Apple’s launch of the iPhone Duo challenges Samsung’s leadership in foldable phones, prompting a strategic and rapid counterattack from the South Korean tech giant as it aims to defend its market share amid burgeoning competition.
Apple’s entry into foldable phones has triggered an immediate counterattack from Samsung, which is trying to frame the new iPhone Duo as late, heavy and less refined than its own Galaxy Z Fold range. Mobilsiden reported that Samsung moved quickly with promotional material ahead of the launch, while company comments in Denmark presented the wider competition as healthy for the category. The underlying message was sharper: Samsung wants to defend its lead before Apple’s brand power reshapes the market.
According to the launch coverage, Apple unveiled the iPhone Duo at its event on 9 September 2026, pricing it at $1,999 in the US. The device has a 7.6-inch inner display, a 5.4-inch outer screen, an A20 Pro chip and a dual 48MP camera system. Reports from What Hi-Fi, Creative Bloq and Android Central said Apple has also given the phone features such as titanium construction, eSIM-only support and strong water resistance, though it lacks some familiar iPhone touches, including Face ID and a telephoto lens.
Samsung’s argument is less about novelty than maturity. The company has spent nearly a decade refining foldable hardware, and its executives have told the media that weight is one of the most important factors in convincing buyers that foldables are practical rather than experimental. Samsung’s own latest Galaxy Z Fold model is being positioned as lighter and thinner than Apple’s first attempt, which is why the company has leaned so heavily into the language of efficiency and polish.
Yet Apple’s history in new product categories gives Samsung little comfort. The iPhone maker does not need to be first or technically most advanced to dominate public attention, and analysts quoted by multiple technology outlets expect the Duo to draw sales quickly from rival foldables. Counterpoint data cited in the Danish report suggested Samsung still leads the global foldable market, with Huawei in second place, but Apple’s arrival is likely to change that balance fast. The immediate contest is no longer about whether foldables work; it is about which brand consumers trust to make them mainstream.
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