{"id":634210,"date":"2026-10-02T12:50:19","date_gmt":"2026-10-02T12:50:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/634210\/"},"modified":"2026-10-02T12:50:19","modified_gmt":"2026-10-02T12:50:19","slug":"pre-ordering-iphone-duo-3-big-reasons-to-consider-galaxy-z-fold-8-first","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/634210\/","title":{"rendered":"Pre-ordering iPhone Duo? 3 big reasons to consider Galaxy Z Fold 8 first"},"content":{"rendered":"

The iPhone Duo<\/a> is almost here, and there are lots of reasons to snatch up Apple\u2019s first foldable phone come October 16 when pre-orders begin. It gives you a compact 5.4-inch phone and 7.6-inch mini tablet in one device, and it looks like an awesome option for those who want a more immersive viewing experience on the go along with dual-app multitasking \u2014 finally!<\/p>\n

But as many in our comments have reminded me, Samsung has been making foldable phones for seven years. And that experience shows in the Galaxy Z Fold 8<\/a>. It has a similar passport-style design to the iPhone Duo, but it offers some pretty unique advantages over Apple\u2019s device and could be the best foldable phone<\/a> for you. If you\u2019re on the fence about getting an iPhone Duo or Galaxy Z Fold 8, here\u2019s where Samsung\u2019s device could sway you.<\/p>\n

iPhone Duo: Don\u2019t Pre-Order Until You Watch This – YouTube
\n\"iPhone<\/p>\n

Watch On <\/a>
\nIt\u2019s considerably thinner and lighter<\/p>\n

I only played around with the iPhone Duo for about an hour between various hands-on sessions, but it definitely feels heftier than the Galaxy Z Fold 8. Sure, the iPhone Duo is technically the \u201cthinnest iPhone ever,\u201d at just 5.2 mm unfolded. That\u2019s even less than the iPhone Air<\/a>\u2019s 5.64mm. However, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 is only 4.5 mm.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

When folded, the iPhone Duo measures 11.3mm thick, compared to 9.7mm for the Fold 8. For context, the iPhone 18 Pro Max is 8.75mm thick. So while the Duo will slip into a pocket with ease, it will take up some room.<\/p>\n

In addition, the iPhone Duo weighs 8.96 ounces or 254 grams, while the Fold 8 is a feather light 7.09 ounces (201 grams). Samsung\u2019s foldable is even lighter than the regular iPhone 18 Pro (7.44 ounces), which has a relatively tiny 6.3 inch display compared to the 7.6-inch panel on the Fold 8.<\/p>\n

You may like<\/p>\n

You can run more apps at once<\/p>\n

\n

\"iPhone\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)<\/p>\n

I give Apple plenty of credit for making running two apps at once so seamless and intuitive on the iPhone Duo. You just select an app and then place it on the left or right side of the display. From there you can easily create app pairs and go back to them at any time. And it\u2019s also a cinch to switch out apps; you just swipe up and go back to the home screen \u2014 it\u2019s like having two distinct desktops.<\/p>\n

\n

\"Galaxy\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)<\/p>\n

However, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 can let you run three tiled apps at the same time on screen. So, for example, I could have Gmail<\/a> in one window, Slack in another and Spotify<\/a> in another. It\u2019s pretty cool. Plus, Samsung lets you put up to five floating windows on top. Now, eight apps at once seems like overkill to me, but it\u2019s pretty amazing that you have that flexibility.<\/p>\n

Sign up to the Tom’s iGuide weekly newsletter with coverage on everything from product launches to software updates, this is your go-to source for the latest updates on all the best Apple content.<\/p>\n

Gemini AI is more advanced<\/p>\n

\n

\"Galaxy\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)<\/p>\n

Siri AI<\/a> is definitely improved in iOS 27, and it lets you do some pretty cool things on the iPhone Duo. You get better personal context understanding in all sorts of apps, including Messages and Notes. And there\u2019s on-screen awareness, so you can say things like \u201cadd these items to my shopping list.\u201d And I also appreciate that there\u2019s finally a Siri<\/a> mode in the camera app, so you don\u2019t have to think about performing any shortcuts.<\/p>\n

However, I think Galaxy AI and Gemini on the Galaxy Z Fold 8 are not only more advanced but more tailored to the foldable experience. For example, Now Nudge<\/a> gives you suggestions in Messages for apps that you can open in split-screen mode, such as Calendar.<\/p>\n

And Gemini itself is just more versatile than Siri AI. You can share your live camera video in real time and get advice and troubleshooting tips. I did this when trying to figure out how to clean out battery corrosion from an outdoor flood light.<\/p>\n

What to read next<\/p>\n

Bonus: It\u2019s $100 cheaper<\/p>\n

\n

\"Galaxy\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)<\/p>\n

The Galaxy Fold 8 starts at $1,799, which is $100 less than the iPhone Duo. Plus, there are already some pretty good deals out there. At time of writing I found the Fold 8 for just $1,649 on Best Buy<\/a>, which is $250 off.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m sure there will be plenty of iPhone Duo pre-order deals<\/a> around Apple\u2019s launch as well, so you should be able to get it at a discount. But as of now the Fold 8 is a better value.<\/p>\n

Where the iPhone Duo wins<\/p>\n

\n

\"iPhone\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)<\/p>\n

As good as Samsung\u2019s foldable is, there are several ways the iPhone Duo beats the Fold 8<\/a>. For example, the iPhone Duo offers an IP68 rating for durability, which means it\u2019s protected from both water and dust. Samsung\u2019s phone is only water resistant.<\/p>\n

In addition, the iPhone Duo offers MagSafe built in for wireless charging, Apple Pencil support and vapor chamber cooling, which will presumably help with sustained performance for Apple\u2019s faster A20 chip<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But Apple\u2019s biggest advantage will likely come with software and apps. The iPhone Duo\u2019s software can react based on the position of the hinge while the Fold 8 lacks Samsung\u2019s Flex Mode. And I expect a sizable wave of Duo optimized apps at launch, including Slack, Netflix and Zoom.<\/p>\n

Bottom line<\/p>\n

\n

\"In-hand\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)<\/p>\n

The iPhone Duo clearly has the most buzz, and it makes sense because Apple is entering a new category. But I wouldn\u2019t overlook the Galaxy Z Fold 8. It feels so light and thin that it almost seems like Samsung cheated physics. And if you like the idea of multitasking on a big screen, the Fold 8 lets you run more apps at once. And while Siri is smarter than ever, Samsung and Google<\/a> are in the lead with AI features.<\/p>\n

So which foldable has your interest? Let us know in the comments.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The iPhone Duo is almost here, and there are lots of reasons to snatch up Apple\u2019s first foldable…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":634211,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[85,46,321,125],"class_list":["post-634210","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-mobile","tag-il","tag-israel","tag-mobile","tag-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/634210","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=634210"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/634210\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/634211"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=634210"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=634210"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=634210"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}