Samsung has been making foldable smartphones since 2019, but we have yet to see a foldable iPhone from Apple. Rumors suggest that Apple's first folding iPhone could come out in 2026 or 2027, but by then, Samsung will be even further ahead in foldable device development.
Huawei's tri-fold Mate XT UltimateRight now, Samsung has the Galaxy Fold and the Galaxy Flip, which fold in different ways. The Galaxy Fold is larger and unfolds horizontally like a book, while the Flip has a vertical fold. According to rumors, Samsung is working on yet another foldable, this one with a tri-fold design.
Samsung's tri-fold device has been rumored for quite some time, and Samsung even teased it as a "multi-fold" device at its Unpacked event, but more information about the device came out this week. As noted by GSMArena, it's looking like Samsung could call it the Galaxy G Fold, which would make it a new product line distinct from the current Z Fold models.
The tri-fold smartphone is expected to fold out into a 10-inch screen, which would make it significantly better than the current Z Fold6 flagship foldable smartphone from Samsung. The Z Fold6 is 7.6 inches when it's opened up, while the Z Flip6 is 6.7 inches unfolded.
Samsung won't have the first tri-fold smartphone on the market, because Huawei has already released the Mate XT Ultimate. You can't get Huawei's device in the United States, though, and it costs $2,800, so Samsung will be first to a tri-fold smartphone in markets outside of China.
Samsung typically announces new foldable smartphones around July, and it's looking like we could see the tri-fold smartphone unveiled this year ahead of a launch in early 2026.
If Samsung's tri-fold smartphone launches in early 2026, it will beat any Apple foldable to market, since the earliest we expect to see an Apple foldable is 2026.
As of 2024, Apple was supposedly working on a foldable iPhone with a design similar to the Galaxy Z Flip, which means a vertical fold. Such a device would likely be similar in size to the iPhone 16 Pro Max, but with an option to fold it in half to make for a more compact size.
