iPhone Duo vs Samsung: South Korean rival mocks Apple’s foldable entry with ‘So far, so same’ and other jabs

Samsung and Apple’s long-running rivalry spilled onto social media as Samsung Mobile US took several digs at Apple during its “Surprise and Shine” event on X. Samsung has used social media to poke fun at Apple during product launches for years. The company has previously targeted Apple’s camera features, sleep tracking and other iPhone updates.

Samsung posted a series of comments within minutes of Apple’s announcements, taking aim at the iPhone 18 Pro and the newly unveiled iPhone Duo. Some of the posts have crossed one million impressions.

Read more:iPhone 17 price dropped after iPhone 18 pro launch? Check new prices of older iPhones including iPhone 17 seires and iPhone 16

Samsung vs Apple on X

Even before Apple entered the foldable smartphone segment, Samsung took a swipe at the company with the post, “So far, so same” along with the hashtag #ItsTimeToSwitch.

As Apple showcased the camera and design changes on the iPhone 18 Pro, Samsung followed up with another post, saying, “It’s feeling very familiar. Is this a Sims sequel…” The post appeared to target the phone’s design, with Samsung suggesting that it had not changed significantly from the iPhone 17 Pro.

Samsung then turned its attention to Apple’s foldable phone plans. While Apple had not yet unveiled the iPhone Duo, Samsung posted, “Making us wait? Fine. We’ll be over here, folding 3 ways” referring to its Galaxy Z TriFold, which features a three-panel design.

After Apple introduced the iPhone Duo, Samsung continued the exchange with another dig, writing, “Let us know when you’re done reheating our leftovers ”

Samsung has been making foldable smartphones since the launch of the original Galaxy Fold in 2019, while the iPhone Duo marks Apple’s entry into the foldable phone segment.

The company also brought language-learning app Duolingo into the online exchange, poking fun at Apple’s choice of the name iPhone Duo. Samsung wrote, “I’m so sorry, @DuoLingo. They copied us too #Solidarity”.

Duolingo responded with a post referencing a viral meme, writing, “when an ugly stranger calls you twin,” while also taking a “No Brand” jab at Samsung.

Samsung also reacted to the iPhone Duo’s StandBy mode being used as a bedside clock. “Not the bed side clock. It’s giving groundhog day,” the company posted.

iPhone Duo: Check features, price and more

Apple has introduced the iPhone Duo, its first foldable iPhone, at its launch event on Wednesday in California.

When opened, the iPhone Duo is the thinnest iPhone ever, featuring a 7.6-inch inner display designed for viewing content, gaming and multitasking. The display also comes with a special nano-texture finish aimed at minimising glare.

When closed, the 5.4-inch outer display offers 90% of the screen area of the iPhone 18 Pro while retaining a compact, pocketable design.

According to Apple’s press note, both displays have the same aspect ratio, allowing content to scale proportionally for visual continuity. The iPhone Duo also features a new hardware design and precision hinge designed to provide a smooth feel during use.

The foldable iPhone is powered by the new A20 Pro chip and features an advanced thermal management system with a custom-designed vapor chamber and dual-battery architecture. Apple says the combination delivers pro-level performance and all-day battery life.

The device comes with an advanced camera system that supports new photography and video features enabled by its folding design. It also runs iOS 27, which has been adapted for the different ways users can interact with the iPhone Duo.

The iPhone Duo also supports Apple Intelligence and Siri AI, bringing AI capabilities together with users’ personal context.

The device is available in two colours — star white and night sky. Pre-orders begin Friday, October 16, with availability starting Friday, October 23.

“iPhone Duo is the most transformational change to iPhone since the original. With an entirely new design and intuitive experiences, it shows what’s possible when hardware and software are engineered together and redefines what it means to use a foldable phone,” said John Ternus, Apple’s CEO, as quoted on the Apple website.

“With the largest display ever on iPhone that still fits easily in your pocket, combined with the power of A20 Pro, iPhone Duo helps you stay more immersed and productive wherever you go, whether you’re enjoying content, multitasking across apps, or gaming,” added John Ternus.

Camera features

According to Apple’s press note, the iPhone Duo features an advanced camera system with new experiences enabled by its foldable design.

The device has a 48MP Fusion Main camera that can capture photos at up to 48MP resolution with zero shutter lag. It also captures images at 24MP by default and offers an integrated optical-quality 2x Telephoto option.

The 48MP Fusion Main camera uses a new computational image pipeline for sharper details and is designed to perform better in low-light conditions with a large sensor, fast aperture and sensor-shift optical image stabilisation.

The dual-display design also enables camera features that Apple says are not available on other iPhone models.

With Smart Take, users can be included in photos even when they are behind the camera or trying to beat a timer. On-device AI models running on A20 Pro analyse the scene in real time and automatically capture photos when subjects are posing.

Users can also take selfies using the higher-resolution rear cameras while previewing the shot on the outer display.

Duo Preview provides a live preview on the outer display, allowing subjects to check framing and pose before the picture is taken.

Kid Cue uses Peanuts animations on the outer display to attract children’s attention towards the camera.

Duo FaceTime allows people with the user to join a video call on the outer display, allowing everyone to share the moment without crowding around a single screen.

The iPhone Duo supports 4K at 120fps recording in Dolby Vision on the 48MP Fusion Main camera. Users can also apply Cinematic effects after recording at up to 60fps.

Audio Mix uses new algorithms to improve voice quality and isolate music. Time-lapse supports 4K in Dolby Vision HDR, while the foldable design allows users to prop up the device without a tripod for longer-duration videos.

Performance and battery

The iPhone Duo is powered by the A20 Pro chip, the same processor used in the iPhone 18 Pro models. Paired with an advanced thermal management system, Apple says the device delivers up to 35% better sustained performance than the iPhone 17 Pro.

The device has one high-energy battery on each side to maximise capacity while making efficient use of internal space.

Apple silicon and energy-rebalancing algorithms allow the two batteries to work together as one. The company says the iPhone Duo offers up to 31 hours of video playback when using the inner display and up to 44 hours when using the outer display.

When both displays are used equally, the device offers up to 24 hours of usage per charge.

The iPhone Duo supports fast charging, reaching up to 50% charge in around 20 minutes. Wireless charging can reach up to 50% in around 30 minutes using a MagSafe or Qi2 charger.

eSIM and connectivity

The iPhone Duo features an eSIM-only design worldwide, allowing Apple to save internal space and increase battery capacity.

Apple said eSIM offers greater flexibility and security compared with traditional physical SIM cards and is supported by more than 500 carriers worldwide, including AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon.

iOS 27 also introduces iPhone Handoff, which allows users with supported carriers to switch between two iPhone models using the same phone number.

The iPhone Duo is available in star white and Night Sky. It starts at $1,999 for the 256GB model and is available in 256GB, 512GB, 1TB and 2TB storage capacities.