Samsung has taken a shot at Apple's newest foldable. According to MacRumors, Samsung Canada published a social media campaign this week that pokes fun at the inner-display problems some iPhone Duo owners have reported.
What the ads show
The campaign ran as an Instagram post on Samsung Canada's account, MacRumors reports. Its images depict a bright line across the area of the screen where affected iPhone Duo units have been failing. The three images carry the slogans "Folding is nothing new to us," "Folding. We know a thing or eight," and "Switch to Galaxy Z Fold8." A Samsung spokesperson described it to MacRumors as a "playful new campaign" tied to the growing rivalry in foldables.
The display issue behind it
Soon after the iPhone Duo went on sale, some customers reported cracks or a bright line on the inner OLED panel, with the problem said to appear in the same place on affected devices. Apple has acknowledged it, saying it is aware of an issue affecting the inner display on a small number of iPhone Duo units and that customers with a faulty device should contact AppleCare for a replacement. Apple's statement does not mention Samsung's campaign. Separately, MacRumors reported this week that Apple has told its stores how to diagnose and replace affected displays.
Pricing and availability
MacRumors notes that the Galaxy Z Fold8 arrived about three months before the iPhone Duo, and that Samsung's first foldable dates back to 2019. The 256GB Galaxy Z Fold8 costs $1,899, compared with $1,999 for the 256GB iPhone Duo. Several Fold8 colors and capacities are scheduled to ship on November 3, and the report mentions no supply problems for Samsung's phone. The iPhone Duo, by contrast, is backordered until January for online orders, though Apple Stores have had sporadic stock.
Why it matters
Comparative ads between Apple and Samsung are nothing new, but this one lands while Apple is still working through early quality reports on its first foldable. How much the issue affects real-world demand is unclear: Apple describes the number of affected units as small, and it has not shared figures. The company is due to report September-quarter earnings on Monday, November 2.
This article is based on reporting by MacRumors and Apple's statement as relayed there; the figures above are as reported and have not been independently verified.
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