Samsung’s new foldable phone unexpectedly became popular after the release of the iPhone Duo.

After Apple released its first foldable phone, the iPhone Duo, its competitor Samsung’s new foldable phone, the Galaxy Z Fold 8, saw a surge in sales.

Data shows that Galaxy Z Fold 8 sales in South Korea increased by about 10% compared to the previous week. Analysts believe that some consumers who were previously waiting for new Apple products may have finally decided to buy Samsung phones, thus boosting demand for Samsung’s foldable screens.

South Korean analysts attribute the shift primarily to the price of Apple’s foldable phone and the more than one-month wait. The iPhone Duo is not yet officially available and will not ship until late October.

In terms of price, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 starts at $1899 in the US market, while the iPhone Duo starts at $1999. In South Korea, the two foldable phones with the same storage capacity differ in price by over 1 million won, equivalent to $723. Samsung’s pricing in the European market, after conversion, is also significantly cheaper than Apple’s.

Samsung’s advantages

Meanwhile, tech industry analysts also point out that the iPhone Duo’s hardware specifications currently lag behind the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8. Firstly, the iPhone Duo weighs 254 grams, while the Galaxy Z Fold 8 weighs only 201 grams; when folded, Apple’s foldable screen is 11.3 millimeters thick, but Samsung’s foldable screen is only 9.7 millimeters.

Industry insiders say that one of the iPhone Duo’s screens dims when unfolded, creating a sophisticated effect—a classic Apple design choice that uses software to compensate for hardware shortcomings. Apple is releasing its first foldable phone, while Samsung has already led the market with multiple foldable models; the hardware gap between the two is not surprising.

The price difference may allow Samsung’s foldable screen to maintain sales growth in the coming month, and this growth could become even stronger if Samsung continues to maintain the price advantage of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 or offers more discounts.

However, competition between the two companies isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Market research firm Counterpoint Research previously predicted that, stimulated by the release of the iPhone Duo, the global foldable phone market will grow by 24% this year and 37% next year. Cumulative shipments are expected to exceed 100 million units this year, marking the first time this milestone has been reached since the advent of foldable phones in 2019.

This would be a tremendous boost for the consumer electronics industry, which is currently facing weak demand, but it could also intensify the battle for dominance in the foldable screen market next year.