What happened? Samsung just released the Galaxy Z TriFold, its first dual-hinge phone with a design that transforms into a 10-inch tablet. Samsung describes it as its most advanced hinge and display technology yet, and it’s designed to bend twice without feeling fragile or bulky.
- An “Armor FlexHinge” with two rails and two hinge sizes work together to manage the uneven weight across the three panels.
- The tri-fold layout allows the screen panels to meet with minimal gap, resulting in a thinner, pocket-friendly build.
- The 10-inch main display features a shock-absorbing layer to withstand the stresses of double folding.
This is important because: Samsung is entering triple territory where Huawei has been attracting attention with its Mate XT. Huawei’s device folds in a zigzag pattern, with panels wrapping around the outside. Samsung takes the opposite approach and folds both outer panels inwards over the center screen. This holds the structure in place, avoids gaps between panels and ensures a slim profile is maintained when folded.
To achieve this, extensive hinge techniques were required. Samsung has refined its Armor FlexHinge into a two-hinge system, with each hinge a different size to compensate for the unequal weight across three folding sections. Both hinges feature a titanium double rail structure with a thin metal barrier that protects the mechanism from wear.
With foldable devices, there are usually concerns about durability, so Samsung added a shock-absorbing layer under the 10-inch main panel and gave it a reinforced coating. The back of the device is made of a ceramic-fiberglass reinforced polymer, a material that prevents cracks and keeps the device thin.
Why should I care? If you often need to multi-task such as browsing, sending messages, editing documents and watching videos, the Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold gives you a large, versatile screen that you can take with you wherever you go. The improved hinges and shock-absorbing display reduce the usual concerns about the fragility of foldable phones, making this a more practical everyday vehicle than many previous foldable phones.
