TL;DR
At CES 2026, Samsung showed a three-panel foldable that opens from a 6.5-inch phone front into a 10-inch tablet, enabling three-app multitasking. It's currently sold in a few markets, with a US launch planned this year and a price roughly implied by a 3,594,000 KRW listing.
What happened
At CES 2026, Samsung put the Galaxy Z TriFold on display for a brief hands-on evaluation. The device uses two titanium hinges to open three display panels: a 6.5-inch front screen when closed and an expansive roughly 10-inch canvas when fully unfolded. The design lets users run up to three full-size apps side-by-side or stretch a single app across the whole display, delivering a tablet-like experience in a unit that still folds to pocket size. The TriFold weighs about 309 grams and measures 12.9 millimeters when folded. Its hardware echoes Samsung’s high-end devices, with a Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, a 200-megapixel main camera, ceramic glass protection and an IP48 dust-and-water resistance rating. Samsung has released the phone in select markets including China, South Korea, and Singapore, and said it plans a US release later this year; the listed South Korean price implies a US cost near $2,500.
Why it matters
- Expands foldable design beyond book-style and flip formats, offering a phone that becomes a tablet-sized 10-inch display.
- Enables richer multitasking with up to three full apps visible at once, changing how people might use a single device for work and media.
- Shows Samsung pushing engineering limits—larger unfolded screen with a similar folded thickness to prior models.
- Likely to remain a niche premium product given high implied pricing and limited initial availability.
Key facts
- Hands-on at CES 2026, demonstrated by Wired's review coverage.
- Closed front display measures 6.5 inches; fully unfolded display is about 10 inches.
- Tri-panel mechanism uses two titanium hinges to open three panels.
- Weight: roughly 309 grams; folded thickness: 12.9 millimeters.
- Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite (as stated in the hands-on).
- Main rear camera: 200-megapixel sensor.
- Display protection: ceramic glass; ingress rating: IP48.
- Initial availability limited to China, South Korea, and Singapore; Samsung plans a US release this year.
- Listed South Korean price: 3,594,000 KRW, which suggests an approximate US price around $2,500.
What to watch next
- Exact US launch date and final US MSRP (not confirmed in the source).
- Broader global availability beyond the initial markets listed (not confirmed in the source).
- Long-term durability and real-world battery life under heavy multitasking (not confirmed in the source).
Quick glossary
- Foldable phone: A mobile device whose display and body can bend or fold to change between a compact and a larger form factor.
- Hinge: Mechanical component that allows panels or chassis sections to rotate or fold while maintaining structural alignment.
- IP rating: Ingress Protection code that indicates a device's resistance to dust and water; higher numbers denote stronger protection.
- System-on-chip (SoC): An integrated circuit that consolidates CPU, GPU, modem and other components to run a smartphone’s operations.
- Megapixel (MP): Unit equal to one million pixels, commonly used to describe the resolution of camera sensors.
Reader FAQ
Where is the Galaxy Z TriFold available now?
The phone has been released in China, South Korea, and Singapore.
Will Samsung sell the TriFold in the US?
Samsung has said it plans to release the device in the US this year.
How much will it cost in the US?
Samsung has not confirmed a US MSRP; a South Korean listing of 3,594,000 KRW suggests a US price around $2,500.
Can the TriFold be used in a two-panel mode?
According to the hands-on report, the TriFold transitions from a single panel to all three panels rather than supporting a dedicated dual-panel mode.
What is the battery life of the TriFold?
not confirmed in the source
JULIAN CHOKKATTU GEAR JAN 5, 2026 9:58 AM Samsung's Galaxy Z TriFold Is the ‘Phablet’ You're Looking For At CES 2026, we went hands-on with the three-panel Samsung tablet that…
Sources
- Samsung Galaxy Z Trifold Hands On: This Is the Phone-Tablet Hybrid You're Looking For
- Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold Hands-On: This May Be …
- Introducing Galaxy Z TriFold: The Shape of What's Next in …
- Galaxy Z TriFold – Singapore
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