Samsung’s tri-fold phone finally seen in motion – and the details matter

Samsung’s long-anticipated tri-fold smartphone has finally been caught on camera in meaningful detail, and the footage does a better job than the show-floor glimpse we saw at the 2025 K-Tech Showcase.

There, the prototype sat behind glass with only a few static poses on display; now, video published by Korean outlets provides angles, reflections, and hand movements that help decode how this unusually complex device is put together.

The star of the show is the dual-hinge architecture. When the phone is folded, you can distinctly see two separate hinge segments framing the stack of displays, with the left hinge appearing noticeably wider than the right. That asymmetry likely isn’t cosmetic. A broader hinge can house additional gears, cams, or support plates to distribute stress across a wider span – useful in a tri-panel device where glass or ultra-thin glass must bend twice without pinching lines. It may also accommodate a staggered fold, reducing the chance that one crease carries all the wear.

Unfolding reveals a clever spatial shuffle: the cover panel slides into the rightmost position, while two interior panels fill the remaining canvas to create a tablet-like surface measuring roughly 10 inches on the diagonal. Edge-on shots make the device look impressively slim for its class, suggesting Samsung is shaving millimeters from the hinge barrels and frame rails, even if the exact thickness remains unannounced. This layout hints at a productivity-first philosophy – think three-pane multitasking, persistent sidebars, and room for full desktop-style web views – provided One UI optimizations keep apps stable as the screen transitions through three distinct states.

Hardware cues are equally intriguing. On the back, there’s an external display sharing space with a triple-camera array and LED flash. The module’s proportions and styling echo what we’ve seen on the Galaxy Z Fold7, reinforcing the idea that Samsung is borrowing proven components while it focuses R&D on the folding mechanics. The power button and volume keys sit on the right edge, and the power key appears to double as a side-mounted fingerprint reader – a pragmatic choice on foldables where under-display placement can be tricky across multiple layers.

As for the name, Galaxy Z TriFold is the frontrunner in the rumor mill, but Samsung isn’t committing to branding or specifications yet. No chipset, no battery capacity, no weight, and no exact dimensions have been disclosed. That caution is understandable: tri-folds introduce new challenges around hinge longevity, crease management, heat dissipation, and app continuity. There are open questions too – will S Pen support make the cut, how will the company tune the hinge tension for partial-open modes, and can the cameras avoid the usual trade-offs seen in early foldables?

Even with those blanks, the message is clear. This prototype is a real piece of hardware, not just a concept loop. The dual-hinge design, the 10-inch spread, the thin profile, and the familiar camera stack together suggest Samsung is edging from spectacle to product. If the company can pair the smart mechanics we’re seeing with polished software and reliable durability, the tri-fold could become the next big form-factor leap after the book-style fold – and a genuine tablet replacement that actually fits in a pocket.