Three ways Apple's iPhone Duo could help Samsung foldables

Apple recently took the wraps off the highly anticipated iPhone Duo. It brings a Galaxy Z Fold 8-like form factor to the masses. While the tech giant is years late to the foldable party Samsung started, Apple's implementation brings some genuinely interesting takes on foldable hardware and software.

Subtle but impactful touches, like a cleverly integrated vertical app dock and incredibly fluid opening and closing UI animations, show a lot of polish.

While the initial reaction might be to panic about Samsung's market share in the foldable category, the reality could be more optimistic. The iPhone Duo may not just make the Galaxy Z Fold 9 better but also turbocharge Samsung’s Galaxy Z series in general.

While Android foldable phones have been around for years, third-party app optimization has barely improved. Since apps on Apple devices usually receive substantially faster support for newer hardware and software features, the iPhone Duo will undoubtedly get big-screen support with foldable optimizations very soon, which could be excellent news for Galaxy Z users.

Most major developers and firms have apps for both Android and iOS platforms and utilize shared development pipelines. When they bring foldable optimizations to the iPhone Duo, porting those layouts and features to Android foldables becomes easier.

This could very well result in a massive bump in the availability of optimized, foldable, and tablet-ready apps on Galaxy Z phones, solving one of the most persistent software hurdles on Android foldables.

Android foldable phones have been on the market for years, but they are still relatively rare to find in people's hands and are mostly restricted to enthusiasts and early adopters. The entry of the iPhone Duo changes that overnight.

Even though industry projections expect Apple to overtake Galaxy Z series sales by 2027, the iPhone Duo will quickly familiarize the general public with the folding form factor. As millions of people start seeing folding screens in their day-to-day lives, the anxiety around the durability of foldable phones will start disappearing.

Foldable phones will instantly become more acceptable and aspirational among general consumers who aren't tech enthusiasts. This will encourage more people to buy foldable phones, and many of them will likely prefer Samsung's devices.

Market analysts believe that the iPhone Duo will dramatically increase the sales volume of the foldable phone market. It is true that Samsung’s stronghold on the foldable segment will loosen, and its market share could drop next year. However, reports indicate that the overall sales of Galaxy Z series phones will actually increase in terms of units shipped.

Since foldable phones carry a premium price tag compared to traditional slab phones, Samsung’s average revenue per unit will likely rise alongside increased volumes, directly improving profits. More profits will mean the company will invest more money into foldables to improve them further.

However, all of this newfound momentum will only be capitalized on if Samsung works fiercely to further improve its future foldables.

To stand toe-to-toe with the iPhone Duo, Samsung needs to push beyond its current IP48 ratings and finally make the Galaxy Z Fold 9 and the Galaxy Z Fold 9 Ultra IP68 certified. It must also bring S Pen compatibility to its future foldables and equip them with better front and rear cameras.

Samsung has single-handedly kept the foldable phone segment alive for years, and now, it is time to prove it can adapt and lead the market.