Remember when foldable phones felt like science fiction? I still catch myself staring at the first Galaxy Fold in 2019, thinking “they actually did it.” Six years later, Samsung just took things to a whole new level – and honestly, I wasn’t ready.
On Monday the company quietly revealed the Galaxy Z TriFold, the world’s first triple-folding smartphone from a major global brand. Two hinges. Three panels. A full 10-inch display when unfolded. It’s the kind of device that makes you wonder why we ever settled for boring slabs in the first place.
Samsung Finally Answers the Triple-Fold Question
For years rumors swirled. Huawei beat everyone to the punch with the Mate XT in China, and suddenly Samsung – the company that basically invented the modern foldable category – looked like it was playing catch-up. Not anymore.
The Galaxy Z TriFold is Samsung’s statement: we’re still the ones pushing the envelope. And while the company isn’t shouting volume numbers from the rooftops, insiders say this launch is more about proving technological leadership than moving millions of units right away. Think of it as the foldable equivalent of a concept car that actually goes into limited production.
What You’re Actually Getting
Let’s talk hardware, because this thing is wild.
- 10-inch inner display when fully open (2160 × 1584 resolution)
- Two inward-folding hinges – yes, two!
- 12.9 mm thick when completely folded (thicker than the Z Fold7, but come on, it’s three screens)
- Single configuration: 16 GB RAM + 512 GB storage
- Largest battery ever in a Samsung foldable
- Super-fast charging – 50 % in 30 minutes
- IP48 rating (pretty solid water resistance, limited dust protection)
Price? Brace yourself – 3,594,000 Korean won, which converts to roughly $2,449 USD. This isn’t a phone for the average buyer. It’s a halo device, a tech flex, a “because we can” product.
The Software Magic Nobody’s Talking About (Yet)
Here’s what actually excites me. Three panels mean three apps running side-by-side vertically. Imagine reading an article on the left, taking notes in the middle, and checking references on the right – all without ever swapping windows. Samsung also added a proper desktop-like mode that works without an external monitor.
In my experience playing with early foldables, software has always been the Achilles’ heel. Samsung seems to have poured years of learnings into this one. If the execution is as smooth as they claim, this could genuinely change how power users work on the go.
“This isn’t about scale right now. It’s a pilot to test durability, hinge design, and real-world software performance before wider commercialization.”
– Industry analyst comment shared with media
The Competition Is Breathing Down Samsung’s Neck
Let’s be real – Chinese brands have been eating Samsung’s lunch in the foldable space lately. Huawei’s second-generation trifold is already on shelves in China, measuring just 12.8 mm thick when folded. Honor is going global. Vivo, Oppo, Xiaomi – everyone has skin in the game.
And then there’s the elephant in the room: Apple. Whispers keep getting louder that Cupertino is finally preparing its own foldable, possibly as soon as 2026. Samsung knows the clock is ticking.
Dropping the TriFold now feels like a preemptive strike. Show the world you still set the pace. Gather real-user data. Refine the hinges and crease. Be ready when the mainstream floodgates open.
Release Timeline – Where and When
South Korea gets first dibs on December 12. After that, expect rollouts in China, Taiwan, Singapore, and the UAE before the end of the year. The U.S. and most Western markets? We’re looking at Q1 2026.
It’s a familiar pattern – Samsung often tests premium foldables in Asia first. Limited initial volumes also mean you’ll probably need to move fast if you actually want one in 2025.
Is This the Future, or Just a Very Expensive Experiment?
Here’s my take after digesting everything: the Galaxy Z TriFold might not change your life tomorrow. Most people will never spend $2,500 on a phone, and that’s fine.
But think five years ahead. The tech that makes triple-folding possible – thinner glass, better hinge mechanisms, smarter power management – will trickle down. We saw it with the original Fold. Features that felt insane in 2019 are standard on $800 mid-rangers today.
This device is Samsung drawing a line in the sand. A message to rivals, to Apple, to all of us: the foldable era isn’t slowing down. It’s just getting started.
Will I buy one? Probably not at that price. But am I fascinated to see where this rabbit hole leads? Absolutely.
The next chapter of smartphones isn’t going to be about faster chips or better cameras anymore. It’s about form factors we haven’t even imagined yet. And with the Galaxy Z TriFold, Samsung just turned the page.
