By Mashable | Created at 2026-09-15 15:42:08 | Updated at 2026-09-15 16:40:30
1 hour ago
The early buzz and excitement around Apple's foldable iPhone Duo may have sparked something in Samsung.
New rumors reported by 9to5Google suggest that Samsung is moving up it's foldavble roadmap to compete with the iPhone Duo. Citing credible leaker Lanzuk, 9to5Google reports that Samsung is weighing an earlier-than-planned launch for a follow-up to the Galaxy Z TriFold, along with a separate slideable device that had also been penciled in for a 2027 debut.
The outlet also notes that the timeline remains unclear and that both devices could still land on their originally rumored 2027 schedule regardless.
It's a notable turn given how the first TriFold's story played out. Samsung's original tri-folding phone was, by most accounts, a niche product from the start. At roughly $2,500, it initially launched only in South Korea, where Samsung reportedly lost money on every unit sold. The device made its way to the U.S. in Jan. 2026 at a price of around $2,900, sold out, and was pulled from Samsung's store page just three months later.
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Thus, Samsung wanting to accelerate the timeline for its own buzzy foldable is big news.
Per 9to5Google, the rumored Galaxy Z TriFold 2 is said to be thinner, lighter, and more durable than its predecessor, with Samsung reportedly aiming to hold pricing "nearly identical" to the original. Given the costs involved in building the first version — and reports that it allegedly sold at a loss — keeping the price flat on an improved model would be a meaningful engineering and manufacturing feat.
Apple's iPhone Duo reveal appears to have applied real pressure on Samsung's foldable plans, and whether that translates into an actual early launch — or just renewed urgency behind the scenes — should become clearer as 2027 approaches.
For now, the iPhone Duo is set to launch Oct. 23.
