Apple execs slam Android foldables for cheap plastic and bad software — but the specs tell a more complicated story
Apple's first foldable phone, the iPhone Duo, launches October 23 — and ahead of that date, two senior Apple executives have gone out of their way to tear down the competition. CEO John Ternus and SVP of Marketing Greg Joswiak gave a joint interview to Tom's Guide and TechRadar, calling out Android foldables for poor materials and software that doesn't properly use the larger screen. The question is whether Apple's $1,999 asking price holds up against what rivals already offer.
The attack
Ternus framed Apple's late entry into foldables as a deliberate choice, not a missed step. In his words, everything already on the market amounts to "plastic surfaces with a cheap feel that are unpleasant to touch" — phones that "look wavy, with creases and wrinkles" and "feel like two phones awkwardly joined together into one bulky square." Apple's answer is a 7.6-inch inner display with a nano-texture coating designed to reduce visible creasing, paired with a 5.4-inch outer screen.
Joswiak targeted the software side, arguing that Android foldable makers simply stretch a phone interface onto a larger display without rethinking the experience. He compared it to the early days of Android tablets, and said Apple rebuilt iOS from the ground up — now called iOS 27 — to take full advantage of the folding format. He also took a shot at rivals for rushing out wide-format foldables once Apple's design leaked, suggesting Samsung, Xiaomi, and Huawei were racing to beat Apple to market rather than building something considered.
The competition's response
The claims sound sharp, but the market context is worth noting. Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8 — which launched in July 2026 and ships in August — uses its own Flex Titanium technology to address the crease problem Apple is attacking. In the UK, it's priced from £1,699, a full £300 less than the iPhone Duo's £1,999. In the US, it starts at $1,900 against the Duo's $1,999. As Trusted Reviews iPhone Duo vs Z Fold 8 notes, the two devices share near-identical inner display sizes (7.6 inches each) and the same book-style form factor.
Camera hardware is another gap. GSMArena iPhone Duo alternatives points out that the Xiaomi 18 Fold packs a 200MP telephoto lens and a 50MP ultrawide — the iPhone Duo has dual 48MP cameras and no telephoto at all. Xiaomi's device isn't sold outside China, but it sets a benchmark Apple hasn't matched on paper.
What actually matters
Apple's strongest argument may be software control: iOS 27 is built specifically for the Duo's form factor, and the tight integration between Apple's hardware and OS has historically delivered a more consistent app experience than Android. But that claim can only be tested once the phone ships on October 23. Preorders open October 16, starting at $1,999 in the US and £1,999 in the UK. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 is already available — and already cheaper.
