Call them Same-sung.
Samsung has accused Apple of “reheating their leftovers” during the release of the tech giant’s new $2,000 foldable “iPhone Duo.”
The highly anticipated device was unveiled Wednesday, Sept. 9, during Apple’s “Surprise and Shine” Event, marking CEO John Ternus’ first keynote speech since he replaced Tim Cook on Sept. 1.
During the $1,999 gadget’s unveiling, the tech boss highlighted the gadget’s unique passport-like hinge, allowing it to be used like a regular iPhone when folded. The origami-like Duo, which will be available starting on October 23, then opens up to a 7.6-inch screen that’s 80% larger than the iPhone 18 Pro’s screen.
Ternus said that while most foldables evoke “two phones awkwardly stuck together,” the Duo’s crease is effectively invisible to the naked eye.
However, the so-called state-of-the-art design didn’t impress Samsung, which notably debuted the similarly collapsible Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 earlier this year. They also released another foldable — the Galaxy Fold — a whopping seven years prior.
“It’s feeling very familiar. Is this a Sims sequel…,” the Korean tech giant quipped in an X post uploaded during the Apple event.
They then followed up with, “Let us know when you’re done reheating our leftovers.”
Samsung also took potshots at the transformer-like tech’s ability to convert into a standup-digital alarm clock, scoffing, “Not the bed-side clock. It’s giving groundhog day.”
“Making us wait? Fine. We’ll be over here, folding 3 ways,” they added in reference to the Galaxy Trifold, which enjoyed a limited release in Korea last year.
The barbs were particularly biting given the Apple device’s similarities to the Fold 8, which boasts the same transformable format. The main differences are that it sports a 5.5-inch outer screen and is 4.5 mm thick unfolded, while the Duo’s outer display measures 5.4 inches with a 5.2-inch-thick profile unfolded.
Samsung even joked that their name was a ripoff of language learning app Duolingo, quipping, “I’m so sorry, @DuoLingo. They copied us too #Solidarity.”
The language platform was quick to join the fray. “iPhone Duo: $1999 Duo on your iPhone: free,” they wrote.
Many commenters also sided with Samsung, including one critic who wrote, “Apple is about to charge you $2,000 for a foldable phone that Samsung perfected 7 generations ago and people will still call it revolutionary.”
“Apple just announced a foldable like it’s 2019 and they invented the hinge,” jabbed another. “Samsung’s been shipping these for years.”
However, others flocked to Apple’s defense, with one fan quipping, “The Samsung one is literally the Temu version of this.”
“I bought a Samsung Fold like 5 years ago and exchanged it for an iPhone within less than two weeks,” recounted another. “The fold line was awful, felt terrible in hand, and typing on it while folded was a nightmare. Your guys’ phones are only good for taking pictures. Apple did it better lol.”
Many tech experts sang the Duo’s praises. TechRadar contributor Lance Ulanoff wrote that he was “seriously impressed,” dubbing the 5.4-inch external display “bright” and “sharp” and calling the larger main display “astonishing.”
The crowning achievement, per Ulanoff, was the device’s imperceptible hinge.
“The crease is gone on the iPhone Duo,” he wrote while lauding the seamless design. “I can feel it with my finger, but cannot see it, because Apple decided to put a special nano-texture covering on the main display.”
He added, “This has the effect of dispersing the light, especially around any spots where, normally, the crease might be visible.”
The only caveat was the high price tag of Duo, which is Apple’s most expensive iPhone to date.
