Samsung has officially entered the tri-fold smartphone market with the announcement of the Galaxy Z TriFold, marking a significant step in the evolution of foldable technology. The device, which features two inward-folding hinges, unfolds into a 10-inch display with a resolution of 2160 x 1584, positioning it slightly below the screen size of an 11-inch iPad.
The Galaxy Z TriFold will first be available in South Korea starting December 12, 2025, with subsequent launches planned for China, Taiwan, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates. Samsung confirmed that the United States release is scheduled for the first quarter of 2026, with more details to be announced closer to the launch date.
Priced at 3,594,000 South Korean won (approximately $2,449), the phone is offered in a single black model with 16GB of memory and 512GB of storage. When folded, the device measures 12.9 millimeters thick, making it thicker than Samsung's previous Galaxy Z Fold6 and Fold7 models.
Samsung is framing this release as a limited test run rather than a mass-market push. "Samsung’s first tri-fold model will ship in very limited volume, but scale is not the objective," said Liz Lee, Associate Director at Counterpoint Research. The primary goal is to evaluate durability, hinge performance, software behavior, and gather real-world user feedback before considering broader production.
The TriFold supports multi-window capabilities, allowing users to run three apps simultaneously in a vertical layout across its three panels. It also features a desktop-style mode that operates without a separate monitor, enhancing its productivity potential. Samsung has equipped the device with the largest battery used in any of its foldable smartphones to date, supporting super-fast charging that can reach 50% capacity in 30 minutes.
TM Roh, Samsung Electronics co-CEO and head of the Device eXperience division, highlighted that the TriFold represents years of development aimed at balancing portability, performance, and productivity in foldable designs.
The foldable smartphone market, once led by Samsung since its 2019 debut, is now facing increased competition. Chinese manufacturers like Huawei and Honor are expanding their foldable lines, with Huawei releasing a second-generation trifold phone in September 2025. Honor, which separated from Huawei in 2020 to navigate U.S. sanctions, has also launched foldable devices in international markets this year.
This launch underscores Samsung's strategic effort to innovate and maintain its market leadership amid a growing field of competitors, even as the overall foldable segment remains niche but increasingly dynamic.
