Samsung Launches TriFold Phone: Three Screens, One Pricey Device
The new Galaxy Z TriFold unfolds into a 10-inch screen, with fast charging and premium design. Samsung targets foldable enthusiasts worldwide.
image for illustrative purpose
On Tuesday, Samsung Electronics (005930.KS) unveiled its first foldable smartphone with three screens, the Galaxy Z TriFold, which is one of the steps in the company’s strategy to claim a larger part of the still small but growing market of foldable devices.
The smartphone, besides being able to fold, has a half-inch (253.1 mm) display as its unfolded form, which is made of three panels and is nearly 25% bigger than Galaxy Z Fold 7 by Samsung. Considering the extremely high cost of components and the difficulties of the foldable technology, the device will be sold at a price of about 3.59 million won or $2,440.
Samsung Electronics Vice President and Head of Korea Sales & Marketing Alex Lim commented that the TriFold is aimed at a limited number of customers instead of going for mass acceptance. “The market for foldables will grow, and in this scenario, the TriFold can be the one that drives the growth in main areas of the segment,” Lim remarked.
The smartphone will be introduced in South Korea on 12 December and will be subsequently launched in China, Singapore, Taiwan, and the United Arab Emirates within the same year. The TriFold will, however, be available in the U.S. market only in the first quarter of 2026. Samsung has mentioned that the new phone has the biggest battery which is found in the company's best-selling lineup and has a super-fast charging feature that can charge to 50% in just 30 minutes.
Analysts, however, consider the new device as a technical marvel rather than a volume-driven product. Ryu Young-ho, a senior analyst at NH Investment & Securities, said, "As a first-generation trifold, I do not think their sales numbers will be large initially. The two traits durability and overall completeness will be the ones to watch for."
The competition among the foldable phones is getting fierce. Last year, the Chinese tech company Huawei presented a smartphone with three types of folding; then, on the other hand, Apple is waiting for a launch of its first foldable phone next year. However, even though the market is getting more and more attention, experts think that high prices and limitations in producing the devices will prevent foldables from taking over the whole smartphone market.
According to Counterpoint Research, foldable smartphones are expected to comprise not more than 2% of the total global smartphone shipments by 2025 and though this figure will slowly rise to 3% by 2027.
Samsung has not only kept but also increased its share in the foldable segment to the extent that it accounted for 64% of the shipments during the third quarter, which was a huge leap from 9% in the prior quarter, thus indicating the dependent nature of market share on product releases. The company is forecasting a 14% growth in the foldable market this year, followed by an annual increase in 30% range for 2026 and 2027 particularly because of the entry of Apple.
