The Vivo X Fold 6 is the iPhone Duo dialed up to 11 — I'm obsessed

(Image credit: Future) Vivo's latest foldable just hit the global market, after first appearing in China in June. I'll rip the band-aid off early: the X Fold 6 won't be launching in the UK or US, but it will be available in select European markets (as per usual).The Vivo X Fold 6 is launching at a very interesting time. Apple's first-ever foldable, the iPhone Duo, is just about to land, and Samsung shook things up with its passport-sized Galaxy Z Fold 8 earlier this year, too. Vivo keeps things a little more traditional; the X Fold 6 is the normal book-style fold that Android users are accustomed to. And to keep it appealing, Vivo has maxed out the specs in every department.Choosing a foldable over a bar phone has always come with compromises, whether that be size and weight, battery capacity, or camera performance. Vivo has been working to eliminate every single one of these limitations, and it's getting really close. I've been using the X Fold 6 as my main device for the past week to see if it lives up to the hype.The polar opposite of the iPhone Duo (Image credit: Future)At the moment, it feels like all eyes are on Apple, as the official launch of the Duo draws closer. I get the impression Vivo is more interested in one-upping the likes of the Honor Magic V6 and Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, but the launch timing means that many will be weighing up the difference between it and Apple's first attempt at the foldable form factor. It's an interesting comparison, because the two devices couldn't be more different.The X Fold 6 looks and feels like a Pro Max-sized flagship when folded shut. The cover screen isn't narrow like the Z Fold 8 Ultra's, nor is it shorter like the Duo. It's meant to feel like a regular phone that can unfold into a spacious tablet when you need it, and it succeeds at doing so. (Image credit: Future)It almost feels like this form factor is going out of style, and I think that's a real shame. The utility is plain to see; apps are all perfectly designed for the cover screen, and when you open it, you can have two apps side by side in their intended aspect ratio. I loved using the Z Fold 8, but I ran into software optimization hiccups on many occasions.The X Fold 6 is a fairly big and heavy phone, especially compared to the slender Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, but somehow, it's still lighter than the iPhone Duo. The Vivo tips the scales at 235g, while the smaller iPhone Duo weighs 254g. That chunky camera bump on the Vivo is sure to be divisive, though.Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more.On the other hand, the camera bump is there for a good reason. While the Duo forgoes a telephoto camera entirely, the X Fold 6 has the most impressive telephoto I've ever seen on a foldable. Plus, if you really want to take things to the next level, it supports the same external teleconverter lens as the X300 Ultra. Image 1 of 11 (Image credit: Future) And the camera prowess doesn't stop there. The X Fold 6 has a 200MP main camera with a large 1/1.4-inch sensor, and a 50MP ultra-wide to boot. It also benefits from Vivo's Zeiss partnership, with the signature T* lens coatings and co-developed picture styles in tow.I've tested almost every foldable phone in 2026, and so far, I reckon Vivo's photos and videos are probably the best. Sadly, I haven't tried the Duo yet, but I do own the iPhone 18 Pro, and in most situations, I prefer the results I'm getting from this foldable phone. That's quite the achievement, and without a telephoto, I don't see Apple competing. (Image credit: Future)Vivo is also light-years ahead of the competition with its battery tech. Somehow, there's a 6,900mAh battery crammed into the X Fold 6, and I've been getting two days on a charge quite consistently. That's with heavy use, spending lots of time with the large folding screen and taking loads of photos.Apple hasn't revealed the iPhone Duo's battery capacity (it never does), but what it did say at the phone's launch was revealing enough. Users can expect up to 24 hours of typical use. That's not even close to what the Vivo is offering here.The same goes for the charging speeds; the X Fold 6 supports up to 80W with a wire and 40W wirelessly. Again, Apple hasn't confirmed the wired speed, but we already know enough. The brand says you can expect up to a 50% charge in 20 minutes; meanwhile, the Vivo can fully charge from flat in about 35 minutes. (Image credit: Future)Obviously, there will be a lot of differences in the software, but Origin OS 7 is closer to iOS than ever, at least in terms of aesthetics. It has a Dynamic Island clone, really nice-looking Liquid Glass styling, and very similar lock screen customization, too. If there's anything you don't like, you can almost certainly change it, as the customization options are extremely detailed.Where the X Fold 6 truly pulls ahead is with its multitasking capabilities. So far, all sources report that the iPhone Duo can only display two apps side by side in split-view, and that these windows aren't resizable; it's always a 50/50 split. What Vivo is doing is on a whole different level.On the X Fold 6, you can have up to four apps open in split view, all resizable, and then you can open a fifth as a floating window on top. Still not enough? You can also add tabs to the floating window to quickly switch between apps. I can't imagine anyone ever needing more than that; it's essentially desktop-level multitasking in your pocket. (Image credit: Future)Where Vivo falls shortOf course, no device is perfect, and the X Fold 6 has its shortcomings. The biggest one is the phone's software polish, notwithstanding those aforementioned multitasking features. I doubt I'm alone when I say I was salivating when I first saw the iPhone Duo's unfolding animation. It's incredibly slick.By contrast, the X Fold 6 reacts more slowly than most when being opened or closed. Instead of smooth animation, you'll be greeted with a blank screen every time you unfold it, and then you'll have to wait a split second for the UI to catch up and appear on screen. This transition isn't hard to live with, but it's far less polished than what Apple is offering on the iPhone Duo. (Image credit: Future)For the most part, though, I really like the X Fold 6's software. It's quick, smooth, and extremely customizable. Unfortunately, it has the same quirks we always see from Chinese brands. Apps will close themselves in the background to conserve battery life, which can result in delayed notifications until you go in and tweak the settings.There's also that ever-present lock screen feature that just shows random images until you disable it. Weird.The iPhone Duo impressed with its almost-invisible crease, too. The Vivo X Fold 6's crease is minimal, but it's still there. I'd say it trades blows with the Z Fold 8, and it's a step behind the Oppo Find N6's crease. It seems like Apple might be leading the pack in this particular area, but we'll pass judgment once we've spent more time with it. (Image credit: Future)Then, there's the issue of availability. If you live in a region where Vivo is present, then great, no issue — but that won't be the case for a lot of our readers. I live in the UK; Vivo doesn't operate here, so the only way for me to get a Vivo phone is to import one from a European neighbor, or grab a Chinese model.It's not hard to do, but it means there are no contract deals on offer, and if anything goes wrong with the phone (which is more of a worry with foldables), I'm on my own. (Image credit: Future)Should you get one?The Vivo X Fold 6 is a foldable phone with almost no compromises. Honestly, it'd be a pretty solid phone if it didn't unfold, and the fact that it does is just the icing on the cake. The battery life is incredible, gaming performance is solid, and the cameras are among the best we've seen on a foldable to date.If the iPhone Duo is the foldable phone for people who didn't know they needed a foldable, the Vivo X Fold 6 is the phone for foldable users who are fed up with compromises. The two couldn't be more different, and I'm glad they both exist.As someone into photography, gaming, and content creation, who often needs to get serious work done on the go, the Vivo X Fold 6 is almost certainly more suited to my needs. But most people don't demand so much from their phone.I have no doubt that many will prefer what Apple has cooked up. Still, I've been having an amazing time with this Vivo, and I don't want to put it down anytime soon. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!And of course you can also follow TechRadar on TikTok for news, reviews, unboxings in video form, and get regular updates from us on WhatsApp too. Luke is a freelance journalist with over a decade of experience in the consumer electronics industry. Previously Features Editor at Pocket-lint, Luke can now be found contributing reviews and features on the latest smartphones and camera tech to the likes of TechRadar, Trusted Reviews, Tech Advisor, Pocket Tactics, Digital Camera World, and more. He also runs a YouTube channel called Neon Airship in his spare time, which features deep dives into the latest and greatest smartphone imaging tech.