Samsung is currently playing a very expensive game of “show and tell” with its hardware. As of Saturday, January 3, 2026, the news out of Seoul is that every Galaxy Z TriFold leaving the factory is actually putting the company in the red.
The thing is, even with a price tag of 3.59 million won (roughly 2,500), Samsung is reportedly selling the handset below its production cost. Or nothing. Let’s be real, when your “halo product” is this complex, the R&D and specialized components are basically a money pit. Those too.
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The “TriFold” Log: Field Notes
It’s an ongoing situation where Samsung is prioritizing “clout” over immediate profit.
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The “Kicker”: The bill of materials (BOM) is a nightmare. Between the 10-inch flexible inner screen, the double-hinge mechanism, and the customized Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, the costs are north of $2,000 before you even count the marketing or shipping.
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The RAM Crisis: Thanks to the global AI boom, high-end memory parts (16GB LPDDR5X) are seeing massive price hikes. This is eating what little margin Samsung had left.
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The Launch Success: Despite the price, the phone is a “sell-out” success in South Korea. We’re talking thousands of units gone in minutes. But here’s the kicker: they only made about 20,000 units for the entire global run.
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The 2026 US Outlook
[Table: Galaxy Z TriFold Leaked US Timeline]
| Event | Expected Date | The Vibe |
| US Unpacked | Late Jan / Early Feb 2026 | Likely alongside the Galaxy S26 series. |
| Retail Launch | March 2026 | Expected to be a “Limited Drop” online and in select stores. |
| Estimated Price | 2,599 – 2,999 | US pricing will probably be higher to offset these losses. |
The “Early Adopter” Tax
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It’s an ongoing situation where the TriFold is being treated like a concept car.
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Hardware: It’s 12.9mm thick when folded—nearly as thin as a regular phone—but weighs 309g. It’s basically a tablet that fits in your pocket, provided your pockets are deep (literally and financially).
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The Strategy: Like a PlayStation console in its first year, Samsung is eating the loss now to own the “Trifold” category before Apple or Google can even show up to the party.
Basically, if you want to be the first person in your city with a 10-inch screen that folds twice, you’re getting a “discount” subsidized by Samsung’s marketing budget. Just don’t expect the price to drop anytime soon.
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End…
