While Apple’s first foldable handset pre-orders open on 16 October, Samsung’s refined Galaxy Z Fold 8 offers a slimmer, more versatile, and AI-rich alternative for users prioritising practical foldables over brand hype.
Apple’s first foldable handset will attract immediate attention when pre-orders open on 16 October, but Samsung’s latest book-style model still has a strong case for buyers who care more about day-to-day practicality than launch hype. Tom’s Guide says the iPhone Duo brings Apple into the foldable market with a compact outer screen and a larger internal display for reading, video and split-screen use. Yet the publication also argues that the Galaxy Z Fold 8 remains the more mature device in several important respects, drawing on seven years of Samsung foldable development and a design that has already been refined across multiple generations.
The clearest advantage is physical design. According to Tom’s Guide, Samsung’s phone is both thinner and lighter than Apple’s new entrant, which matters more on a foldable than on a conventional slab device. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 is quoted at 4.5mm when unfolded and 9.7mm when shut, while the iPhone Duo is described as 5.2mm open and 11.3mm folded. It is also notably lighter at 201g, compared with 254g for Apple’s device. That difference may seem modest on paper, but on a product meant to bridge the gap between phone and tablet, weight and thickness shape how often people actually use it.
Samsung also appears to have the edge in multitasking. Tom’s Guide says Apple has made dual-app use straightforward on the iPhone Duo, with easy app pairing and fast switching between layouts. Even so, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 can run three tiled apps side by side and supports additional floating windows on top, giving it more flexibility for people who want to keep several tasks open at once. That makes the Samsung model better suited to users who want a pocketable workstation rather than a simple large-screen phone.
Artificial intelligence is another area where Samsung and Google still appear to have the lead. Tom’s Guide says Siri has improved on the iPhone Duo, with better context awareness and on-screen understanding, but it still sees Galaxy AI and Gemini as more capable and better adapted to foldable use. Features such as suggested split-screen pairings, live camera-based help and more flexible assistance across apps make the Samsung experience feel broader and more interactive. That advantage matters because foldables are as much about software behaviour as they are about hardware engineering.
Price may also influence the decision. Tom’s Guide says the Galaxy Z Fold 8 starts at $1,799, which is $100 less than the iPhone Duo, and notes that discounts are already available through retailers such as Best Buy. Other comparisons highlighted by the same publication give Apple the advantage in durability, with an IP68 rating for dust and water protection, plus built-in MagSafe, Apple Pencil support and vapour chamber cooling. In other words, the iPhone Duo may be the more polished all-rounder, but Samsung’s foldable still looks like the sharper choice for buyers who value slimness, multitasking and AI depth over Apple’s newer ecosystem extras.
Disclaimer: This content is intended for informational purposes only. Readers are advised to exercise their own judgement, conduct due diligence, or consult a qualified expert before acting on any information provided.
