Samsung unveils its first triple-folding smartphone, the Galaxy Z TriFold, a high-priced special-edition device released as competition in the global smartphone market intensifies.
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| Samsung introduces its triple-fold Galaxy Z TriFold as a high-end innovation showcase amid rising pressure from Apple and shifting global smartphone rankings. Image: CH |
SEOUL, South Korea — December 2, 2025:
Samsung’s debut of the Galaxy Z TriFold marks one of the boldest hardware experiments in the smartphone industry this year—an audacious triple-folding device with a price tag that signals exclusivity rather than mainstream ambition. Priced at $2,443, more than twice the cost of Apple’s new iPhone 17, the TriFold arrives not as a mass-market contender but as a statement piece, designed to illustrate Samsung’s technical reach at a time when competition is tightening and market growth is uneven.
The device unfolds into a 10-inch display, promising a tablet-like workspace in a form factor thin enough to collapse below 0.2 inches at its narrowest point. At 309 grams, the TriFold is surprisingly lightweight for a phone that folds twice. Samsung touts the device as unlocking new opportunities for productivity and content creation, thanks to both the expanded screen and integrated generative-AI features that offer real-time assistance through screen- or camera-sharing tools.
Yet the triple-fold innovation is not entirely Samsung’s own frontier. Huawei introduced a similar concept last year, revealing that the design leap is not exclusive to the South Korean giant. What Samsung offers, instead, is refinement: a sleeker build and a more cohesive ecosystem around foldable technology, which the company has pioneered more aggressively than any other global competitor.
Samsung openly acknowledges that the Galaxy Z TriFold is “not intended for mass sales.” Executive Vice President Kim Seong-eun characterizes it as a “special-edition” release—an indicator that the device is meant to shape perception more than sales charts. In an industry increasingly defined by incremental updates and fierce price competition, dramatic form-factor innovation serves as a differentiator, even if its adoption remains niche.
The launch comes at a particularly sensitive moment. Industry forecasts suggest Apple is on track to become the world’s top smartphone maker for the first time in 14 years, potentially holding its lead through 2029. Counterpoint Research projects Apple will command 19.4% global market share in 2025, surpassing Samsung’s expected 18.7%. With persistent rumors of a foldable iPhone possibly arriving as early as next year, the competitive pressure is mounting.
In this context, the Galaxy Z TriFold operates as both a technological showcase and a strategic signal: Samsung intends to reinforce its identity as the leader in foldable innovation even as the broader market landscape shifts. The device demonstrates the company’s willingness to push boundaries in hardware design while integrating AI features that reflect the new defining battleground of the smartphone era.
Whether the triple-fold form factor represents a meaningful direction for future devices or remains a high-priced novelty is still unclear. But as Samsung navigates a market in transition—and defends its position against an increasingly aggressive Apple—the Galaxy Z TriFold ensures the conversation around smartphone innovation continues to fold, unfold, and now triple-fold in Samsung’s favor.