Apple’s iPhone Duo is the best shout-out for Android foldable phones — here’s why

In one fell swoop, everyone has already forgotten that Apple isn’t the first US brand with a mainstream folding phone — Google supersedes it with a four-year head start, with this year’s offering being a Pixel 11 Pro Fold. Our review (and the experiences others have shared) makes it clear that it hasn’t used its lead time to properly match the polish of an iPhone Duo.

However, it’s not entirely true that Android foldables suffer just because Apple finally has one; if anything, Google’s was almost the only exception to the rule (as far as foldables go in Singapore). Users who don’t follow phones closely are now more familiar with foldable designs, more willing to question whether they fit their lifestyle and usage, and more likely to consider better-suited alternatives.

That’s almost free advertising for Android foldables — especially when iPhone Duo starts at S$3,099 (256GB) at launch; it certainly makes some users wonder whether foldables have to be so expensive. We’re sure people have already compared them and found the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 (S$2,498 for 256GB) far easier to stomach if it’s your first time trying one, even if it lacks the sexy matte screen and cool transition animation.

I still don’t get how Android foldables are the winner here; didn’t you see the queues? And social media posts?

That’s a fair reason. After all, folks who just want to buy a cool phone are buying precisely for the cool factor — they want the iPhone Duo because it’s an Apple device, it’s a way to put a number to how much their sugar daddies and mommies love them, it’s something to flaunt for a calendar year, and not necessarily because it folds. However…

With Singapore’s mobile penetration rate at 165% as of 2025 (meaning the average Singaporean has 1.6 active mobile phones), you’re likely to be, or be around, someone who dual-wields handsets. Having two different operating systems (iOS and Android) has a huge versatility advantage. Android’s upper hand comes from fast new launches, vast options, and notably faster leaps in advancement (especially cameras), while the iPhone stays in the arsenal because it retains buyback value well over time.

Similarly, Apple’s foldable foray earned front-row seats to early-adopter pain. The most notable is the minority of users reporting cracked screens and faulty pixels caused by folding (iFixit chalks it up to a hinge design issue, specifically its accordion-styled cable pleats). Apple has since responded, asking these new owners to use their AppleCare coverage to the fullest. 

This invites questions about how brands like OPPO, Honor, Xiaomi, and Samsung survived making foldable phones despite the engineering challenge they pose, and also partly explains why the crease has been so difficult to eliminate after nearly a decade of trying. Heck, each brand has perks that surpass the iPhone Duo’s quality, though the scene is still fragmented, with every brand still finding its strengths in making the ultimate folding phone.

While Apple had the advantage of taking others apart to study for years, it gives back by elevating the profile of existing Android foldable alternatives, many of which are still around without the price hikes caused by a worldwide memory shortage.

So? I just want an Apple. What’s your point?

This is a perfect segue into HWZ’s foldable phone reviews and a reminder to keep an open mind. We’ve tested almost every notable foldable phone available in Singapore since they first hit shelves. The following recent launches also clue us in on what to expect in your next Apple or Android foldable:

In short, the handset’s display ratios, hinge quality, camera performance, software compatibility, battery life, material choices, and final price are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to making foldables as reliable as conventional bar-type phones. If anything, it’s that foldables have quietly been getting proper traction and support, but it’s the users who need time to get comfortable with a pocketable slate in their everyday carry.