- A tipster claims Samsung is developing a thinner Galaxy Z TriFold 2 and a new phone with a slidable OLED display.
- The Galaxy Z TriFold 2 is reportedly targeting a thickness only slightly greater than the Galaxy Z Fold 7 when closed, a major reduction from its predecessor.
- Despite the original model's quick discontinuation, its rapid sell-out indicates consumer demand for the form factor.
Samsung's first tri-fold phone barely lasted a season before vanishing. But the company isn't backing off. It's leaning in. New leaks point to a refined sequel and a whole new kind of stretchy-screen phone, which tells you Samsung's R&D labs are far from done experimenting.
Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold 2 and Slidable Phone: What the Rumors Say
According to Korean tipster yeux1122, Samsung's already prototyping the follow-up to its short-lived Galaxy Z TriFold. That's the main event for now. But in a parallel track, engineers are also tinkering with Samsung's first slidable OLED phone. That means the company is chasing two different dreams for your future phablet: one that folds twice, and one that just slides out.
Galaxy Z TriFold 2: Thinner and Lighter Design
Every rumor agrees on one thing: the TriFold 2 needs to slim down. The first model was a chonker, folding up to 12.9mm thick. That's a brick. The new version's entire mission is to fix that.
Aiming for Foldable-like Dimensions
Here's the target, according to a report from Phandroid: make it just a bit thicker than a closed Galaxy Z Fold 7. If they pull that off, it changes everything. It stops being a novelty and starts looking like something you might actually carry. The weight has to drop, too. Three screens and two hinges add up fast, and no one wants a phone that feels like a paperweight.
Why Discontinue the Original So Quickly?
This is the weird part. The first TriFold cost $2,899, sold out in 20 minutes, and then got killed three months later. So which is it? A hit or a flop? The answer is probably both.
Complexity vs. Demand
People clearly wanted it. Selling out that fast proves there's appetite for a phone that unfolds into a tablet. But building it was another story. You've got two hinges, multiple display panels, and a frame that has to survive being bent in two places. It was likely a manufacturing nightmare, too expensive, or maybe not reliable enough for the long haul. Canceling it feels less like giving up and more like hitting pause. The fact that a successor is already in the works means Samsung saw that launch as a very expensive, very public beta test.
The New Frontier: Samsung's Slidable Phone
Then there's the other project: a slidable OLED phone. We know almost nothing about it, but the idea is simple. Instead of folding, the screen expands horizontally, like pulling out a drawer. We've seen prototypes from TCL and LG before, but Samsung putting real R&D behind it is a bigger deal.
A Different Approach to a Big Screen
A slider comes with its own bag of tricks. The good news? No crease. It's one continuous screen. The bad news? You need a mechanical slide that feels solid and doesn't break after a thousand pulls. You also have to figure out where to put the battery and motherboard when half the phone is on the move. By working on this and a tri-fold at the same time, Samsung is basically admitting it doesn't have the answer yet. It's trying to buy every lottery ticket for the future of big-screen phones.
India Pricing, Availability, and Considerations
Don't look for these in a store anytime soon. They're early prototypes. But based on how Samsung handled the first TriFold, we can make some educated guesses.
The original launched in the US at $2,899. Straight conversion puts that near ₹2,40,000, but Samsung's India pricing for its fanciest foldables usually adds a hefty premium on top. A TriFold 2 would easily be the most expensive phone Samsung sells here, likely sailing past ₹2.5 lakhs. The slider would cost a fortune, too, just for being new.
If they launch, expect another flash sale. They'll pop up on Samsung's website and maybe Amazon for a hot minute, then disappear. You won't walk into a Croma and find one on display. To make the price hurt less, Samsung will bundle in all the no-cost EMI plans and bank discounts it can. They might even throw in a Galaxy Watch. But read the warranty fine print twice, especially for the hinges or that sliding mechanism. Repairing this stuff won't be cheap or easy.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will the Galaxy Z TriFold 2 launch?
Android Headlines floated a guess of mid-2027, but that's pure speculation for now.
Why was the first Galaxy Z TriFold discontinued?
It was too complex to build reliably at scale, even though people were eager to buy it.
What is a slidable phone?
A phone whose screen gets bigger by mechanically extending sideways, avoiding a fold.
Will these phones come to India?
If they ever go on sale globally, India will be on the list. Just prepare for a sky-high price tag.
The Verdict
Here's what's really happening. Samsung isn't just iterating. It's throwing wild ideas at the wall to see what sticks for the post-glass-slab era. The TriFold 2 is for the few who need a desktop in their pocket and have the cash to be an early adopter. For everyone else, the current Galaxy Z Fold is a smarter, more polished buy. But watch that slider project. If Samsung can make a stretchy screen that doesn't feel like a gimmick, that could be the one that actually changes the game.
Sources
- 4internet.com
- gizmochina.com
- androidheadlines.com
- msn.com
- phandroid.com
- sammobile.com