“Is that the new iPhone?” T3 Tech Editor Mike Lowe says people repeatedly asked him that while he carried Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8. His encounters are a personal travel anecdote, not a survey—but they point to what makes the phone stand out: its unusually wide, passport-like shape and a 4:3 inner display that looks more like a small tablet when opened.
Why people asked whether it was an iPhone
Lowe’s questioners were comparing the Fold 8 with Apple’s iPhone Duo, announced on September 9, 2026. The resemblance was enough to prompt the question, but Lowe’s account centers on the Samsung phone’s distinctive proportions. He also recalls people responding, “Oh, it’s a strange size!” The comments describe his encounters, not how people generally react to foldables. T3, September 30, 2026.
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The shape can take a little getting used to. Lowe says the Fold 8 initially felt strange to him; after carrying it, he found other phones almost too narrow. That is one person’s experience, but it helps explain why the phone draws attention: folded, it is wider than the familiar tall-and-narrow smartphone profile; open, its 4:3 screen gives it a more tablet-like feel.
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More room for side-by-side work
A wider unfolded display can make two apps easier to view alongside one another, and MacRumors’ review identifies side-by-side app use as a strength of the format. It is a practical advantage when comparing information, reading while messaging, or keeping a reference visible beside another app. The benefit depends on what you do and how each app handles the larger screen; it is not a guarantee that every app will use the space well. MacRumors, July 29, 2026.
#1 Best Overall
- 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.
A different way to watch video
MacRumors also describes video as a good fit for the wider display. But the book-like shape is not ideal for every kind of content: vertical video may sit less naturally on it, and some apps may not be adapted to the format. A larger open screen offers more room, not universal compatibility or a better experience in every app.
The crease is still part of the experience
Lowe says he could see the crease at acute angles, but did not notice it when looking face-on during his use. MacRumors likewise reports that the crease remains visible in some lighting. Neither observation makes the display crease-free, and Lowe’s account should not be read as a general durability or visibility test.
Rank #2
- 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.
How the Fold 8 compares with Apple’s iPhone Duo
The two phones share a book-folding idea, but similar open-screen sizes do not make their software or overall experience equivalent. The available reports support this comparison:
| Feature | Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 | Apple iPhone Duo |
|---|---|---|
| Closed display | MacRumors reports 5.5 inches. | Not stated in the cited Associated Press announcement report. |
| Open display | MacRumors reports 7.6 inches. | The Associated Press reports 7.6 inches. |
| Inner-screen shape | Described by Lowe as 4:3 and passport-like. | The cited Associated Press report does not specify the inner-screen aspect ratio. |
| Multitasking | MacRumors identifies side-by-side app use as a strength of the wider screen. | The Associated Press says it supports split-screen use. |
| Format trade-offs | MacRumors says vertical video and some apps may fit the wide screen less well. | The cited Associated Press report does not assess app adaptation or vertical video. |
| Crease | Lowe reports seeing it at acute angles; MacRumors says it remains visible in some lighting. | The cited Associated Press report does not describe crease visibility. |
| Price and availability | Current price and availability are not established by the cited reports. | AP reported an announced US starting price of $1,999 and availability on October 23, 2026. |
Apple’s reported October 23 availability date was still in the future when AP published its September 9 announcement story; it is not a statement of current retail status. For the Fold 8, Lowe’s article reports a 17% year-over-year increase in pre-orders after its August 2026 reveal, but that is a preorder figure—not a sales total or a measure of public awareness. Associated Press, September 9, 2026.
Rank #3
- 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.
Does one striking phone mean foldables have reached the mainstream?
No single owner’s encounters can establish that. Lowe’s anecdote shows that his phone prompted questions; it cannot show how widely people recognize foldables or how often they mistake them for iPhones. The market figures offer context, but each measures something different and has a specific attribution.
- Pre-orders: T3 reported that Galaxy Z Fold 8 pre-orders rose 17% year over year after the August 2026 reveal. This is a reported change in pre-orders for that product, not a category-wide statistic.
- Early Samsung foldable sales: Samsung told Fortune that 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 25% more new Samsung foldable customers had previously owned a competitor’s phone than was the case for Samsung’s traditional bar-style phones. Both are company-reported comparisons, not independent market surveys. Fortune, September 8, 2026.
- Model mix: Das told Fortune that, after about one month on sale, 40% of Samsung foldable sales were for the passport-style Galaxy Z Fold 8 and 40% were for the high-end Z Fold 8 Ultra. The figures describe Samsung’s reported early sales mix, not the share of the whole foldable market.
- Market scale: Counterpoint Research, as reported by Fortune, put Samsung at 40% of global foldable-phone sales in 2025 and said foldables represented less than 2% of global smartphone unit sales in the prior year it cited. Separately, CCS Insight chief analyst Ben Wood told AP that foldables accounted for less than 5% of the overall smartphone market. These are distinct estimates with different attributions and should not be combined into one market-share figure.
Wood described Apple’s entry as adding a distinctive design to its lineup and marking the company’s entry into what he called the “niche foldable smartphone category.” That is his assessment, quoted by AP, rather than a formal technical classification. Associated Press, September 9, 2026.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- BIGGER, YET SLIMMER THAN EVER: Who would’ve guessed that wider could also be lighter? The design of Galaxy Z Fold7 is refined to feel like a traditional smartphone with its expanded cover display.
- BEST CAMERA ON A FOLD YET: You asked for more – now you can have the most. Galaxy Z Fold7 now boasts an ultra-premium 200MP camera with Pro-Visual Engine so you can effortlessly take incredibly detailed pics.
- SCREENSHARE FOR STREAMLINED ASSISTANCE: Intrigued by something you see? Go Live with Google Gemini, then screenshare or point your camera at it for additional info or assistance on the fly.¹
- DO AND VIEW MORE, ALL AT ONCE: With an 8” screen that allows you to view up to three windows at once, Galaxy Z Fold7 is the ultimate device for seeing and doing more.²
- ALL THE POWER AND SPEED YOU NEED Smoothly run your day with the power and speed of Galaxy Z Fold7. With its customized Snapdragon 8 Elite processor for Galaxy, you can stream your favorite shows, edit photos, scroll social feeds and more with ease.³
Rank #4
- 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.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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