A tipster on X (via GSMArena and Gulf News) says the 2027 Galaxy Z Fold9 brings back the inner under-display camera Samsung used from Fold3 to Fold6 and dropped on Fold7, alongside major internal changes and roughly the same thickness. The same source talks about 3.9mm unfolded and 7.9mm folded. Single source, unconfirmed.
Samsung launched the W27, its annual China-only luxury edition of the big foldable: the same hardware as the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra (8-inch inner and 6.5-inch cover displays, Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy, 16GB RAM, 200MP, 5,000mAh) with a gold frame and hinge, red and blue colourways, Gorilla Glass Ceramic 3 on both sides and direct satellite connectivity. CNY 18,999 for 512GB and 21,999 for 1TB.
About ten documented cases on Reddit so far: the hinge turns stiff, there is a pop, and a vertical line appears down the inner display with a horizontal line off it. Apple has not commented, though Apple Stores have replaced most units. The iFixit teardown suspects a hinge support part that does not retract, and still gives the Duo 5/10, its highest score for any foldable.
Friday is the first sales day for the iPhone Duo in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, from AED 8,499. The review consensus: the best design and the least visible crease of any foldable, but no telephoto, no Face ID, and apps that haven’t adapted yet. In the UAE, Jumbo says it sold out within hours and Eros says some variants are temporarily unavailable, while DigiTimes reports Apple raised its shipment target from 9.7 to 14 million units.
Apple confirmed its stores will have "limited" iPhone Duo stock for walk-in customers on October 23 in the US, UK, Germany and 11 other countries. The UAE sits with China, India, Japan and France on the no-walk-in list: you must reserve a pickup slot through the online store, and the reservation page says to check back Saturday, October 24. New orders still show January, and the limit is two per person.
After iPhone Duo estimates slid to January 22 within hours of pre-orders opening, Apple has started pulling forward a slice of orders: in Japan from November/December to October 23, launch day, and in the US from January to mid-November. Only orders placed directly with Apple changed, and Apple has not commented.
A Chinese tipster on Weibo posted near-complete Mate X8 specs ahead of next month’s launch: a 6.5-inch cover screen, an 8.15-inch inner screen, Kirin 9050 or 9050 Pro depending on the version, a battery above 6,000mAh, a 50MP main camera with a 1/1.28-inch sensor and variable aperture, plus a 50MP periscope. None of it is confirmed by Huawei.
Within minutes of pre-orders opening, iPhone Duo delivery estimates on Apple stores in the US, UK, Germany and elsewhere slipped to January 22–29, 2027 for every colour and storage tier. Apple UAE still says "available starting 23/10" and only shows delivery dates at checkout.
Apple’s first foldable reaches the Gulf in the first wave: pre-orders on the Apple online store today, Friday October 16 (4pm UAE, 3pm KSA), with in-store availability and deliveries on October 23. 256GB is AED 8,499 / SAR 9,499; 2TB is AED 13,599 / SAR 15,499.
Motorola teased its "wide" foldable with a silhouette only; the leaks have now filled in the rest: it’s called Razr Flex (codename Parker), with a 6.92-inch 165Hz inner screen, a 4.97-inch cover screen, Snapdragon 8 Gen 5, a 5,000mAh battery and 215 grams, 39 grams lighter than the iPhone Duo. Expected mid-December. No price yet.
Three devices, three philosophies: Samsung sells the camera, HONOR sells the battery, Apple sells thinness and iOS. The official numbers side by side, now that everything is official.
The first foldable iPhone is called Duo, not Ultra, and the 18 Pro came in at roughly last year's price. Prices, dates, and official photos from Apple.
Xiaomi announced its new foldable on 7 September with its self-designed XRING O3 chip, a 6,000 battery, a real telephoto, and a price from ≈ $1,640. The numbers, and the question that matters to us: when does it reach the Gulf?
Since July Samsung has split the Fold in two: the Fold8 at 201 g and $1,899, and the Fold8 Ultra with an 8" screen and a 200MP camera at $2,099. The official numbers side by side, and what is worth the $200 and what is not.
