Samsung's groundbreaking tri-fold phone will cost a fortune and pack 'top-of-the-line' specs
A new report claims to reveal the extravagant price point, massive screen, state-of-the-art processor, and more details about Samsung's first-ever tri-fold device.
Unlike a year ago, when the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6 predictably came out, Samsung is widely expected to be preparing not two and not three, but a grand total of four new foldable devices for a joint Unpacked announcement next week.
The most unusual and innovative member of this quartet, however, is unlikely to be commercially released very soon, with its mass production being projected to barely kick off in September. Unfortunately, that's not the only bad news surrounding Samsung's first-of-a-kind tri-fold phone, with an eyebrow-raising price point reported once again by Korean media today (translated here), as well as speculation of "limited" availability "mainly" in two key markets.
Let's start with the good news
Yes, we have some encouraging information to discuss here as well, starting with the massive 10-inch or so screen expected to be integrated by the "Galaxy G Fold" (which may or may not be the final marketing name of Samsung's rookie tri-fold effort).
The Galaxy G Fold will offer a lot more screen real estate than the Z Fold 6, but probably not enough to justify its price tag. | Image Credit -- PhoneArena
While it's certainly not surprising to hear that this bad boy will probably expand on the main 7.6-inch display size of last year's Galaxy Z Fold 6 and this year's all but guaranteed 8.2-inch Z Fold 7 primary screen diagonal, I'm definitely excited to see a gargantuan tablet-grade panel with a double-folding mechanism taking on the 10.2-inch Huawei Mate XT.
The Galaxy G Fold, remember, is rumored to fold twice inwards rather than one time on the inside and one time on the outside like Huawei's pioneering tri-fold device, which means that Samsung's contender will also need a separate cover screen... that's almost completely shrouded in mystery for now.
What's no longer a secret is the G Fold's state-of-the-art Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite processor. That's also not a big surprise, but it essentially guarantees this powerhouse a spot next to the Galaxy Z Fold 7 on the 2025 list of the best Android phones in the world in terms of raw speed.
And now the not-so-good news
Yes, I'm afraid Samsung's first tri-fold smartphone is still only expected to be released in South Korea and China, and what's worse is that the groundbreaking handset's price point in its manufacturer's homeland could exceed 4 million won.
The Galaxy G Fold will differ from the Huawei Mate XT in a key way. | Image Credit -- PhoneArena
That's about as bad as it sounds, equating to almost $3,000 right now, and in case you're wondering, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 is a lot cheaper in Korea, starting at the rough equivalent of $1,500.
Will the Galaxy G Fold be twice as good as Samsung's "normal" book-style foldables? I highly doubt that, especially with a battery capacity below the aforementioned Huawei Mate XT. The exact number is not yet etched in stone, but there's a real possibility that it won't even break the 5,000mAh barrier, which would be... pretty terrible for a device with a primary screen size of "about" 10 inches and a secondary display likely to sit around the 6.5-inch mark.
Would you buy Samsung's tri-fold if it's released near you?
Definitely
21.44%
Maybe at $2,500
11.97%
Maybe at $2,000
39.35%
Probably not at any price
10.62%
Definitely not
16.62%
Even in China and South Korea, you may have to wait until the year's final quarter to be able to order Samsung's first tri-fold device in exchange for a small fortune. That means the (limited) commercial release could take place at any time between October and December, which really makes you wonder what the point of next week's announcement will be.
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Is Samsung merely trying to distract from the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7's obvious flaws by suggesting something bigger and more innovative is around the corner? That's definitely possible, but with only an "extremely limited" production volume expected for this year, that also sounds like... a bit of a scam, doesn't it?
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Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.
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