Our verdict: the iPhone Duo is the best foldable for people already living in Apple's ecosystem, and still the wrong iPhone for most buyers. If you read, edit or run two apps at once every day, the 7.6-inch inner screen is a real upgrade. If you mostly text, scroll and shoot photos, the iPhone 18 Pro does it better for less.
Apple waited seven years after the first Galaxy Fold to ship a foldable, and the iPhone Duo looks like the work of a company that watched everyone else make mistakes first. It's IP68 rated, runs the full A20 Pro chip and costs $1,999, $100 more than the Galaxy Z Fold8 and $800 more than the iPhone 18 Pro.
iPhone Duo
Galaxy Z Fold8
Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra
Pixel 11 Pro Fold
Razr Fold
Honor Magic V6
The iPhone Duo by the numbers
It shipped today, October 23, so long-term reviews aren't in yet. This verdict is built on Apple's published specs and how the Duo compares with the foldables already on sale. We'll update it as independent tests land.
The Duo and its 5 rivals at a glance
iPhone Duo- A20 Pro, the fastest chip here
- IP68 with a titanium frame
- iMessage, FaceTime and Split View
The catch: heaviest and thickest, no true zoom lens.
Galaxy Z Fold8- 201 g, 9.7 mm folded
- 7.6-inch inner screen
- Samsung's three-app multitasking
The catch: IP48, no telephoto.
Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra- 200MP main camera, 3x telephoto
- 8-inch inner, 6.5-inch cover
- 8.9 mm folded
The catch: the priciest phone here, IP48.
Pixel 11 Pro Fold- The only 5x telephoto here
- IP68, same as the Duo
- 8-inch inner screen
The catch: Tensor G6 is the slowest chip here.
Razr Fold- 6,000 mAh, 80W wired charging
- 8.1-inch inner, 6.6-inch cover
- 50MP 3x telephoto
The catch: step-down Snapdragon 8 Gen 5, IP49.
- 8.8 mm folded, 219 g
- 6,660 mAh, 80W wired, 66W wireless
- 64MP 3x telephoto
The catch: you'll have to import it.
Prices and full specs
iPhone Duo prices checked October 23, 2026, on apple.com: 256GB $1,999, 512GB $2,199, 1TB $2,599 and 2TB $3,199. Rival prices are US launch prices from each maker.
| Spec | iPhone Duo | Galaxy Z Fold8 | Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra | Pixel 11 Pro Fold | Razr Fold | Honor Magic V6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US price | $1,999 | $1,899 | $2,099 | $1,899 | $1,899 | Not sold in US |
| Chip | A20 Pro (2nm) | Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 | Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 | Tensor G6 | Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 | Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 |
| Inner screen | 7.6 in | 7.6 in | 8.0 in | 8.0 in | 8.1 in | 7.95 in |
| Cover screen | 5.4 in | 5.5 in | 6.5 in | 6.5 in | 6.6 in | 6.5 in |
| Thickness (folded) | 11.3 mm | 9.7 mm | 8.9 mm | 10.1 mm | 10.1 mm | 8.8 mm |
| Weight | 254 g | 201 g | 215 g | 239 g | 243 g | 219 g |
| Battery | Dual cells (Apple doesn't list mAh) | 4,800 mAh | 5,000 mAh | 4,750 mAh | 6,000 mAh | 6,660 mAh |
| Fastest charging | 50% in 20 min wired / 30 min MagSafe | 45W wired / 20W wireless | 45W wired / 20W wireless | 30W+ wired / 25W wireless | 80W wired / 50W wireless | 80W wired / 66W wireless |
| Main camera | 48MP | 50MP | 200MP | 48MP | 50MP | 50MP |
| Telephoto | None (2x crop) | None | 10MP 3x | 10.8MP 5x | 50MP 3x | 64MP 3x |
| Water/dust | IP68 | IP48 | IP48 | IP68 | IP49 | Not stated |
Highlighted cells mark the best in each row. The Duo wins two: Apple built the strongest, fastest foldable and gave up almost everything else to do it.
Where the Duo wins and loses
| Feature | Duo | Fold8 | Fold8 Ultra | Pixel | Razr | Honor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IP68 dust and water rating | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | – |
| Dedicated telephoto lens | 2x crop | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Inner screen 8 inches or larger | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Full-width cover screen (6.5 in+) | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Under 220 g | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| 80W charging | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
| iMessage and FaceTime | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Sold in the US | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
– means the company hasn't said.
Price: premium, not luxury
The Duo costs $100 more than the Fold8, Pixel 11 Pro Fold and Razr Fold, and $100 less than the Fold8 Ultra. That's a smaller gap than the Apple tax usually is, and it starts at 256GB like its rivals.
The storage ladder climbs fast, though. 512GB is $2,199, 1TB is $2,599 and 2TB is $3,199.
Speed: not close
The Duo runs the same 2nm A20 Pro as the iPhone 18 Pro. In early Geekbench 6 results it scored about 4,719 single-core and 12,677 multi-core, against about 3,588 and 10,207 for the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. That's roughly 32% and 24% ahead, and Google's Tensor G6 trails both.
Apple adds a vapor chamber and claims up to 35% better sustained performance than the iPhone 17 Pro. A faster, cooler chip also ages better, and Apple supports its phones longer than anyone except Google.
Cameras: the Duo's weakest category
Four of the five rivals have a dedicated zoom lens. The Duo pairs a 48MP Fusion Main camera with a 48MP Ultra Wide and crops the main sensor for what Apple calls an optical-quality 2x Telephoto.
In good light the main camera should match anything here. Past 2x (stages, kids' games, wildlife) the Pixel's 5x and the Ultra's 3x will pull ahead. If the camera is why you're buying, get the Pixel 11 Pro Fold.
Battery: unknowns at Apple
Apple doesn't publish capacity. It quotes up to 24 hours of mixed use and 31 hours of video on the inner screen, which looks competitive with Google's "24+ hours" from a 4,750 mAh Pixel.
The Razr Fold (6,000 mAh) and Magic V6 (6,660 mAh) carry 25 to 40% more capacity and 80W charging. Until independent tests are out, call it a draw with Samsung and Google and a likely loss to Motorola.
Size and durability: the trade-off
At 254 grams and 11.3 mm closed, the Duo is the heaviest and thickest phone here: 53 grams more than the Fold8 and 2.5 mm thicker than the Magic V6. Open, it's 5.2 mm, the thinnest iPhone ever.
Apple's answer is durability. It's IP68, with a grade 5 titanium frame and a hinge built from more than 100 parts. Samsung's Fold8 phones are IP48, which skips dust, and only the Pixel matches Apple. For a phone with a moving hinge, dust protection matters.
Screens: smallest in the group
The 7.6-inch inner screen matches the Fold8 and is the smallest here. The cover screen is the bigger compromise: 5.4 inches, while the Ultra, Pixel, Razr and Honor use normal 6.5 to 6.6-inch panels.
Both Duo screens share one aspect ratio, so apps scale without reflowing, and Apple Pencil (USB-C) support arrives later this year.
Software: why specs aren't everything
No Android foldable gives you iMessage, FaceTime, AirDrop or Handoff to a Mac. For people already on Apple devices, that decides the purchase. iOS 27.1 adds real Split View, two Safari windows at once and saved app pairs.
Samsung's multitasking is still more powerful, with three apps and floating windows, but it's also more complicated. Netflix, Zoom and Slack already have apps built for the Duo's inner screen.
What about the iPhone 18 Pro and accessories?
The iPhone 18 Pro has the same A20 Pro for $1,199 and beats the Duo on photos, weight and battery. If you're not sure you want a foldable, it's the safer buy.
Apple also sells the Duo Case for $79 and the Folio with Kickstand for $129, which props the Duo up for video and FaceTime.
Which foldable should you buy?
The verdict
The iPhone Duo is the fastest and toughest foldable you can buy, and the heaviest one with the least zoom. It's an easy pick for iPhone users who want a tablet in their pocket; everyone else should look at the Pixel 11 Pro Fold for $100 less, or wait for battery tests now that the Duo is on sale.
FAQ
How much does the iPhone Duo cost?
The iPhone Duo starts at $1,999 for 256GB. The 512GB model is $2,199, 1TB is $2,599 and 2TB is $3,199. That's $100 more than the Galaxy Z Fold8, Pixel 11 Pro Fold and Razr Fold, and $100 less than the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra.
Is the iPhone Duo faster than Samsung and Google foldables?
Yes, by a wide margin. In early Geekbench 6 results, the Duo's A20 Pro scored about 4,719 single-core and 12,677 multi-core, roughly 32% and 24% ahead of the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 in the Galaxy Z Fold8. Google's Tensor G6 is slower still.
Does the iPhone Duo have a telephoto camera?
No. It has a 48MP main camera and a 48MP ultra-wide, and uses a 2x crop from the main sensor. The Pixel 11 Pro Fold has a 5x telephoto, and the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, Razr Fold and Honor Magic V6 have 3x telephotos.
Which foldable has the best battery?
By capacity, the Honor Magic V6 (6,660mAh, not sold in the US) and Motorola Razr Fold (6,000mAh), both with 80W charging. Apple quotes up to 24 hours of mixed use for the Duo but doesn't publish capacity, so wait for independent tests before calling it.
Is the iPhone Duo waterproof?
It's rated IP68 for water and dust, the best in its class alongside the Pixel 11 Pro Fold. Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold8 phones are IP48 and the Razr Fold is IP49, which protect against water but offer little dust protection.