.

However, things change for front-facing cameras. Samsung uses 10MP front cameras on the inside and outside of the Z Fold 8, but Apple uses one higher-res 12MP front camera on the outer display, and an under-display inner camera of currently unknown resolution.

Samsung used to use this kind of camera on its older Galaxy Z Folds, but the Galaxy Z Fold 8 has a more typical punch-hole cutout, removing a bit of the display but guaranteeing higher-quality shots. Maybe Apple has worked out how to take clear, attractive photos through display layers, but its not
something weve seen any other company manage, even after the technology has existed for several years. Potentially polarized performance Image 1 of 2 The iPhone Duo (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future) Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 (Image credit: Richard Priday / TechRadar) Image 1 of 2 View Original Image 2 of 2 View Original The silicon inside the Galaxy Z Fold 8 is a known
quantity. The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy has appeared in other premium Samsung phones this year, including the Galaxy S26 Ultra , and its a monstrously powerful chipset.

The iPhone Duo contains Apples brand-new A20 Pro chip. Since its fresh out of the foundry, we will have to wait for test results to know if its more powerful, less powerful, or about the same as the Snapdragon silicon in the Z Fold 8.

We dont know if theres any RAM capacity difference, but for storage, you can get 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB versions of both the iPhone Duo and the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8. However, Apple also offers a 2TB edition of the iPhone Duo
if you want even more space for your files.

Based on these differences, would you rather buy the iPhone Duo or Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8? Let us know in the comments below. 1,619 at Amazon (512GB) 1,699 at Mobiles.co.uk (256GB) 1,699 at Argos (256GB) 1,699 at Carphone Warehouse (256GB HDR) Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Today's best Apple iPhone Duo and Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 deals Contract Deals Sim Free voucher gift Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 48 months Unlimited mins 125GB data 30 upfront 50.83 /mth View Deal at EE See all prices We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/phones/samsung-galaxy-phones/iphone-duo-vs-samsung-g alaxy-z-fold-8-7-key-differences-from-displays-to-durability


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