The Galaxy Z TriFold debuted exclusively in South Korea last week and is expected to roll out soon in markets such as China, Taiwan, Singapore, the UAE, and the US. Despite an enthusiastic start, the device is already revealing at least two major challenges - though, for now, durability, design, and performance are not among the concerns.

A sell-out success, but supply remains severely limited

If the USD 2,455 price tag seemed like a barrier to entry, South Korean consumers quickly proved otherwise. Thousands of loyal Samsung fans lined up at 20 retail stores nationwide or logged on to the company’s official website on Friday, December 12, to secure their orders.

Due to the phone’s highly complex manufacturing process, the entire first batch sold out within minutes. Samsung confirmed it would launch a second wave of online and offline sales on Wednesday morning, but it remains unclear whether this will meet domestic demand or require a third round of supply.

The presence of scalpers reselling units at inflated prices suggests that demand has far exceeded Samsung’s expectations. If this trend continues, the same scenario is likely to unfold in global markets once the TriFold becomes widely available.

In some respects, this is a “good problem” compared to the oversupply issues faced by models like the Galaxy S25 Edge. Nonetheless, it presents logistical and reputational challenges, especially given Samsung reportedly planned only 2,000–3,000 units for the South Korean market and about 20,000 units worldwide - an unusually small number for a tech giant of its stature.

Why can’t Samsung ramp up production?

While success typically warrants scaling up, the Galaxy Z TriFold may not follow the usual script.

There’s a strong possibility that Samsung never intended the device as a mass-market product. Instead, it may serve as a bold display of technological prowess - a preview of what’s possible for future, more mainstream devices.

Tri-fold phones are significantly harder to manufacture than existing foldables like the Galaxy Z Fold 7 or Z Flip 7. But beyond production hurdles lies a bigger issue: price.

Surprisingly, some industry analysts believe the phone’s USD 2,455 price is too low to generate meaningful profit. This is largely due to the immense costs tied to its near-10-inch tri-fold display, which folds down to a 6.5-inch smartphone, along with its highly complex hinge mechanism and high-end components like the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip and 16GB RAM.

According to sources, Samsung had to “cut everything possible” just to bring the product to market at that price. This raises a pressing question: will tri-fold phones ever become as common as today's foldables, or are they destined to remain niche, high-tech curiosities?

While some experts believe tri-folds will eventually go mainstream, many agree that timing is everything. With rumors of Apple preparing its own entry into the foldable phone market, Samsung’s leadership in this segment is no longer guaranteed.

Despite its engineering feats, the Galaxy Z TriFold has not captured the feeling of being ahead of its time. Critics argue that had Samsung launched this device one or two years earlier, the industry impact might have been far greater.

Rather than pouring resources into highly complex, low-volume experiments, Samsung may be better served focusing on perfecting its core foldable lines. A well-rounded Galaxy Z Fold 8, equipped to directly compete with Apple’s rumored foldable iPhone, could represent a more strategic and scalable path forward.

Hai Phong