Samsung Electronics Galaxy Z TriFold Media Day held at Samsung Gangnam in Seoul, South Korea on December 2, 2025.
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samsung electronics on Monday announced the launch of its first multi-folding smartphone, racing to keep up with rivals’ rapidly advancing innovations.
The company announced in a press release that the long-awaited Galaxy Z TriFold will go on sale in South Korea on December 12th, followed by other markets such as China, Taiwan, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates.
The phone is expected to be launched in the US during the first quarter of 2026, with details to be shared later, the South Korean tech giant added. The Galaxy Z Trifold ships as a single black model with 16GB of memory and 512GB of storage, priced at 3,594,000 Korean won ($2,449).
With Apple expected to enter the foldable segment, Samsung is positioning this device as a multi-fold pilot to strengthen its technological leadership. ”
Liz Lee
Counterpoint Research Associate Director
The device uses two inward-folding hinges to open a 10-inch display (slightly smaller than the 11-inch display on the 11th generation iPad) with a resolution of 2160 x 1584.
When the screen panel is folded, the device is 12.9 millimeters (0.5 inches) thick. This is slightly larger than the Galaxy Z Fold6’s 12.1 mm and the latest Galaxy Z Fold7’s 8.9 mm.
“Samsung’s first tri-fold model ships in very limited quantities, but scale is not the objective,” Liz Lee, associate director at Counterpoint Research, said in a statement shared with CNBC.
“Competitive dynamics are set to change significantly in 2026, and Samsung is positioning this device as a multi-fold pilot to strengthen its technology leadership, especially with Apple expected to enter the foldable segment.”
Samsung Electronics Co.’s Galaxy Z TriFold smartphone on display during a media preview on Tuesday, December 2, 2025 in Seoul, South Korea.
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Lee added that Samsung’s latest products are aimed at testing durability, hinge design, and software performance while gathering real-world user insights before widespread commercialization.
The phone’s three foldable panels can also run three apps side by side, providing a desktop-like mode without a separate display.
TriFold has the largest battery capacity among Samsung’s foldable models and supports ultra-fast charging that reaches 50% in 30 minutes.
TM Roh, who was recently appointed co-CEO and head of device experience at Samsung Electronics, said the Galaxy Z TriFold reflects the company’s long-standing commitment to foldable design, aiming to balance portability, performance, and productivity in one device.
Samsung was an early innovator in foldable smartphones, announcing its first foldable device in 2019. Although the market remains relatively small, new competitors continue to enter, including Chinese brands that have proven competitive on both price and dimensions.
A visitor tries out the Galaxy Z Trifold at Samsung Electronics’ Galaxy Z TriFold Media Day held at Samsung Gangnam in Seoul, South Korea on December 2, 2025.
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In September, telecommunications giant Huawei announced a second-generation tri-fold mobile phone for the Chinese market that is 12.8 mm thick when folded.
This year also saw Chinese brands such as Honor launch foldable smartphones in international markets. Honor spun off from Huawei in 2020 to avoid U.S. sanctions and explore international markets.
Like Samsung’s other recent foldable products, the TriFold has an IP48 rating. This means it is water resistant to a depth of 1.5 meters for up to 30 minutes, but dust resistance is limited.
