Samsung Galaxy G Fold Tri-Foldable Arrives October 2025

Reviewed by Julianne Ngirngir

Samsung's foldable innovation is reaching a pivotal moment. While the company has dominated the foldable market with its Galaxy Z series, whispers of a revolutionary new form factor have been circulating through tech circles for months. But this isn't just another incremental upgrade—Samsung is preparing to fundamentally reshape what we expect from mobile displays. The Galaxy G Fold represents Samsung's boldest hardware experiment yet—a tri-foldable smartphone with three panels and two inward-folding hinges forming a G shape. Samsung aims to launch the tri-fold by the end of 2025, and recent developments suggest this ambitious timeline is becoming reality. Samsung has just outlined its H2 2025 plans, which include the launch of a TriFold phone, marking a significant milestone in mobile technology evolution.

What makes the tri-fold design so revolutionary?

Let's break it down: this isn't just another foldable phone with a bigger screen. The Galaxy G Fold transforms from a compact 6.49-inch cover phone into approximately a 10-inch tablet, creating three distinct usage modes that redefine mobile productivity. The unfolded internal display is expected around 9.8–10 inches, with a 6.49-inch cover screen, making it significantly larger than Samsung's current Z Fold series.

What's particularly clever about Samsung's approach is the precision engineering behind those hinges. The two hinges are different sizes, which helps the phone fold flat without damaging the screen, and there's even a specific folding sequence built into the software. Samsung's built in a warning animation telling users not to fold the camera side first, showing just how much thought has gone into protecting this expensive hardware investment.

The strategic development timeline reveals Samsung's methodical approach to market leadership. Samsung has patent applications from 2021–2023 showing two hinges and three display segments, proving this has been years in the making rather than a rushed response to competitors. From concept showcases like CES 2022's multi-folding prototypes Flex S and Flex G to an updated Flex G concept with three interconnected panels exhibited at MWC Barcelona in early 2025, Samsung has been building toward this moment with surgical precision.

The implications go far beyond impressive tech demos. When unfolded, you're carrying desktop-class screen real estate that enables true multitasking workflows—think running multiple spreadsheets, video conferencing while taking notes, or content creation with professional-grade apps that finally have room to breathe.

How does Samsung's approach differ from the competition?

Here's where Samsung's engineering philosophy really shines through. While Huawei's Mate XT Ultimate was released in September 2024 and cost a whopping $4,600, Samsung is taking a fundamentally different approach that prioritizes durability over flashiness. Samsung's upcoming Galaxy Z tri-fold is expected to have two hinges that fold inwards, helping keep the screen safe by enclosing the device when shut, compared with Huawei's outward-folding design.

This inward-folding approach isn't just about protection—it's about building market confidence in a new category. Samsung's version puts the outer display in the middle of the three panels, creating what they call a G-shaped folding mechanism. When folded, the main display panels are protected inside, while the cover screen remains accessible for quick interactions. This means you can confidently use the device in various environments without constantly worrying about screen damage—a crucial factor for mainstream adoption.

Samsung's patient development strategy also sets them apart from competitors rushing to market. Rather than chasing headlines with fragile designs, Samsung has methodically refined the tri-fold concept through multiple generations of prototypes, building the engineering expertise needed to make this form factor actually viable for daily use.

What's under the hood of this engineering marvel?

The specs reveal Samsung's commitment to making this more than just a tech showcase. Originally rumored to feature a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 processor, more recent discoveries suggest it's actually getting the newer Snapdragon 8 Elite. In a new One UI 8 internal beta, we spotted a string of code that mentions 'siop_q7mq_sm8750', with SM8750 being the model number for the Snapdragon 8 Elite. That's flagship-level performance designed to handle the demanding multitasking scenarios that massive display enables.

The camera system is where Samsung really flexes its technological muscle. A triple rear camera is expected on the left panel, with rumored specs around a 50 MP main sensor, 12 MP ultrawide, and 10 MP telephoto, though recent leaks suggest even more impressive hardware with a 200MP main camera, 12MP ultra-wide, 10MP 3x optical zoom, and 10MP front camera. This transforms the tri-fold into a serious content creation tool.

For power management, leaks suggest a multi-cell battery around 5,000 mAh total capacity, which should provide all-day usage despite that power-hungry display. The connectivity features reflect Samsung's future-forward thinking: 5G, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth, and NFC, plus wireless charging and reverse charging. The engineering challenge of fitting all those wireless radios into a form factor that bends and folds represents a significant technical achievement.

One strategic omission makes perfect sense: the tri-fold is not expected to support the S Pen at launch. Samsung clearly prioritized form factor innovation over feature completeness for this first-generation device.

When can we actually get our hands on one?

Bottom line: Samsung is targeting late 2025, but this will be a carefully controlled launch designed to test market response rather than chase mass-market sales. The initial Galaxy G Fold release is planned for late 2025 as a limited, regional launch, likely in South Korea and China, with production rumored under 300,000 units for the first run.

The pricing positions this as a luxury technology showcase rather than a mainstream product. The price tag of the Galaxy G Fold is rumored to be in the range of $2,500 to $3,500 USD, significantly more accessible than Huawei's $4,600 asking price but still firmly in premium territory.

Recent confirmation from Samsung executives makes the timeline concrete. Samsung's Head of Mobile Experience, TM Roh, told The Korea Times that the company is gearing up to launch a tri-foldable phone by the end of the year, and Samsung is looking into an October launch window for its tri-fold device. The company has put an end to the ongoing speculations about its tri-fold smartphone by confirming during its latest earnings call that the devices will be coming out before the end of 2025.

This isn't Samsung testing the waters—it's Samsung establishing market dominance before Apple arrives with their first foldable in late 2026.

What does this mean for the future of foldables?

This launch represents Samsung's strategic play to own an entire product category before Apple enters the foldable space. Samsung is looking into an October launch window for its tri-fold device, which could potentially make it the first major global company to bring a tri-fold smartphone, as Apple is expected to introduce its first foldable iPhone in late 2026. That's nearly a full year head start in defining consumer expectations for this new category.

The tri-fold fundamentally changes mobile productivity workflows. When unfolded, you're carrying a tablet-sized screen that enables desktop-class multitasking, serious content creation, and immersive media experiences that make traditional smartphones feel constrained. Software will be based on Samsung's One UI, likely One UI 8 or newer, optimized for multitasking on the large foldable screen. The software optimization is crucial—having a 10-inch display means nothing if the interface can't intelligently manage that screen real estate.

Samsung's strategy is crystal clear: establish the tri-fold category, refine the technology through limited releases, and scale up production as manufacturing costs decrease and consumer demand grows. Samsung's goal is to beat competitors to market and reinforce its foldable leadership, even if it means starting with premium pricing and exclusive availability before scaling to broader markets.

The fact that Samsung's internal codename 'Multifold 7' suggests this isn't a one-off experiment but part of a broader product roadmap indicates we're witnessing the birth of a legitimate third product category alongside traditional smartphones and current foldables. Samsung is betting that tri-fold devices will become essential tools for mobile professionals, content creators, and power users who need maximum screen real estate without carrying separate tablets.

By launching in late 2025, Samsung gets nearly a full year to refine manufacturing, build developer support, and establish market positioning before Apple potentially enters with their own interpretation. This feels like Samsung playing the long game rather than just chasing tech headlines—they're positioning themselves to own the premium end of mobile technology for the next decade.