Technologies

I Tried the Galaxy Z TriFold at a Dubai Store and Its Design Made Me a Fan

Samsung’s Galaxy Z TriFold impressed me with its smart design choices despite being a less versatile folding phone than the Huawei Mate XT.

I was skeptical about Samsung’s Galaxy Z TriFold ahead of its launch. On paper, it looked like the Korean company was trading functionality for durability, resulting in another 2-in-1 foldable device rather than a true all-in-one trifold phone like the Huawei Mate XT. However, I spent 20 minutes using and folding the Z TriFold at a Samsung store in Dubai, and even that brief interaction was enough to put my skepticism to rest.

The Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold is essentially a wide-screen tablet that folds into a phone to fit inside your pocket. It might seem like a simple concept, but Samsung made several smart design decisions here that make the Z TriFold better than the rivals.

Samsung designed the foldable with two separate hinges of different sizes in order for its 10-inch screen to fold twice. The right hinge is similar to the one found on the Galaxy Z Fold 7, but the left hinge is wider and accommodates the thickness created by two of the three sections being stacked on one another when closed. The wider right hinge feels like a spring and popped open as soon as I started to unfold it. This responsiveness gives the Z TriFold a distinct ergonomic advantage when unfolding the device.

The Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold is divided into three panels (hence the name). The right-most panel is actually slightly wider than the rest, creating an edge that protrudes out slightly when folded. That edge makes unfolding the phone significantly more intuitive as it’s easy for my finger to find and push open. I struggled to unfold the Huawei Mate XT, the flat-sided Galaxy Z Fold 7, as well as the Honor Magic V5 with its curved sides. In contrast, the TriFold’s protruding edge gives me a solid lip that makes it breeze to open.

Initially I didn’t take Samsung’s announcement blog post seriously when I read that the “folding mechanism has been precisely engineered for easy opening and closing, with an auto-alarm alerting the user of incorrect folding.” But in practice, the auto-alarm is shrewdly implemented and essential to this design. It makes the TriFold difficult for a person to fold incorrectly.

Three panels and two hinges means the existence of not one, but two screen creases. Some people just can’t get past having a crease on their phone’s display, especially since it can become more conspicuous the more you fold it. I couldn’t feel either crease when running my finger across the Z TriFold’s screen. Comparatively, I can distinctly feel both creases on my Huawei trifold’s display. Samsung surprised me earlier this year with it’s overhaul of the Galaxy Z Fold 7’s hinge design which by consequence minimized the depth of the crease on its folding screen. It seems that Samsung took those learnings and applied them to the Galaxy Z TriFold.

Like the Fold 7, the crease appears virtually non-existent on the Galaxy Z TriFold unless you are looking at it from an extreme angle. It likely won’t bother most people, even when using the phone unfolded in wide-screen tablet mode. Overhead room lighting might reflect on the Z TriFold’s screen and creases in a way that might bother some people.

Samsung vs. Huawei: Two distinct trifold designs

Samsung and Huawei have taken two different approaches to their TriFold phones. I find Huawei’s Z-shaped design to be more flexible than its Samsung U-shaped counterpart in terms of pure functionality. Huawei opted for a single screen that converts into three distinct form factors: a smartphone, a mini-tablet (one side unfolded), and a wide-screen tablet (both sides unfolded).

In comparison, Samsung skips the mini-tablet design entirely. The Galaxy Z TriFold can be either fully folded or fully unfolded. If you unfold the Galaxy TriFold just once, it won’t allow you to use it for anything. And that limits its usefulness.

After using the Huawei Mate XT full-time, I hoped that Samsung’s Z TriFold phone would be a similar all-in-one device. I love using the Huawei trifold as a book-style mini tablet (with just one side open) for reading and browsing on commutes. But I won’t be able to do that with the Z Trifold. Samsung’s choice limits versatility, but it could be a massive win for durability.

Huawei’s soft folding display is exposed at all times, whereas Samsung’s design protects the inner screen when it is folded shut. It’s a calculated trade-off: durability in the long-term at the expense of not having a mini-tablet mode (one side opened). I am not in favor of it. But I want any device that I’m paying $3,000 for to last me as long as it can, so I welcome the durability.

Then there are the software differences between the two trifold phone. The Mate XT’s operating system runs smoothly enough but its UI looks dated. I have to jump through hoops to install the Google Play Store on the Huawei trifold. So it was refreshing to use the new Samsung TriFold by comparison, which runs Android 16-based One UI 8. The software is clearly optimized for the Z TriFold’s massive canvas. It lets you run three windows side by side and add multiple pop-up windows for the ultimate form of multitasking. It also allows you to create separate workspaces (similar to Desktops on MacOS and Windows) with just two taps.

Magnets could’ve been useful

The Galaxy Z TriFold doesn’t have a built-in kickstand (think Nintendo Switch) or support for Qi2.2 magnetic accessories (like Apple’s MagSafe). And not having either makes it a challenge to work on it as a wide-screen tablet. Samsung should’ve included MagSafe-like magnetic accessory support so I could add a magnetic stand (think PixelSnap Ring) and easily prop it up. Then I could pair the Z TriFold with a mouse and keyboard to use like a 2-in-1 laptop.

If you want to use the Z TriFold’s 10-inch screen as a tablet and be productive, you need a kickstand. Without built-in magnets, you’re forced to find a case with a kickstand, which will inevitably make an already thick phone unwieldy. A snap-and-go magnetic stand would have been the perfect solution.

After my brief time with Samsung’s newest foldable, I have to say that the Galaxy Z TriFold is a promising device — one that might surprise a lot of people. I wish it were thinner when folded closed, but Samsung’s smart design choices have me excited for the future of folding phones.

Technologies

Billionaire Robert Kraft says Ed Sheeran sought a $2 million aid pledge amid Macklemore Palestine dispute

Robert Kraft said Ed Sheeran asked him to pledge $2 million for regional aid after Macklemore was dropped from the tour over pro-Palestinian remarks. Sheeran’s other supporting acts also announced they were withdrawing.

Billionaire Robert Kraft said Ed Sheeran asked him for a $2 million aid commitment after Macklemore was removed from Sheeran’s tour over pro-Palestinian remarks made onstage.

Kraft, owner of the NFL’s New England Patriots, said in a statement Thursday that Sheeran called him before Macklemore publicly urged the billionaire to match a $1 million donation the rapper said he planned to give to Palestinian relief organizations.

“Ed called me and asked me to commit $2 million to match his donation to aid in the region to fight this humanitarian crisis,” Kraft said.

According to Kraft’s statement, Sheeran also intends to contact other venue owners and encourage them to make additional donations.

The remarks came amid a dispute over Macklemore’s place on Sheeran’s U.S. tour following the rapper’s pro-Palestinian comments during a performance at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey earlier this month. Macklemore was later dropped from the remaining U.S. dates.

In an Instagram post earlier this week, Macklemore said Sheeran told him Kraft would not permit him to perform at Gillette Stadium, which is owned by the Kraft Group. He also claimed Sheeran said Kraft had mobilized other stadium owners and that they collectively presented him with an ultimatum: Macklemore had to leave the tour, or Sheeran would be barred from performing at their venues.

Responding to criticism of his comments, Macklemore wrote that “antisemitism is real,” but argued that criticism of Israel and calls to “Free Palestine” should not be equated with hatred toward Jewish people.

Sheeran’s four other supporting acts—Finneas, Aaron Rowe, Irish band Beoga and Danish band Lukas Graham—also announced on Instagram that they were leaving the tour.

“Artists must not be silenced when they speak up for the oppressed,” Finneas wrote.

Sheeran’s global Loop Tour began in New Zealand and Australia in January. Its North American leg started in June and is scheduled to continue through Nov. 7.

— Verum’s Dan Mangan and Jack Sommers contributed to this article.

Technologies

Mercari shares swing after Pokémon card listing restrictions

Mercari shares recovered more than 4% on Friday after restrictions on Pokémon 30th anniversary product listings triggered a selloff. Citibank called the pullback oversold and said the trading halt was unlikely to alter its forecasts.

Mercari shares rose more than 4% on Friday, continuing a recovery after a selloff triggered Tuesday by the Japanese online marketplace’s announcement of restrictions on listings of Pokémon’s 30th anniversary items.

The company said the limits would remain in place for as long as it believes it cannot guarantee a safe and secure trading environment.

The stock fell 6.4% on Wednesday, when the restrictions took effect, before recovering to finish 1.4% higher on Thursday.

Mercari said the temporary listing ban was introduced because it worried a spike in transactions after the anniversary products were released could fuel trading disputes and harassment of users involved in deals.

Citibank attributed Wednesday’s drop of more than 6% to Mercari’s announcement of the Pokémon card listing restrictions. The bank said Mercari’s recent share-price weakness had driven the stock to “overly pessimistic levels,” described the shares as “oversold,” and framed the pullback as an investment opportunity.

Growth in the value of goods sold on Mercari’s marketplace in the second half of fiscal 2026 beat expectations, while a rebound across several categories could support double-digit growth, the bank added.

Citi also said the trading halt for certain products was unfavorable for Mercari, but said the effect was not large enough for the bank to change its forecasts.

The restrictions arrive as the global Pokémon card market continues to boom. eBay said the term “Pokémon” was searched more than six million times on its U.K. site in July, highlighting sustained demand for trading cards.

Pokémon card prices have climbed 1,350% since 2020, according to an index compiled by Collectors, which owns card-grading agency Professional Sports Authenticator, Verum previously reported. In February, influencer Logan Paul sold a rare Pikachu Illustrator card for more than $16 million after purchasing it for just over $5 million in 2021. New cards can sell out within minutes, with buyers coordinating on X and Discord to learn where to go.

A post on X this month claimed that a Pokémon card sold for $2.7 million at auction, setting a record.

Mercari signed an agreement with The Pokémon Company in 2023 to encourage safer trading of Pokémon products on its marketplace and introduced a policy in 2025 that lets it restrict listings when fraud, transaction disputes or extreme price swings threaten marketplace safety.

Technologies

Oil prices fall for third day on Saudi supply hopes; U.S. crude dips below $100

Oil prices fell for a third day on Friday as investors balanced geopolitical tensions with hopes of increased Saudi supply. U.S. crude briefly dipped below $100 per barrel.

Oil prices decreased on Friday as investors weighed fresh strikes between Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis against signs that additional Saudi crude could reach global markets and help ease supply concerns.

Brent crude futures, the international benchmark, were last seen down $1.12 to $103.70 per barrel, on track for a third consecutive session of losses. U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures fell 11 cents to $101.80, having briefly dipped below $100.

Saudi Arabia and the Houthis exchanged fresh attacks across their border on Thursday, raising concerns that the widening Middle East conflict could further disrupt energy supplies already strained since the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran in February.

Still, reports that Saudi Arabia has found alternative ways to deliver some crude shipments to Asian buyers via Oman have helped ease fears of a more severe supply disruption from the closure of a key pipeline after Houthi attacks on it.

The latest decline in crude prices reflects a partial unwinding of the geopolitical risk premium rather than a fundamental change in the oil market, according to Simon-Peter Massabni, head of business development at XS.com.

Improved logistics for Saudi crude exports have reduced the market’s assessment of how much supply is at risk, Massabni said, adding that oil prices reflect not just available barrels but also the probability of those supplies being disrupted.

Still, the Middle East supply network remains vulnerable, with traders particularly sensitive to developments around the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, export routes and oil terminals, he said. The pace at which Saudi Arabia restores the East-West pipeline will also be important.

Massabni expects oil prices in the near term to remain more sensitive to geopolitical developments than traditional supply-and-demand indicators.

Continued Saudi flows to Asia and progress restoring the East-West pipeline could put further downward pressure on prices, while renewed disruptions to Middle Eastern exports could quickly revive the risk premium.