Apple has spent years watching Samsung refine the book-style foldable. But with its first attempt at a foldable, it has managed to one-up the South Korean tech giant. The newly announced iPhone Duo supports MagSafe wireless charging, giving Apple’s first foldable the familiar magnetic snap that has been standard on conventional iPhones for years.
MagSafe has been one of those small but meaningful advantages on iPhones. Now, Apple claims that its foldable can reach 50% charge wirelessly in around 30 minutes with a compatible MagSafe or Qi2 charger. Meanwhile, Samsung is still working on Qi2 charging, with a not-so-attractive implementation.
Samsung still needs a case to make the magnets work
The Galaxy Z Fold 8 supports 20W wireless charging and is Qi2-ready, but Samsung confirms that it does not contain built-in magnets for magnetic charging. To get magnetic alignment, you need to add a compatible case containing the magnets yourself. The Fold 8’s wireless charging coil sits unusually low on the device, and Samsung says users need to carefully align that area with the center of a conventional charging pad. All of the hassle is non-existent with MagSafe.
We thought Samsung might finally address this problem before the Fold 8 launched. Dummy units leaked earlier this year appeared to show magnetic rings, suggesting native Qi2 support might finally arrive. It didn’t.
Apple didn’t abandon MagSafe to make its foldable thinner
The iPhone Duo has a complex dual-battery layout, a titanium frame, and Apple’s new precision hinge, yet the company still found room for MagSafe compatibility. Apple has also built a magnetic accessory ecosystem around the phone, with even its Duo cases and Folio with Kickstand using magnets that are designed to work with MagSafe and Qi2 25W chargers.
The Duo itself starts at $1,999, compared with $1,899 for the regular Galaxy Z Fold 8, so neither device qualifies as a bargain. Samsung still has some charging advantages, including Wireless PowerShare and 45W wired charging on the Fold 8. But when it comes to attaching a charger, battery pack, stand, or wallet without buying a special case first, Apple got something right on generation one that Samsung is still dancing around eight generations into the Fold era.
