Samsung Electronics unveiled its first multi-folding smartphone on Monday as the company seeks to stay ahead of rapidly innovating rivals.
The new “Galaxy Z TriFold” will go on sale in South Korea on Dec. 12, with launches planned for China, Taiwan, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates. The device is expected in the U.S. in the first quarter of 2026. Samsung confirmed the phone will come in black with 16GB of memory, 512GB of storage, and a price of 3,594,000 South Korean won ($2,449).
The TriFold uses two inward-folding hinges to create a 10-inch display, slightly smaller than the 11-inch screen of Apple’s latest iPad. When fully folded, it measures 12.9 millimeters thick, compared with 12.1 mm for the Galaxy Z Fold6 and 8.9 mm for the Galaxy Z Fold7.
Liz Lee, associate director at Counterpoint Research, said the tri-fold model is launching in limited quantities and is designed to test hinge durability, software performance, and overall user experience. “With Apple expected to enter the foldable market, Samsung is using this device as a multi-fold pilot to maintain its technology leadership,” Lee said.
The Galaxy Z TriFold supports a desktop-like mode and can run three apps side by side on its three foldable panels. It also features Samsung’s largest battery among foldables and super-fast charging that reaches 50% in 30 minutes.
TM Roh, co-CEO of Samsung Electronics and head of the Device eXperience division, said the TriFold reflects years of work on folding technology, balancing portability, performance, and productivity. Samsung first introduced foldables in 2019, and although the market remains niche, new competitors, particularly Chinese brands like Huawei and Honor, have entered with competitive designs and pricing.
The TriFold carries an IP48 rating, offering water resistance up to 1.5 meters for 30 minutes, with limited dust protection.