DE — heise online

Samsung's Foldables Reportedly Benefit from the iPhone Duo

DevicesOctober 26, 20261 min read

Samsung's foldable phones seem to be selling better since Apple entered the market with its iPhone Duo. Samsung's own figures point to a boost for its Galaxy Z Fold 8 series.

Samsung sees more interest in foldable phones

Samsung says its newest foldable phones, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, sell faster than last year's models. Samsung did not mention Apple or the iPhone Duo in its posts. But Google searches for Samsung foldables jumped in the week when Apple unveiled its phone.

Key numbers

Combined sales of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Fold 8 Ultra in Europe rose 45 percent compared with the Galaxy Z Fold 7.
Google searches for Samsung foldables in big European markets rose 460 percent in the week of September 6 to 12, compared with the week before.
Apple unveiled the iPhone Duo on September 9.
Foldables make up about 2 percent of the market for smartphones today.
Market researcher Omdia expects 36 million foldable phones to ship per year by 2028, up from 18.2 million in 2025.

Foldables have been a small niche

Foldable Android phones have existed for years. Samsung released its first one in 2019. Many people paid little attention to them, so they stayed a niche product. Samsung had hoped foldables would make up more than half of its premium phone sales by 2025. That did not happen.

Why it matters

If Apple's entry brings more buyers, the whole market could grow. Samsung's parent company, Samsung Display, may also gain. It reportedly signed a three-year exclusive deal with Apple and charges about 250 US dollars per panel. Still, experts expect foldables to remain a premium niche through 2030.

What to watch

Whether the sales boost from Apple's entry lasts beyond the first weeks.
How many foldable phones Apple actually sells once they reach stores.
Whether Omdia's forecast of 36 million units by 2028 comes true.

Glossary

Foldable: A phone with a screen that folds, so it can open up into a bigger tablet-like display.
iPhone Duo: Apple's new foldable iPhone, which Apple unveiled on September 9.
Galaxy Z Fold 8: Samsung's newest foldable phone, sold alongside the Fold 8 Ultra.
Samsung Display: A Samsung company that makes screens (panels) for phones.
Omdia: A market research firm that tracks and forecasts sales of tech products.

Apple acknowledges iPhone Duo display ‘issue’ after reports of cracked screens

Apple told Bloomberg and 9to5Mac that it is aware of "an issue impacting the inner display" on a "small number of iPhone Duo units," following reports of cracked inside screens often showing a bright line. Apple says affected owners should contact AppleCare for a replacement. iFixit's teardown suggests the foldable screen may be pressing against a center bar where the damage has been occurring.

DevicesThe RegisterOct 27

Open source keyboard lets you swap parts like magnetic Legos

Keybytes is an open source project that lets builders create a fully modular keyboard in which each key has its own RISC-V microcontroller and pogo pins that connect it magnetically to adjacent keys. A controller module coordinates the keys and communicates with the host computer. The project was designed by MIT freshman Nathan Alspaugh, who estimates a full-sized build would cost around $900.

Devicesheise onlineOct 26

heise+ | XXL Tablet Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra Review

heise's review of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra, a 14.6-inch XXL tablet. The article notes that the Tab S12 Ultra costs from 1,539 euros for the Wi-Fi model without 5G, about 200 euros more than its predecessor, the Tab S11 Ultra. The excerpt describes a bright, sharp display and a thin, roughly 700-gram body that is hard to hold in one hand for long.

DevicesThe VergeOct 26

Remarkable’s refurbished Paper Pro Move bundle is over $100 off

Remarkable sells a refurbished Paper Pro Move bundle, with a Book Folio case and Marker Plus, for $449 with a one-year warranty. Woot offers the same bundle for about $342 with a 90-day warranty, and new Woot customers can save an extra 10 percent with the code REMARKABLE through November 2nd. The article also notes that Remarkable's Connect subscription adds features such as searching handwritten notes and AI summaries for $3.99 per month after a free 50-day trial.