"Innovation means expanding what’s possible, not constraining it": Samsung on Galaxy Z TriFold innovation – but does it change folding phones' futures?

It’s easy to take some of the technology we see for granted. Seven years ago, foldable phones weren’t even commercially available. Now, a new one launches every couple of months. They still attract more attention than standard phones, but are becoming more common – and less exciting as a result.

That is, until a new format appears, pushing the boundaries. In my 15 years as a technology journalist, the original Samsung Galaxy Z Fold launch remains etched in my memory as a true 'lightning in a bottle' moment.

The original foldable wasn't perfect – far from it, as is evident in how different it is compared to the most recent Galaxy Z Fold 7 – but it marked an undeniable shift in the mobile industry, and it was a defining moment that signalled the end of the glass-brick era.

Fast-forward to now and as I stood in a private briefing room at CES 2026, I felt that familiar prickle of excitement once again – as I got my hands on the Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold.

Huawei technically beat every maker to the triple-fold punch with its Mate XT UItimate Design, but Samsung’s entry makes the technology feel more mature, while adding some energy back into a foldable market that was beginning to feel a little too iterative.

Slim and light

Moving beyond the now-ubiquitous book-style and flip-style designs, the Galaxy Z TriFold represents another leap forward with its dual-hinge system that sees a device no larger (albeit thicker) than a standard smartphone transform into a 10-inch tablet.

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I fully expected bulky and clunky, but the Galaxy Z TriFold is surprisingly light and agile.

At 309g, it is heavier than the likes of the Galaxy S25 Ultra and Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max, but those are traditional slab phones. Compare the Galaxy Z TriFold to the best tablets on the market and it’s around 150g lighter than some of them – including the iPad Air.

Perhaps even more impressive, however, is its unfolded profile. It’s just 3.9mm at its slimmest point, meaning it shaves off over a millimetre compared to devices regarded as the pinnacles in thin tech, including the Apple iPhone Air, the latest Apple iPad Pro and the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge.

When the Galaxy Z TriFold is shut, it doesn't feel significantly thicker than the Galaxy Z Fold 7 either, which is quite a feat given there is an entire extra panel tucked inside.

Pocketable tablet experience

The Galaxy Z TriFold’s external display is a 6.5-inch AMOLED panel, which I’ve always maintained is the 'Goldilocks size' for one-handed use – large enough for a full keyboard experience but narrow enough that your thumb isn’t doing gymnastics to reach the notifications shade.

The screen's resolution is Full HD+, and while some will moan that it isn’t Quad HD, text and details look sharp, while colours remain vibrant and punchy. Even if it had extra resolution, it'd be off by default for sake of battery life.

Unfolding the Galaxy Z TriFold is where the magic happens though. You’re greeted with a 10-inch internal display, transforming it from just another large phone into a legitimate workspace that rivals the iPad Air and the Galaxy Tab S11 in terms of size – but crucially, one that you can pull out of your jeans pocket.

Of course, the ‘crease’ conversation is unavoidable. With two hinges, you now have two subtle indentations running down the Galaxy Z TriFold’s display.

A problem? Under the bright lights of the CES private room I saw the device in, I could see them when looking for them. But much like the single crease on previous Galaxy Fold models, they effectively disappear when you start consuming content.

The internal display is also AMOLED and is nice and bright, making the software and anything you're looking at pop, with a level of saturation that makes everything look great.

Not without its quirks

However, there are some hurdles to be aware of with the Galaxy Z TriFold. The folding sequence – left panel first, then the right over the top – feels slightly counter-intuitive, almost like trying to close a book from the middle out.

Then there is the lack of Flex Mode. On the Z Fold 7, you can half-fold the screen to prop the phone up like a laptop to watch a video or make a hands-free Zoom call, for example.

The TriFold’s hinges don't seem to be designed for that middle ground – it’s either a flat tablet or a closed phone, with no secure propped-up position available without an external stand.

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Another sad omission is the lack of S Pen support. For a canvas this large, a stylus feels like it should be a mandatory requirement, yet even the separate S Pen Pro isn't compatible with the Galaxy Z TriFold.

Just as with the Z Fold 7, this is likely a casualty of the 3.9mm thickness; the digitiser layer required for stylus input would have pushed the frame too wide.

You also have to deal with the fact that the Galaxy Z TriFold is an absolute magnet for fingerprints, as is the case with all folding display types at present. Between the glass back and the massive internal screen, I was reaching for a cloth every couple of minutes.

Switch your attention to under the hood, and Samsung has also made a slightly controversial choice. The Galaxy Z TriFold runs on the Snapdragon 8 Elite, a chip that powered most of its 2025 flagship smartphones.

While it’s very capable hardware and handled triple-app multitasking during my demo without a hint of lag, this isn't the latest "Gen 5" version. For a device that will undoubtedly command a massive price tag, seeing last year's silicon might give some early adopters reason for pause.

A couple of neat tricks

On the photography front, however, Samsung hasn't held back. The Galaxy Z TriFold features the same 200-megapixel main sensor as the Galaxy S25 Ultra, which is a huge win, given foldables have historically compromised on camera hardware.

Coupled with a 12MP ultra-wide and a 10MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom, the TriFold offers an identical configuration to the Galaxy Z Fold 7. It does mean a protrusion to the rear, of course, as you'd expect.

Samsung’s decade of foldable experience really shows when it comes to the Galaxy Z TriFold’s software, too.

You can snap three apps side-by-side, effectively giving you three full-sized phone screens at once – and you can drag and drop between them. The keyboard will automatically split into two when you go to send a message or an email, making it easier to type with two hands.

Samsung DeX is supported, too, turning the 10-inch screen into a more flexible desktop-like experience.

But one of my favourite features is a small software warning: if you try to force the phone closed in the wrong folding order, it gives a haptic buzz and a visual prompt on the screen telling you to flip the other panel first. A small detail that will no doubt save many screens from accidental damage.

The catch

The Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold feels like a bridge to the next decade of smartphones. It isn't without its flaws – the lack of S Pen stylus support is a blow, the hardware isn't strictly the latest, and the folding mechanics take some mental re-training.

But having a 10-inch tablet that disappears into your pocket is something that would have been a mere pipe dream 10 years ago – and now it’s a reality that shouldn’t be taken for granted.

The biggest obstacle for most won't be the display crease or the older chip, however. It will be actually getting your hands on one – as initial availability is limited to select markets, such as South Korea.

If you are looking for a device that makes smartphones feel exciting and unpredictable again, though, the Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold could just be the one. It’s a testament to how far technology has come in the last decade.

That's echoed by Samsung's Annika Bizon, VP of Product Marketing for Mobile Experience: "Innovation at Samsung means expanding what’s possible, not constraining it. And that’s what we’ve demonstrated this week at CES 2026."