Apple has finally entered the foldable smartphone market with the iPhone Duo, seven years after Samsung pioneered the category. In a hands-on comparison with Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold8, the two devices emerge as luxury products built around the same promise — fitting a tablet into a pocket — but shaped by different philosophies.
The iPhone Duo is presented as Apple's attempt to reinvent how people use a phone, applying the company's familiar focus on optimizing the user experience. The comparison describes its screen as masterful while flagging its price as prohibitive. It follows the Mac, the iPhone and the Apple Watch as another example of Apple turning a complex concept into a user-friendly tool, according to the article.
The Galaxy Z Fold8, now in its eighth generation, is positioned as the lighter, thinner and less expensive alternative, with arguments of its own. Samsung's line has come a long way since 2019, when the first Galaxy Fold impressed with its audacity but also its flaws: it was thick, fragile and costly, and looked more like a prototype than a mass-market product. Seven years later, Samsung is credited with offering a mature device.
The comparison frames the choice as one between two luxury foldables with distinct priorities: Apple's display-focused debut at a high price, and Samsung's more refined and more affordable hardware. Despite the different approaches, it notes that the principle behind both devices remains the same.
Sources: Le Figaro.