Compare > Apple iPhone Duo vs Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8
iPhone Duo vs Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8: Which Foldable Should You Buy?
By Alex Turner • Updated 10 October 2026
Apple has finally made a foldable, and it lands straight on top of the phone that defined the category. On paper the two are strikingly similar: same 7.6in inner screen, no zoom lens on either, both around £2,000. The differences are in weight, durability and how long each has had to mature.
iPhone Duo vs Galaxy Z Fold 8: Full Specifications
| Apple iPhone Duo | Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 | |
| Price (RRP) | £1,999 (256GB) / £2,199 (512GB) / £2,599 (1TB) / £3,199 (2TB) | £1,699 (256GB) / £1,869 (512GB) / £2,209 (1TB) |
| Inner display | 7.6in foldable OLED, 1878 x 2670, 120Hz | 7.6in Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz |
| Cover display | 5.4in OLED, 120Hz | 5.5in Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz |
| Processor | Apple A20 Pro | Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy |
| Memory | Not stated by Apple | 12GB RAM (16GB on 1TB) |
| Main camera | 48MP f/1.6 | 50MP f/1.8, OIS |
| Ultrawide | 48MP f/2.2 | 50MP f/1.9 |
| Telephoto | None (2x crop from main) | None (2x crop from main) |
| Battery | Not stated by Apple; up to 24 hours typical use claimed | 4,800mAh |
| Charging | 50% in ~20 min with 60W adapter; 25W MagSafe / Qi2 | 45W wired, 20W wireless |
| Water / dust | IP68 | IP48 |
| Unlock | Touch ID (side button) | Fingerprint sensor |
| SIM | Dual eSIM only | Nano-SIM + eSIM |
| Software | iOS 27 | Android 17, One UI 9, 7 years of OS updates |
| Weight | 254g | 201g |
| Thickness | 11.3mm folded / 5.2mm open | 9.7mm folded / 4.5mm open |
Design and weight: Samsung, clearly
This is the biggest practical difference. The Fold 8 weighs 201g — less than many ordinary flagships — while the iPhone Duo weighs 254g. That makes the iPhone about a quarter heavier, and Engadget’s hands-on called it “rather hefty”.
Samsung is also thinner both ways: 9.7mm folded against 11.3mm, and 4.5mm open against 5.2mm. Apple calls the Duo the “thinnest iPhone ever” when open, which is true, but it isn’t the thinnest foldable.
Durability: Apple, and it matters
The iPhone Duo is rated IP68 for water and dust. The Fold 8 is IP48: fine in water, but its dust rating only covers particles larger than 1mm. For a phone with a hinge, sand and pocket grit are the realistic threats, so this is a genuine point in Apple’s favour.
Neither screen is crease-free. Apple says its nano-texture layer “minimises crease visibility”; MacRumors’ hands-on found the Duo’s crease better hidden than Samsung’s, but still visible in some light.
Screens: a draw
Both have a 7.6in inner screen at 120Hz, and the cover screens are near-identical in size: 5.4in on the iPhone, 5.5in on the Fold 8, which Samsung widened this year so it feels like a normal phone when shut. Apple rates both of its screens up to 3,000 nits outdoors.
Cameras: closer than you’d expect
Neither has a telephoto lens. Both pair a 48–50MP main camera with a 48–50MP ultrawide and offer a 2x option by cropping the main sensor. If zoom matters to you, look past both: the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra (£1,899) adds a 3x telephoto, and the Pixel 11 Pro Fold (£1,799) has a 5x.
The iPhone’s advantage is video: Apple’s Dolby Vision pipeline and 4K at 120fps are hard to beat. The Duo can also show the camera preview on the outer screen, so the person you’re photographing sees the shot.
Battery and charging: too early to call
Samsung quotes 4,800mAh. Apple doesn’t publish the capacity of the Duo’s two cells, claiming up to 24 hours of typical use instead. Until independent battery tests are published, there is no fair way to compare them. Charging favours Samsung on paper — 45W wired — though Apple claims 50% in about 20 minutes with a 60W adapter.
Software and multitasking: Samsung has a head start
Samsung has had eight generations to refine how Android apps behave on a folding screen, and its multi-window system is mature. Apple’s version is new: two apps side by side, with Tom’s Guide noting you can’t run more than two at once. App support will matter: Tom’s Guide reports Zoom and Slack are already optimised, but how many others will be ready by 23 October is an open question.
Samsung promises seven years of OS updates. Apple doesn’t publish a number, though iPhones have historically been supported for six to seven years.
The verdict
On hardware alone, the Fold 8 is the better foldable: lighter, thinner, cheaper, with longer-proven software. The iPhone Duo wins on durability and on the one thing no spec sheet captures — it runs iOS, with your iMessage, apps and Apple Watch intact.
So the decision is mostly made by which phone you have now. If it’s an iPhone, the Duo is the foldable you’ve been waiting for, but wait for full reviews and AppleCare+ pricing if you can. If you’re on Android, or genuinely open to either, the Fold 8 is the safer £1,699.
Still deciding? Our best foldable phones guide covers the Pixel 11 Pro Fold, Honor Magic V6 and Motorola Razr Fold too. If the Honor is on your shortlist, see iPhone Duo vs Honor Magic V6, and if you plan to pre-order, our pre-order guide has the checklist. The Pixel 11 Pro Fold is compared in iPhone Duo vs Pixel 11 Pro Fold.
Where to buy
Check iPhone Duo availability on Amazon UK →
Check Galaxy Z Fold 8 price on Amazon UK →
iPhone Duo: UK price, release date and the catches • Galaxy Z Fold 8 launch: what’s new
RRP figures are manufacturer recommended prices, correct on 10 October 2026, and retail prices change frequently — always check the live price before buying. iPhone Duo pre-orders open 16 October and it goes on sale 23 October. We have not independently tested these devices; hands-on impressions are attributed to the publications that recorded them. Sources: Apple UK, Apple Newsroom, Samsung UK, MacRumors, Engadget, Tom’s Guide, TechRadar. We may earn a commission from links on this page.