A New Fold in Mobile Design
Samsung Electronics plans to unveil a groundbreaking trifold smartphone at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Gyeongju, South Korea, on October 31, 2025. This device, featuring two hinges, transforms from a 6.5-inch phone to a near-10-inch tablet, offering unmatched versatility. Showcased among world leaders, it's a bold move to highlight South Korean engineering on a global stage. The trifold builds on Samsung's Galaxy Z series, which kicked off the foldable revolution in 2019, and now faces stiff competition from Huawei's Mate XT, the first trifold launched in China in 2024.
What makes this device stand out? It's the promise of carrying a pocket-sized phone that unfolds into a tablet, catering to professionals juggling spreadsheets, creatives sketching designs, and anyone craving a bigger screen for movies or multitasking. Samsung is betting big on this form factor to reclaim its edge in a market where foldables, though growing fast, still make up just 1.6 percent of global smartphone sales.
Samsung vs. Huawei: A Tale of Two Trifolds
Samsung's trifold arrives a year after Huawei's Mate XT, which dazzled China with its 10.2-inch unfolded display and dual-hinge setup. Huawei's device, priced around 4,000 USD, sold out repeatedly, proving demand for ultra-premium foldables among affluent buyers. Yet, its weight of 298 grams and 12.8 mm thickness when folded raised eyebrows for practicality. Samsung, aiming for global reach, plans to produce 200,000 units initially, targeting high-income markets like North America and Europe with a price tag above 2,135 USD.
Looking at Huawei's Mate XT, early adopters praised its expansive screen for productivity but noted durability issues, as exposed displays were prone to scratches. Samsung's approach, using an infolding design where both hinges fold inward, tackles some of these concerns by protecting the screen when closed. However, this design complicates engineering, as the middle screen must bend tightly without creasing. Samsung's expertise, honed through years of Galaxy Z Fold iterations, gives it an edge in mass production and display quality, but Huawei's first-mover status has shifted market dynamics, with Huawei claiming 45 percent of the foldable market in Q2 2025 compared to Samsung's 20 percent.
Engineering Marvels and Real-World Hurdles
Building a trifold smartphone is no small feat. Samsung's device relies on its Display division's flexible OLED technology and Ultra Thin Glass, introduced in 2020 with the Galaxy Z Flip, to deliver a crisp, durable screen. The dual-hinge system must endure hundreds of thousands of folds while resisting dust and maintaining structural integrity. Unlike Huawei's mixed infolding and outfolding hinges, Samsung's inward-folding design protects the screen but demands precision to avoid visible creases or uneven wear.
Challenges abound. Two hinges double the potential failure points, and early foldable devices like the 2019 Galaxy Fold faced screen failures from debris in hinges. Consumers remain wary, with 31 percent citing durability concerns and 36 percent balking at high prices. At over 2,135 USD, Samsung's trifold targets affluent buyers, but its weight and thickness could deter users accustomed to sleek, lightweight phones. Software also plays a critical role. Apps must seamlessly adapt to multiple screen sizes, from compact to tablet mode, requiring developers to optimize for fluid transitions and multitasking.
Why Trifolds Matter for Work and Play
Trifold smartphones promise a game-changing blend of portability and productivity. Business professionals can run three apps simultaneously on a 10-inch display, editing documents or joining video calls without a laptop. Content creators gain a larger canvas for sketching or editing, while gamers and streamers enjoy immersive visuals. Samsung's device, integrated with Google's Android optimizations, supports split-screen multitasking and app continuity, ensuring apps adjust as the device folds or unfolds.
Still, not everyone's sold. Some users find foldables bulky, with 15 percent citing discomfort in daily use. The learning curve for folding and unfolding can feel clunky, especially for one-handed tasks. Accessibility also raises questions. Larger screens benefit visually impaired users, but those with limited dexterity may struggle with the folding mechanism. Samsung must balance these trade-offs to convince skeptical buyers that trifolds offer practical value beyond novelty.
Lessons From the Foldable Journey
Samsung's trifold isn't its first rodeo. The 2019 Galaxy Fold launch was a wake-up call, with review units failing due to debris in exposed hinges. Samsung quickly redesigned, reinforcing hinges and adding protective caps, setting a precedent for iterative improvements. By 2025, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 boasts IP48 dust resistance, although it lags behind some competitors in dust protection standards. These lessons shape the trifold, with Samsung prioritizing durability and global scalability over Huawei's China-focused Mate XT.
Huawei's Mate XT, meanwhile, teaches a different lesson: bold innovation captures attention. Its rapid sell-outs showed that niche, high-end buyers will pay for cutting-edge form factors, even at 4,000 USD. Yet, its fragility highlighted the need for robust designs. Samsung's cautious production of 200,000 units suggests a focus on brand prestige over mass sales, learning from Huawei's success while aiming to avoid its pitfalls. Both cases underscore that foldables thrive when they solve real user needs, not just showcase tech prowess.
The Bigger Picture: Sustainability and Access
Trifold smartphones, with their complex hinges and displays, raise environmental red flags. Manufacturing a single smartphone generates about 80 kilograms of CO2, and trifolds likely exceed this due to extra components. Only 15 percent of phones are recycled properly, and foldables' intricate designs complicate disassembly. Samsung's push for sustainability, using 13.7 percent recycled materials in recent devices, is a step forward, but broader adoption hinges on better recycling and repair options.
Access is another hurdle. Priced above 2,135 USD, trifolds cater to wealthy early adopters, deepening the digital divide. While foldables could revolutionize education or healthcare with larger screens for learning or telemedicine, their cost limits access to affluent markets. Samsung and its peers face pressure to lower prices by 20 to 30 percent to reach broader audiences, which could redefine mobile technology's role in society.