Samsung is considering bringing its upcoming “tri-fold” smartphone to the United States, a move that would mark the first time such a device is sold in the US and signal a new attempt to reinvigorate a smartphone market that has grown increasingly mature.
The company is still deciding which regions will receive the device when it launches later this year, but a US release is part of those discussions, according to a person familiar with the plans. That matters because Samsung has often limited experimental products to specific markets, such as South Korea or China. One example is the Galaxy Z Fold 6 SE, which debuted in those regions last year. Chinese tech company Huawei already sells a tri-folding phone, though its devices are not available in the US.
The possible launch comes as Samsung, Apple and other manufacturers look for fresh ways to excite consumers. That challenge has grown tougher as people keep their phones longer and analysts debate whether new AI devices could one day replace smartphones altogether.
Apple is set to launch the iPhone Air, its first major redesign in nearly a decade, and is expected to introduce its first foldable phone as early as 2026, according to Bloomberg. Samsung, meanwhile, released the seventh generation of its foldable phones over the summer and is preparing a slimmer Galaxy S Edge model for next year.
Together, Apple and Samsung account for about 35% of global smartphone shipments, according to International Data Corporation, making them key indicators for the wider industry.
“What we’re seeing is a bit of a return to life before the smartphone,” said Drew Blackard, senior vice president of mobile product management at Samsung Electronics America. “Back then, phones came in different forms, and people wanted options.”
Samsung’s tri-fold device, which folds at two points to create a much larger display than current foldables, would represent the company’s most dramatic design shift since it introduced its first foldable phone in 2019.
Samsung has shared few details so far, beyond confirming the device is scheduled to launch by the end of the year. The company declined to comment on market availability or timing, though Minseok Kang, Samsung’s global head of smartphone product planning, said the 2025 launch remains on track.
Kang described the current Galaxy Z Flip and Z Fold models — which saw preorder growth of 25% compared with the previous generation — as stepping stones toward a tri-fold phone capable of delivering a much larger screen. Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 7 unfolds to an eight-inch display, smaller than an iPad Mini and well below the size of standard iPads.
The executives declined to share the tri-fold’s screen dimensions, but Blackard said Samsung isn’t interested in offering “the exact same experience in a slightly different form factor.”
Samsung has previously showcased tri-fold concepts at events like the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. One prototype, called Flex G, opens like a brochure, while another, Flex S, folds inward and outward to form an S-shape, effectively combining three screens in one device.
Although Samsung hasn’t released a commercial product based on those designs, the tri-fold phone would test whether consumers are willing to pay a premium for an even larger screen that still fits in a pocket.
“The exciting part is getting it out into the wild and seeing what different users respond to,” Blackard said.
Like the Galaxy Z Fold, the tri-fold phone could remain a niche product due to its price. But it may help Samsung stand out and attract customers from rival brands. Blackard said Samsung’s foldables draw twice as many non-Samsung users, percentage-wise, compared with its traditional flagship phones.
Looking ahead, Samsung plans to release a follow-up to the Galaxy S25 Edge as part of its next Galaxy S lineup. Although not officially confirmed, Kang suggested the successor could arrive in the first quarter of next year alongside the Galaxy S26 series, rather than later in the spring. A source familiar with the company’s plans said Samsung’s push toward slimmer designs will influence future launches, including its flagship Galaxy S phones.
Still, thinner designs may not be enough to drive sales. Blackard and Kang declined to comment on Galaxy S25 Edge performance, but South Korean outlet The Elec reported earlier this year that the model has underperformed.
The focus on slimness has also revived speculation about port-free phones. Apple reportedly explored removing the charging port from the iPhone Air, relying entirely on wireless charging. Kang confirmed Samsung has discussed similar ideas internally.
“There’s no technical limitation,” Blackard said when asked about port-less phones.
However, Samsung has no current plans to release one, noting that wireless chargers are still not widely available in public spaces when people need to recharge on the go.
Kang compared the idea to another concept Samsung once explored — a smartphone with a transparent display.
“It was definitely discussed internally,” he said. “But the compromises outweighed the benefits.”
For now, Samsung believes the future lies in slimmer, foldable designs, even though such devices represent only a small fraction of the overall smartphone market. Foldable shipments are expected to reach 45.7 million units by 2028, according to IDC, compared with roughly 1.2 billion smartphones shipped globally in 2024.
“For a decade, phones all looked like the same bar-style device,” Blackard said. “For the first time in a long while, we’re seeing innovation that makes people rethink what they actually want from a mobile device.”
