Samsung could launch its tri-fold phone later this year – but you won't get one

If you're a fan of the best Android phones on the market, it's hard to miss Samsung's presence. The Korean brand has been around for decades, honing its craft to produce some killer handsets.

Still, you've probably never seen anything quite like this rumoured device. The Samsung tri-fold phone is rumoured to be launching in the latter half of 2025, following on from the Huawei Mate XT which was shown in 2024.

However, don't hold out hope of getting your hands on one, as it's said to be a fairly limited run. According to the folks over at 91Mobiles, there are going to be just 300,000 units of the handset made. That might not seem especially slim, but compare that to the current Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra – said to have sold just shy of 16 million units – and it feels a lot more scarce.

That quantity may well mean it's an Asia-only release for the time being. That's certainly a shame – especially as someone who wholeheartedly believes in the three-panel foldable phone design.

I've been very vocal about the benefits of these kinds of handsets, which offer the first true embodiment of the phone-to-tablet ethos. By moving from a single slab phone-sized panel to something three times larger, you get closer to the size of a good tablet for proper multi-tasking.

One area where the Samsung design is expected to differ is the folding orientation. This model is said to use a G-shaped folding array, where both of the outer panels fold into the centre.

I'm certainly intrigued to see how that may work, though I'm slightly unconvinced. I can't imagine any setup in that configuration where the left-hand hinge isn't absolutely huge, to accommodate for the dual-panel insert on the other side. It would also do away with a big benefit from the Mate XT, which utilises a folding design with no glass on the back edge.

It's also said to be pricey. There's no estimate for exactly how expensive this will be, but reports suggest it will be more costly than any other foldable phone on the market. We'll just have to keep our eyes peeled for more information later in the year.