Samsung confirms release window for its first tri-fold phone

Samsung has officially confirmed that its long-rumoured tri-fold smartphone will debut by the end of this year. TM Roh, head of Samsung’s mobile division, revealed at IFA in Berlin that the device is in its final stage of development and on track for launch within the next three months.

However, availability will be limited. The tri-fold, likely to be branded as the Galaxy Z TriFold, is expected to ship only in select markets initially, with Samsung using this restricted rollout to test demand before considering a broader release next year.

The new form factor is Samsung’s bid to expand its foldable portfolio beyond the Galaxy Z Fold and Z Flip lines. The company is keen to establish itself in the trifold category before rivals such as Huawei, which has already introduced its second trifold device, gain too much ground.

While the hardware may be groundbreaking, the Galaxy Z TriFold is unlikely to appeal to the mainstream buyer. Pricing is expected to exceed the already premium Galaxy Z Fold 7, which sells for around $2,000. That would make the tri-fold one of the most expensive consumer smartphones ever released. As with any first-generation product, buyers should also expect compromises in software optimisation and overall refinement.