Samsung’s Bold Move: Tech Giant Unleashes First Tri-Fold Phone to Crush Chinese Competition

Samsung just threw down the gauntlet—and it folds three ways. The consumer electronics behemoth has officially launched the world's first tri-fold smartphone, a direct and aggressive counter-punch to the relentless pressure from Chinese manufacturers.

The Innovation Arms Race

This isn't just a new phone; it's a statement. By pushing the physical boundaries of the smartphone form factor beyond the now-commonplace foldable, Samsung is betting big on radical hardware innovation as its primary defense. The move aims to re-establish a clear technological moat, forcing competitors to play catch-up in a costly and complex engineering arena they've only recently entered.

A Calculated Market Gambit

The strategy is clear: bypass the brutal price wars in the mid-range segment by creating a new, ultra-premium category. It’s a classic play from the tech playbook—when you can't compete on cost, compete on spectacle and perceived future-proofing. The launch is as much about protecting brand prestige and margin as it is about selling units.

The finance crowd will, of course, nod sagely about 'differentiation' and 'market positioning' while quietly checking if this R&D spend shows up as a blip in the next quarterly earnings—nothing focuses a tech giant's mind like a few percentage points of market share bleeding to rivals with leaner operations.

One thing's for certain: the battle for your pocket just got a lot more interesting, and a lot more bendy.

TLDR

• Samsung launched its first tri-fold smartphone, the Galaxy Z TriFold, featuring three panels that open to a 10-inch display
• The device goes on sale in South Korea on December 12 for $2,449, with U.S. release planned for Q1 2026
• The phone measures 12.9mm thick when folded and can run three apps side by side with Samsung’s largest foldable battery
• Samsung faces growing competition from Chinese brands like Huawei, which launched its second-generation trifold in September
• Foldable phones are expected to account for less than 2% of the smartphone market in 2025, growing to under 3% by 2027

Samsung Electronics unveiled its Galaxy Z TriFold on Monday, marking the company’s first entry into the multi-folding smartphone market. The device will hit South Korean stores on December 12 with a price tag of 3,594,000 won, roughly $2,449.

We don’t just follow what’s next. We shape it.

Introducing the Galaxy Z TriFold.

Coming to Singapore soon, exclusively on https://t.co/mV7xyuMHbf.

Stay tuned for more. pic.twitter.com/5tmWURA2dk

— Samsung Singapore (@SamsungSG) December 2, 2025

The Galaxy Z TriFold uses two inward-folding hinges to create a 10-inch display when fully opened. That screen size sits just below the 11-inch display of Apple’s 11th-generation iPad. The resolution comes in at 2160 x 1584 pixels.

When folded, the device measures 12.9 millimeters thick. That’s slightly thicker than the Galaxy Z Fold6 at 12.1mm and the newer Galaxy Z Fold7 at 8.9mm. The phone ships in a single configuration with 16GB of memory and 512GB of storage, available only in black.

The three-panel design allows users to run three apps vertically side by side. The device also offers a desktop-like mode without needing an external display. Samsung equipped the TriFold with its largest battery capacity among foldable models, featuring super-fast charging that hits 50% in 30 minutes.

Samsung plans to roll out the TriFold in China, Taiwan, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates before the end of 2025. The U.S. launch is scheduled for the first quarter of 2026, though specific pricing for American consumers hasn’t been announced yet.

Testing the Waters

Alex Lim, Samsung’s executive vice president for Korea Sales and Marketing, stated the Galaxy Z TriFold targets customers who specifically want a foldable phone. The company doesn’t expect this product to drive high sales volumes since it serves a niche market.

Liz Lee from Counterpoint Research described Samsung’s strategy as a “multi-fold pilot” designed to reinforce the company’s technology leadership. Samsung is testing durability, hinge design, and software performance while gathering real-world feedback before wider commercialization. The limited initial volume reflects this experimental approach.

TM Roh, recently appointed as Samsung Electronics co-CEO and head of the Device eXperience division, said the Galaxy Z TriFold represents years of work on foldable designs. The device aims to balance portability, performance, and productivity in a single package.

Competition Heats Up

Samsung pioneered folding smartphones when it launched its first foldable device in 2019. The market has remained relatively small, but new competitors keep entering the space. Chinese brands have proven competitive on both price and design dimensions.

Huawei announced its second-generation trifold phone in September for the Chinese market. That device measures 12.8mm thick when folded, nearly matching Samsung’s TriFold. Huawei’s design uses a Z-shaped folding pattern that exposes part of the large screen when folded, while Samsung’s in-folding design keeps the large screen protected.

Chinese manufacturer Honor has also launched foldable smartphones in international markets this year. Honor was spun off from Huawei in 2020 to avoid U.S. sanctions and access global markets. These brands are pushing into territory Samsung once dominated.

Apple is expected to enter the foldable segment in 2026. That potential entry is shifting competitive dynamics in the market. Samsung’s timing with the TriFold positions the company to demonstrate its capabilities before Apple’s arrival.

The Galaxy Z TriFold carries an IP48 rating. That means the device resists water up to 1.5 meters for 30 minutes but offers limited dust protection. This rating matches Samsung’s other recent foldable models.

Counterpoint Research projects foldable phones will account for less than 2% of the overall smartphone market in 2025. That share is expected to grow to just under 3% by 2027. The foldable market is projected to grow 14% in 2025, then jump to around 30% annual growth in 2026 and 2027 as Apple enters the segment.

Experts point to bulky size and high prices as potential barriers to wider adoption. The Galaxy Z TriFold’s $2,449 price point puts it well above standard flagship smartphones. That pricing reflects the complex engineering required for multi-folding displays and hinges.

Samsung’s South Korea-listed shares have rallied more than 90% year-to-date. The company reported solid third-quarter results driven by its chip business. Samsung is experiencing strong demand for high-bandwidth memory chips due to the AI boom and recently announced a $310 billion domestic investment to strengthen its AI capabilities.