Written by: Jin Fujisaki / Published: 2026-02-15
It's been a few years since "foldable smartphones" first hit the market. Spotting a Galaxy Z Fold on the street is no longer unusual. But human desire knows no bounds. "It's still small even when opened." "The near-square screen makes videos hard to watch." Samsung's answer to these luxurious complaints is this beast — the "Tri-Fold."
If previous foldables were "books," this one is a "byōbu" (folding screen). It has two hinges and folds up in a Z-shape. Folded completely, it's the size of a normal smartphone; opened up, it boasts a 10-inch-class large display. The joke-like concept of "an iPad that fits in your pocket" has been turned into reality with the world's finest OLED technology.
| The 16:9 Revolution. A Cinematic Experience Without Black Bars
image Samsung
The biggest weakness of conventional foldable smartphones (the book-type) was the aspect ratio when opened. Because they were nearly square, watching YouTube or Netflix produced thick "black bars" at the top and bottom, meaning the actual video size wasn't all that much bigger.
The Tri-Fold is different. By connecting three screens horizontally, the opened state becomes a "widescreen." When watching movies or playing games, the visuals extend to every corner of the display. The level of immersion goes well beyond what a smartphone should offer. Once you've experienced how the tray table on a Shinkansen or airplane instantly transforms into a private theater, there's no going back.
| Three-Screen Multitasking. The Feel of Carrying a Computer
image Kakaku.com
"Open three apps at once." This has been a feature before, but it's only with the Tri-Fold that its true potential is unlocked. Watch YouTube on the left screen, browse the web in the middle, and reply to LINE messages on the right. Because each window has the width of a full smartphone, there's none of the cramped feeling of forcing things into too little space.
Even when displaying a large keyboard, plenty of content area remains. Edit Excel files on the go, type out long emails. The excuse "I can't get work done without my computer" simply doesn't hold up in front of this device.
| An Obsession with "Thinness." Folded Twice, Yet Not Bulky
image mybest
With two hinges, simple math says the thickness should triple. But the latest Galaxy Z series technology is shattering that conventional wisdom. Thanks to displays that have been slimmed down to the limit and a hinge structure that closes without any gap, it achieves a thinness that doesn't feel out of place even in your pocket.
Of course, it's still more substantial than a regular smartphone. But compared to the weight of carrying both a tablet and a smartphone, it's far more elegant. The precision-instrument-like weight and torque you feel when unfolding this "dense slab" stimulates a gadget lover's desire to own it like nothing else.
| Conclusion: The Future Is Something You "Fold"
image Samsung
The expected price falls in the 300,000–400,000 yen range. It's not an amount you can casually drop. But if you think of it not as a mere phone, but as a device that combines a "TV," a "computer," and a "book" into one, its value comes into focus.
From flip phones to smartphones. And from slab smartphones to foldables. Every time the form factor has changed, our lifestyles have changed with it. The "Galaxy Z Tri-Fold" signals the end of the era in which we adapt ourselves to our devices. Anywhere you go, just pull it out of your pocket, and that place becomes your office, your movie theater. The act of "folding" is what expands the world.
