With Apple's first foldable iPhone Duo set to arrive on October 23, rivals have already moved to blunt its impact. Xiaomi's 18 Fold, announced just before the Duo, matches its 7.6-inch inner and 5.4-inch outer screens while undercutting it on weight, camera hardware and price. The catch: it is only available in China, starting at about $1,640.
In the US, Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold8 is the most direct challenger. It adopts the same passport-style shape, starts at $1,900 — $100 less than the Duo — and earned an 8.9/10 in Engadget's review. Oppo and Motorola take different tacks: the Find N6 is thinner and packs a 6,000mAh battery with 80W charging, while the Razr Fold offers a brighter display, a stylus and similar battery specs. Oppo's device is not officially sold in the US.
The source notes that Apple's counterweight is software: iOS 27 includes foldable-specific optimizations such as display-switch animations and varied usage modes. Still, the article suggests the hardware gap is narrower than in past iPhone cycles, with several rivals matching or exceeding the Duo on specs while charging less.