iPhone Duo vs. Galaxy Z Fold8 and Fold8 Ultra: Which Foldable Should You Buy?

Apple is entering the foldable phone market with iPhone Duo, taking on Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold8 and Fold8 Ultra. For iPhone owners, it offers a bigger screen without the switch to Android. Samsung makes that choice more interesting with lighter phones, more flexible multitasking, and a dedicated zoom camera on the Ultra.

The iPhone Duo starts at $1,999, with pre-orders opening October 16 and availability beginning October 23. Both Samsungs are already on sale, with U.S. list prices starting at $1,899.99 for Fold8 and $2,099.99 for Fold8 Ultra. At these prices, the right choice depends on how much you'll use the extra screen and what you're willing to compromise to get it.

Which Screen Shape Suits You?

You'll notice the difference before opening the phones. Duo and Fold8 have short, wide cover screens measuring 5.4 and 5.5 inches, respectively. The Ultra's 6.5-inch outer display is taller and narrower, closer to the shape of a conventional phone.

If you type with both thumbs, the wider cover screens may appeal. The Ultra's narrower shape is worth considering if you tend to use your phone one-handed, and its taller display leaves more vertical room for a conversation or a long feed.

Duo and Fold8 both open to a 7.6-inch display, with Duo a little wider in landscape than Fold8's 4:3 panel. Both suit landscape video, while the Ultra's more nearly square 8-inch screen gives you a larger workspace for documents and multiple apps. For films, the picture size and black bars will depend on the video's proportions as well as the screen's shape.

Duo's inner display also has a nano-texture finish designed to reduce glare, a useful feature for reading or watching video in bright surroundings.

Weight and Durability

The bigger compromise with Duo may be carrying it. At 254 grams, it weighs 53 grams more than Fold8 and 39 grams more than Fold8 Ultra. It is also thicker when closed: 11.3mm, compared with 9.7mm for Fold8 and 8.9mm for the Ultra. Adding a case will only increase the bulk.

Duo is rated IP68, compared with IP48 for both Samsungs, giving it stronger dust protection and a deeper laboratory water-test rating. Apple has also confirmed that Duo's display cover layer can be replaced.

A Hinge That Can Double as a Stand

Duo and Fold8 Ultra can hold their screens partly open, so you can set either phone on a table for a video call without a separate stand. The regular Fold8 is designed for open or closed use and doesn't support Samsung's Flex Mode. That makes it less convenient if you often prop up your phone to watch something or join a call.

Apps, Multitasking, and Apple Pencil

Samsung makes a strong case if you want to use your foldable for work. Multi Window lets you keep several apps on screen, a taskbar helps you move between them, and Samsung DeX provides a desktop-style interface on a connected display. That gives you room to keep a browser, notes, and a conversation open together instead of continually switching apps.

Duo brings side-by-side apps to iOS 27, letting iPhone owners keep familiar apps, purchases, and Apple accessories while gaining a wider workspace. Developers can adapt their layouts using Apple's guidance for Duo apps, though the use of that extra space will vary by app.

Handwritten notes could give Duo another use. Apple Pencil (USB-C) support is coming later in 2026, after the phone launches; neither Samsung supports S Pen. Pencil users will need to wait for that update before they can use Duo as a digital notepad.

The Ultra Adds a Telephoto Camera

Fold8 Ultra is the only model here with a dedicated telephoto camera. Its 10MP 3x lens sits alongside a 200MP main camera and a 50MP ultrawide. Duo and the regular Fold8 have just main and ultrawide cameras, at 48MP each on Duo and 50MP each on Fold8. Both get their 2x view by cropping the main sensor.

That extra reach is useful if you often photograph subjects you can't get close to, such as a child across a playing field or a detail high on a building. The telephoto lens is a practical reason to choose the Ultra over the other two phones.

For video, Duo's main camera records up to 4K Dolby Vision at 120 fps, while both Samsungs offer up to 8K at 30 fps. Duo has a 12MP Center Stage camera on the cover screen and a separate under-display camera inside, with the latter limited to 1080p video. Samsung uses 10MP cameras on both the inner and cover screens of each phone.

Battery Life and Charging

The Ultra lasted more than two hours longer than Fold8 in Tom's Guide's 5G web-browsing test: 14 hours, 33 minutes versus 12 hours, 19 minutes. Duo wasn't part of that test.

Apple's own rating is up to 31 hours of local video playback on Duo's inner display or 44 hours on the outer one. Samsung lists up to 26 hours for Fold8 and 27 hours for the Ultra. The companies use different video tests, so these ratings aren't directly comparable.

Duo supports MagSafe and Qi2 wireless charging at up to 25W. Both Samsungs support up to 20W wirelessly and need a compatible magnetic case to attach to magnetic accessories. For wired charging, Samsung rates both phones at up to 45W; Apple says Duo can reach 50% in around 20 minutes using a 60W-capable adapter.

Pricing and Storage

Samsung's discounts can change the buying decision. On October 2, Samsung's U.S. store offered the 256GB Ultra for $1,799.99 without a trade-in, temporarily making it cheaper than the entry-level Duo. It's worth checking the current offers before choosing between them.

All three start with 256GB. Samsung offers 512GB and 1TB configurations, while Duo also goes up to 2TB. Samsung pairs 12GB of RAM with its 256GB and 512GB models and 16GB with 1TB. Apple does not publish Duo's RAM capacity in its specifications.

iPhone Duo vs. Galaxy Z Fold8 Specifications

Which One Should You Buy?

For most iPhone owners looking for a foldable, iPhone Duo is the one we'd recommend waiting for. It brings a larger screen and side-by-side apps to iOS while keeping your existing app purchases, Apple services, and familiar way of using your phone.

The appeal goes beyond staying with Apple. Duo pairs a glare-reducing nano-texture display with MagSafe and a hinge that can support the phone for calls or video. Apple Pencil (USB-C) support is also coming later in 2026. Those features make it a compelling option for reading, watching video, and getting more done on your phone, despite its extra weight and lack of a dedicated telephoto camera.

The Galaxy models are worth considering if you prefer Android or specifically need DeX, a lighter phone, or the Ultra's telephoto camera. For readers happy with their iPhone and other Apple devices, though, we'd wait for Duo rather than change platforms just to get a folding screen.