On Tuesday, December 2, the world’s largest smartphone manufacturer, Samsung Electronics, officially launched its first tri-fold smartphone, the Galaxy Z TriFold, in a bid to take the lead in the foldable high-end smartphone market. The industry expects Apple to launch its first foldable phone next year. Insiders say that Samsung’s move is a strategic positioning ahead of its competitors.
The 10-inch Galaxy Z TriFold from Samsung can be folded twice for easier pocket storage. It is priced at 3.6 million Korean won (about $2,400) in Samsung’s home market of South Korea. Samsung stated that this new phone is a “special edition” for early adopters who want to experience the latest technology and will be gradually released in overseas markets.
TM Roh, the CEO of Samsung’s Mobile Division, stated, “For years, we have been innovating in the foldable screen phone field. The Galaxy Z TriFold addresses one of the long-standing challenges in the mobile industry, which is to perfectly balance portability, exceptional performance, and productivity in one device. The Galaxy Z TriFold will once again expand the possibilities of mobile office, creativity, and connectivity.”
The launch of the Galaxy Z TriFold comes just three months after Huawei released its foldable phone Mate XT, priced at $2,800. Other companies that have launched foldable phones this year include Honor, Vivo, and Xiaomi from China. However, except for Huawei, these companies have not introduced tri-fold phones.
It is widely believed that Samsung’s move aims to strengthen its leading position in the foldable phone market to compete with Apple’s upcoming foldable phone next year.
In a report by Nikkei Asia in September, it was mentioned that Apple has been in talks with suppliers for the possible establishment of a foldable iPhone testing production line in Taiwan and plans to commence production in India, with a release set for 2026.
Liz Lee, Associate Research Director of global technology market research firm Counterpoint Research, stated that Samsung’s new device is a “strategic pilot” to verify product durability, software maturity, and consumer feedback in preparation for a more refined and widespread second-generation product. She added, “Samsung and Huawei are currently in the experimental stage, and the release of limited edition products is mainly to collect feedback and test market demand.”
According to Counterpoint’s data, global foldable phone shipments in the second quarter of 2025 increased by 45% compared to the same period last year. Samsung says that the release of the Galaxy Z TriFold is expected to further drive the growth of the foldable phone market.
Lim Sung-taek, Vice President of Sales at Samsung Korea, expressed, “I believe the TriFold series of phones could be a catalyst for explosive growth in the foldable market. I believe the foldable market will continue to grow. The popularity of the Z Fold 7 has taught us a lot.”
In terms of hardware, the Galaxy Z TriFold is equipped with a customized Snapdragon 8 Elite processor by Qualcomm and features five cameras, including three main cameras and two front cameras, with one main camera boasting a 200 million pixel resolution.
Samsung introduced that the 10-inch organic light-emitting diode (OLED) screen of the Galaxy Z TriFold utilizes a new display technology produced by its subsidiary Samsung Display. To enhance the durability of the screen, Samsung has added a reinforcement coating to the shock-absorbing display layer.