5 things Galaxy Z Fold 9 needs to steal from iPhone Duo — and 2 it shouldn’t
[post_content]
Disclaimer: This article has been automatically aggregated from
The iPhone Duo is ticking all of the right boxes at the moment, wowing just about everyone that’s been able to use it ahead of its official release Oct. 23. We still don’t know how much of a success the phone will be, especially considering the $2,000 price tag, but you can be sure other phone makers are watching closely — especially Samsung.
Samsung has been the de-factor king of the foldable phone business for several years. Mainly because, outside of China, the best foldables have been limited to Google and Motorola — who haven’t exactly put up much of a fight. Apple could finally bring the Galaxy Fold series some serious competition, and if I were Samsung I’d be looking for ways to make my foldables stand out. Even if it means blatantly copying Apple’s ideas.
Here are five things the Galaxy Z Fold 9 should steal from iPhone Duo, and two things it should leave well alone.
Latest Videos FromTom’s Guide
What Z Fold 9 should steal from iPhone Duo
Under display camera
Samsung had under-display cameras on the Galaxy Z Fold lineup for four generations, from the Galaxy Z Fold 3 to Z Fold 6. The quality of those cameras was a little… weak, to say the least, so it’s no surprise that Samsung pulled them for the last two generations. But maybe now is the time to bring them back.
Apple has added an under-display camera to the iPhone Duo’s foldable display, though this one isn’t designed for selfies. Apple has referred to it as a FaceTime camera, and talked about its use as an aid for video calling. That suggests the quality isn’t all that either, but by limiting its use cases (at least in marketing) Apple can avoid the same criticisms as Samsung.
This means the Z Fold 9 could be the perfect time for Samsung to bring the under-display camera back — and give you more of your screen back. Plus, considering you can already take selfies with the rear cameras and the hole-punch on the cover display, I’d avoid using it as a way to take photos of yourself.
S Pen support
The loss of the stylus is one of the things Galaxy foldable fans have been complaining about since the release of Galaxy Z Fold 7. The stylus requires a special digitizer layer in the display, which was removed in an apparent attempt to reduce thickness. Which isn’t a great reason to remove a long-standing feature, especially when it leaves Galaxy foldables feeling a little bit lacking.
Not only does the iPhone Duo have stylus support, it uses the Apple Pencil USB-C — which is compatible with almost every iPad on sale. There’s no special iPhone-exclusive stylus; it’s the one a lot of iPad users may already have. The same couldn’t be said for past Z Fold models, which needed a special foldable-exclusive stylus designed for the more fragile folding display.
I felt that the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra was missing out on account of its lost stylus, and the launch of Z Fold 9 would be the perfect opportunity to reintroduce that support. Ideally, it would the form of a stylus that will work across Galaxy devices, including tablets and other phones.
IP68 durability
Google was the first foldable phone maker in the U.S. to add IP68 water and dust resistance to foldables with Pixel 10 Pro Fold, and Apple has followed its example with iPhone Duo. Galaxy Z Fold 8, on the other hand only has an IP48 rating, which means it’s totally exposed to dust — even if it is sealed tight against water.
Obviously, that’s not a good look for Samsung, especially when you consider all the moving parts associated with a foldable hinge. You should be able to take your $1,900 to $2,000 foldable to the beach. So Samsung definitely needs to do better with the Z Fold 9.
Magnetic wireless charging built in
One of the things I’ll never understand is why Samsung is so seemingly against adding magnetic wireless charging to its phones — foldables included. The phones support Qi2 wireless charging technology, but they lack the integrated magnets that let chargers and accessories snap into place.
One reason I was given was that the magnets interfered with the S Pen, and Samsung couldn’t offer both. But considering the iPhone Duo has Apple Pencil support and MagSafe, it’s clear that there is a way to offer both features without asking users to compromise. Because a magnetic case system is just a poor show for a phone company that sells devices for close to two thousand dollars.
An actual Vapor Chamber
The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy chipset is powerful. But the phones that use it can get quite hot, and a lack of cooling can lead to worse sustained performance.That’s why Samsung needs to add a vapor chamber, much like the Galaxy S26 Ultra and the iPhone Duo.
Vapor chambers help move heat across the phone, allowing it to dissipate more evenly, and keep key components from overheating. It also helps improve sustained performance, and les the phone work harder for longer.
Admittedly, the Z Fold 8 does have pretty good sustained performance compared to the S26 Ultra (72.4% versus 53.9%) but it’s behind the iPhone 18 Pro Max (79.4%), But can you imagine how much better things could be if there was a vapor chamber to help keep everything cool?
Two things iPhone Duo can keep
Curved corners
Apple loves curved corners on its phones, a design that has made its way to foldables as well. Samsung may have opted for more curved corners on its non-folding phones, like Galaxy S26, but for the time being foldables have retained the sharper right-angles Samsung was once known for. The Galaxy Z Fold 9 should stay the same way.
My issue with the iPhone Duo is the lack of symmetry in the design. If you look at it from the cover display, the disparity between the left side and right side is painfully apparent. It looks wrong to have curved corners on one side and rounded edges on the other, even if you don’t actually see that when the phone is unfolded.
The Z Fold 8 and Z Fold 8 Ultra are the total opposite, with a symmetrical design regardless of which screen you’re actually looking at — and it makes Galaxy foldables all the better to look at. Plus, you’re likely to get a little bit more screen space if you’re using the phone in certain display configurations.
The eSIM only design
Apple has been aggressively pushing eSIMs the past few years, and that’s led to a foldable with no support for physical SIM cards — regardless of which part of the world you buy it in. Samsung, on the other hand, has stuck to the physical nano SIM slot on all its flagship phones — and it should continue that trend for Z Fold 9.
I get the appeal of eSIMs in certain situations, but I also feel as though they come with a key disadvantage compared to physical SIM cards. A physical SIM pops out of your phone and into another device without issue, while eSIMs have to be digitally transferred. The process is not as awkward or laborious as it used to be, but it’s still not as convenient.
If you prefer eSIMs, that’s great, more power to you. But it’s good to offer users a choice on how they connect to cell networks, rather than deciding for you and giving you no flexibility. Which is a very Apple way of doing things.
Follow Tom’s Guide on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds. Subscribe to Tom’s Guide on YouTube and follow us on TikTok.
More from Tom’s Guide
for informational purposes only. We do not claim ownership, accuracy, or liability for the content provided. All rights belong to the original publisher.