The iPhone Duo is now out in the open, so how does it compare to the other notable foldables launched this year.
The iPhone ~~Fold~~ ~~Ultra~~ Duo has officially broken cover, as Apple finally throws its hat into the foldable ring.
There are several unknowns regarding this device right now, such as when or indeed if, it will be launching in South Africa. Also missing is the local recommended pricing, with the iPhone Duo starting at $1 999 (~R32 065) Stateside.
Pre-orders are set to open on 16th October in 70 countries, which should include South Africa, so we should get an idea of local pricing a little over a month from now.
iPhone Duo with a 5.4″ outer display (left) and 7.6″ inner display (right).
In the interim, we can at least take a look at the specifications of the iPhone Duo and compare it to some of the other notable flagship foldables launched this year.
From Apple’s perspective, the iPhone Duo is sporting some enviable capabilities, as well as being manufactured from industry-leading materials, which it believes will yield a foldable that will be difficult to ignore.
“Opened, it is the thinnest iPhone ever, with a 7.6-inch inner display that provides a large canvas for viewing content, gaming, and multitasking, and a special nano-texture finish that minimizes glare for an unparalleled viewing experience. Closed, the 5.4-inch outer display delivers 90 percent of the screen area of iPhone 18 Pro in a compact, pocketable design. Both displays share the same aspect ratio, so content scales proportionally, ensuring visual continuity. iPhone Duo is built to last with an innovative hardware design and a precision hinge that offers a smooth, satisfying feel with every use,” Apple shared in its announcement.
“Powered by the new A20 Pro, iPhone Duo features an advanced thermal management system with a custom-designed vapor chamber and a dual-battery architecture, delivering pro performance and impressive all-day battery life. The advanced camera system takes stunning photos and videos, with the folding design unlocking fun new ways to use the camera that aren’t possible on any other iPhone,” it continued.
The iPhone Duo colourways – Star White and Night Sky.
For the purposes of our comparison, we have selected three devices – two of which are the same passport-style foldable that Apple has opted for in the iPhone Duo. The choices are the recently launched Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8, the impending Huawei Pura X Max, and more regular bar-shaped HONOR Magic V6.
The specifications of the three foldables, as well as the iPhone Duo, are as follows:
Apple iPhone Duo
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8
Huawei Pura X Max
HONOR Magic V6
Outer Display
5.4″ Super Retina XDR OLED (2034×1398)5.5″ Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X (1848×1264)5.4″ LTPO2 AMOLED (1848×1264)6.52″ OLED (2420×1080)
Inner Display
7.6″ Super Retina XDR OLED (2670×1878)7.6″ Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X (2854×1828)7.7″ LTPO2 AMOLED (2584×1828)7.95″ LTPO2 AMOLED (2352×2172)
Dimensions
117.8mm x 164.6mm x 5.2mm161.4mm x 123.9mm x 4.9 mm (unfolded)166.5mm x 120mm x 5.2mm156.7mm x 145.6mm x 4mm (Unfolded)
Weight
254g199g229g224g
Processor
Apple A20 ProQualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for SamsungKirin 9030 ProQualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5
RAM
12GB12GB12GB16GB
Storage
Up to 2TBUp to 512GBUp to 1TBUp to 1TB
Battery
5 800mAh4 800mAh5 300mAh6 600mAh
Rear Cameras
48MP wide-angle, 48MP ultra wide-angle50MP wide-angle, 50MP ultra wide-angle50MP wide-angle, 50MP periscope telephoto, 12.5MP ultra wide-angle50MP wide-angle, 50MP ultra wide-angle, 64MP periscope telephoto
Front Cameras
12MP wide-angle, FaceTime Camera10MP wide-angle, 10MP ultra wide-angle8MP wide-angle20MP wide-angle
Connectivity
5G, WiFi 7, Bluetooth 6.05G, WiFi 7, Bluetooth 5.45G, WiFi 7, Bluetooth 6.05G, WiFi 7, Bluetooth 6.0
Colours
Star White, Night SkyCream, Graphte, LavenderBlack, Blue, White, Olive, OrangeRed
RRP
TBCFrom R40 999TBCR39 999
We have highlighted the areas where each device beats its competitors in orange in the table above. The HONOR Magic V6 gets quite a few wins here based purely on its form factor, which affords larger outer and inner displays, as well as more space internally for the battery and camera.
The three areas that iPhone Duo performs best are its processor, storage, and connectivity. When it comes to the processor, Apple says it is the fastest currently available on any phone on the market, so we will have to take its word on it, until we can test it out for ourselves.
That said, by most of the metrics, the margins are fairly fine between all the devices, so outside of the operating ecosystem, it will be interesting to see which elements of performance the iPhone Duo excels in. We’re particularly interested in the new camera setup, which has been upgraded and features on the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max.
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