On February 27, according to Bloomberg,Samsung Electronics is still evaluating whether to launch another ultra-thin smartphone because sales of its first attempt at an ultra-thin phone, the Galaxy S25 Edge, last year were "lower" than other models.
Galaxy 25 Edge sales average
Won-Joon Choi, chief operating officer of Samsung's mobile experience business, revealed the news on Thursday after launching the Galaxy S26 series of mobile phones. Galaxy S26 launches an innovative anti-peep screen and enhanced AI functions.
Cui Wonjun said that similarly,Samsung has also not committed to launching another TriFold phone.Samsung's first tri-fold phone, the Galaxy Z TriFold, costs nearly $3,000 and is equipped with two hinges that unfold into a large tablet. But he hinted,The company is developing a wider-screen version of the standard Galaxy Z Fold, which may be similar to the first foldable model Apple plans to launch.
The uncertain future of ultra-thin phones and three-folding machines
Last year, Samsung launched its first ultra-thin phone, just 5.8 mm thick, in an effort to get ahead of Apple's iPhone Air launch, but its battery life was not as good as Samsung's high-end models. Cui Yuanjun said that its sales volume is "low compared to other series."
Therefore, Cui Yuanjun said that the company is evaluating the future of this product line, and subsequent models are not a sure thing. "People have different tastes, requirements and criteria when choosing equipment," he said. "We haven't decided when to launch the next generation of products, but it's still under consideration."
Although Samsung didn't release a new foldable screen model this week, the category is still attracting attention. At the end of January this year, Samsung became the first manufacturer to launch a three-fold mobile phone in the United States, priced at US$2,900. The first batch of units sold out quickly on Samsung's official website, and the company is collecting feedback from the earliest buyers.
"When we started doing this TriFold, as the head of R&D, it was not a project I wanted to do," Choi said jokingly, citing the phone's engineering complexity and the need to develop new custom parts. Although technically impressive,However, TriFold's high price limits its market appeal, making it a luxury product for a niche audience.Coupled with its folded weight and thickness, the future of this segment hangs in the balance.
"At the beginning, it was more like creating a new category and putting all our technical know-how into it," Cui Wonjun said. "Now we are thinking, should we develop a new model? We haven't made a decision yet."
But another Galaxy Fold (one that folds once instead of twice) is definitely coming this summer. Choi Won-joon talked about the possibility of Samsung launching a wider-screen version of its book-style foldable phone, which could implement some of the TriFold's entertainment features at a lower price.
"All these productivity-related experiences, some people care about it. Others feel like, 'I just want to watch Netflix or YouTube on a bigger screen,'" Choi Won-jun said. "Obviously, if you have a screen ratio like TriFold, it is very suitable for this kind of experience and applications."
He said that for the single-fold category, Samsung is "considering all different options" and hopes to provide users with "as many choices as possible, and the best solutions."