In a surprise move, Samsung is aiming to deliver their first Trifold smartphone later this year to take on Huawei
Patently Apple posted an IP report in November titled "Samsung won a two-fold smartphone patent that could challenge Huawei’s Mate XT." Another report was posted in early January titled "New Samsung patents cover a Double-Fold Smartphone offering a unique Multi-Fold form factor."
Today we're learning that Samsung may introduce a double fold (known as a trifold) smartphone later this year. Clearly Huawei beating them to market with such a device was the catalyst, considering that it was Samsung that invented this category back in 2012.
According to a new report this morning from The Elec, Samsung Electronics has set its production plan for its 'Tri-Fold', a foldable phone that folds twice, to be released for the first time this year, at around 200,000 units. Tri-Fold components will go into mass production in the second quarter.
Starting today, Samsung Electronics has been sharing this plan with major parts suppliers and coordinating schedules.
Tri-fold is an infolding method that folds the entire screen inward. The tri-fold Mate XT that Huawei unveiled last year was a product that applied one infolding hinge that folds the screen inward and one out-folding hinge that folds the screen outward. The infolding hinge technology is difficult.
Samsung Electronics is expected to slightly bring forward the mass production schedule for parts for its existing book-type foldable phone, the Galaxy Z Fold 7, in order to secure a stable supply of tri-fold parts. This is because although the tri-fold is a small quantity, it is a new form factor product and parts need to be made thin, which may make stable production difficult.
Samsung Electronics' Tri-Fold is a similar product to the Flex G that Samsung Display has been revealing. The Tri-Fold, which is currently being designed, is said to have a screen size of just under 10 inches when fully unfolded. The Huawei Mate XT has a screen size of 10.2 inches when fully unfolded.
The final design of the Tri Fold and Galaxy Z Fold 7 is not yet complete. The first vendor for certain components has recently received approval, and the second vendor for those components is in the process of obtaining approval.
The reason Samsung Electronics is releasing the Tri Fold this year seems to be an intention to take the lead in technology by expanding the foldable phone lineup. The global foldable phone market is growing slowly, but Chinese smartphone companies such as Huawei are releasing foldable phones that are thinner than Samsung Electronics, creating cracks in the market. Samsung Electronics released its first foldable phone six years ago in 2019. Apple is also collaborating with domestic and foreign component manufacturers to release foldable products.