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People have repeatedly asked T3 tech editor Mike Lowe whether the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 he is carrying is “the new iPhone.” His answer is no: the phone they mean is Apple’s iPhone Duo, announced on September 9, 2026. Lowe’s encounters are personal anecdotes, not a survey—but they point to what makes the Fold 8 stand out: its unusually wide, passport-like shape and a square-ish 4:3 inner display.
Why people mistake the Fold 8 for Apple’s foldable
In a September 30, 2026 T3 feature, Lowe describes being asked “Is that the new iPhone?” while travelling with Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8. He also reports people reacting, “Oh, it’s a strange size!” Those are Lowe’s reported encounters, not evidence that strangers generally mistake Samsung foldables for iPhones.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
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| 1 |
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Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra Unlocked Android Smartphone, 512GB Graphite | $2,989.99 | Buy on Amazon |
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Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Unlocked Android Smartphone, 256GB Graphite | $1,995.27 | Buy on Amazon |
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Samsung Galaxy Zflip7 FE Cell Phone (2025), 256GB AI Smartphone, JetBlack | $679.99 | Buy on Amazon |
The comparison is understandable. Apple had announced its first foldable, the iPhone Duo, on September 9. But the more revealing reason for the questions is the Fold 8’s shape. Rather than opening into a tall, narrow phone-like screen, it opens into a broad, passport-like display with a 4:3 aspect ratio. The unusual proportions are immediately visible even when the phone is closed, and become more pronounced when it is unfolded.
Lowe says the size initially seemed strange to him, but that he later found other phones almost too narrow. That is a useful account of how a distinctive design can change one person’s expectations; it is not a claim that everyone will prefer the wider format.
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#1 Best Overall
- SPLIT THE VIEW. MULTITASK¹ TO THE MAX: Productivity never felt this powerful. Use up to three apps¹ at once on the expansive inner screen of Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra. You’ll enjoy plenty of space to work, play, connect and more.
- MULTITASKING MADE SMARTER WITH AI: Stay one step ahead with AI² that suggests which apps you might need next. Then view those multiple windows side by side on the large screen of your Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra.
- ANY SHOT, ALL THE DETAILS: Dive into the details of any image with our best camera on a foldable smartphone. Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra boasts a 200MP camera — and an upgraded 50MP Ultra Wide lens — for both stunning wide shots and extreme close-ups.
- ELITE CHIPSET. FLUID GRAPHICS: Experience what’s possible with our most advanced Galaxy Z Series processor. From immersive gaming and speedy multitasking to the latest Galaxy AI³ features, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 keeps everything running seamlessly.
- THE BATTERY YOU’VE BEEN WAITING FOR: It’s the battery you’ve been wanting in a foldable cell phone. Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra packs a powerful ultra-sized⁴ battery in an ultra-slim design. Plus, with Super Fast Charging 2.0⁵, charge up faster than ever before.
What the wide inner display changes
More room for two apps and video
MacRumors’ July 29, 2026 review describes the Fold 8 as wider and more tablet-like when unfolded than Samsung’s other foldables. A wider screen can make side-by-side apps and video feel more natural, giving each window more horizontal space. That is a reported practical advantage of the format, not a guarantee that every app will use the extra room well.
Vertical video and app layouts can be awkward
The same width that helps with some tasks can be a compromise elsewhere. MacRumors cautions that vertical video and some apps may fit the display less well. An app designed around a conventional phone screen may not make good use of the additional width, so the experience depends partly on how its interface adapts.
The crease is an angle-dependent observation
Lowe says the crease was visible when he looked at the screen at acute angles, but not noticeable face-on in his use. MacRumors likewise reports that the crease remains visible in some lighting. These are observations from individual editorial coverage, not proof that the display is crease-free or a measurement of how it will look to every user.
Galaxy Z Fold 8 and iPhone Duo: what the reporting establishes
The two phones share a book-style foldable concept, but similar unfolded screen sizes do not establish that their software, app behaviour or overall experience is equivalent. The information reported by MacRumors and the Associated Press supports this comparison:
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- CREATED FOR YOUR CONTENT: Any way you turn it, the new Galaxy Z Fold8 gives you a fuller viewing experience. Designed with your content in mind, this foldable phone is the perfect size to make your movies, books and more incredibly immersive.
- WORLD’S LIGHTEST FOLD¹: Galaxy Z Fold8 is the newest foldable phone for content on the go. Unfolded, it fits movies and books for an immersive experience. Folded, it delivers comfortable texting and everyday use — all on the world’s lightest fold.¹
- THE BRIGHTEST DISPLAY ON A GALAXY PHONE: Our brightest smartphone display² provides you with a comfortable view, whether you’re inside or outside. Watch movies, play games and scroll with ease no matter where you are.
- RECORD. REFRAME. READY FOR SOCIAL³: Record content on Galaxy Z Fold8 and then use My FanCam³ to keep your subject center stage. The result is a social-ready video that focuses on the part of the action you really want.
- UNTETHER YOUR ENTERTAINMENT: The long-lasting battery of Galaxy Z Fold8 is built to power hours of entertainment. And when you do need to recharge, Super Fast Charging 2.0⁴ gets you back to what you love quickly.
| Comparison | Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 | Apple iPhone Duo |
|---|---|---|
| Closed display | 5.5 inches, according to MacRumors’ July 29, 2026 review. | Not stated in the cited AP announcement report. |
| Open display | 7.6 inches, according to MacRumors’ July 29, 2026 review. | 7.6 inches, according to AP’s September 9, 2026 announcement report. |
| Inner-screen shape | 4:3, described by Lowe in T3’s September 30, 2026 feature. | AP reports a foldable display and split-screen use; the cited report does not state an aspect ratio. |
| Multitasking | MacRumors identifies side-by-side app use as a strength of the wider screen. | AP reports split-screen use. |
| Vertical video and app adaptation | MacRumors cautions that vertical video and some apps may fit the wider display less well. | Not stated in the cited AP announcement report. |
| Crease | Lowe says it was visible at acute angles but not face-on in his use; MacRumors reports visibility in some lighting. | Not stated in the cited AP announcement report. |
| Price and availability | Not stated in the cited sources. | AP reported a US starting price of $1,999 and availability scheduled for October 23, 2026. That is the announced starting price and scheduled date, not a current deal or confirmation of retail status. |
The iPhone Duo’s scheduled availability was still in the future on the date of Lowe’s September feature. As of this article’s October 3, 2026 date, October 23 is still ahead; the AP report establishes the announced schedule, not whether availability or plans have since changed.
Does one person’s experience mean foldables have reached the mainstream?
No single set of travel encounters can establish that. Lowe’s story is an engaging sign that the Fold 8’s design attracts attention, but it cannot tell us how often people recognise foldables, what they think of them or whether the category has become broadly familiar. “Put folding phones on the map” works as a description of the feature’s angle, not as a measured conclusion about public awareness.
There are signs of commercial interest, but each has a narrow scope. T3 reported a 17% year-over-year increase in Galaxy Z Fold 8 pre-orders after its August reveal; that is a reported change for that model, not a category-wide statistic. Fortune reported that Samsung said sales volume for its new foldables was up 30% year over year based on one month of data. Samsung executive Dave Das also told Fortune that the share of new Samsung foldable customers who had previously owned a competitor’s phone was 25% higher than for Samsung’s traditional bar-style phones. That is a company-reported comparison, not independent research.
Fortune reported another Samsung figure from roughly the first month on sale: 40% of Samsung foldable sales were for the passport-style Galaxy Z Fold 8 and 40% for the high-end Z Fold 8 Ultra, according to Das. These figures suggest interest in the wider design within Samsung’s foldable lineup, but they do not establish its appeal across all phone buyers.
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Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →The category remains relatively small by the estimates cited in the coverage, although those estimates should not be merged. Fortune attributed to Counterpoint Research a finding that foldables accounted for less than 2% of global smartphone unit sales in the prior year it cited, and that Samsung held 40% of global foldable phone sales in 2025. Separately, AP quoted CCS Insight chief analyst Ben Wood estimating that foldables represented less than 5% of the overall smartphone market. These are different attributed estimates, with different stated measures; neither is a count of how many people recognise a foldable in public.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What Samsung and Apple’s entry say about the audience
Samsung’s Dave Das described three kinds of foldable customer to Fortune: “You’ve got a very distinct productivity-oriented consumer; you’ve got a distinct content consumption consumer; and then you’ve got one who is about content capture.” The quote is Samsung’s executive’s description of the audience, not an independently measured segmentation. Still, it helps explain why there is no single reason to choose a foldable: a wide screen may appeal to someone who wants more room for apps, while others may value watching or creating content.
Apple’s announcement gives the category another prominent design, but it does not by itself make foldables mainstream. AP quoted CCS Insight’s Wood: “The device adds a distinctive new design to the iPhone lineup and marks the company’s entry into the niche foldable smartphone category.” The “niche” characterisation belongs to Wood; it is not a technical classification.
Who should consider a wide foldable?
The Fold 8’s proportions are most compelling if you often want an unfolded screen for side-by-side apps or video and are comfortable with a format that does not resemble a conventional phone. The trade-off is that vertical video and some app layouts may not take advantage of the width. Lowe’s reaction also captures a real preference question: if you find the passport-like shape appealing rather than strange, it may suit your habits; if you mainly want familiar phone proportions, the same design could feel awkward.
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