Seoul: Samsung launched its first triple-folding phone on Tuesday, a special-edition product with an eyewatering price
tag placing it out of the reach of the average consumer.
The Galaxy Z TriFold will go on sale on December 12 and costs more than twice as much as the new iPhone 17 at $2,443.
Super thin, it unfolds to a 10-inch (25.4 centimetre) display, offering "increased possibilities for creating and
working", the South Korean tech giant said.
The triple fold function is not world-first -- China's Huawei beat Samsung to the punch last year with a phone at a
similarly exorbitant price.
Growth has been patchy in the competitive smartphone market, pushing makers to find new, eye-catching ways to
differentiate their products.
Offered solely in a black design, Samsung's new device comes in at 309 grams (10.9 ounces) and at its thinnest point
measures less than 0.2 inches.
Generative artificial intelligence features are integrated into the phone, which can give real-time help through screen
Samsung admitted the Galaxy Z TriFold was "not intended for mass sales".
Alex Lim, executive vice president at Samsung Electronics said it was a "special edition" product.
The launch comes as recent industry numbers suggest Apple is on track to overtake Samsung for the first time in 14 years
as the world's top smartphone maker through 2029.
Apple has also long been rumored to be planning a foldable iPhone, possibly as early as next year.
The US company's smartphone shipments are expected to reach a global share of 19.4 percent in 2025 while Samsung is
expected to hold 18.7 percent -- with Apple effectively dethroning its rival for the first time, according to research