Samsung's Powerful Onslaught: A Revolutionary Tri-Fold Phone Challenges Huawei Mate X!

Samsung's Powerful Onslaught: A Revolutionary Tri-Fold Phone Challenges Huawei Mate X!Overseas media outlet smartprix reports that a new Samsung device, codenamed Q7M (SM-F9680 in China, SM-968N in Korea), has appeared in the GSMA IMEI database. This highly anticipated tri-fold phone is finally moving from rumor to reality

Samsung's Powerful Onslaught: A Revolutionary Tri-Fold Phone Challenges Huawei Mate X!

Overseas media outlet smartprix reports that a new Samsung device, codenamed Q7M (SM-F9680 in China, SM-968N in Korea), has appeared in the GSMA IMEI database. This highly anticipated tri-fold phone is finally moving from rumor to reality. While the exact release date is unannounced, the typical 6-7 month lead time between GSMA IMEI registration and launch suggests a release window between October and November. This launch is poised to revolutionize the foldable phone market.

The Chinese Market: Samsung's Road to Redemption?

The simultaneous registration of both Chinese and Korean models indicates China will be one of the initial launch markets (potentially limited to China and Korea initially). Despite a significant decline in market share, Samsung's continued focus on China hints at a determined "comeback" strategy.

G-Shape Design: Differentiated Competition with Huawei Mate X

Speculation surrounding the design of Samsung's tri-fold phone has ranged from a Huawei Mate X-like Z-fold to a Samsung-developed G-fold. Patents for both designs exist, sparking much debate. While the Z-fold design gained prominence due to the Mate X's success, Samsung ultimately opted for the G-fold.

The G-fold design completely encapsulates the inner screen, rendering it unusable as an external display when folded. This differs significantly from the Huawei Mate X's Z-fold design, which allows the outer screen to remain functional even when folded, eliminating the need for an additional external display. The G-fold necessitates a different approach to addressing external screen functionality.

Upgraded Specifications: Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy + S Pen + Massive Screen

The Samsung tri-fold phone is reportedly equipped with an integrated S Pen, a boon for Note series users. The large inner screen provides ample space for S Pen utilization, potentially explaining Samsung's choice of the G-fold design, which offers better S Pen accommodation than the Z-fold.

The unfolded screen is approximately 9.96 inches, slightly smaller than the Huawei Mate X. Considering the G-fold's structural characteristics, a larger inner screen was initially anticipated, but Samsung likely opted for a longer aspect ratio, resulting in a smaller display area compared to the Mate X.

Performance-wise, it will feature a flagship Snapdragon processor; the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is the most likely candidate due to its power efficiency. The imaging system is expected to rival that of the S25 Ultra, featuring comparable main and telephoto lenses. Even with a potential year-end upgrade from Huawei, the Mate X's overall configuration will likely be outmatched by Samsung's tri-fold offering.

This positions Samsung's phone as a strong contender for the title of the most powerful tri-fold phone of 2025. Currently, other manufacturers (like Xiaomi and OPPO) have no announced plans to release tri-fold phones this year. The high cost and technological complexities involved suggest limited competition in the near future.

The G-Fold's Challenges and Innovations: Dual-Screen Design and Hinge Technology

While the G-fold design offers advantages in durability and design complexity, it presents challenges regarding external screen usability. Samsung's solution may involve a smaller secondary external screen, creating a dual-screen setup similar to existing dual-fold phones.

Compared to the Huawei Mate X's single large screen design (resembling the outward-folding style of early dual-fold phones), the G-fold with an additional external screen will inevitably increase cost and thickness. The Huawei Mate X boasts impressive thinness (12.8mm) and light weight (298g) for its screen size.

However, the G-fold offers significant advantages in terms of drop resistance. Since the inner screen is completely protected, damage would primarily affect the back cover and outer screen, resulting in lower repair costs. Additionally, the G-folds hinge is relatively less expensive, as only one hinge requires a high-precision, narrow design.

Shortcomings of the Z-Fold Design: Durability and Repair Costs

The Huawei Mate X's Z-fold design, while advantageous in cost and thickness control, suffers from durability issues. Damage to the outer screen necessitates replacing the entire inner screen, incurring significant repair costs.

Samsung's Foldable Ambitions: Beyond Tri-Fold Phones

Samsung's foldable technology ambition extends far beyond tri-fold phones. At MWC 2025, Samsung showcased various foldable form factors, including a vertical tri-fold phone. This phone, when fully unfolded, has a roughly 21:9 aspect ratio, similar to Sony Xperia phones, but features a unique folding design with unevenly sized upper and lower foldsthe lower fold being roughly twice the size of the upper.

When folded, a visible gap remains in the middle serving as the external screen. While aesthetically imperfect, this design proves practical in specific scenarios. Using integrated electric mechanisms and a voice assistant, users can easily flip the main camera to the front for selfies or video calls.

Furthermore, Samsung unveiled a foldable gaming handheld device with a unique design, where the joystick integrates into matching key recesses for easy portability.

Future Outlook: The Path to Tri-Fold Phone Adoption

Currently, the high price of tri-fold phones limits their market reach. However, these devices offer a significantly improved user experience compared to traditional smartphones and greater potential as productivity tools.

However, for the next two to three years, tri-fold phones will remain expensive "tech toys." Based on the adoption rate of dual-fold phones, it's expected that it will take three to four more years before tri-fold phones reach a price point accessible to most consumers. Until then, we're entering a new "foldable era," and Samsung's new phone is set to be a key driver of this evolution.