Samsung’s long-teased double-folding phone has finally become a reality — but it’s not a complete surprise: The new device is formally known as the Galaxy Z Fold 3, and it was teased for the first time all the way back in 2018.
A fresh hands-on video from SBS Korea and Omokgyo Electronics Mall has revealed the Galaxy Z TriFold up close at last. It appears undeniably slick, featuring a profile unfolded that’s surprisingly thin and a folded footprint that maintains relative slimness for a device with two hinges.
The snippet further solidifies what industry watchers expected following the APEC teaser: Samsung is positioning the TriFold as a flagship-like device along the lines of borrowing design cues from the Galaxy Z Fold 3, while also taking the flip form factor up into tablet-esque dimensions when unfolded.
In Detail: Galaxy Z TriFold Design Shown Up Close
Depicted here extended, the profile of the TriFold looks impressively thin, pointing at some aggressive material engineering and hinge architecture that saves space. Folded, the stack is unavoidably thicker than a traditional book-style foldable, but the video demonstrates something more along the lines of “two Folds laid on top of each other” than a mini brick. The folded width appears to be about a finger’s span, or thinner than previous tri-fold prototypes from display expos.
From the back, the Fold 6 family likeness is immediately apparent: a spiffy triple-camera island, an LED flash in familiar territory, and a side-mounted fingerprint sensor. The camera hump likely determines much of the device’s overall thickness budget, a typical compromise when you’re squeezing bigger sensors, optical stabilization hardware, and battery capacity into tight little packages.
Two Hinges Unlock New Possibilities for Multitasking
A tri-fold’s appeal is not only screen size but also layout flexibility. A three-segmented panel can fold in like a wallet or take on an S-fold, introducing multiple “modes” for work and play. Imagine an email client snapped to one panel, a browser on the second, a notes app on the third… all viewable without having to juggle windows. One UI, Samsung’s current user interface, already has a taskbar and drag-and-drop support alongside multi-pane layouts; a tri-fold canvas should showcase those abilities.
Samsung Display has also already shown off concepts — Flex S and Flex G — but the TriFold is looking like an indication that those lab demos are ready for prime time. The question of whether the software can recognize and reconfigure seamlessly across three aspect ratios as you fold and unfold — and gild the lily with stylus input (if supported) that at least feels natural on a segmented canvas.
Engineering Trade-offs to Monitor in Tri-Fold Design
Two hinges, double the tolerancing challenges. Fighting creases, and efforts to keep dust and moisture from infiltrating the area behind what must be very thin glass, also get tougher when panels fold in multiple spots. Samsung has learned some harsh lessons across the various generations of Fold and Flip — expect reinforced hinge cams, tighter gear tolerances, and a panel stack-up that is designed to evenly distribute stress.
Battery and design for thermal are just as important. There are electronics on all three sections, so heat dissipation and cell layout have to be figured for the right balance of weight and duration. Recent Folds have been in the neighborhood of 4,400–4,800mAh; a tri-fold may need some clever cell engineering to give tablet-esque screen time without toppling over. They could be conservative about the IP ratings at launch, especially considering the new ingress points over a dual-hinge system.
How It Fits Into the Foldable Market and Competition
Both DSCC and Counterpoint have reported the folding segment growing continuously, with shipments rising overall while larger-screen models fuel high premium ASPs. Samsung remains strong in the global market, although competition heats up in China. Two other manufacturers (TCL and BOE) have shown off tri-fold prototypes at industry shows, but no mainstream brand has brought a mass-market tri-fold to market yet—so there’s plenty of space for Samsung to stake the claim if the company thinks the TriFold concept is ready for prime time.
Positioning will be strategic. A small release would allow Samsung to test out durability, improve software and see what real-world use scenarios could be before ramping up. That sounds a lot like what early generations of the Fold did to set up shop and eventually get book-style foldables accepted by productivity-minded buyers. If the TriFold arrives alongside refined multitasking and reliable ergonomics, it could be the new halo device that draws the whole category forward.
What The Video Shows, And What It Doesn’t
The close-up solidifies a slick exterior, Fold 7-like camera and biometric layout, and clear determination to reduce physical size.
It doesn’t respond to crucial queries—words like display resolution and refresh, fold crease erosion over time, battery capacity, weight, or even an IP rating. Nor does it reveal any unique software tricks for a three-panel device, which could ultimately make or break the everyday use of the thing.
Still, the takeaway is clear. No more behind-glass curiosity, the Galaxy Z TriFold is here. It appears to be a sensible, premium device that could blur the line between phone and tablet, as well as an ultralight productivity tool. If Samsung nails durability and software, it could be the moment when tri-folding phones stop being prototypes and start becoming products.
