The iPhone Duo is ticking all of the right boxes at the moment, wowing just about everyone that will be able to use it before its official release on October 23. We do not know yet how much of a success the phone will be, especially if one $ 2,000 price tag, but you can be sure that other phone manufacturers are watching closely – especially Samsung.
Samsung has been the de-factor king of the foldable phone business for several years now. Mainly because, outside of China, the best foldables were limited to Google and Motorola – which didn’t exactly put up much of a fight. Apple could finally bring serious competition to the Galaxy Fold series, and if I were Samsung, I’d be looking for ways to make my folding bar. Even if it means that Apple is blatantly copying his ideas.
Here are five things the Galaxy Z Fold 9 should steal from the iPhone Duo, and two things it should leave well alone.
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What Z Fold 9 should steal from the iPhone Duo
Under Display Camera
Samsung has had under-display cameras on the Galaxy Z Fold lineup for four generations, from the Galaxy Z Fold 3 to the Z Fold 6. The quality of those cameras was a little…weak, to say the least, so it’s no surprise that Samsung pulled them for the last two generations. But maybe now is the time to bring them back.
Apple has added an under-display camera to the iPhone Duo’s foldable display, but this isn’t designed for selfies. Apple referred to it as a FaceTime camera, and talked about its use as an aid for video calls. That said, quality isn’t everything either, but by limiting its use cases (at least in marketing) Apple can avoid the same criticisms as Samsung.
This means the Z Fold 9 could be the perfect time for Samsung to bring back the rear camera — and give you back more of your screen. Plus, considering you can already take selfies with the rear cameras and the hole-punch on the cover display, I’d avoid using it as a way to take photos of yourself.
S Pen support
The loss of the stylus is one of the things that Galaxy foldable fans have complained about since the release of the Galaxy Z Fold 7. The stylus requires a special digitizing layer in the display, which was removed in an apparent attempt to reduce thickness. Which isn’t a great reason to ditch a long-standing feature, especially when it’s somewhat lacking the Galaxy Fold.
Not only does the iPhone Duo have stylus support, it uses the Apple Pencil USB-C – which is compatible with almost every iPad on sale. There is no special iPhone-exclusive stylus; it’s one that many iPad users may already have. The same could not be said for past Z Fold models, which needed a special foldable-exclusive stylus designed for the more fragile folding display.
I felt that the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra was missing due to its lost stylus, and the launch of Z Fold 9 would be the perfect opportunity to reintroduce this support. Ideally, it will take the form of a stylus that works across Galaxy devices, including tablets and other phones.
IP68 durability
Google was the first foldable phone maker in the US to add IP68 water and dust resistance to foldables with the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, and Apple followed suit with the iPhone Duo. Galaxy Z Fold 8, on the other hand, only has an IP48 rating, which means it’s totally exposed to dust – even though it’s sealed against water.
Obviously, that’s not a good look for Samsung, especially considering all the moving parts connected to a folding hinge. You should be able to take your $1,900 to $2,000 foldable to the beach. So Samsung definitely needs to do better with the Z Fold 9.
Built-in magnetic wireless charging
One of the things I’ll never understand is why Samsung is so apparently against magnetic wireless charging on its phones – foldable included. The phones support Qi2 wireless charging technology, but they lack the integrated magnets that snap chargers and accessories into place.
One reason I got was that the magnets interfered with the S Pen, and Samsung couldn’t provide both. But when you consider that the iPhone Duo has Apple Pencil support and MagSafe, it is clear that there is a way to offer both functions without asking users to compromise. Because a magnetic case system is just a bad show for a phone company that sells devices for almost two thousand dollars.
An actual vapor chamber
The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy chipset is powerful. But the phones that use it can get pretty hot, and a lack of cooling can lead to worse sustained performance.
Vapor chambers help move heat across the phone, allowing it to dissipate more evenly, and keeping key components from overheating. It also helps improve sustained performance, and the phone works harder for longer.
Admittedly, the Z Fold 8 has pretty good sustained performance compared to the S26 Ultra (72.4% versus 53.9%) but it’s behind the iPhone 18 Pro Max (79.4%), But can you imagine how much better things could be if there was a vapor chamber to help keep everything cool?
Two things iPhone Duo can hold
Curved corners
Apple loves curved corners on its phones, a design that has also made its way to foldables. Samsung may have opted for more curved corners on its non-folding phones, like the Galaxy S26, but for now, foldables have retained the sharper right angles that Samsung was once known for. The Galaxy Z Fold 9 should stay the same way.
My problem with the iPhone Duo is the lack of symmetry in the design. If you look at it from the cover display, the difference between the left side and right side is painfully obvious. It looks wrong to have curved corners on one side and rounded edges on the other, even though you can’t really see it when the phone is unfolded.
The Z Fold 8 and Z Fold 8 Ultra are the complete opposite, with a symmetrical design regardless of which screen you’re actually looking at – and it makes Galaxy foldables look all the better. Plus, you’ll probably get a little more screen real estate if you use the phone in certain display configurations.
The eSIM only design
Apple has aggressively pushed eSIMs in recent years, and that has led to a foldable without support for physical SIM cards – no matter what part of the world you buy it from. Samsung, on the other hand, has stuck to the physical Nano SIM slot on all its flagship phones – and it should continue this trend for Z Fold 9.
I get the appeal of eSIMs in certain situations, but I also feel like they come with a key disadvantage compared to physical SIM cards. A physical SIM jumps from your phone to another device without a problem, while eSIMs need to be transferred digitally. The process isn’t as awkward or arduous as it used to be, but it’s still not as convenient.
If you prefer eSIMs, that’s great, more power to you. But it’s good to offer users a choice of how to connect to cellular networks, instead of deciding for you and giving you no flexibility. Which is a very Apple way of doing things.
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