Samsung Electronics is to launch its Galaxy Z TriFold in the US from Friday, making it the first double-hinged handset in the US market – at a hefty price tag of nearly $3,000 (£2,170).

Samsung said it would sell the device in the US for $2,899, with 512GB of storage.

The TriFold will only be available in black, and is to be sold either online or in Samsung Experience stores.

Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 7, which has a single hinge, sells for about $2,000 in the US, which is comparable to a top-end iPhone 17 Pro Max with 2TB of storage.

The TriFold unfolds into a 10-inch tablet that measures only 3.9 mm at its thinnest point and is rated for over 200,000 folds.

But the TriFold is heavy for a phone at 309 grams, and is relatively thick when folded.

The fact that the TriFold is not being sold through carriers is an indication of the limited customer base Samsung is targeting for the new product category.

Analysts suggested as much at the TriFold’s domestic launch in South Korea last month.

Counterpoint Research said at the time that it expected the handset to ship in very limited volumes, with the aim being primarily to test durability, hinge design and software performance while gathering real-world insights before wider commercialisation.

Reviewers have said that the specialised software running on the TriFold appears under-developed, considering the gadget’s ultra-premium price tag.

Huawei has pioneered the tri-fold category, with the initial Mate XT launching in September 2024, and the second-generation Mate X7 being exported to some international markets beginning last month, but those export markets do not include the US.

Pricing for Huawei’s Mate X7 starts at €2,099 (£1,825), or about $2,500.

Apple is expected to launch a foldable iPhone this year.