Apple Brings Stylus Support to iPhone Duo
Apple's new iPhone Duo features stylus compatibility, putting pressure on competitors like Samsung.
Apple has introduced stylus support for its iPhone Duo, according to a recent report by 9to5Google. While the device did not reinvent the Android foldable category, it refined several features, including pen input. This development creates fresh pressure for competitors such as Samsung to reconsider their own hardware strategies.
The Road to Stylus Support on Apple's Foldable
Integrating a stylus into the iPhone Duo proved to be a complicated engineering challenge behind the scenes. Initially, Apple intended to design a specialized, shorter Apple Pencil that could attach magnetically to the hinge of the foldable device. However, engineering difficulties arose shortly before mass production was scheduled to begin. Consequently, Apple pivoted to supporting the existing USB-C Apple Pencil originally built for iPads.
Enabling this functionality required substantial software updates rather than a simple toggle. Because of this complexity, the necessary software update is not scheduled to roll out until late 2026. Despite these hurdles, Apple managed to deliver a feature that rival manufacturers are currently omitting from their slimmest hardware.
What This Means for Samsung and the Galaxy Z Fold
Samsung previously offered S Pen compatibility on its foldable devices starting in 2022 with the Galaxy Z Fold 3, utilizing a battery-free stylus that lacked an internal storage slot. Last year, Samsung removed S Pen support entirely in the Galaxy Z Fold 7 to achieve a thinner profile. Newer models, including the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Fold 8 Ultra, also lack pen capabilities.
The traditional S Pen requires an extra physical layer inside the display assembly, which increases both the weight and thickness of the device. Since Samsung prioritizes slimmer dimensions, pen support was sacrificed. However, with competing Android manufacturers and now Apple supporting styluses on folding phones, market pressure is mounting.
Industry watchers suggest that Samsung may rethink this omission for future iterations. The company has kept its options open, making a return of stylus input in a subsequent Galaxy Z Fold generation a strong possibility.
