Galaxy Z TriFold Priced $2,400 — Samsung May Lose Money

• Samsung’s Galaxy Z TriFold reportedly costs more to produce than its selling price in Korea. • The foldable is low-volume and sold in a handful of markets; UAE pricing is higher at about $3,260. • Component inflation — OLED panels, camera modules, memory — and Snapdragon-heavy SoC mix are pressuring margins. • The TriFold may be a strategic, halo product rather than a profit driver for Samsung.

What The Bell reported

South Korean outlet The Bell says Samsung’s Galaxy Z TriFold has a production cost that exceeds its Korean retail price of roughly ₩3.2 million (~$2,440). If accurate, the company would be selling the device at a loss in that market.

Regional pricing differences

The TriFold is listed for about $3,260 in the UAE, suggesting regional price variance. That gap raises the possibility that some markets subsidize losses seen elsewhere, or that taxes and local markups are widening price spreads.

Why margins could be negative

Several factors are likely contributing to the squeeze. The Galaxy Z TriFold uses complex dual-fold hardware and premium components — expensive OLED panels, multiple camera modules, and higher memory configurations.

Component inflation and SoC choices

The Bell also links Samsung’s broader pricing pressure to higher memory prices and rising costs for OLED screens and camera components. Additionally, Samsung’s System-on-Chip (SoC) strategy for the Galaxy S26 family — blending Qualcomm Snapdragon and in-house Exynos chips — may be making costs harder to control.

Snapdragon vs. Exynos

Industry reports indicate Qualcomm’s Snapdragon flagship chips will account for an estimated 75% or more of S26 units. Snapdragon premium pricing can outstrip comparable Exynos parts, increasing component spend when Qualcomm silicon is used more widely.

Limited run, strategic positioning

Samsung is reportedly producing the Galaxy Z TriFold in small quantities and only selling it in select markets. That limited run suggests the device is more of an experimental or halo product than a volume winner intended to drive profit.

What this means for consumers and Samsung

For consumers, higher regional prices may persist while availability remains constrained. For Samsung, the TriFold could be a loss-leading effort to showcase folding tech and test manufacturing, even as it weighs component sourcing and pricing for mass-market devices like the Galaxy S26.

Samsung has not publicly confirmed The Bell’s cost figures. Still, the report highlights how advanced foldable designs and shifting SoC and component strategies can complicate margins for premium smartphones.