We’ve seen a wealth of new tech unveiled at CES 2025 this week, a lot of it pointing at gadgets still to come – including two concepts from Samsung Display that hint at what a future tri-fold Galaxy phone could look like.
Telephone conceptions were one of several demonstration concepts exposed and have been captured in 3 symbols via CNET (via NotebookCheck). The first two symbols demonstrate a phone, while the third, the legend suggests that it is the same phone, is obviously another foldable design. Although the two presentations have two hinges and 3 screen sections, there is one key difference: the phone illustrated in the 3rd symbol monitors a device that folds absolutely inwards, while the design indicated in the first two symbols leaves the main screen component exposed when closed.
That latter approach is the one used on the Huawei Mate XT tri-fold phone, which essentially just uses a single display. The two hinges fold in opposite directions, leaving a third of the display accessible when you’re using it at normal phone size – a TikTok from our sister site Tom’s Guide at the Notebookcheck link above shows the device being folded and unfolded.
Your mileage may vary, but personally I prefer the other approach: a fully inward-folding mechanism that leaves the precious main display protected, with a separate screen around the back. It seems that Samsung is weighing up both options right now.
We have noticed that patents allude to a folding phone (in the Z flavor), as well as the industry reports that predict an internal folding headicular (U -Acaste U), so that the shape is very in the air. Maybe Samsung will expand both.
Samsung didn’t make any kind of announcement about tri-fold phones at CES 2025, or indeed about any phones at all. However, the fact that these working demo units were on show suggests a tri-fold handset launch could be happening sooner rather than later.
The previous leaks reported that such a device may seem before the end of 2025, and Huawei showed that the generation is in a position for the public, a higher price: the Mate XT begins in 19,999 yuan, or around $ 2,730 / £ / £ / £ 2,200 /4 405 $ in.
We can expect Samsung’s equivalent to also be very expensive, when it seems: along the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and the Galaxy Z Flip 7. Before that, we can see the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S25 series on Wednesday, January 22.
We’re asking for all the latest CES news from the series as it progresses. Stay with us for the big stories especially, 8k TVs and foldable screens for new phones, laptops, space devices wise and the latest of AI.
And don’t stay on Tiktok for the top floor of those screens!
Dave is a freelance tech journalist who has been writing about gadgets, apps and the web for more than two decades. Based out of Stockport, England, on TechRadar you’ll find him covering news, features and reviews, particularly for phones, tablets and wearables. Working to ensure our breaking news coverage is the best in the business over weekends, David also has bylines at Gizmodo, T3, PopSci and a few other places besides, as well as being many years editing the likes of PC Explorer and The Hardware Handbook.
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