Apple thought it would be treading on Samsung's turf with its very first foldable iPhone, but it's actually its South Korean rival that seems to be cashing in. Since the iPhone Duo went on sale on 23 October, sales of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 have jumped by more than 20% in South Korea. A tidy win for Samsung, which probably wasn't expecting quite that much, especially as Apple's new handset is already making headlines for all the wrong reasons. Between the empty shelves and the infamous "Crackgate", the iPhone Duo is off to a shaky start.
It's the Koreal Herald that has shone a light on this sudden surge in Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 sales, using figures from South Korean carriers. Those numbers point to growth of more than 20% between 23 and 29 October 2026, compared with the previous week. And it isn't the first time Samsung has benefited from the buzz around its American rival, since a 10% rise was already recorded in September, just after the iPhone Duo was unveiled. It has to be said that when you put the two devices side by side, it's not hard to see why some people might lean towards Samsung. Both phones offer a fairly similar format, with a 7.6-inch inner screen, but nothing like the same price. In South Korea, the iPhone Duo starts at 3.29 million won ($2,464), against 2.28 million for the Galaxy Z Fold 8, or $1,708. That's a difference of nearly 800 dollars, and that's before the local carrier subsidies that can bring the Samsung's price down further still. On that front, Apple simply can't compete with its main rival.
Crackgate is weighing Apple down even further
But there's another factor that might explain this renewed interest in the Galaxy Z Fold 8: the infamous Crackgate, in other words the iPhone Duo's cracked screens. Several buyers have reported cracks or bright lines appearing along the central fold, forcing Apple to admit, as early as 26 October, that a small number of devices were affected. Inevitably, that sort of bad press doesn't inspire confidence, especially when you're parting with a small fortune for a phone. Some South Korean customers have reportedly even chosen to return their iPhone Duo as a precaution, despite their handset showing no sign of a fault. Apple, for its part, insists that returns remain very limited and that demand is as strong as ever, to the point where production is struggling to keep up. Pull the other one...
