By Genna Contino

Preorders are live for Apple's first foldable smartphone. Can it compete against Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel models?

Apple's iPhone Duo is winning raves for its screen's nanotexture finish, which reduces glare and helps hide the crease.

Preorders for the iPhone Duo began Friday, marking Apple's debut in a foldable smartphone market largely dominated by Samsung and Google.

The Duo features the largest iPhone screen ever, at 7.6 inches, with prices starting at about $2,000 for 256 gigabytes of storage and exceeding $3,000 for two terabytes of storage.

While Apple's (AAPL) fierce brand loyalty means its core fanbase will likely drive initial sales, analysts say the company could face an uphill battle expanding beyond those who upgrade to the latest model every year. Michael Levin, co-founder of the research firm Consumer Intelligence Research Partners, is skeptical about how much genuine demand exists among typical Apple customers for a foldable screen. He noted that success will be measured by whether the Duo can capture more than the mid-single-digit market share achieved by models like the iPhone Air. But he's doubtful Apple can convince foldable Android users to make the switch.

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"[Operating system] loyalty is one of the biggest forces at work in this marketplace today, and it will be difficult for Apple to overcome that," said Levin, who has been tracking Apple for more than a decade.

But for existing users, Levin's fellow co-founder Josh Lowitz noted that many Apple customers already spent more than $1,000 for their iPhones, "so the move to a $2,000 iPhone Duo is less of a leap than it may appear."

Still, Apple remains in a rare rookie position in the foldable market. Samsung's (KR:005930) first Galaxy Fold launched in 2019 and Alphabet's (GOOGL) (GOOG) Google entered in 2023, leaving both competitors with multiple generations of hardware and software refinements compared to Apple.

What makes the Duo stand out, analysts say, is the sleek user interface that Apple is known for.

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"Despite it not being a revolutionary device, it does have a very distinct and luxury feel to it compared to any of the existing Android foldables," said Nabila Popal, senior director of data and analytics at the tech research firm IDC. "I have to use it for a long time to be able to draw any significant long-term conclusions, but from early use and playing with the device, it just comes across as significantly more premium."

Here's a look at how the iPhone Duo stacks up against foldables from its more established competitors:

Price

Apple's foldable costs at least $100 more at each level of storage capacity than both Google's Pixel 11 Pro Fold and Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold8. The Duo is the only option with 2 TBs of storage - but it will set you back more than $3,000.

-- iPhone Duo: $1,999 for 256 GB, $2,199 for 512 GB, $2,599 for 1 TB, $3,199 for 2 TB

-- Pixel 11 Pro Fold: $1,899 for 256 GB, $2,019 for 512 GB, $2,249 for 1 TB

-- Galaxy Z Fold8: $1,899.99 for 256 GB, $2,099.99 for 512 GB, $2,299.99 for 1 TB

Camera

Both Samsung and Google pack dedicated triple-camera setups or ultra-high megapixel sensors into their foldables, whereas Apple makes modest hardware compromises on its camera array to keep the Duo thin and lightweight.

-- iPhone: Dual rear 48-megapixel camera system that's scaled back slightly compared to the iPhone Pro Max series.

-- Pixel: Triple rear 48-MP camera array with AI photography tools.

-- Galaxy: Dual 50-MP cameras.

Display

Android competitors offer larger inner display areas, but Apple focuses heavily on the quality of the hinge and concealing the crease where the phone folds rather than sheer screen real estate, analysts say. The Duo also has a nanotexture finish, which reduces glare and helps hide the crease, a detail which analysts expect will matter to consumers.

"The crease is almost invisible," Popal said. "The nano display, that's really going to differentiate it, because it gives it a nice feel when you're playing with the device."

-- iPhone: 5.4-inch outer screen that unfolds to a 7.6-inch inner display. Has a slim profile, though dual batteries make it slightly heavier at 254 grams.

-- Pixel: Features a 6.5-inch outer display and an 8-inch inner display and weighs 239 grams.

-- Galaxy: 6.5-inch cover screen and an 8-inch inner display in a wider passport-style layout.

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-Genna Contino

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10-16-26 0800ET