New Samsung device launch signals a new market in the making

They weren’t the first off the block but when, in a surprise move, the largest mobile company in the world launches a trifold phone, it means a new market taking off. Samsung had to do it because Chinese manufacturers like Huawei had already gotten onto this train. And very soon, Apple, the biggest in the business in terms of revenues, is thought to be going to get into foldables.

The Samsung device, called Galaxy Z TriFold, looks like a regular but bulky phone but when its three panels are unfurled becomes a tablet with a screen of 10 inches. It has two hinges of slightly varying sizes that help in creating this magic. The tablet is ultra-thin at 3.9 mm and still offers a high-resolution display for watching videos. Cutting-edge materials have been used to make the frame and display sturdy and long-lasting. And the software is tailored to adapt and optimise both as a phone and as a tablet.  Samsung’s press release gave the example of an architect designing a new home who could use three apps simultaneously to review blueprints, write a proposal, and calculate measurements. 'If a call comes in unexpectedly, they can answer without disrupting their layout or losing their momentum,' it states.

The Galaxy Z TriFold is only available in South Korea presently with launches elsewhere slated for later. And it is not cheap. The price, converted to Indian rupees, is around Rs 2.2 lakhs.