Samsung Mocks Apple’s $1,999 iPhone Duo as “Reheated Leftovers”

Samsung has wasted no time taking aim at Apple’s first foldable. Ever since Apple unveiled the $1,999 iPhone Duo, the South Korean giant has been trolling the launch across social media and video, suggesting the device is little more than recycled ideas. Apple CEO John Ternus, meanwhile, has described the iPhone Duo foldable as the most transformational change to the iPhone since the original model.

Samsung Turns Up the Heat on the iPhone Duo

The teasing began with a “Welcome to Foldables” video promoting the Galaxy Z Fold 8, which Samsung bills as the world’s lightest fold. Once Apple made the iPhone Duo official, the tone turned sharper. Samsung Mobile US first posted “So far, so same,” then asked Apple to say when it was finished “reheating our leftovers.” The September 9 post was among the jabs noted by the Wall Street Journal.

Samsung argues it has earned the right to brag. The company released the first mainstream foldable phone in 2019, about seven years ahead of Apple, and has since launched roughly 20 foldable models, including one that folds twice.

Duolingo and Apple Join the Banter

Samsung is not the only one having fun. Duolingo’s owl mascot also joined in, joking that Apple had named a phone after it and made it bend. Apple, however, is not backing down. Ternus took his own swipe at competitors during the launch, saying rival foldables feel like two phones awkwardly stuck together, in contrast with the iPhone Duo’s entirely new design.

The exchange highlights how heated the foldable market has become now that Apple has entered it. With the iPhone Duo priced at $1,999, Apple will need to convince buyers that its design justifies the cost, while Samsung is keen to remind them who got there first. For now, the rivalry is playing out mostly in posts, videos and punchlines, and it shows no sign of cooling down.