First Fold, then Flip, now Samsung may release Tri-Fold in 2023

Samsung He is the undisputed king Foldable phone market, insurance a mentioned ~80% of the market in 2022. The company has stuck with two form factors, the book-style fold line and the clamshell flip series, but it looks like we might see a third form factor in 2023.

Yogesh Brar’s frequent mentor has claimed on Twitter that Samsung may launch a trifold device this year in addition to the expected Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5 models.

This wouldn’t be the first time we’ve heard of a tri-fold device, as Samsung previously showed off the tech during that as well. Patent registration In 2020. In fact, we recently saw concepts of the brand’s tri-fold foldable phone at MWC 2023 (shown above and below).

Either way, the concept and the patent refer to a device with two hinges. One hinge allows for an inward fold and the other hinge allows for an outward fold, resulting in a Z-shape of sorts when partially folded.

The fold-out hinge would allow part of the foldable screen to be used as a smartphone screen, rather than as a separate screen for the smartphone panel. However, we wonder what this means in terms of durability. All foldable screens are made of plastic, so having part of it on the outside means it gets more wear and tear, which can lead to more scratches.

Another potential concern is the thickness of the device, although folds like that HONOR Magic Vs And HUAWEI Mate X3 Show that subtle designs are possible. So Samsung could theoretically end up with a trifold device that’s just as thick (or slightly thicker than) the current Galaxy Z Fold line.

However, one upside to this approach is that it could allow for much larger foldable screens rather than the 7.6-inch to 8-inch screens we see in current foldable-style foldables. So we’ll likely see around 11-inch foldable screens via this tri-fold form factor.

Anyway, Brar also confirmed that there is no Galaxy S23 FE In the works, echoing the claim of respectable WinFuture Journalist Roland Quandt. So those waiting to get their hands on the Galaxy flagship at an affordable price might have to settle for Galaxy S23 benchmark.