In the ongoing human pursuit of reinventing the tools we carry, Samsung is preparing to unfold something genuinely unprecedented — a three-paneled tablet that bends twice, blurring the line between pocket device and expansive screen. Reported for a Q1 2022 arrival under the name Galaxy Z Fold Tab, the device emerges not merely as a product announcement but as a statement of intent: that the future of personal computing may be one we literally open, layer by layer. Samsung's move comes as rivals from China press in with cheaper alternatives, making bold design less a luxury and more a necessity
Samsung's tri-fold Galaxy tablet could launch in early 2022, report claims
A device that folds into a thick phone, unfolds into a tablet
Mark
Why is Samsung pushing so hard on foldables right now? What changed?
Mimi
Competition from China. Huawei and Xiaomi have both launched foldable phones, and Xiaomi's is cheaper. Samsung needs to stay ahead, so they're expanding the category—new phones this summer, and now this tri-fold tablet for next year.
Luke
But we don't actually know if the tablet will ship. Samsung is "reportedly" planning it, and they're "still debating" whether to even show it off in August. That's a lot of uncertainty baked into the headline.
Mark
Fair point. So what do we actually know for certain?
Mimi
Samsung has patents for multi-panel foldables. They're cutting prices on current foldables and extending trial periods. The Fold 3 and Flip 2 are coming this summer. Those are confirmed.
Luke
And the tri-fold tablet?
Mimi
That's from reports and a leaker. No official Samsung statement. The device would have three display sections, two hinges, and would fold into a thick phone shape. It might use the same glass and stylus as the Fold 3.
Mark
What would it cost?
Mimi
Nobody knows. Current foldables are $1,500 to $2,000. A three-panel device would likely be more expensive, possibly much more.
Luke
So we're talking about a device that may or may not exist, may or may not be shown publicly, and would probably cost more than most people spend on a phone. That's the story?
Mimi
That's part of it. The bigger story is that Samsung is betting heavily on foldables as the future of premium phones. The tri-fold tablet is just the most ambitious expression of that bet.
Mark
And if Chinese companies keep undercutting them on price?
Mimi
Then Samsung needs to differentiate on design and features. A tri-fold tablet does that—it's something no one else has shown yet.
The Pulse
- Samsung is accelerating its foldable ambitions with a tri-fold tablet featuring two hinges and three display sections, targeting a Q1 2022 launch that would push screen real estate far beyond anything in its current lineup.
- The company is already softening the market with extended trial periods and price cuts on existing foldables, signaling that the shift from novelty to mainstream is no longer optional — it's urgent.
- Chinese rivals like Huawei, Xiaomi, and TCL are crowding the foldable space with cheaper and increasingly inventive form factors, threatening Samsung's premium positioning and forcing a design escalation.
- Samsung is still weighing whether to tease the tri-fold at its August Unpacked event, leaving the device in a strategic limbo between secret weapon and public spectacle.
- With three-panel foldables likely to exceed the already steep $1,500–$2,000 price range of current models, Samsung is betting that defining the premium tier matters more than winning on affordability.
In the ongoing human pursuit of reinventing the tools we carry, Samsung is preparing to unfold something genuinely unprecedented — a three-paneled tablet that bends twice, blurring the line between pocket device and expansive screen. Reported for a Q1 2022 arrival under the name Galaxy Z Fold Tab, the device emerges not merely as a product announcement but as a statement of intent: that the future of personal computing may be one we literally open, layer by layer. Samsung's move comes as rivals from China press in with cheaper alternatives, making bold design less a luxury and more a necessity for staying relevant at the frontier.
Samsung is moving with unusual urgency to make foldable devices a volume business rather than a curiosity. The company has extended trial periods to as long as 100 days in some markets and begun trimming prices on existing models — early signals of a broader campaign to normalize the form factor before a wave of new releases arrives.
This summer brings the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 2, but Samsung's more striking ambition lies just beyond: a tri-fold tablet reportedly called the Galaxy Z Fold Tab, expected in Q1 2022. The device would feature three display sections joined by two hinges, unfolding into a screen larger than any current Galaxy Fold while collapsing into something resembling a thick smartphone. It would carry the same Ultra Thin Glass technology planned for the Fold 3 and support a hybrid S Pen stylus. Whether Samsung will even acknowledge its existence at the August Unpacked event remains an open question.
The competitive pressure behind this push is real. Huawei and Xiaomi have both entered the foldable market in China, with Xiaomi offering a meaningfully lower price point. TCL has demonstrated a device that shifts fluidly between phone, phablet, and tablet modes. Samsung, which first teased the original Galaxy Fold in late 2018 before its 2019 launch, may be preparing to run a similar playbook with the tri-fold.
The economics are formidable. Current foldables already sit between $1,500 and $2,000, and a three-panel device would almost certainly push beyond that ceiling. Yet Samsung appears willing to absorb the risk, having moved past the question of whether foldable technology works and into the harder question of whether radical new form factors can define what premium means for the next generation of devices.
Samsung is preparing to flood the market with foldables. The company has already extended trial periods for its folding phones to 60 or even 100 days in the US and UK—double or quintuple the standard two-week window—and has begun cutting prices on existing models ahead of new releases. The strategy signals urgency: Samsung wants foldables to move from niche curiosity to genuine volume business, and it's willing to spend marketing muscle and margin to make it happen.
This summer, Samsung will introduce the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 2, the successors to its existing folding lineup. But according to reports from GizmoChina and a leaker, Samsung is already working on something more ambitious. The company is developing a tri-fold tablet—a device with three separate display sections connected by two hinges—that could arrive in the first quarter of 2022 under the name Galaxy Z Fold Tab. When fully unfolded, it would offer a larger screen than the current Galaxy Fold. When completely closed, it would resemble a thick smartphone, though the device is being positioned as a tablet rather than a phone.
Samsung has already patented large foldable designs with multiple display sections. The tri-fold concept represents the more ambitious end of that patent portfolio. The tablet would use the same reinforced Ultra Thin Glass technology planned for the Fold 3, and it's expected to support a hybrid S Pen stylus that Samsung will introduce alongside the new phones. What remains unclear is pricing, target audience, and even whether Samsung will publicly acknowledge the device exists. The company is still debating whether to tease the tri-fold tablet during its August Unpacked event, when it unveils the Fold 3 and Flip 2.
The timing of Samsung's aggressive foldable push reflects genuine market pressure. Huawei and Xiaomi have both launched Galaxy Fold competitors in China, with Xiaomi offering a notably cheaper entry point. TCL recently showed off a phone with a screen that folds and rolls, allowing users to shift between phone, phablet, and tablet modes. Other Chinese manufacturers are preparing their own foldable concepts. Samsung's original Galaxy Fold was teased at a conference in late 2018, months before its official announcement in early 2019—a playbook the company may repeat with the tri-fold tablet.
The economics of a three-panel foldable device are daunting. Current foldable phones sell for $1,500 to $2,000, and Chinese competitors are already working to undercut those prices. A tablet with three folding sections would almost certainly exceed the upper end of that range, placing it well beyond most consumers' budgets. Yet Samsung appears willing to absorb the risk. The company's foldable ambitions have moved beyond proving the technology works; now it's about proving that novel form factors can define the next generation of premium devices. Whether the tri-fold tablet becomes a real product or remains a teased concept, it signals where Samsung believes the market is heading.
Notable Quotes
Samsung is still debating whether to show off the tri-fold tablet during the Unpacked press conference expected in early August— Report from GizmoChina and leaker
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