MMN Editor

Job openings changed little in September while the number of people who quit their jobs grew, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Tuesday.

Peruvian President Keiko Fujimori’s administration declared a state of emergency, saying regional governments lacked the capacity to respond to rain and flooding from El Niño.

Buying The Median US Home Now Takes A $112,700 Salary… And $492,000 In San Jose

Buying the national median-priced home ($434,900, per HSH.com’s second-quarter 2026 data) takes an income of $112,695 a year with 20% down ($347,920 borrowed) at a 6.41% mortgage rate. That is $9,213 more than in the first quarter, and HSH says affordability worsened in all 50 of the large metros it tracks over the quarter. It is still $1,273 below the second-quarter 2025 figure.San Jose tops the ranking at $492,364 a year, nearly seven times Pittsburgh’s $71,567. San Francisco ($367,973), San Diego ($256,735) and Los Angeles ($215,136) follow, and New York City, Boston and Seattle also need more than $200,000. A six-figure income is required in 32 of the 50 metros.The strain is already visible in transactions. Pending home sales fell to record lows in September, and existing home sales are hovering near record lows as the affordability gap widens.

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As Visual Capitalist explains further,In coastal California, much of what buyers pay for is the land itself. Land accounted for 59% to 68% of a single-family home’s value in the San Jose, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego metros in 2022, compared with 40% nationally and 22% in Pittsburgh, according to FHFA estimates.In Most Metros, Typical Households Earn Too Little to BuyNationally, buyers needed $112.7K a year, about 29% more than the 2025 U.S. median household income of $87.5K, according to the Census Bureau.The gap between home prices and household incomes is especially striking in San Jose. Although the typical household earns roughly twice the national median, the median home costs nearly five times as much as the national median. As a result, the typical local household earns only about one-third of the income needed to buy a median-priced home.At the other end of the ranking, these five metros require the lowest salaries:Pittsburgh: $71.6KCleveland: $71.9KOklahoma City: $73.7KLouisville: $75.8KMemphis: $78.3KBased on 2024 Census data, the latest available by metro area, median household incomes in Oklahoma City and Louisville fell short of the required salaries by less than 2%.Homebuying Got Easier in the South and WestCompared with Q2 2025, the income needed fell in 30 of the 50 metros as the average 30-year mortgage rate dropped from 6.79% to 6.41%.However, the required income rose in 13 of the 17 Midwest and Northeast metros, led by St. Louis (+3.8%), Hartford (+3.6%), and Providence (+3.3%). Even Pittsburgh and Cleveland, the two cheapest markets, became less affordable.New construction helps explain the regional divide. The South and West accounted for 79% of single-family housing starts in 2025, despite holding about 63% of the U.S. population, according to Census Bureau data. All 10 metros where home prices fell were also in those two regions.The table below shows how the income needed and median home prices changed in each metro from Q2 2025 to Q2 2026:Metro AreaStateRegionChange, Q2 2025 to Q2 2026 (%): Income Needed to Buy a HomeChange, Q2 2025 to Q2 2026 (%): Median Home PriceSt. LouisMOMidwest3.766.22HartfordCTNortheast3.567.97ProvidenceRINortheast3.287.43PittsburghPANortheast2.956.78MilwaukeeWIMidwest2.936.85New York CityNYNortheast2.536.03JacksonvilleFLSouth2.455.43DetroitMIMidwest2.456.09ClevelandOHMidwest2.446.20Kansas CityMOMidwest2.374.45CincinnatiOHMidwest2.185.53ChicagoILMidwest2.055.74San FranciscoCAWest1.735.19San DiegoCAWest1.214.88Virginia BeachVASouth0.913.98BuffaloNYNortheast0.753.45RichmondVASouth0.633.79New OrleansLASouth0.462.15ColumbusOHMidwest0.183.21TampaFLSouth0.162.47BaltimoreMDSouth-0.023.01MemphisTNSouth-0.033.00IndianapolisINMidwest-0.392.20BirminghamALSouth-0.412.95PhiladelphiaPANortheast-0.463.73MiamiFLSouth-0.612.01LouisvilleKYSouth-1.061.95SacramentoCAWest-1.081.82CharlotteNCSouth-1.120.56AtlantaGASouth-1.430.91Salt Lake CityUTWest-1.442.24BostonMANortheast-1.681.28San AntonioTXSouth-1.80-0.31Oklahoma CityOKSouth-1.940.15WashingtonDCSouth-1.980.92OrlandoFLSouth-2.040.04DenverCOWest-2.270.16RaleighNCSouth-2.32-0.83MinneapolisMNMidwest-2.350.53PhoenixAZWest-2.570.65HoustonTXSouth-2.60-1.20DallasTXSouth-2.76-0.68Las VegasNVWest-2.850.25AustinTXSouth-2.89-1.30Los AngelesCAWest-2.900.00PortlandORWest-3.38-0.60Riverside/San BernardinoCAWest-3.51-0.82NashvilleTNSouth-4.17-1.41SeattleWAWest-4.89-2.28San JoseCAWest-6.67-4.16Rising mortgage rates have since erased much of that relief. Freddie Mac’s average 30-year mortgage rate reached 7.40% in October 2026, its highest level since November 2023 and nearly a full percentage point above the Q2 average.At that rate, buying the national median-priced home would require an annual income of approximately $122.6K, nearly $10K more than the Q2 figure. This illustrates how quickly borrowing costs can change affordability, even without a corresponding increase in home prices.
Tyler Durden
Tue, 11/03/2026 – 11:45

An illegal immigrant is facing a slew of charges after investigators say he stabbed a young victim and tried to kidnap her from a home in Baltimore, Maryland. It happened just three years after he was let into the country during the Biden administration.The Baltimore Police Department says Abubakarr Barrie, 23, is accused of stabbing a 15-year-old girl inside a home. Multiple reports say he worked as an unlicensed cab driver.The Department of Homeland Security says Barrie picked the victim up and took her “to a basement property that he was renting at the time.”ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT RIDESHARE DRIVER CHARGED WITH RAPE IN MARYLAND HAD PRIOR NYC SEX ABUSE ARREST: DHSInside the basement, he allegedly stabbed the girl over and over again until she was able to escape and run away.FOLLOW THE FOX TRUE CRIME TEAM ON XIt happened on Oct. 22; he was arrested two days later. ICE lodged a detainer for Barrie the same day he was arrested.EXCLUSIVE: ICE CAPTURES ILLEGAL ALIEN AT CENTER OF NYC MANHUNT AFTER SANCTUARY CITY RELEASESIGN UP TO GET THE LATEST TRUE CRIME NEWSEarlier this year, the New York City Police Department arrested him on charges of third-degree possession of a forged instrument. At the time, ICE lodged a detainer. He was released by New York City officials in July.LISTEN TO THE NEW ‘CRIME & JUSTICE WITH DONNA ROTUNNO’ PODCASTDHS confirmed he is an illegal immigrant from Sierra Leone who entered the country in December 2023 by way of Arizona. He was arrested by Border Patrol agents at the time and eventually released under the Biden administration.DHS BOSS REVEALS OVAL OFFICE PLAN TO ‘WITHHOLD FUNDING’ FROM SANCTUARY CITIES AFTER AGGRESSIVE NEW YORK BUSTCLICK HERE FOR MORE FROM THE FOX TRUE CRIME HUBIn a statement, DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said, “This tragedy would never have happened were it not for the multiple failures of sanctuary policies. First, Biden’s open borders let this monster into our country, then sanctuary politicians in New York refused to hand him over to ICE and released him after a previous arrest three months before this horrific crime. DHS is urging Baltimore County authorities to learn from sanctuary New York’s mistakes, honor ICE’s detainer against this illegal alien, and prevent him from harming any more Americans.”SEND US A TIPFox News Digital has reached out to NYPD and City of New York.📩 Send me a story idea: kelsie.cairns@fox.com📸 Instagram: kelsiecairns_tv🎥 Facebook: Kelsie CairnsGET BREAKING NEWS BY EMAIL

Guest Post by WeTheJ6ers.com
For years, someone mailed taunting postcards to January 6 defendants in prison. Now the threats reach their families, arrive daily, and target President Trump.
On September 12, the U.S. Secret Service asked WeTheJ6ers co-founder Barry Ramey for evidence of threats against President Donald Trump. He sent it within 80 minutes. Over the next 25 days, he sent nine more emails reporting seven new threats. The agency never wrote back, and neither it nor the FBI has called or visited him.
“We don’t expect the Secret Service to get involved when it comes to threats toward us,” Ramey said. “But when they’re making direct threats toward the President, which we can prove, something needs to be done about that, and immediately.”
A postcard sent to Ramey’s mother, Mary Ann Ramey, who is recovering from brain cancer.
It started in prison
While Ramey and other J6ers served their sentences, postcards arrived again and again, all postmarked in Orlando, Florida, and all in the same distinctive wording. Most bore the home address of a sitting U.S. senator or member of Congress, a signal that the sender knows where lawmakers live.
Most J6ers shrugged off the hate mail. That changed when the cards began threatening their families. Behind bars, the men could do nothing to protect them.
Now it reaches their families
Release didn’t stop it. The postcard above arrived at the home of Ramey’s mother: “Please rest assured we’re all praying fervently that Mary Ann Ramey will have a slow, painful, lingering death. Then she can go to Hell where you all belong.”
Ramey and his mother are very close. “That crosses a line,” he said. Still, he doesn’t expect anyone to act on her behalf. What he can’t accept is the same sender threatening the President while the agencies charged with protecting him stay silent.
Support the Ramey family and WeTheJ6ers by donating here.
“Kill Trump”
Ramey has logged more than 109 threatening or taunting messages through the WeTheJ6ers.com contact form, and new ones still arrive multiple times a day. Zach Rehl, Robert Morss, Tim Hale, Shane Jenkins, Colton McAbee and many other J6ers are targeted too, including through GiveSendGo, the crowdfunding site many of them use to rebuild.
Several messages target the President directly, all signed “Otto Kuntroll”:
“Safeguard our elections: kill Trump.”
“Somebody needs to shoot that grifting [expletive], Trump.”
“He won’t stop until someone puts him down like the mad dog that he is.”

Messages sent through the WeTheJ6ers.com contact form. Ramey forwarded the last one to the Secret Service the day it arrived, September 15.
Ramey believes one person is behind both the postcards and the online messages, based on identical wording. Investigators have not confirmed that.
Records only law enforcement can get
Bandzoogle, which hosts WeTheJ6ers.com, and GiveSendGo both keep the IP addresses behind these messages, and both release them only at the direct request of law enforcement. Ramey told the Secret Service this in his first reply on September 12. He has seen no sign the request was made.
“Is there anything being done to pursue who this individual is?” he asked the agency on September 22. By October 7, he called reporting more threats “pretty much futile.”
Support the Ramey family and WeTheJ6ers by donating here.
What the law says
Threatening the President is a federal felony. The messages may violate:

18 U.S.C. § 871: threats against the President, up to 5 years in prison
18 U.S.C. § 875(c): threats sent across state lines, including online, up to 5 years
18 U.S.C. § 876(c): threats sent by mail, up to 5 years
18 U.S.C. § 2261A: stalking by mail or internet, up to 5 years
18 U.S.C. § 119: exposing officials’ home addresses to intimidate, up to 5 years

Whether a message is a prosecutable “true threat” is for prosecutors to decide. That’s exactly why Ramey went to them.
“Our goal is simple,” he said. “We want law enforcement to act on the threats against the President.”
Support the Ramey family and WeTheJ6ers by donating here.

The post EXCLUSIVE: J6ers Reported Threats Against President Trump To The Secret Service — Nine Emails Later, Still No Answer appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

While President Donald Trump touted the possibility of a peace deal, the U.S. conducted a series of strikes against Iran.
Qeshm Island, an island at the mouth of the Strait of Hormuz, that is home to an underground missile site and Iranian Navy Base, was struck on Monday, U.S. officials told the Wall Street Journal on Monday. This was the latest in a series of strikes that the U.S. launched against Iran over the past several weeks.
These strikes occurred while Trump downplayed the nature of the ongoing Iran war, falsely claiming that the U.S. “won.”

FAFO: Iran fired a missile at an American aircraft over the Strait of Hormuz. Then it found out.
A U.S. fighter jet DESTROYED the IRGC missile launcher on Qeshm Island in self-defense, U.S. officials say.
Officials call it limited and defensive. It is not a return to war.
Talks are still going. JD Vance says he and Trump feel good about a deal, but the president keeps every option open.
Trump warns Iran will get “the hammer” if the talks fail.
Peace through STRENGTH. That is how you do it.
— Gunther Eagleman (@GuntherEagleman) November 3, 2026

“We had a war with Iran. We won,” Trump told reporters Monday, per Wall Street Journal. “I don’t know if you even call it a war because we haven’t been doing any fighting for months.”
The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) did not immediately respond for comment.
The strikes were limited, small scale defensive measures intended to prevent Iran from attacking ships in the Strait of Hormuz, United States officials told the New York Times.
In one instance, Iranians fired a missile at an American fighter jet in self-defense. In another confrontation, United States forces intercepted a missile that originated in Qeshm Island that was targeting commercial shipping vessels. However, America did not publicly announce these strikes. The Pentagon is keeping these occurrences under wraps so as to not demonstrate any intention of resuming major military operations in the region, United States officials told the Wall Street Journal.
The U.S. and Iran have made some “progress” and both Vice President JD Vance and Trump felt “pretty good” about the possibilities for an agreement, the vice president told reporters on Monday.
“Our demands have been stated very clearly and transparently, and Iran’s demands are reasonable and logical,” Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei told reporters according to Wall Street Journal. “[T]he ball is in the U.S. court.”
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.

Paraguay shut down Ueno Bank following months of scrutiny over loans to affiliated companies and accounting adjustments that exposed a capital shortfall.

How much would you pay for a phone that turns into a small tablet? Apple is betting the answer is nearly $2,000. After seven years of watching Samsung build folding phones, Apple has finally entered the race with its first-ever foldable iPhone.The new iPhone Duo, which went on sale Oct. 23, opens like a book to reveal a 7.6-inch screen. Its biggest competitor, Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8, offers the same screen size and a remarkably similar design. However, Samsung’s phone is lighter and costs about $100 less.Apple has some interesting advantages of its own, including impressive battery performance and a clever screen designed to reduce glare. But there are compromises on both sides, including a repair bill that might make you think twice about carrying either phone without protection. So, has Apple finally cracked the folding phone formula, or does Samsung still have the better idea?Missed CyberGuy LIVE? Watch the replay and discover 5 ways to travel smarter and save money.Our free CyberGuy LIVE class, 5 Ways to Travel Smarter and Save Money, has ended, but you can still watch the full replay. Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson walks you through five practical ways to protect your phone and personal information, avoid common travel scams, find better deals, save money on bookings and use technology to make your travels easier and less stressful. No technical experience is needed.Watch the free replay + downloadable checklist now at CyberGuyLive.com.8 BIGGEST THINGS WE LEARNED FROM APPLE’S 2026 EVENTSamsung introduced the original Galaxy Fold in 2019. Those early devices came with plenty of growing pains, including concerns about screen durability. Since then, Samsung has steadily improved its folding technology.Apple took its time. In fact, we covered one of the company’s early ideas in our article about Apple’s foldable iPhone patent back in 2023. Now the iPhone Duo is finally here, and Apple has made some interesting design decisions. The phone features a polished titanium frame, Apple’s A20 Pro processor and a large inner OLED display. It also introduces a redesigned version of iOS built around the folding experience.Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8 takes a different approach. It uses Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip and Samsung’s One UI 9 software, which has evolved through several generations of folding phones. That experience gives Samsung an advantage in some areas. However, Apple has already managed to outperform its rival in early battery testing.Let’s get the painful part out of the way. The iPhone Duo starts at $1,999 for 256GB of storage. The 512GB model costs $2,199, while the 1TB version jumps to $2,599. If you really want to splurge, Apple’s 2TB model costs an eye-watering $3,199.Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8 starts at $1,899.99 for 256GB. The 512GB version costs $2,099.99, while the 1TB model reaches $2,499.99. That puts Samsung roughly $100 below Apple at comparable storage levels. Of course, Samsung has another advantage. Its Fold 8 has been on sale since August, so retailers and carriers have had time to introduce promotions.However, I’d look closely at those deals before celebrating the savings. Some carrier offers require a qualifying trade-in or a lengthy commitment to monthly bill credits. There’s also a larger question. When you’re already spending nearly $2,000, will saving $100 really determine which phone you choose? I suspect the answer comes down to what happens when you actually hold them.One of the first things you’ll notice about these phones is how similar they look. Both fold horizontally like a book, with smaller screens on the outside and expansive displays when opened. But there’s a noticeable difference in weight. The iPhone Duo weighs 8.96 ounces, compared with 7.09 ounces for Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8. That’s almost two ounces heavier for Apple’s phone.If you’ve ever carried a heavy smartphone in your pocket all day, you know how noticeable that can become. The difference could be even more apparent when you’re holding the phone open for extended periods. Samsung also wins on thickness. Its Fold 8 measures about 0.38 inches thick when closed, while the Duo measures 0.44 inches. Apple counters with a rounded titanium design that may feel more comfortable in your hand. Samsung uses sharper edges and a flatter appearance.There’s also something worth thinking about. Both phones have relatively small outer screens. Apple’s measures 5.4 inches, while Samsung’s comes in at 5.5 inches. Those screens are perfectly usable for everyday tasks. However, they’re considerably smaller than the displays on many conventional flagship phones. You could end up spending $2,000 on a device that requires an extra step whenever you want a bigger screen. That’s why I’d recommend trying both in person before buying. The phone that feels exciting for five minutes in a store needs to feel comfortable after five hours in your hand.Both folding phones open to reveal 7.6-inch OLED screens with adaptive refresh rates up to 120Hz. Each also offers peak outdoor brightness of 3,000 nits. The real difference comes down to how those displays handle reflections.Apple developed a nano-texture finish for the Duo’s inner screen. It creates a matte appearance that helps reduce glare and makes the fold crease harder to see. Anyone who has struggled to read a glossy screen near a sunny window might appreciate this approach.Samsung’s screen has a more traditional glossy finish, which can make colors appear richer. Some early iPhone Duo reviews suggest Apple’s matte display sacrifices a little contrast and vibrancy to achieve its reduced reflections. Neither approach will appeal to everyone. However, Apple has another interesting feature coming.The iPhone Duo now supports the Apple Pencil (USB-C) through iOS 27.2, which Apple released on October 26. That means you can sketch or annotate documents directly on the folding screen. The feature already works in the software’s release candidate. That means you’ll be able to sketch or annotate documents directly on the folding screen.Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8 does not support the S Pen. Samsung removed the feature as it pursued thinner folding designs. There is one catch with Apple’s approach. The Duo works only with the USB-C Apple Pencil. Even if you already own an Apple Pencil Pro, you won’t be able to use it with this phone.The USB-C version also lacks the pressure sensitivity available on more advanced Apple Pencil models. Still, this could be useful for someone who regularly signs documents or prefers handwritten notes.Here’s where those seven years of Samsung experience become apparent. Let’s say you’re on a video call and someone sends you an important document. You want to review it without interrupting the conversation. Then you need to check your calendar. Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8 can handle several apps on its larger screen. You can run three apps in split-screen mode, and Samsung also offers pop-up windows for additional flexibility. The Fold 8 supports Samsung DeX, too, giving you a desktop-style experience when connected to compatible external displays.Apple has introduced Split View on the Duo, allowing two apps to run side by side. That’s a first for the iPhone, and it should make the larger screen far more useful. However, Apple’s approach remains more restrictive than Samsung’s. Split View uses a fixed arrangement, and you don’t get the same floating-window flexibility. There’s another issue that early iPhone Duo owners are discovering.Apple redesigned iOS 27 for the Duo, which ships with iOS 27.1. Its own apps have been adapted to use the folding display. However, some third-party apps haven’t caught up. Early reviewers found that certain apps display large black bars or awkward layouts when opened on the bigger screen. That could be frustrating when you’ve paid so much for additional screen space.Fortunately, developers can update their apps to support the Duo’s design. Some popular apps have already received updates, and more are expected. For now, though, Samsung has a more established folding software experience. I would also pay attention to which apps you use most. A larger screen loses some of its appeal when your favorite apps still behave as though they’re running on a much smaller phone.Folding phones have a difficult job. They need enough battery power to run a large display without becoming too bulky. Apple’s iPhone Duo uses two internal batteries and an A20 Pro processor designed for efficient performance. Samsung equips its Galaxy Z Fold 8 with a 4,800mAh battery and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip.Both processors offer plenty of power for demanding apps. However, early independent testing suggests Apple has a surprising advantage when it comes to battery life. In one battery test involving continuous web browsing over 5G, the iPhone Duo reportedly lasted 13 hours and 20 minutes, compared with 10 hours and 6 minutes for Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8. That’s more than three additional hours for Apple.Another independent test produced encouraging results for the Duo. While streaming video over Wi-Fi with the larger screens at maximum brightness, Apple’s foldable reportedly lasted 18 hours and 15 minutes, compared with 16 hours and 30 minutes for Samsung. Although the tests used different methods, both suggest Apple has managed to squeeze impressive battery life out of its first folding phone.Apple officially claims up to 31 hours of video playback using the inner display. However, that figure comes from controlled laboratory testing, so everyday results will vary depending on how you use the phone.Charging is another consideration. Apple says the Duo can reach 50% in about 20 minutes with a compatible wired charger. Samsung supports 45W wired charging and fast wireless charging. For anyone who spends long days traveling or regularly finds their battery running low before dinner, Apple’s early results are encouraging.THE IPHONE DUO IS OFFICIALLY HERE — GET IT FOR NO MONEY DOWN AT T-MOBILEFor nearly $2,000, you’d expect a phone with an incredible camera. And while both of these foldables take excellent photos, there’s a catch. Apple’s iPhone Duo has two 48MP rear cameras, while Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8 has two 50MP cameras. Neither has a dedicated telephoto lens, which means you’re giving up some of the zoom capabilities found on other premium phones.Think about trying to get a close-up shot of your child playing soccer or capturing something interesting in the distance while on vacation. Apple’s Duo offers 2x optical-quality zoom by cropping into its main sensor. Samsung uses a similar approach, with digital zoom for subjects farther away. Both can handle everyday photos, but if you love getting those close-up shots, an iPhone 18 Pro Max or Galaxy S26 Ultra may be a better choice.Here’s where Samsung throws another option into the mix. Its Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra starts at $2,099.99, just $100 more than Apple’s Duo at their regular starting prices. For that extra money, you get a 200MP main camera and a dedicated telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom. That’s worth considering if you want a folding phone but aren’t willing to give up a more versatile camera. And with Samsung already offering discounts on some models, you may not even have to spend more.Ever try taking a group photo and realize you’re the one missing from it? Apple’s Smart Take could help with that. Just prop open the iPhone Duo, get into the picture and let its AI recognize when everyone is posing. The phone automatically snaps the photo, so there’s no racing against a timer or asking someone else to take the shot.Then there’s Duo Preview, which lets the person you’re photographing see themselves on the outside screen. That could save you from hearing, “Wait, let me see that one,” after every picture. Apple also came up with Kid Cue, which plays Peanuts animations on the outer display to get children to look toward the camera. If you’ve ever tried getting a toddler to cooperate for a family photo, you can probably appreciate that one.Samsung has a few tricks of its own. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 can show people a preview on its outer screen, and you can prop it partially open for hands-free photos. That comes in handy when you want to be in the picture instead of always being the one taking it.Now let’s talk about something that deserves far more attention than it usually receives. Repairs. Apple rates the iPhone Duo IP68 for dust and water resistance, while Samsung gives the Galaxy Z Fold 8 an IP48 rating. That gives Apple stronger protection against dust under standardized laboratory testing. However, neither rating guarantees that a folding screen or hinge will survive years of rough treatment. These phones also contain more moving parts than conventional smartphones. And if something goes wrong, the repair costs can be substantial.There’s another reason to think carefully about durability. As we reported in our article, Apple confirms iPhone Duo screen problems after launch, some owners experienced cracks along the inner screen near the hinge within hours or days of purchase, sometimes during initial setup. Apple acknowledged an issue affecting a small number of devices and directed affected customers to contact AppleCare for replacements. The company hasn’t identified the cause or disclosed how many phones are affected. An AppleCare+ subscription isn’t required to request a replacement for this acknowledged issue. Still, it’s something I’d consider before spending nearly $2,000 on a first-generation folding iPhone.According to Apple’s published repair estimates, replacing the iPhone Duo’s damaged inner display costs $999 without AppleCare+. That’s roughly half the cost of the entry-level phone. Apple also lists an estimated $1,499 charge for certain other damage repairs. There is some relief for minor screen damage. Apple’s replaceable inner display cover layer costs $49 to replace without AppleCare+, provided the damage is limited to that layer. AppleCare+ can significantly reduce eligible repair charges. For example, an inner display repair is listed at $99 under the coverage, subject to the plan’s terms. Of course, the coverage itself adds to the cost of ownership.Samsung’s folding phones also have specialized displays and hinges that can be expensive to repair. However, repair pricing varies by model, damage and coverage. This is one area where I’d encourage anyone considering either phone to look beyond the advertised purchase price. After all, a $2,000 phone is expensive enough without worrying about what happens if it slips out of your hand and you’re suddenly facing a repair bill approaching $1,000.Apple has made the iPhone Duo eSIM-only worldwide. That means you won’t find a physical SIM card slot. Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8 supports both eSIM and a physical nano-SIM card, although configurations may vary by market.For most people in the United States, this probably won’t be an obstacle. Major carriers support eSIM, and many international providers offer digital plans. However, if you travel frequently and prefer buying physical SIM cards at your destination, Samsung gives you more flexibility. It’s worth checking whether your preferred mobile provider supports eSIM before buying the Duo.If you’ve been waiting years for a folding iPhone, Apple’s Duo is an appealing first attempt. It offers excellent early battery performance, an impressive display and the convenience of staying within Apple’s ecosystem. However, I wouldn’t overlook Samsung. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 is significantly lighter, costs a little less and offers more flexible multitasking. Those advantages could become increasingly important once the excitement of owning a new folding phone wears off.And here’s something else to consider. If most of your day involves texting or checking email, you may spend far more time using the smaller outer screen than you expect. The larger display becomes especially useful when you frequently review documents or watch videos while traveling.Before buying either phone, think about how much time you would realistically spend with it unfolded. Also, if you’re considering switching between Apple and Samsung, take a look at our guide on how to transfer data to a new iPhone or Android at CyberGuy.com. It can help make the move considerably easier.HERE’S SOME TIPS ON HOW TO ORGANIZE PHOTOS WITH KEYWORDS ON YOUR PHONEI have to give Samsung credit. Seven years ago, folding phones seemed like an expensive experiment, and I wasn’t convinced they’d ever catch on. But Samsung stuck with the idea, and now Apple has finally joined the party. I like what Apple’s done with the iPhone Duo, especially the display and those impressive early battery results. Still, I keep coming back to the price. Nearly $2,000 for a phone that’s heavier than Samsung’s and doesn’t have a dedicated telephoto camera? That’s a tough sell. And the possibility of a $999 inner screen repair would certainly make me nervous.I also wouldn’t count Samsung out just because Apple has entered the race. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 is noticeably lighter, and Samsung has spent years figuring out how to make that larger screen useful. Being able to run more apps at once is a nice advantage, especially if you’re someone who likes getting work done on your phone. And let’s face it, a lighter phone is something you’ll appreciate long after the excitement of showing everyone how it folds has worn off.If I were spending this kind of money, I’d want to see how Apple’s first folding iPhone holds up after a few months of everyday use. I’d also want to hold both phones before deciding. But here’s what I keep wondering. How often would I really open that larger screen? If I ended up using the smaller outside display most of the day, I’d have a hard time convincing myself that spending $2,000 was worth it.Would you really spend $2,000 on a folding phone, or do you think Apple and Samsung are charging us more to solve a problem we never had? Let us know by writing to us at CyberGuy.com.Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy NewsletterCopyright 2026 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.