Apple has officially entered the foldable phone race, but Samsung was not about to let the moment pass quietly.
After Apple unveiled the iPhone Duo, its first foldable iPhone, on September 9, Samsung turned to social media to poke fun at its longtime rival. What followed was less of a traditional tech rivalry and more of an internet comedy exchange, with Duolingo eventually joining the conversation.
For a few hours, the question was no longer simply whether Apple’s first foldable phone was good.
It was Apple or Samsung?
Samsung was ready with the jokes
Apple’s entry into foldables is significant because Samsung has been competing in the category for years.
The original Galaxy Fold launched in 2019, giving Samsung a substantial head start in developing foldable hardware. Samsung has since released multiple generations of Galaxy Z Fold and Z Flip devices, while also experimenting with more unusual form factors, including its three-panel Galaxy Z TriFold.
So when Apple finally introduced the iPhone Duo, Samsung immediately reminded everyone that foldable phones were hardly new.
During Apple’s launch event, Samsung Mobile US posted a series of sarcastic reactions. One post joked about Apple taking its time before following up with a jab about Apple “reheating” existing foldable technology. Samsung also used the hashtag #ItsTimeToSwitch as part of its campaign.
The message was obvious without needing to name Apple directly: you may be new to foldables, but we’ve been here.
Then Duolingo got involved
The funniest part of the exchange came from the name itself.
Apple called its first foldable phone the iPhone Duo, a name that immediately gave language-learning platform Duolingo an opportunity to join the conversation because its famous green owl mascot is also named Duo.
Duolingo posted a cheeky response suggesting Apple had named a phone after it and made it fold. Samsung then tagged Duolingo in its own joke, saying Apple had “copied” them too.
Duolingo responded by playing along with the idea of being mistaken for Apple’s “twin,” turning what started as a tech-brand rivalry into a three-way social media joke.
It was classic internet brand behavior: find the cultural moment, understand the joke quickly and join before the conversation moves on.
But did Apple really copy Samsung?
That depends on what “copy” means.
Apple did not invent the foldable smartphone. Samsung and other manufacturers have been developing and selling foldable devices for years, and the category itself has evolved through multiple designs.
Reuters notes that Samsung currently leads the global foldable smartphone market, with roughly 40% share, while Huawei holds about 30%. Apple is entering a market that competitors have already spent years developing.
But Apple also has a long history of entering established technology categories later and attempting to redefine them.
The original iPhone did not invent the touchscreen smartphone. The Apple Watch was not the first smartwatch. AirPods were not the first wireless earbuds.
Apple’s strategy has often been less about being first and more about convincing a mass audience that a technology is ready for everyday use.
The iPhone Duo could be another version of that strategy.
Apple’s foldable is still distinctly Apple
The iPhone Duo opens into a 7.6-inch inner display and has a 5.4-inch outer screen when closed. Apple says it is the thinnest iPhone ever when opened and uses a precision hinge and a nano-texture display designed to reduce glare and make the crease less noticeable.
It also supports multitasking, Apple Pencil functionality and a redesigned iOS experience intended specifically for the foldable format.
In other words, Apple is not presenting the Duo simply as an iPhone that folds.
It is positioning it as a different way of using an iPhone.
That distinction could matter more than who technically got to the market first.
The real winner might be the foldable phone
For consumers, the Apple-Samsung rivalry is entertaining because both companies have something to prove.
Samsung can point to years of experience and a broader range of foldable designs. Apple can point to its enormous ecosystem and ability to turn unfamiliar technologies into mainstream consumer products.
That competition could ultimately benefit people who are not loyal to either brand.
Apple’s entry is expected to accelerate the growth of the foldable market. Reuters reported that IDC forecasts foldable smartphone shipments could rise nearly 30% in 2026, even as the broader non-foldable smartphone market is expected to decline slightly.
More competition could mean better hinges, thinner devices, stronger displays, improved software and more practical reasons to actually own a foldable phone.
And this is why the internet loves a good tech rivalry
There is something uniquely entertaining about watching billion-dollar companies behave like they’re arguing in a group chat.
Samsung gets to remind everyone that it was already making foldables. Apple gets to make its first move into the category with the weight of its enormous customer base behind it. Duolingo gets an unexpected opportunity to turn the name “Duo” into a joke.
Nobody has to officially declare a winner.
The brands just need people to keep talking.
And judging by how quickly the Samsung and Duolingo reactions spread after Apple’s announcement, the rivalry may have already achieved its most important goal: getting everyone to look at the new foldable phone.
So, Apple or Samsung?
For now, the better answer might be: whichever one makes foldable phones more interesting to everyone else.
