{
  "id": 9001141,
  "title": "Apple didn’t give up on stylus support for iPhone Duo; Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold should take notes",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/21/apple-didnt-give-up-on-stylus-support-for-iphone-duo-samsungs-galaxy",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-09-21T20:35:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "9to5Google",
    "slug": "9to5google",
    "url": "https://9to5google.com/2026/09/21/apple-iphone-duo-stylus-support-report/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Apple's iPhone Duo may not have broken new ground in the Android foldable market, yet it did make a significant improvement: stylus support. This feat was more challenging than it initially appeared, and Samsung should consider taking note.\n\nSamsung's Galaxy Z Fold series began incorporating stylus support with the Galaxy Z Fold 3 in 2022. They created a specialized S Pen stylus for foldables, which didn't need a battery and didn't fit inside the foldable. However, during the launch of the Galaxy Z Fold 7 the previous year, Samsung discontinued S Pen support to make the foldable slimmer. Now, Samsung might be reconsidering this decision after Apple introduced the iPhone Duo with stylus support.\n\nApple claims the iPhone Duo will support the USB-C version of the Apple Pencil typically used for iPads. While the concept seems straightforward, there's more to it. Bloomberg reports that Apple had initially planned to create a dedicated Apple Pencil for the iPhone Duo, a version that would be shorter and magnetically attach to the Duo's hinge. However, the plan was scrapped due to technical issues that emerged a few months before the Duo's announcement, leading to the adoption of iPad versions of the stylus instead.\n\nApple's software update to enable stylus support isn't as simple as a button press and won't be available until late 2026. This is a significant advantage for Samsung, as neither the Galaxy Z Fold 8 nor Fold 8 Ultra currently offer stylus support. Despite rumors of Samsung exploring alternative stylus options for foldables, the traditional S Pen won't work in these thin form factors due to its physical layer in the display assembly, which would increase thickness and weight.\n\nWith Apple and Samsung leading the way in stylus support, it's highly likely that Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 9 will incorporate stylus support in some form. Samsung has left the door open for this possibility.",
  "summary": "Apple’s iPhone Duo may not have reinvented the Android foldable , but it certainly did put a polish on a number of things. Inlcuded in that list is stylus support on the iPhone Duo, something that was more complicated behind-the-scenes than it initially sounded like, and an effort that Samsung should probably take note of. more…",
  "key_points": [
    "Apple's iPhone Duo supports USB-C Apple Pencil, unlike Samsung's discontinued S Pen approach.",
    "Samsung discontinued S Pen support in Galaxy Z Fold 7 to slim down the foldable.",
    "Apple's stylus support update won't be available until late 2026."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}