The iPhone Duo is Apple's first foldable phone, set to be offered from October 23 with a base price of $1,999. Although the hardware design of this phone at first glance bears a strong resemblance to models like the Galaxy Z Fold 8, Apple has tried to create a different and more cohesive experience for foldable phone users by developing dedicated software.
According to Eitna, citing Techspot, the most important strength of the iPhone Duo is software optimized for the foldable display. Apple has made numerous changes in the new version of its operating system and apps; from moving app icons from the bottom to the side of the display to smooth visual transitions of content when opening the phone and moving from the outer screen to the large internal display. These details prevent the phone from seeming like merely a regular iPhone with a foldable screen.
Some of the iPhone Duo's features have been seen earlier in products from Samsung, Motorola, and Google, but Apple has focused on harmonizing and polishing these capabilities. This focus can make the foldable phone experience more appealing to newcomers.
In terms of hardware, the iPhone Duo is slightly shorter and wider compared to the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and feels more comfortable in the hand when open or closed. However, the Samsung phone is about 1.87 ounces lighter and nearly 0.7 millimeters thinner, reflecting Samsung's years of experience in designing foldable phones.
One of the important features of the iPhone Duo is the nano-texture coating of the internal display, which makes the crease almost invisible. The phone also benefits from an IP68 resistance rating, which is better than the IP48 resistance of the Galaxy Z Fold 8.
The iPhone Duo's $1,999 base price is also lower than early predictions and is only $100 more than the Galaxy Z Fold 8 with similar capacity. Of course, the 2 TB version of this phone will be very expensive at $3,199.
Currently, foldable phones account for about 2 percent of the global smartphone market, but they remain one of the fastest-growing segments. Apple's entry could increase public attention to these products and raise the share of foldable phones to about 10 percent over the coming years.