Apple has finally entered the foldable phone market with the iPhone Duo, but its $1,999 starting price is not the highest price attached to a folding phone. Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra costs even more in the US, putting the two phones in a very small and expensive group.
The comparison gets more interesting because the Samsung model offers a larger inner screen and a different hardware package, while Apple’s foldable brings its own strengths with iOS 27, the A20 Pro chip and Apple Pencil support.
Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra Costs More
The phone that makes the iPhone Duo look surprisingly affordable is the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra. Samsung launched the Ultra version alongside the regular Galaxy Z Fold 8 in July 2026.
In the US, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra starts at $2,099.99 for the 256GB model. That puts it about $100 above Apple’s $1,999 starting price for the 256GB iPhone Duo.
The difference is small at the entry level, but it becomes easier to understand when the two phones are compared across their features and storage options.
| Phone | Starting price in the US | Base storage | Inner display |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple iPhone Duo | $1,999 | 256GB | 7.6 inches |
| Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra | $2,099.99 | 256GB | 8 inches |
Samsung’s Ultra model also goes beyond the iPhone Duo in some hardware areas. It has an 8-inch folding screen, a 6.5-inch cover screen, a 5,000mAh battery and a triple rear camera system.
The iPhone Duo Is Still Extremely Expensive
Calling the iPhone Duo “cheap” would obviously be misleading. It is Apple’s most expensive iPhone, with a starting price of $1,999 in the US.
The phone opens like a small book and gives users a 7.6-inch inner display. Its outside screen measures 5.4 inches. Apple designed the software around the larger screen, allowing users to work with multiple apps in a way that is closer to a small tablet.
The iPhone Duo is also available with much more storage. Its US prices are:
- 256GB: $1,999
- 512GB: $2,199
- 1TB: $2,599
- 2TB: $3,199
The 2TB version is where the price becomes especially difficult to ignore. At $3,199, it costs $1,200 more than the entry-level Duo and moves well beyond the price of most high-end smartphones.
Samsung Gives Buyers a Bigger Screen
The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra has one obvious advantage over the iPhone Duo: its folding display is larger.
Samsung’s Ultra model has an 8-inch internal screen, compared with the iPhone Duo’s 7.6-inch display. Its outside display is also considerably larger, measuring 6.5 inches compared with the Duo’s 5.4-inch cover screen.
That difference can matter for people who want to use the phone without opening it. A larger outer screen gives more room for typing, reading messages, browsing websites and using regular phone apps.
The Samsung phone also uses a 5,000mAh battery and has a triple-camera setup on the back. The iPhone Duo uses two 48-megapixel rear cameras and focuses heavily on Apple’s software and image processing.
Apple Has Some Features Samsung Does Not
Price alone does not tell the whole story. Apple has added several features to the Duo that make its first foldable different from Samsung’s approach.
The iPhone Duo uses the A20 Pro chip and runs iOS 27. Apple has also added support for Apple Pencil, giving the large inner screen another use beyond normal phone tasks.
The Duo also has an IP68 rating for dust and water protection. Apple has worked on the folding display to reduce the feel and appearance of the crease, while its nano-texture surface is designed to make the inner screen feel smoother.
Apple has also built iOS 27 around the folding design. The company says the software can treat the large screen more like a wider workspace instead of simply stretching a normal phone interface.
India’s Price Difference Is Much Bigger
The biggest surprise comes when the phones are compared in India. The iPhone Duo starts at Rs 2,99,900 for 256GB, while the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra starts at Rs 1,99,999.
That creates a gap of about Rs 1 lakh before moving to higher storage versions.
| Model | India starting price | Base storage |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone Duo | Rs 2,99,900 | 256GB |
| Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra | Rs 1,99,999 | 256GB |
| Galaxy Z Fold 8 | Rs 1,79,999 | 256GB |
The difference is much larger than the $100 gap between the two Ultra-class phones in the US. This means the value question around Apple’s foldable can look very different depending on where the buyer lives.
In India, a buyer choosing between these two Samsung and Apple foldables is being asked to spend considerably more for the iPhone Duo.
Why the Comparison Matters
The iPhone Duo and Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra are aimed at people who want a large folding screen without carrying a separate tablet. Both use a book-style design, but they take different approaches to hardware and software.
For Apple users, the Duo offers a familiar iOS experience in a new form. It also adds Apple Pencil support and a large internal display. For Samsung users, the Fold 8 Ultra offers a bigger folding screen, a large cover display, a 5,000mAh battery and a more established foldable design.
The choice therefore depends on more than the name on the back of the phone.
The iPhone Duo may make sense for someone already deeply invested in Apple’s ecosystem and who wants a foldable iPhone specifically. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra can look more attractive to buyers who care about screen size, Android flexibility and Samsung’s foldable hardware.
The Real Surprise Is the Pricing
Apple’s $1,999 starting price initially looked shocking because it makes the iPhone Duo far more expensive than a normal flagship phone. But Samsung’s $2,099.99 Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra changes that comparison.
Suddenly, the iPhone Duo is not the most expensive premium foldable in the US. It is actually $100 cheaper than Samsung’s Ultra model at the entry level.
The situation is very different in India, where the iPhone Duo’s Rs 2,99,900 starting price is far above the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra’s Rs 1,99,999 starting price.
That makes the iPhone Duo look relatively reasonable in the US but much harder to justify in India.
The Bottom Line
The iPhone Duo is expensive by almost any normal smartphone standard, but it is not alone at the top of the foldable market. Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra starts at an even higher price in the US while offering a larger folding display and powerful hardware.
Apple’s advantage comes from its software, ecosystem and features such as Apple Pencil support and the company’s redesigned foldable experience. Samsung counters with a larger screen, a large battery and a strong camera system.
So the headline has an important twist: the iPhone Duo only looks surprisingly cheap when it is compared with Samsung’s most expensive foldable. For most buyers, both phones remain luxury smartphones, and the much bigger question is whether a folding screen is worth spending around $2,000 or more in the first place.