Come on, Samsung! Don't give up on the tri-fold just yet
A prototype display shown off in 2021. | Image credit — Samsung
After a recent interview, it turns out that Samsung is unsure about the tri-fold. According to the interview, Samsung doesn't think that there's much demand for a tri-fold Galaxy foldable. Previous reports have claimed that this phone will initially see a very limited release in a select few countries, now we don't know if it will even make it out of those regions.
Naturally, such a device couldn't have been expected to sell too well. It's a novelty phone, first and foremost, and it's unlikely to be all that practical either. But, I think we can all agree that the biggest reason it won't sell too many units is the price tag. A tri-foldable Samsung phone is not going to come cheap, much like its rival: the Huawei Mate XT. And yet, I think that there's a case to be made for the Galaxy G Fold.
The Huawei Mate XT is the world's first commercially available tri-foldable phone. | Video credit — Huawei
Until recently, I thought that foldable smartphones were a gimmick with no practical value whatsoever. My biggest issue with them was the crease, and in my anticipation for a foldable iPhone that eliminated that problem, I neglected the entire segment. Then the Galaxy Z Fold 7 came out.Samsung has leaped multiple generations and made a foldable smartphone that is a worthy rival to the Chinese foldables that I had been ignoring until now. It's stunningly slim, it's powerful, and most importantly of all, its crease is almost non-existent now. From writing them off as a fad, to actively wanting to daily drive one, Samsung singlehandedly made me look at foldables under a new light.
If the company can do this, and if Huawei can sell the Mate XT, then the Galaxy G Fold has a decent enough market, in my opinion. And, even if it didn't, I'd say it's worth the investment. If Samsung is going to give us phones like the Galaxy S25 Edge, which is just innovation for innovation's sake, then it should go ahead with the G Fold too. The G Fold will likely not sell well until it's able to ship with a much lower price tag, but I think it's worth getting to that point. No one's buying a Huawei phone in the States after the Google ban, as painful as it is to admit, and the G Fold is the only chance that they'll have at a tri-fold worth getting.
Lastly, Apple is currently working on multiple new iPhone models. There is the iPhone 17 Air, slated for release this year. We've also gotten multiple reports that the foldable iPhone may come out next year. Additionally, there will be a new 20th anniversary iPhone Pro model that will feature no cutouts or notches on its display.The Galaxy G Fold will keep Samsung ahead of its largest rival by providing consumers with a device that they cannot get from Apple. Apple is late to the foldable market, and Samsung has the chance to leave it behind in another segment immediately.
The Galaxy S25 Edge isn't selling well, but despite that, there are reports that there will be a Galaxy S26 Edge and no S26 Plus. In my opinion, there isn't a market for the Edge models either, not until they can use silicon batteries to provide better runtime.
Samsung, if you're still insisting on the Edge despite that, then the G Fold also deserves a chance. Release it globally, then make a successor like Huawei is currently doing, and I think you'll find that there are enough people willing to get one to make it a profitable venture. Secure your connection now at a bargain price!
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