Samsung Z TriFold. Picture: Samsung
The foldable smartphone competition is heating up after Samsung followed Huawei’s footsteps, unveiling its own triple-fold smartphone, the Galaxy Z TriFold.
The South Korean company unveiled the device at an event in Seoul on Tuesday, several months before Apple is expected to announce its first folding iPhone.
Triple fold
Huawei beat Samsung to the trifold punch last year with the Mate XT and in 2025 launched the second edition, the Mate XTS.
The Galaxy Z TriFold will go on sale on 12 December and costs more than twice as much as the new iPhone 17 at $2,443 (R41 617).
Samsung plans to sell the phone in the US, but hasn’t yet shared pricing. The TriFold will also be available in other markets, including China, Taiwan, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates.
It’s unclear if the device will be arriving on South African shores and if it does, the smartphone will be considerably higher priced due to duties and taxes as in the case of the Huawei Mate XT which retails for about R70 000.
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Some features
Super thin, it unfolds to a 10-inch (25.4 centimetre) display, offering “increased possibilities for creating and working”, Samsung said.
The Galaxy Z TriFold has a different hinge design, folding inward from two sides, whereas the Huawei Mate XT models take on a Z shape when being folded.
When closed, the TriFold’s outer screen offers similar dimensions to a regular smartphone. But when unfurled, it provides a tablet-style experience with a 10-inch display, larger than the panel on the Galaxy Z Fold 7.
At its thinnest point, the TriFold measures 3.9mm. Inside, it contains a 5,600 mAH battery, marking the largest capacity that Samsung has used in a folding phone so far.
Dex
Using Samsung’s DeX software, which has been tweaked for this particular hardware type, you can also run a desktop-like experience directly on the large inner display.
In DeX, the TriFold can operate as many as four distinct workspaces that can each run five apps simultaneously.
Samsung and Springboks
Meanwhile, Samsung South Africa has joined SA Rugby as the official mobile and consumer electronics partner across the national teams, including the Springboks, Springbok Women, Junior Springboks, Springbok Sevens and Springbok Women Sevens, as well as the Vodacom United Rugby Championship (URC).
According to Justin Hume, Vice President of Mobile eXperience at Samsung, the partnership makes sense because it sharpens how fans connect to the game.
“Through the power of Galaxy devices and Samsung Galaxy AI, we’re enabling fans to capture, share and enjoy every moment with clarity and immediacy. No other brand can connect supporters, teams and players quite like Samsung, it’s a natural fit for how rugby is experienced today.”
Rian Oberholzer, CEO of SA Rugby welcomed the partnership.
“This partnership brings us access to Samsung’s latest consumer electronics, which will enhance our training facilities and put the very best communication devices in our hands.
The agreement, effective from September for the Vodacom URC and October for the Springboks, runs for two years.
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