The news: On-device AI hasn’t caught on with consumers, and phones with AI on board aren’t driving adoption. In response, smartphone makers are turning to bold new designs to reignite interest.
Samsung is preparing its first trifold phone, the Galaxy G Fold, with silicon-carbon batteries enabling a slim design that shifts from one to three screens, per Digital Trends. Its lead in foldables and hinge technology suggests its upcoming trifold screens will open completely flat when unfolded.
Smartphone makers are challenging the status quo: Smartphone roadmaps are pointing to foldable, trifold, and slim form factors as differentiating premium products at a time when most smartphones have similar features and functionality.
Beyond new smartphone designs, smartphone makers are also changing up user interfaces by making apps and widgets more in line with users’ needs.
Zooming out: A lightweight trifold Galaxy could establish Samsung as an innovator and address the notion that foldables are bulky, a concern that 29% of US adults cite regarding purchasing them, per YouGov.
It could also create a goldilocks category between smartphones and tablets that some users would be willing to pay premium pricing for.
Our take: As midrange and premium phones converge, brands turn to new form factors to justify higher prices. Samsung’s trifold bet isn’t just a flex—it’s an indicator that hardware, not hype, could define the next leap in mobile innovation.
Trifold phones create a hybrid space between smartphones and tablets—which is prime real estate for immersive, multi-screen experiences that app developers and advertisers can benefit from.