Galaxy Z Fold 8 vs iPhone Duo: which foldable phone should you buy?

Key figures

Apple's first foldable against Samsung's eighth

Samsung has sold book-style foldables since 2019, and the Galaxy Z Fold 8, launched in August 2026, is its eighth generation. This year Samsung split the line in two: the Fold 8, with a new wider and shorter shape and a lower price, and the taller Fold 8 Ultra at $2,099. Engadget reports that Samsung said the new Folds were outselling the Fold 7 by 30 % in their first month.

Apple waited much longer. The iPhone Duo, announced on September 9, 2026, is its first foldable phone. Pre-orders opened on October 16 and it goes on sale on October 23 in more than 70 countries. Early hands-on reports from Tom's Guide and TechRadar are enthusiastic about the finish and the nearly invisible crease, but full independent reviews, with battery and durability tests, were not yet published when we wrote this comparison.

Specs compared

Specifications from Tom's Guide and Engadget; Apple's battery figure is quoted by Tom's Guide.

Design and durability: the iPhone is tougher, the Samsung is lighter

The iPhone Duo uses a titanium frame and a titanium and aluminium hinge, and it is the only foldable of the two rated IP68, which means protection against both dust and water. Samsung's Fold 8 is rated IP48: it resists water, but not fine dust or sand, a real weakness for a device with a hinge.

The price of that solidity is weight. At 254 g and 11.3 mm folded, the iPhone Duo is noticeably heavier and thicker than the 201 g, 9.7 mm Fold 8. In a pocket and in one hand, the Samsung is much more comfortable. Tom's Guide gives the portability round to Samsung and the durability round to Apple.

Screens and the crease

Both phones open to a 7.6-inch inner screen with a 1–120 Hz refresh rate. Apple uses a matte nano-texture finish; Samsung an anti-glare coating. Outside, the Fold 8's 5.5-inch cover screen is slightly bigger than the Duo's 5.4-inch one, and its new wider shape makes typing on the closed phone easier than on previous Folds.

The crease is the eternal problem of foldables. Early testers describe the iPhone Duo's crease as visible but hard to feel, and Samsung's new hinge has also made the Fold's crease much less visible than before. Long-term durability of both screens will only be known after months of use.

Performance and software

The iPhone Duo runs the A20 Pro, the same 2 nm chip as the iPhone 18 Pro, with a vapor chamber for cooling. Engadget and Tom's Guide expect it to be faster than the Fold 8's Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, although neither had benchmarked it at the time.

Software is where the two differ most:

• Galaxy Z Fold 8: One UI is built for foldables after seven generations. You can run up to four windows on the inner screen, use floating apps and connect an external monitor for a desktop-style mode. Engadget gives Samsung a clear lead in multitasking.
• iPhone Duo: iOS shows two apps side by side with saved app pairs, and the inner screen supports the Apple Pencil, a feature Samsung dropped from the Fold. The experience is simpler, closer to a small iPad, and integrates with the Mac, AirPods and Apple Watch.

Cameras: no telephoto on either

Neither foldable has a telephoto lens, a clear step down from the iPhone 18 Pro or the Galaxy S26 Ultra. The iPhone Duo has two 48 MP rear cameras (main and ultrawide), the Fold 8 two 50 MP cameras. Samsung adds a 10 MP selfie camera on each screen, while Apple uses a 12 MP camera on the cover and an under-display camera inside. Tom's Guide calls the camera round too early to judge until both are tested side by side. If photography is a priority, the Fold 8 Ultra keeps a 200 MP main camera and a telephoto.

Battery and charging

The batteries are almost the same size: 4,883 mAh for the iPhone Duo and 4,800 mAh for the Fold 8, which lasted about 12 h 19 min in Tom's Guide's test. Apple rates the Duo for up to 31 hours of video playback on the inner screen, according to Engadget, but independent tests are still to come.

Charging favours Apple: 60 W wired (about 50 % in 15 minutes) and 25 W MagSafe, against 45 W wired and 20 W wireless for the Fold 8, and MagSafe gives access to a large range of magnetic accessories.

Price and value

The Fold 8 is $100 cheaper at 256 GB, and the gap grows in other countries: Tom's Guide lists £1,699 against £1,999 in the UK and AU$2,699 against AU$3,499 in Australia. The iPhone Duo offers a 2 TB option ($3,199) that Samsung does not. Samsung also discounts its foldables regularly, and the Fold 8 has been on sale since August, so its real price is often lower.

Which one should you buy?

• You already use an iPhone, a Mac or an iPad: the iPhone Duo. Switching ecosystems is the hardest part of any phone change.
• You want the most durable foldable: the iPhone Duo, the only one with IP68.
• You want the lightest and thinnest phone: the Galaxy Z Fold 8.
• You work with several apps at once: the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and its four-window multitasking.
• You want to write or draw with a stylus: the iPhone Duo and the Apple Pencil.
• You want the best camera on a foldable: the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, with its 200 MP main camera and telephoto.
• You prefer to wait for proven reliability: the Fold 8, an eighth-generation product, or wait for the iPhone Duo's full reviews in the coming weeks.

Frequently asked questions

When can I buy the iPhone Duo? Pre-orders opened on October 16, 2026, and the phone goes on sale on October 23 in more than 70 countries, with more regions from October 30.

Is the iPhone Duo waterproof? It is rated IP68 against water and dust. The Fold 8 is IP48, which does not protect against fine dust.

Does the iPhone Duo have Face ID? No. Both phones use a fingerprint sensor in the power button.

Which foldable has the better battery? Their capacities are almost identical; the iPhone Duo charges faster. Wait for independent tests to compare real battery life.

Can I use a stylus? Yes on the iPhone Duo, with the Apple Pencil (USB-C). The Galaxy Z Fold 8 does not support the S Pen.

Verdict

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 is today's safer and more practical choice: lighter, thinner, $100 cheaper and much better at multitasking, from a company with seven generations of foldable experience. The iPhone Duo is the more robust and premium device, with IP68 protection, a titanium build, faster charging and Apple Pencil support, and it is the obvious choice for people who live in Apple's ecosystem. Its weight and the lack of full independent tests are the reasons to be patient. For the wider market, read our guide to the best foldable phones of 2026, our iPhone Duo first impressions and our Galaxy Z Fold 8 review analysis.

This article analyses comparisons, hands-on reports and reviews published by other outlets, in our own words. RealDigitalTech did not test the iPhone Duo or the Galaxy Z Fold 8 itself. We will update it when full iPhone Duo reviews are published.