Apple Finally Launches a Foldable Phone — Sparks Social Media Meme Fest as Rivals Take Aim

Washington,
Apple unveiled its first foldable phone, the “iPhone Duo,” alongside the iPhone 18 at its latest launch event. However, the company’s late entry into the foldable phone market quickly became a source of amusement for social media users worldwide.
Within minutes of the event ending, the iPhone Duo was trending online, with rival phone brands quickly jumping on the bandwagon. Motorola posted a video on X tracing the history of foldable devices — from its classic pink flip phone to its current line of fold devices — with a sarcastic caption: “Some are just discovering it now. We’ve been perfecting it. Stay tuned for what’s next.”
The split-screen functionality of the foldable phone also became a hot topic. As soon as Apple’s new CEO highlighted the feature during the keynote, Samsung users flooded X to showcase their own fold devices’ multi-window capabilities — which allow users to chat, watch videos, and game simultaneously — captioning posts with lines like “iPhone could never.” Samsung itself later posted an image of its latest foldable device with the quip: “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.”
The wave of memes, generated by millions of users, reportedly outperformed Apple’s own launch posts in likes and comments.
iPhone 18 “Upgrade” Also Draws Criticism
Critics also took aim at the iPhone 18’s new color options, dismissing them as little more than a fresh coat of paint. Apple discontinued the Cosmic Orange finish — the standout color of the iPhone 17 Pro — leading social media users to argue that the change was a cosmetic tweak rather than a meaningful upgrade, and that a similar look could be achieved by simply applying a colored skin to an existing iPhone 17.