Samsung Rules Out iPhone Air Rival and TriFold Amid Weak Demand

Samsung has reportedly adopted a conservative approach to launching new smartphone form factors, with no commitment to introducing new-form factor devices such as an iPhone Air competitor and Galaxy Z TriFold successor within the next year. The cautious approach comes after a recent Bloomberg article referenced high-ranking official from 삼성 모바일 and framed the conclusion about smartphone form factor launch decisions as an overall assessment of demand and market viability; and not as a direct response to competing devices in the marketplace. Due to the poor sales the Galaxy S25 Edge (2025) has experienced since its launch, it is clear that this will factor into product direction discussions going forward.

In context, the Bloomberg report notes the official described Samsung as evaluating new product directions based on consumer demand and overall market viability rather than competitive pressure. The Galaxy S25 Edge’s production volume for the September to December 2025 period is described as being in the low 300,000 units, illustrating what the company sees as limited demand for the ultra-thin model. By comparison, production figures for the Galaxy S25 Ultra and the standard Galaxy S25 in the same period were reported at about 3.4 million and 2.9 million units, respectively. Those numbers underscore a substantial disparity within the Galaxy S25 family and help explain why Samsung remains cautious about expanding the Edge line or pursuing a separate iPhone Air competitor.

The Bloomberg report adds that Samsung is not committing to a TriFold smartphone at this time. The company has previously demonstrated advanced foldable display concepts and introduced one of the first commercially available tri-fold handsets with the Galaxy Z TriFold. The official indicated that commercial decisions around more complex designs will depend on readiness, usability, and market response.

On data input, Samsung addressed the S-Pen, saying the company is developing a next-generation version. The official indicated that a more advanced technology within the S-Pen would come with a new display structure intended to diminish the so-called penalty of using an S-Pen. He added that the S-Pen will continue to be one of Samsung's core technologies, reinforcing the device-maker's commitment to integrating stylus support with its premium devices.

According to a recent report, Samsung has previously demonstrated advanced foldable device prototypes, such as the TriFold. However, current comments from the company indicate that no significant plans exist to develop a TriFold successor any time soon. The company highlighted that decisions regarding complex design concepts will depend on factors such as readiness, usability, and market reaction. When specifically considering the S25 Edge sales performance and its impact on strategic decision-making around form factor development and foldable innovations, the weaker-than-expected sales of the Galaxy S25 Edge could impact the company’s strategic investments in new form factors and the overall rate of foldable innovation.

In terms of context for future possibilities, Сontextual factors are based on S25 Edge sales performance relative to other Galaxy S25 devices. In addition, S25 Edge was introduced to help fill the void (until the S25 Ultra arrived) created by S25’s ultra-thin variant. The low number of bodied devices produced compared to the larger number of units produced through standard S25 and S25 Ultra manufacture led to Samsung’s caution in regards to using a novel form factor for new product introduction. In addition, Samsung has not indicated plans to revive or expand their iPhone Air competitive rivalry or TriFold product line within the near term. Instead, product roadmaps will continue to change based on measurable demand signals and usability metrics. Therefore, both future appearances of the S25 Edge and the prospects for it being included in future product lines are currently unknown.

• Galaxy S25 Edge production forecast is low at 300,000 units for September - December 2025
• Galaxy S25 Ultra production forecast is approximately 3.4 million units for September - December 2025
• Galaxy S25 production forecast is approximately 2.9 million units for September - December 2025
• Privacy display was initially part of the S25 Ultra but pushed back to one year
• S-Pen next generation being developed with new display design for reduction of latency with S-Pen

Overall, a key point being made from this information is that Samsung's decision-making is based on demand and viability of the market versus an aggressive pursuit of niche extensions of form factors. Additionally, Samsung's strategy seems to be to continue to improve on its core devices and well-known technologies and use foldable technology and S-Pen improvements as part of the longer-term hardware roadmap will receive attention in future updates. Upcoming updates will utilize the originally gathered data through user feedback and will implement display innovations that will improve daily usage experience as a way to balance between innovation and commercial viability.