Apple's First Foldable iPhone: What Is Different From Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8?Apple has finally entered the foldable smartphone market with the iPhone Duo, bringing a 7.6-inch inner display, 5.4-inch cover screen, A20 Pro chip and dual 48MP rear cameras. Starting at ₹2,99,900 in India, the Duo is significantly more expensive than Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold8, which starts at ₹1,79,999.Finally, Apple also made an appearance in the space of foldable smartphones with its first-ever foldable iPhone, the iPhone Duo, and it marks the biggest ever hardware upgrade since the origin of the iPhone series, expected to launch officially September 9 2026, the Duo phone is rumored to have a 7.6-inch foldable display and a 5.4-inch cover display equipped with the new generation A20 Pro chip and dual 48 MP camera set. Priced at Rs 2,99,900 in India, the new iPhone foldable will be retailing from October 23 (pre-order open on Oct 16).However, Apple is quite late as Samsung had already released multiple foldable iPhones and the all-new Galaxy Z Fold8 looks very different to its Book style foldable, it has a 4:3 wider ratio main display, 201g lighter body with a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy chipset at the starting price of Rs 1,79,999 in India. So, let’s dive in to unfold what makes the New Iphone Duo different from Samsung’s Z Fold8.About The AuthorA journalist and writer interested in geopolitics, national politics, conflict and war reporting, with a growing focus on technology and the automobile industry. His work is driven by a curiosity to understand the political, social and technological forces shaping contemporary India and the world. He enjoys engaging with people, exploring perspectives often overlooked in mainstream narratives, and breaking down complex subjects into accessible, well-researched stories. Alongside political and geopolitical writing, he closely follows developments in technology and automobiles, particularly how innovation, policy and changing consumer trends are reshaping these sectors.Key highlightsiPhone Duo starts at ₹2,99,900, while Galaxy Z Fold8 starts at ₹1,79,999.Both phones have 7.6-inch inner displays, but Apple and Samsung use different screen proportions.The Duo weighs 254g, compared with just 201g for the Fold8.Apple uses the A20 Pro, while Samsung uses Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy.Duo has 48MP + 48MP rear cameras; Fold8 gets dual 50MP rear cameras.The Duo supports Apple Pencil, while the Fold8 does not support S Pen.pple uses Touch ID on the side button instead of Face ID.Duo is eSIM-only worldwide.Samsung's Fold8 has a 4,800mAh battery and 45W wired charging; Apple does not disclose the Duo's battery capacity but claims up to 31 hours of video playback on the inner screen.iPhone Duo vs Galaxy Z Fold8: DesignStraight away, a glance of two phones when closed, reveals the main distinction. Samsung has reimagined the Z Fold8 in a tighter format to create a broader shape; it also has reduced the Fold8 weight to its lowest-ever weight of 201 grams. When opened, the Fold8 measures 4.5 mm and employs an Armor FlexHinge system, an Armor Aluminum body, as well as two titanium layers below the display. The fold is IP48 waterproof and dustproof rated.The iPhone Duo is considerably weightier at 254 grams, has a construction using Grade 5 Titanium along with a Ceramic Shield covering both the back and outer display (both 2). Both devices are IP68 water-resistant-superior to IP48, but only by 2 dust grades. This duo also boasts a significantly thicker form factor; it opens up to 5.2 mm and when folded up, it becomes 11.3 mm thick. This display clearly leads in both portability and thinness but is only just ahead when compared to the iPhone Duo on durability with an even better titanium build.Display: Same size, completely different philosophyMain internal displays have a similar 7.6-inch screen in both models, beyond that, it mostly all different with the following comparisons.The Galaxy Z Fold8 packs an inner display that’s a 4:3 Dynamic AMOLED 2X screen with 120Hz adaptive refresh rate and up to 3000 nits peak brightness. An accompanying 10:16 outer screen means the Fold8's outside view is much more practical with wider displays to scroll with than any previous Galaxy Fold model.The Duo's 7.6-inch Super Retina XDR foldable OLED screen has a 120Hz ProMotion refresh rate, Always-On capability, up to 3000 nits peak outdoor brightness. The exterior display measures 5.4-inch. The Duo has the same aspect ratio screen for both, so you transition from folded to unfoldable smoothly.The big display trick Apple pulls, of course, is with nano-texture finish, which combats glare, and makes the crease far less visible. The internal FaceTime camera is tucked underneath the foldable display.More articles by AuthorTrending StoriesPerformance: A20 Pro vs Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5The iPhone Duo uses Apple’s A20 Pro, built with a 2nm architecture. Inside it has a 6-core CPU, 7-core GPU and a 16-core double-core Neural Engine andApple states performance is up to 20% faster than the previous A19 Pro, while RAM bandwidth will boost up to 50 per cent over the last chips. The Duo uses a custom vapour chamber to help cool things.Whereas Samsung continues to equip the new Galaxy with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 with customized CPU, GPU and NPU. The Fold8 is shipped with 12GB RAM on 256/512GB variant whereas the 1TB version will receive 16GB of RAM.Purely hardware is not where we see any huge differences between the two platforms, as on paper the A20 Pro versus S8 Elite Gen 5 seem on par with both looking like flagship chipsets, the differences are really in the ecosystem. Apple will be pushing iOS 27, while Samsung will be delivering Android 17 and One UI 9.Cameras: Apple's computational approach vs Samsung's dual 50MP setupThe iPhone Duo comes with two rear cameras - a 48MP Fusion Main with optical-quality 2x zoom and a 48MP Fusion Ultra Wide, which also functions as a macro camera. It also sports a 12MP Center Stage front-facing camera, which is actually a front-facing outer display camera, the internal FaceTime camera actually sits behind the screen as it folds shut.The folding nature allows for interesting photography tricks with the iPhone Duo as well; you can also shoot rear camera selfies using the outer screen to frame. Smart Take, Duo Preview and Duo FaceTime features built on the two screens.However with the dual 50MP rear cameras (wide and ultra-wide), Samsung uses 10MP sensors for each screen. While it offers optical-quality 2x zoom with the main rear lens, there isn’t a native telephoto lens included with the standard Fold 8.Battery and chargingApple has not quoted the battery capacity but does provide usage claims: "up to 24 hours of typical use", "up to 31 hours video playback on the inner screen" and "up to 44 hours on the outer screen". With the correct (60W+) power adapter, the company also states wired charging "can take you up to 50% charge in around 20 minutes." The Samsung notes a 4,800mAh battery and "up to 26 hours video playback". Wired charging is rated up to 45W, wireless up to 20W.Software and productivityMaybe the most notable change here, Apple has adapted its iOS 27 software for the Duo, which changes to fit the phone as it's folded open, by sliding controls to the outer edges. Inside, Split View is enabled, for running two apps simultaneously; or users can open two instances of a single app, like Safari, by folding down part of the display.Apple Pencil support is due for the Duo later in 2023, though Samsung does not offer support for the S Pen on its Fold8-arguing that the hardware design was "optimised for portability, weight, durability, and of course, the fold."iPhone Duo vs Galaxy Z Fold8: Specifications and priceSpecificationApple iPhone DuoSamsung Galaxy Z Fold8India price₹2,99,900 onwards₹1,79,999 onwardsTop configuration2TB – ₹4,49,9001TB/16GB – ₹2,39,999Inner display7.6-inch Super Retina XDR OLED7.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2XInner display resolution1878 × 2670 pixels1848 × 2448 pixelsRefresh rateUp to 120Hz ProMotionUp to 120HzOuter display5.4-inch5.45-inchInner aspect ratioWider Apple foldable format4:3Weight254g201gThickness, unfolded5.2mm4.5mmProcessorA20 Pro, 2nmSnapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for GalaxyRear cameras48MP + 48MP50MP + 50MPFront cameras12MP outer + under-display inner10MP cover + 10MP innerBatteryCapacity not disclosed; dual-cell4,800mAhWired chargingUp to 50% in ~20 minutes45WWater/dust resistanceIP68IP48Stylus supportApple Pencil USB-C support coming later in 2026No S Pen supportAuthenticationTouch IDFingerprint sensorSIMeSIM-onlySIM/eSIM supportSoftwareiOS 27Android 17 with One UI 9Samsung's India pricing puts the Galaxy Z Fold8 at ₹1,79,999 for 12GB/256GB, ₹1,99,999 for 12GB/512GB and ₹2,39,999 for 16GB/1TB. The iPhone Duo starts at ₹2,99,900 for 256GB and rises to ₹4,49,900 for 2TB.That means the base Duo is ₹1,19,901 more expensive than the base Fold8, while even the 1TB Fold8 remains ₹59,901 cheaper than the entry-level Duo.iPhone Duo vs Galaxy Z Fold8: Which one is different?The Duo represents Apple’s initial take on a foldable and it’s far more than simply an iPhone with a folding display. The major differentiating factors are the combo of iOS 27, Apple’s A20 Pro Chip, the Dual-Screen, the inner-display's nano texture finish, Touch ID, eSIM-only configuration and seamless Apple Ecosystem integration.Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold8 stands out in terms of weight, price, its 45W wired charging and the fuller, more usable cover screen experience in addition to the established Android foldable market place.So essentially the Duo and Galaxy Fold8 really just stand in opposition to one another in terms of offering a true "iPhone Fold" versus simply adding a display that folds onto an existing Samsung device at its best price.Existing iPhone user's who have been patiently awaiting what they expect their first folded screen device to be like could very well see this as the strongest point of the Duo. However, the buyers aiming to maximize hardware value and lighter foldable would do much better focusing on the greatly priced Fold8. FAQsIs the iPhone Duo more expensive than the Galaxy Z Fold8?Yes. The iPhone Duo starts at ₹2,99,900 in India, compared with ₹1,79,999 for the Galaxy Z Fold8. The Duo is therefore ₹1,19,901 more expensive at the entry level.Which phone is lighter, iPhone Duo or Galaxy Z Fold8?The Galaxy Z Fold8 is significantly lighter. It weighs 201g, while the iPhone Duo weighs 254g — a difference of 53g.Do both phones have a 7.6-inch folding display?Yes. Both use a 7.6-inch inner display, but Samsung uses a 4:3 layout while Apple uses its own wider foldable format.Does the iPhone Duo have Face ID?No. Apple has replaced Face ID with Touch ID integrated into the side button on the Duo.Does iPhone Duo support Apple Pencil?Yes. Apple says the Duo will support Apple Pencil with USB-C, with the feature coming later in 2026.Does Galaxy Z Fold8 support S Pen?No. Samsung has confirmed that the Galaxy Z Fold8 does not support the S Pen.When will iPhone Duo go on sale in India?Pre-orders begin on October 16, 2026, while availability starts October 23, 2026.READ NEXT ARTICLE