Samsung debuts its first multi-folding phone; Galaxy Z TriFold will be available in Singapore from Dec 19

SEOUL - Samsung Electronics unveiled on Dec 2 its first multi-folding smartphone, in a bid to strengthen its position in a sector of the phone market where competition is expected to intensify.

The Galaxy Z TriFold will be available in Singapore from Dec 19, Samsung Singapore announced on Dec 2. 

Singapore customers will be invited to register their interest via samsung.com from Dec 3 to 10, and will be sent a reminder to purchase the device at the website from Dec 12.

The new model will first go on sale in South Korea on Dec 12 and be rolled out in China, Taiwan and the United Arab Emirates within 2025. The US launch is expected as early as the first quarter of 2026.

Upon its launch, the Galaxy Z TriFold will be on display at the Samsung Experience Stores at VivoCity, 313 @ Somerset and Jurong Point for hands-on discovery.

The launch of the Galaxy Z TriFold marks Samsung’s bid to reinforce its footing in a segment where Chinese rivals have been gaining ground, even as analysts say the high price and production challenges mean foldable devices are likely to remain a niche category for now.

The Galaxy Z TriFold is priced at about 3.59 million won (S$3,170) and unfolds into a 253.1mm (10-inch) display, using three panels. It is nearly 25 per cent larger than Samsung’s latest foldable Galaxy Z Fold 7 model.

“I believe the foldable market will continue to grow, and the TriFold in particular could act as a catalyst that drives more explosive growth in key parts of the segment,” said Alex Lim, Samsung Electronics executive vice president and head of the Korea Sales & Marketing Office.

Mr Lim said the new foldable device is intended for customers who specifically want it, rather than as a volume driver.

He added that memory chips and other component costs have been rising sharply, making pricing a “difficult decision”.

The device features Samsung’s largest battery in its flagship models and supports super-fast charging that powers the phone to 50 per cent in 30 minutes.

Competition from Huawei, Apple

Analysts said Samsung’s first multi-folding device is more likely to be a showcase of the new technology rather than a volume-driving flagship, given the early stage of the multi-way fold form and challenges of scaling production.

“The trifold is a first-generation product, and it’s the first time a trifold design is being commercialised, so it’s hard to see Samsung pushing large volumes at this stage,” said Mr Ryu Young-ho, a senior analyst at NH Investment & Securities.

He noted that while Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold line has reached its seventh generation with product maturity and lower cost structures, “the trifold could still face issues around completeness or durability”, making it important for the company to assess how the market responds first.

While competition in the foldable smartphone market is expected to heat up, with China’s Huawei launching the industry’s first three-way folding phone September 2024 and Apple expected to release its first foldable in 2026, analysts said high prices and limits to mass production are likely to hold back the sector.

Foldables are expected to account for less than 2 per cent of the total smartphone market in 2025 and will make up under 3 per cent by 2027, according to Counterpoint Research.

Counterpoint data showed Samsung’s shipment share of the foldable market jumped to 64 per cent in the third quarter, up from 9 per cent in the previous quarter. The sharp swing reflected how small the market still is, with the share whipsawing each quarter depending on the timing of new product launches, it said.

The firm forecasts the foldable smartphone market will grow 14 per cent in 2025, followed by annual growth in the 30 per cent range in 2026 and 2027 as Apple looks set to enter the segment. REUTERS

With additional information from The Straits Times