Samsung First Look: See the Galaxy Z TriFold up close in this CES 2026 video
The Galaxy Z TriFold is Samsung's futuristic new foldable phone, which is only available in Korea so far. This highly anticipated device doesn't even have a U.S. release date, but the hype for this phone is off the charts, and Mashable finally got the chance to go hands-on with the mobile device at CES 2026.
This phone is the closest we've ever gotten to the tri-folding tablets from Westworld, which are often held up as the ideal form factor for the foldables of the future. It's also a bit of a dunk on Apple, which has yet to bring its rumored iPhone Fold to market.
See the phone for yourself in our up-close preview from CES 2026.
Samsung held its CES First Look event at Wynn Las Vegas on Jan. 4 and outlined its vision for 2026 — the company wants "to be your companion for AI living." To that end, Samsung showed off a ton of new AI-powered TVs, appliances, and smart home products, but for many of the journalists and creators in attendance, it was all about the TriFold.
The phone had a limited release in South Korea on Dec. 12, and reviewers like Mrwhosetheboss have already given us a preview of the design and feature set. However, this was our first chance to actually go hands-on with the phone, if only for a few brief minutes.
When unfolded, the Galaxy Z TriFold is remarkably thin, and it has a vibrant AMOLED display. Because of the unique form factor, we think this phone will have a little bit of a learning curve, as it has to be folded in a particular way. It's also going to be thicker than most phones — at least, until it's unfolded.
When is the Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold coming to America?
We don't have an official U.S. release date or price for the Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold just yet, but we're hoping the phone will be launched alongside the new Galaxy S26 smartphones at an upcoming Unpacked event in January or February. If we're lucky, Samsung will drop some hints about the launch during CES. It will likely be priced at $2,500, which would make it Samsung's most expensive smartphone.
However, we expect this phone to sell out pretty much instantaneously. According to a recent report from Korean publication The Bell, Samsung is actually losing money on each TriFold it sells. So, think of it more as a proof of concept rather than a mass-produced, ready-for-market smartphone like the Galaxy Z Fold 7, which is probably more practical for the average user.
Timothy Beck Werth is the Tech Editor at Mashable, where he leads coverage and assignments for the Tech and Shopping verticals. Tim has over 15 years of experience as a journalist and editor, and he has particular experience covering and testing consumer technology, smart home gadgets, and men’s grooming and style products. Previously, he was the Managing Editor and then Site Director of SPY.com, a men's product review and lifestyle website. As a writer for GQ, he covered everything from bull-riding competitions to the best Legos for adults, and he’s also contributed to publications such as The Daily Beast, Gear Patrol, and The Awl.
Tim studied print journalism at the University of Southern California. He currently splits his time between Brooklyn, NY and Charleston, SC. He's currently working on his second novel, a science-fiction book.
