Apple has finally entered the foldable phone market with the iPhone Duo, providing Samsung and Google with some direct competition. The device joins the current-gen Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold, but Apple has taken a slightly different approach with its first foldable. We’ve compared all three smartphones on specs, features, and price tag.

All three are book-style foldables with a smaller outer screen and a much larger display when opened. However, there are major differences in their size, weight, displays, cameras, performance, and battery features. It’s also worth noting that Samsung released a Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra for its 2026 line-up, priced from $2,099, but we’re focusing on the base model for this comparison.

iPhone Duo vs Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold vs Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 specs, features, and price

The iPhone Duo isn’t going on sale until October 23 (following pre-orders on October 16), so real-world testing will be needed before we can say how it truly compares with Samsung and Google’s latest foldables. But based on the specifications and features revealed so far, we can at least see how the three stack up on paper.

Design & dimensions

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 has a major advantage when it comes to portability. It weighs only 201g, compared to 239g for the Pixel 11 Pro Fold and 254g for the iPhone Duo. In fact, Apple’s foldable is the heaviest of the three by a considerable margin.

Samsung also wins when it comes to thickness. The Z Fold 8 measures just 4.5mm when unfolded and 9.7mm when folded. Google’s foldable sits at 5mm and 10.1mm, respectively, while the iPhone Duo measures 5.2mm when open and 11.3mm when closed.

Apple does have an advantage in durability on paper. The iPhone Duo uses a Grade 5 titanium frame and hinge, Ceramic Shield protection, and carries an IP68 rating. The Pixel 11 Pro Fold is also IP68-rated, while the Galaxy Z Fold 8 has an IP48 rating.

Display

Google offers the largest inner and outer displays of the three. The Pixel 11 Pro Fold features an 8-inch 120Hz LTPO OLED inner display and a 6.5-inch cover screen, making it a strong option for users who want as much screen space as possible.

The iPhone Duo and Galaxy Z Fold 8 both have 7.6-inch inner displays with 120Hz refresh rates. However, the Duo uses a 5.4-inch outer screen, while Samsung’s is slightly larger at 5.5 inches. Brightness is another area where the Pixel looks strong on paper, with a claimed peak of 3,600 nits. Both the iPhone Duo and Galaxy Z Fold 8 reach up to 3,000 nits.

Apple has also given the Duo’s inner display a nano-texture finish designed to reduce glare and reflections. Both of its displays support ProMotion, while the inner screen has a hidden FaceTime camera to avoid interrupting the viewing area.

Performance, RAM & storage

The three phones use very different processors. The iPhone Duo is powered by Apple’s new 2nm A20 Pro. Apple says the chip’s 7-core GPU is up to 40% faster than the A19 Pro, while a custom vapor chamber helps maintain performance during demanding workloads.

Samsung uses the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 in the Galaxy Z Fold 8, while Google relies on its own Tensor G6 in the Pixel 11 Pro Fold. We can’t directly judge which is fastest from specifications alone, especially since the iPhone Duo hasn’t been independently benchmarked yet. Real-world testing will give us a much better picture of how the A20 Pro compares with the latest Snapdragon and Tensor chips. At the very least, the Snapdragon chip outperforms the Tensor G6, but the A20 Pro might pull ahead.

Aside from that, Google provides 16GB of RAM as standard, while Samsung offers 12GB or 16GB depending on the configuration. The Duo, on the other hand, has 12GB. However, Apple offers up to 2TB of storage, while Samsung and Google top out at 1TB.

Cameras

The iPhone Duo has two rear cameras: a 48MP main camera and 48MP ultrawide. There isn’t a dedicated telephoto camera, although the main sensor can provide an optical-quality 2x option. Samsung follows a similar dual-camera approach with a 50MP main and 50MP ultrawide camera. It also lacks a dedicated telephoto lens.

Google is the only one of the three with a dedicated telephoto camera. The Pixel 11 Pro Fold combines a 48MP main, 10.5MP ultrawide, and 10.8MP telephoto with 5x optical zoom, giving it more flexibility on paper when shooting distant subjects.

Battery & charging

The Pixel 11 Pro Fold has a 4,806mAh battery, while Samsung includes a 4,800mAh unit. Apple hasn’t officially focused on a traditional capacity figure for the Duo, instead using two battery cells that iOS manages as a single battery, estimated to be around 5,400mAh.

Apple claims up to 31 hours of video playback using the 7.6-inch inner display and up to 44 hours when using the outer screen. For mixed everyday usage across both screens, the Duo is rated for up to 24 hours.

Charging is competitive across all three. The Duo can reach 50% in around 20 minutes with a compatible wired charger and supports 25W MagSafe/Qi2 wireless charging. Samsung offers 45W wired and 20W wireless charging, while Google provides 30W wired and 25W wireless charging.

Launch price comparison (USD)

• Apple iPhone Duo
  • 256GB: $1,999
  • 512GB: $2,199
  • 1TB: $2,599
  • 2TB: $3,199
• Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8
  • 256GB: $1,899
  • 512GB: $2,099
  • 1TB: $2,499
• Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold
  • 256GB: $1,899
  • 512GB: $2,099
  • 1TB: $2,249

As you may have expected, the iPhone option comes with an additional price premium compared to these two rivals. It’s also worth noting that since the Samsung and Google phones have been out for a little longer, they are more susceptible to a deal right now (we’ve already seen it happen since launch).

About the Author

Abdul Haddi

Abdul is a tech writer and Editor for PC Guide, specializing in all things tech, gaming, and hardware.