Samsung multi folds; India app dispute; AT&T drops DEI

The Friday File: Mobile World Live (MWL) brings you our top three picks of the week as Samsung entered the multi-fold device race, India backtracked on a controversial mandate for a state-owned security app and AT&T ditched its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.

Samsung joins Huawei in multi-fold phone market

What happened: Samsung Electronics unveiled its first multi-fold smartphone, the Galaxy Z TriFold, featuring a 10-inch inner display that folds twice using two hinges and a 6.5-inch outer cover screen.

Why it matters: Samsung said the inner display “performs similarly to three 6.5-inch smartphones” for multitasking, while also enabling large-screen media use. The KRW3.6 million (around $2,500) device intensifies competition with rival Huawei in the emerging foldable device category. Amanda Newman, director of business development at Orbit, said the Galaxy Z TriFold “serves as a signal that Samsung intends to maintain its lead in flexible display engineering”. She added that while volumes will be limited, “the point is not scale but demonstrating multipanel folding technology before competition accelerates in 2026”. Foldables still account for only about 2.5 per cent of global smartphone shipments, but quarterly volumes recently hit a high, Newman noted. Although Huawei entered the category first with the Mate XT series, she argued that Samsung, which holds around 64 per cent of the segment, is betting on improved durability, better software and larger displays enabling multitasking through desktop-style DeX environments. “With Apple preparing its first foldable, the next year will test whether the category can finally expand beyond early adopters,” she concluded.

AT&T follows rivals in dropping DEI initiatives

What happened: AT&T joined rivals T-Mobile US and Verizon in committing to shutter its DEI initiatives, stating in a filing to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) it “will not have any roles focused on DEI” and would terminate related policies.

Why it matters: AT&T had already begun scaling back DEI in March through funding cuts and management restructuring but had not yet dismantled the programme entirely. The latest move comes as the operator seeks regulatory approval for a $1 billion deal to acquire spectrum licences from UScellular. FCC chair Brendan Carr welcomed the pull back in a post on X, underlining a growing link between regulatory approval and corporate policy under US President Donald Trump’s administration. The approach has already impacted major transactions; earlier this year, Verizon secured approval for its $20 billion acquisition of Frontier Communications a day after ending its DEI programmes, while T-Mobile took a similar approach ahead of its UScellular asset purchase in July.

India reverses mandate on state-owned security app

What happened: India’s government dropped a controversial mandate that would have required smartphone makers to preinstall its state-owned cybersecurity app, Sanchar Saathi, on all new devices.

Why it matters: The government’s reversal follows widespread criticism, including from Apple, which told authorities earlier this week it would not comply with the order over privacy and security concerns. Initially, the government defended the order, insisting it was necessary to help citizens verify device authenticity and report possible misuse. However, the Ministry of Communications has now said the reversal is due to improved uptake of the app, which was originally intended to reach “less aware citizens” faster. Communications minister Jyotiraditya Scindia clarified that users “may deactivate or delete” the app, reversing an earlier mandate that made it unremovable, adding it “is not surveillance, it is a citizen safety tool”. Canalys senior analyst Sanyam Chaurasia told MWL that allowing users to delete the app cushioned the original mandate and improved the impact on device experience and OEM strategies. However, he warned that the long-term “inflection point” will depend on how effectively data privacy, user consent and transparency are addressed. “Until strong safeguards and legal clarity are in place, this is likely to remain a developing policy experiment rather than a hard, industry-wide operating requirement.”