TECHnalysis Research Blogs
TECHnalysis Research president Bob O'Donnell publishes commentary on current tech industry trends every week at LinkedIn.com in the TECHnalysis Research Insights Newsletter and those blog entries are reposted here as well. In addition, those columns are also reprinted on Techspot and SeekingAlpha.

He also writes a regular column in the Tech section of USAToday.com and those columns are posted here. Some of the USAToday columns are also published on partner sites, such as MSN.

He also writes occasional columns for Forbes that can be found here and that are archived here.

In addition, he has written guest columns in various other publications, including RCR Wireless, Fast Company and engadget. Those columns are reprinted here.

September 10, 2026
Apple Redefines Foldables with iPhone Duo

By Bob O'Donnell

Sometimes it really is the details that matter.

Or in the case of cool new hardware, it’s the software that can make or break the experience. Apple forcefully made these two points with the launch of its new foldable smartphone, the highly anticipated iPhone Duo, which is expected to ship on October 23 for an opening price of $1,999.

The Duo features a very nice but arguably derivative hardware design that, at first glance, looks similar to other recent passport-style phones, such as Samsung’s Z Fold 8. But the phone distinguishes itself with a new version of iOS and multiple applications that have been clearly (and cleanly) optimized for the foldable factor. And it’s these software refinements that make the iPhone Duo stand out amongst other foldable competitors. In fact, even with very limited hands-on time with the phone, I’d argue that Apple has redefined the foldable category and the foldable experience with the launch of the Duo. From simple adjustments like moving app icons from the bottom of the screen to the side to more elaborate efforts like the visual transition from the front screen to the larger middle screen, Apple has created a whole range of enhancements that make foldables feel brand new.

Given that Samsung first introduced the world to foldable phones back in 2019, that’s quite an accomplishment. As a vocal and avid supporter of the category since those early days—I have, used every single foldable Samsung has created as my daily driver—I was very curious to see if Apple could use its very delayed entrance to the category to its advantage. Clearly, it has. Admittedly, some of the capabilities that Apple showed off on the Duo are similar to other features we’ve seen from companies like Samsung, Motorola, and Google over the years. However, the level of refinement and the collective experience that Apple showed at the launch event demonstrated how they’ve thought through every detail they could to create a true foldable experience—not just the same software in a different physical package.

Speaking of hardware, on closer inspection the iPhone Duo does have some important differences over other foldable designs. Compared to the Samsung’s Z Fold 8, for example, the Duo is slightly shorter and wider, both when folded and unfolded, giving it a slightly easier to hold form factor. However, the Z Fold 8 is a noticeable 1.87 ounces lighter and about 0.7mm thinner, likely reflecting the many years of experience Samsung has had in refining and shrinking its foldable designs.

The hinge designs between the two are different (and could partially explain the weight difference) with the Apple design feeling a bit firmer, though it’s relatively subtle. The iPhone Duo also has a more robust IP68 water and dust rating versus the Z Fold 8’s IP48. In addition to slightly higher resolution displays on the iPhone Duo, the biggest difference is that thanks to a new nano-texture finish layer on top of the screen there’s virtually no crease visible on the iPhone Duo. As a very long-time user of foldable phones, I can say with certainty that creases on most all modern foldables aren’t really noticeable when you’re actually using the device. However, for first time users considering the move to their first foldable, it’s an important issue to address.

One of the biggest surprises of the iPhone Duo is the price—starting at $1,999 for a 256GB configuration, which is $100 more than the similarly configured Z Fold 8. Early rumors suggested pricing would begin well over $2,000. By breaking the psychological $2,000 barrier, Apple managed to keep it as a reasonable consideration for people who are now used to paying around $1,500 for well configured “regular” iPhone Pro and Pro Max models. (Of course, at the high end, a 2 TB configuration for the iPhone Duo is expected to hit an eye-watering $3,199.)

Despite the better-than-expected pricing for the base configuration, iPhone Ultra and foldables in general are clearly not for everyone. Right now, the category only makes up about 2% of the total smartphone market, although it is one of the only sub-segments of the market that is growing. My expectation is that the introduction of iPhone Duo will serve to raise interest in the entire category and could lead to it eventually reaching somewhere closer to 10% over the next few years. Apple will undoubtedly be the primary beneficiary of this growth, but companies like Samsung, Motorola, and Google will likely see benefits as well.

In the meantime, I expect the iPhone Ultra will end up becoming the hot new tech status symbol in the near term. Initial manufacturing levels are rumored to be low and combined with the higher price point, it’s likely going to be hard to get. Eventually this will pass, but along the way, I’m hoping that a much wider audience will get exposed to the great benefits that I think foldables bring to the smartphone category. Large screen sizes combined with a pocketable size is something that, once you’ve gotten used to, is very hard to forget.

Here’s a link to the original column: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/apple-redefines-foldables-iphone-duo-bob-o-donnell-bvayc

Bob O’Donnell is the president and chief analyst of TECHnalysis Research, LLC a market research firm that provides strategic consulting and market research services to the technology industry and professional financial community. You can follow him on LinkedIn at Bob O’Donnell or on Twitter @bobodtech.