Ever since I first used Huawei's trifold phone, the Mate XT Ultimate, I have wanted Samsung to launch a similar foldable. Lucky for me, rumors suggest that Samsung has been developing one for a long time and that the new foldable will be released on Dec. 5, in just a couple of weeks. On an earnings call in August, which Seeking Alpha shared, Samsung teased its triple-screen foldable, saying it aims to be a leader in "innovative form factors like the upcoming trifold device."
I look forward to Samsung's trifold because Huawei's trifold phone, which I have used, is brilliant. I should mention that neither device folds three times; each only has two hinges, which segments the screen into three sections, hence the name. And yes, calling either of these phones a trifold makes as much sense as calling a horizontal board with two wheels a hoverboard.
The Huawei Mate XT Ultimate has two hinges that allow it to fold into a Z-shape. These hinges also let it transform into several devices. Unlike the Galaxy Z Fold 7, which has a single hinge and can be used as either a phone or a mini tablet, Huawei's device can function as a standard phone, a small tablet, or a full-size tablet. Huawei's trifold phone has one of the most useful designs I've tested, with an interface that is as inventive as it is intuitive. As rumors about Samsung's trifold phone leaked, I kept imagining how its phone could take what Huawei did to the next level.
But then Samsung showcased its dual-hinge phone at a tech exhibition during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation CEO Summit in South Korea, where The Chosun Daily filmed the Galaxy trifold in all its glory. When I saw the video, I was worried. This isn't what I hoped for. From what I saw, Samsung's trifold might not live up to my expectations. I'm sure it'll have unique use cases with its big tablet-size folding screen, but it might miss the mark.
Huawei vs. Samsung trifold: Two hinges and two different designs
For the Samsung trifold, imagine the Galaxy Z Fold 7 having another hinge with it folding in the same inward direction -- opposite to what Huawei does. Prakhar Khanna/CNET
Both the Huawei Mate XT and Samsung's upcoming trifold phone have two hinges, but there are major hardware differences between the two devices.
First, the Mate XT's hinges fold in opposite directions, giving it a Z-shape. In comparison, Samsung has designed the two hinges to fold in the same direction -- inward, to form a G-shape. As CNET's David Lumb reported, it is ironic that the company with a Z-series of folding phones didn't adopt that shape and format for its trifold.
Second, the Huawei trifold has a single screen that unfolds into a bigger display. On the other hand, Samsung has added a separate cover screen because you can't access the inner screen once it is folded closed.
Both these design choices come with their own share of durability and functionality concerns.
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