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Apple's iPhone Duo and Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8 are the two foldable smartphones from 2026 chasing the same idea. Both fold sideways into a short, wide body — dubbed passport-style — and open into a roughly 7.6-inch screen shaped for watching things. It's an alternative form factor to the tall, narrow panels that earlier foldables used.

The iPhone Duo starts at $1,999 and reached stores on October 23 after Apple announced it at its September 9 event . The Fold 8 arrived in July at $1,900. Considering the two phones are only priced $100 apart, the choice between them is mostly a choice between iOS and Android rather than a choice about money.

I've used both. The Fold 8 has been in my rotation since launch, among other phones I've reviewed. It's the phone that convinced me this shape was the right one for a foldable in the first place. The Duo brings me to the same conclusion and is an excellent device, albeit one with its own set of trade-offs around weight, durability, and cameras.…