Samsung Electronics (SSNLF.US) executives: The decision to launch the next generation of ultra-thin phones and three foldable phones has not yet been made.

Samsung Electronics (SSNLF.US) Chief Operating Officer of Mobile Experience (MX) business, Won-Joon Choi, revealed in an interview on Thursday after the release of the new Galaxy S26 series that the company is still evaluating whether to release another ultra-thin smartphone after the launch of the Galaxy S25 Edge last year. The sales of this first-generation product were relatively "disappointing" compared to the company's other models. Won-Joon Choi also stated that the company has not yet committed to releasing the next generation TriFold foldable phone. This new smartphone, priced at nearly $3000, is equipped with two hinges and can be unfolded into a large-sized tablet. However, he hinted that the company is developing a wider version of the standard Galaxy Z Fold, which may compete with Apple Inc.'s planned first foldable phone. Uncertain future of the Edge series Last year, Samsung released its first ultra-thin smartphone - with a thickness of only 5.8mm - in an attempt to get ahead of the iPhone Air launch. However, Won-Joon Choi stated that this device had lower sales compared to the company's high-end models due to its lower battery life. Therefore, Won-Joon Choi mentioned that the company is evaluating the future of this product line, and whether to release follow-up models is still uncertain. Won-Joon Choi said, "People have different preferences, needs, and standards when choosing devices. We have not decided when to release the next generation product, but it is still under consideration." Although the iPhone Air released last fall is slightly thinner than the S25 Edge, Samsung's device is equipped with dual rear cameras and stereo speakers, while the iPhone only has a single camera and mono speakers. The sales of Apple Inc.'s version are also lower than its high-end products, such as the iPhone 17 Pro. The future of foldable screens While Samsung did not release a new foldable phone this week, this category remains a focus for the company. In late January of this year, Samsung became the first manufacturer in the United States to launch a tri-fold phone. This device, priced at $2900, quickly sold out on the Samsung website, and the company is currently collecting feedback from the first batch of users. Won-Joon Choi said, "When we started the TriFold project, as the head of research and development, this was not something I wanted to do." He pointed out that the phone's engineering is complex and requires the development of new custom components. Despite being technically impressive, the high price of the TriFold limits its market appeal to a niche luxury consumer group. Moreover, the weight and thickness of the device when folded also pose uncertainties for the future of this subclass. Won-Joon Choi said, "Initially, it was more like creating a completely new category and incorporating all our technological experience into it. Now we are thinking about whether we should develop a new generation. We have not made a decision yet." However, another Galaxy Fold (single fold instead of double fold) will be released this summer. Won-Joon Choi mentioned the possibility of Samsung launching a wider version of a book-style foldable device to provide some of the entertainment advantages of the TriFold at a lower price. He said, "Some users value productivity-related experiences, while others want to watch Netflix or YouTube on a larger screen. Obviously, experiences and applications would be optimized if they had a similar screen ratio as the TriFold." He added that Samsung is considering various options for the single foldable category and aims to provide users with "as many choices as possible - and the best solution." Privacy display screen Won-Joon Choi also revealed that the most prominent feature of the Galaxy S26 Ultra - the built-in privacy screen - was delayed by a year from the company's original plan. When the Privacy Display is enabled, it makes it more difficult for others to view the screen from the side by turning off some of the pixels normally used to enhance viewing angles. This feature can be enabled in a single application and can hide pop-up notifications while keeping the main screen content visible. Won-Joon Choi said, "Honestly, our original goal was to implement this feature on the S25 Ultra. At that time, we were very close to completion, but we still needed to address a few final challenges, so it took another year. It was a fairly long process." Won-Joon Choi stated that the idea of preventing others from viewing the screen was first raised by a Samsung engineer "about three to four years ago," and the project officially started three years ago in sync with Samsung Display Co. Currently, this feature is limited to Samsung flagship models, but Won-Joon Choi hinted that it may be expanded to more models in the future. He said, "When the technology is truly mature, and we think it's time to expand to other models, we will consider doing so." In addition, Samsung is currently researching how to apply this technology to flexible displays. Stylus pen The S-Pen stylus, a signature feature of the Galaxy Note series and later Ultra models, has received low attention in the S26 series. However, Won-Joon Choi revealed that the company is developing the next generation version. He said, "We are internally developing more advanced technology for the S-Pen to create a new display structure, reducing the cost of supporting the S-Pen." "The S-Pen will continue to be one of the core technologies." However, he did not provide more details.