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Contributor, Tech Advisor
If Apple’s latest has got you intrigued about foldables, these three iPhone Duo rivals from Samsung, Honor and Motorola might be a better choice
Summary created by Smart Answers AI
In summary:
- Tech Advisor recommends three Android foldables as alternatives to the expensive, first-generation Apple iPhone Duo, which faces durability and hinge concerns.
- The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 is 14% lighter and 22% slimmer than rivals, while the Honor Magic V6 offers a large 8-inch display and a 6660mAh battery.
- The Motorola Razr Flex may launch in December around £1,265, aiming to deliver a premium foldable experience at a more competitive price.
The iPhone Duo has been receiving positive, if not quite ‘rave’ reviews across the board, but it’s clearly not the right phone for everyone. Or even, I’d venture, for most people.
Apple’s first foldable is extremely expensive, especially for a first-generation product with all its inevitable flaws.
Some of those flaws are amounting to a lot more than mere teething troubles, too. Reports are coming in of faulty iPhone Duo displays that crack under negligible pressure or bow, leaving the hinge visible. Meanwhile, JerryRigEverything recently established how easy it was to turn Apple’s luxury gadget into a £/$2k paperweight.
Thankfully, there are a couple of viable alternatives out there. None are indestructible – all foldables are inherently vulnerable in a way that ‘normal’ phones aren’t – but there might just be a better option for you.
Here are our top three alternatives to the iPhone Duo. All of them require you to opt for Android, but you probably knew that already.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8: The like-for-like alternative
Luke Baker
If you’re after a like-for-like alternative to the iPhone Duo, look no further than the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8.
Samsung’s phone launched just ahead of the iPhone Duo, but its design is obviously a direct response. Apple’s plans were an open secret ahead of launch, especially for a company as involved in the component supply chain as Samsung.
Despite what must have been a relatively speedy turnaround to beat the iPhone Duo to market, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 is not the same kind of first-gen product. Samsung has been beavering away at this foldables thing from the very beginning, which means that the Fold 8’s DNA dates right back to 2019.
You can see that expertise in the understated portability of the Galaxy Z Fold 8. It’s an impressive 20% lighter than the iPhone Duo, and 14% thinner when closed, making it much more pocketable.
Samsung’s wide foldable also costs significantly less money than Apple’s. We’re talking about a £300 difference in starting price, although it’s only $100 in the US.
Camera quality, performance and battery life are solid rather than spectacular, but they’re not the major sore spots of older foldables. Otherwise, you’re getting a very similar 4:3 internal OLED display, which benefits a whole range of media content.
What you’re not getting is Apple’s clever folding animations or its beautiful matt display. Conversely, you’re not getting quite so many third-party apps that haven’t yet been properly optimised for this new form factor.
Reasons to buy it over the iPhone Duo
- Much cheaper, especially in the UK
- Significantly thinner and lighter
- App compatibility issues not quite so glaring
Honor Magic V6: The upgrade
Chris Hall / Foundry
In terms of wide foldables available on the global market, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 is your only iPhone Duo alternative right now. But there’s a healthy market of traditional book-style foldables offering something more expansive.
Among those, the Honor Magic V6 stands out. It might have a larger footprint than the iPhone Duo, thanks to its big square 8-inch internal display, but it’s also 14% lighter, and 22% slimmer when closed.
It also packs in a more complete camera system, complete with a dedicated 64Mp telephoto camera. Battery life, too, is more impressive thanks to a vast 6660mAh cell, and it’s no slouch in the performance stakes either.
Another advantage of the Honor Magic V6 over both the iPhone Duo and the Galaxy Z Fold 8 is the fact that it feels and operates like a regular phone when it’s closed. Its 6.52-inch 20:9 OLED display doesn’t feel remotely cramped.
The other major book-style foldable contender is the Motorola Razr Fold, but it’s considerably thicker and heavier than the Honor. Both phones feature stylus support too, much like the iPhone Duo.
You won’t save any money by opting for the Honor Magic V6 over Apple’s new foldable (though it’s far more likely to be found on sale), but it’s a more flexible and capable tool overall.
Reasons to buy it over the iPhone Duo
- Thinner and lighter, but with a bigger screen
- ‘Normal’ outer display
- Dedicated telephoto camera
Motorola Razr Flex: The future under-cutter
Android Headlines
As we’ve already noted, there aren’t many options if you’re after a passport-style foldable phone in the UK or US right now. One that’s seemingly just around the corner, however, is the Motorola Razr Flex.
We’ve already mentioned the Motorola Razr Fold in passing, but the Razr Flex is tipped to see the Lenovo-owned company adopting the iPhone Duo’s shorter, wider aspect ratio.
The key selling point for the Motorola Razr Flex could well be its price. According to industry rumour, it’ll cost just €1,510.90 (around £1,265/$1,680) when it launches in December – a whole chunk of change less than the iPhone Duo.
Will it be as capable? Probably not, but Motorola knows a thing or two about making phones that feel more premium than their price tags would suggest.
Don’t be surprised to see the rumoured Pantone Dark Botanical Garden and Pantone Coriander colour options featuring tactile material finishes (as shown above in the leaked renders). Motorola’s UI tends to be much cleaner than Samsung’s and Honor’s, too, which could appeal more to Apple users.
It’s rumoured to run a Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chip, so it won’t match the iPhone Duo for performance. But it won’t be found wanting in day-to-day tasks either.
This one’s more of a hunch than a nailed-on alternative. But Motorola’s recent history tells us it might be worth holding out until the end of the year if you’re after a significantly cheaper alternative to the iPhone Duo. It’s set to arrive in December.
Reasons to buy it over the iPhone Duo
- It’s set to be way cheaper
- Motorola has a knack for tactile materials
- Motorola’s UI promises to be nice and clean
See all our top recommendations in our round-up of the best foldables we’ve tested.
