Back in 2012, our Patent Bolt IP blog (which became Patently Mobile) that covered inventions/patents from tech companies beyond Apple, was first to report that Samsung had filed a patent for a tri-fold smartphone well before their was even a Galaxy Z Fold smartphone on the market. Then in May 2023, Patently Apple posted a report titled "A new Samsung Patent reveals a Dual Hinged Foldable Smartphone with 3 Distinct Panel Display Areas, with a few of the patent figures presented below.

The rumors of Huawei's tri-fold smartphone began to surface in late 2023. The video below covers the Huawei tri-fold coming in 2024 and Samsung's rumored tri-fold following in 2025. When opened, these tri-fold displays will provide a display with closer to a tablet. That's interesting considering that Apple's first foldable may in fact be an iPad. It's the same outcome from different marketing perspectives.

Today, The Korea Herald is reporting that Chinese tech giant Huawei Technologies is reportedly preparing to launch the world’s first triple-foldable smartphone within the second quarter, aiming to challenge the dominance of Samsung Electronics in the global foldable phone market.

Huawei has reportedly begun the development of a triple-foldable phone, which includes three display panels alongside two sets of hinge technologies. The device will likely sport an S- or Z-shaped form factor, according to news reports on Wednesday.

The triple-foldable phone is expected to offer a wider screen than the existing foldable form factors that fold horizontally or vertically once. It may even replace the role of tablets in the future, the reports said.

Samsung Electronics, the absolute powerhouse in the foldable smartphone market, has also been working on related developments. It filed a new Galaxy Fold patent with a dual hinge and triple-screen framework to the US Patent and Trademark Office last year, as we pointed to at the top of this report.

While the rumors are many, industry watchers are also skeptical that a triple-foldable phone could make a commercial debut any time soon. One industry watcher stated that the issue is not who will launch the world's first multi-foldable phone but rather who will be first to deliver a more durable foldable with enhanced usability."