The Foldable Tax: Why Apple's Late Arrival is a Win for Carriers, Not You
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As the iPhone Duo finally hits the market, a look at the competition reveals that Apple is charging a premium for a form factor others perfected years ago.
Q: What is the iPhone Duo, and when does it arrive?
A: As Engadget first reported, the iPhone Duo is Apple's first foldable smartphone. Pre-orders for the device begin on October 16, with the phone officially hitting stores on October 23.
Q: Is Apple the first to market with this 'passport' style foldable design?
A: Not by a long shot. Engadget reports that several competitors have been exploring this space for some time. The Xiaomi 18 Fold, for instance, hit the market only a few days before Apple unveiled the Duo. Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold8, which launched in August, also adopted a wider "passport" shape for its base model, moving away from the square design of previous iterations.
Q: How does the iPhone Duo's hardware stack up against these established rivals?
A: On paper, Apple is lagging behind on several key specs. Engadget notes that the iPhone Duo weighs 254 grams, making it heavier than the Xiaomi 18 Fold, which weighs 219 grams. In terms of thickness, the Duo measures 11.3 mm when closed, while Oppo's Find N6 is significantly thinner at 8.93mm.
Furthermore, the display brightness is a major gap; the Motorola Razr Fold boasts a peak brightness of 6,000 nits, doubling the 3,000 nits found on the iPhone Duo. Battery life is another area where Apple is outclassed: both the Motorola Razr Fold and the Oppo Find N6 feature 6,000mAh batteries and 80W charging, whereas the Oppo's battery is 1,600mAh larger than the Z Fold7.
Q: What about the cameras?
A: Apple is missing out on the optical zoom range provided by the triple-lens systems found on the Xiaomi 18 Fold and the Motorola Razr Fold. Additionally, Engadget highlights that the Oppo Find N6 features a 200-megapixel main camera.
Q: Is the iPhone Duo priced competitively?
A: Hardly. Engadget reports the iPhone Duo starts at $2,000. In comparison, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 starts at $1,900, and the Motorola Razr Fold also starts at $1,900. For those looking at international models, the pricing is even more stark: the Xiaomi 18 Fold starts at approximately $1,640 (10,999 yuan), and the Oppo Find N6 starts at approximately $1,490 (9,999 yuan).
Q: Does Apple offer anything that justifies this premium price?
A: Apple is leaning heavily on its ecosystem. Engadget reports that iOS 27 includes specific optimizations for the foldable format, such as various usage modes and animations when transitioning between screens.