Samsung uncommitted to another iPhone Air rival or Trifold, says COO

Samsung is working on a wider version of its standard Galaxy Z Fold that could mirror the form factor Apple Inc. is planning for its first model

By Chris Welch

 

Samsung Electronics Co. is still evaluating whether it will release another super-thin smartphone after sales of its inaugural attempt, last year’s Galaxy S25 Edge, were comparatively “lower” than the company’s other handsets. 

The development was revealed in an interview on Thursday with Won-Joon Choi, chief operating officer of Samsung’s Mobile Experience Business, following the introduction of the company’s new Galaxy S26 lineup. The new models include an innovative privacy display and enhanced artificial intelligence features. 

 

Similarly, the company hasn’t yet committed to releasing another TriFold, its new type of smartphone that costs nearly $3,000, includes two hinges and unfolds into a large tablet, Choi said. But he hinted that the company is working on a wider version of its standard Galaxy Z Fold that could mirror the form factor Apple Inc. is planning for its first model. 

Uncertain Future of Edge

Last year, Samsung unveiled its first super-slim phone — coming in at 5.8-millimeters thin — looking to beat Apple to the punch ahead of its iPhone Air. Choi said sales of the device, which lacks the battery endurance of the company’s higher-end models, have been “relatively lower than other lineups.”

 

To that end, Choi said the company is evaluating the future of the line and a follow-up isn’t a sure thing. “People have different taste and requirements and different criteria in selecting their device,” he said. “We haven’t made a decision when to have a next one, but it’s still being considered.” 

 

Though the iPhone Air, which debuted last fall, is slightly thinner than the S25 Edge, Samsung’s device includes two rear cameras and stereo speakers compared to the iPhone’s single camera and mono loudspeaker. Apple’s version has similarly seen slim sales compared to its higher-end offerings like the iPhone 17 Pro. 

Future of Foldables

While Samsung didn’t release new foldable models this week, the category remains top of mind. In late January, it became the first phone maker to launch a trifold in the US. Initial waves of the $2,900 device have quickly sold out on Samsung’s website, and the company is gathering feedback from its earliest buyers.

 

“When we started this TriFold, as the head of R&D, it was not the project I wanted to do,” Choi joked, citing the phone’s engineering complexity and need to create new custom components. Though technically impressive, the TriFold’s exorbitant price has limited its market appeal to a niche luxury purchase. Add in its weight and thickness when closed, and the future of this sub-category is also up in the air. 

 

“Initially, it was more like creating a new category and putting all of our know-how into this,” Choi said. “Now we wonder, should we develop a new one? We have not made a decision yet.”

 

But another Galaxy Fold — which folds once versus twice — is certain to arrive this summer. Choi addressed the possibility of Samsung releasing a wider version of its book-style foldable that could deliver some of the TriFold’s entertainment benefits at a lower price.

 

“All these productivity-related experiences, some people care about. And others are like ‘I want to watch Netflix or YouTube on a bigger screen,’” Choi said. “Obviously if you have a TriFold kind of aspect ratio, it’s optimized for that kind of experience and application.” 

 

He said Samsung is “considering all different options” for the single-folding category and wants to give users “as many options as possible - the best solution possible.” 

Privacy Display

Choi also revealed that the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s standout feature, a built-in privacy screen, arrived a year after the company first intended.

 

The Privacy Display, when activated, makes the device’s screen much harder to spy on for anyone looking over a user’s shoulder. It does this by shutting off pixels that usually help boost viewing angles. It can be activated in individual apps and even shields pop-up notifications while keeping the rest of the display more visible.

 

“Our goal was to have this, to be honest with you, on the S25 Ultra,” he said. “We were almost there. But we had to kind of solve a couple of the last challenges. So we took another year to resolve those. It has been quite a journey.”

 

The idea for a screen that could prevent unwelcome snooping was proposed “about three to four years ago” by one of Samsung’s engineers, Choi said, adding that the project was officially started three years ago in tandem with Samsung Display Co. 

 

For now, the feature is exclusive to Samsung’s top-tier phone but Choi hinted it could eventually come down the line. “When it actually becomes mature and if we believe it’s time to propagate it to other models, we’ll consider doing so,” he said. 

 

Samsung is also currently researching how to implement the technology on flexible displays.

Stylus Ambitions

The S-Pen stylus, long the hallmark of the Galaxy Note and later the Ultra, received little attention in the S26 lineup. But Choi revealed that the company is currently developing a next-generation version. 

 

“We’re working on a more advanced technology within S-Pen to come up with a new structure of display, so the penalty of having S-Pen is diminished,” he said, without providing further details. “S-Pen will continue to be one of the core technologies.”