Samsung, Duolingo Throw Shade at Apple Over iPhone Duo Reveal

Apple’s unveiling of its first foldable iPhone, the iPhone Duo, has drawn playful reactions from Samsung and Duolingo, with both brands using social media to make jokes about the new device.

Apple introduced the iPhone Duo on September 9, 2026, entering the foldable smartphone market for the first time. The device starts at $1,999 in the US and is set to go on sale on October 23, with pre-orders opening on October 16.

Photo: X/@duolingo

Duolingo was one of the first brands to react, playing on the “Duo” name shared by the phone and its own mascot. The language-learning platform posted, “They named a phone after me and made it bend over.” It later made another joke about the phone’s larger inner display and the extra screen space it could provide for language lessons.

Samsung soon joined in, taking aim at Apple for entering the foldable market years after it. Replying to Duolingo, the South Korean smartphone maker wrote, “I’m so sorry, Duolingo. They copied us too.” The comment referred to the “Duo” name and Apple’s move into a category Samsung entered in 2019.

Photo: X/@duolingo

The company posted several other jabs during Apple’s launch event. One read, “So far, so same,” while another said, “Making us wait? Fine. We’ll be over here, folding 3 ways.” Samsung also poked fun at the iPhone Duo’s bedside clock mode, describing it as “giving groundhog day.”

Samsung has been selling foldable phones since 2019, when it introduced its first models. The company has since built out its Galaxy Z Fold and Galaxy Z Flip lines. Apple’s iPhone Duo takes a passport-style approach, folding open to reveal a larger display.

Photo: apple.com

The iPhone Duo has a 5.4-inch outer display and a 7.6-inch inner screen when unfolded. Apple has also highlighted its hinge and display technology, including efforts to make the crease less noticeable. At $1,999, its starting price is higher than Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8, which starts at $1,899.

Apple’s entry could also change the balance in the foldable-phone market. Reuters, citing Counterpoint estimates, reported that Samsung is forecast to account 38% of the global foldable market this year, while Apple could reach 25% after entering the category.

With the iPhone Duo, Apple is now competing in a market Samsung has occupied for several years. Samsung used the launch to highlight that head start, while Duolingo focused on the phone’s name for its jokes, turning the announcement into a social media exchange involving all three brands.