As a tech journalist covering future innovations for VFutureMedia.com, I’ve attended CES for years, but CES 2026 in Las Vegas truly stood out. Amid thousands of exhibitors showcasing AI, robotics, and green tech, one device dominated: the Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold. This revolutionary tri-fold phone claimed the prestigious Best Overall award from the CNET Group and Consumer Technology Association (CTA), beating fierce competition.
What makes the Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold CES moment so exciting? It transforms from a standard smartphone into a 10-inch tablet with two folds, delivering unmatched productivity and entertainment. This win highlights a shift toward bold, practical foldables that solve real problems.
In this comprehensive roundup of the Best of CES 2026 awards, we’ll dive into the full winners list, spotlight key categories, explore Samsung’s dominance in mobility, and discuss implications for 2026 phones. These awards recognize innovations that introduce compelling concepts, address consumer needs, or elevate performance and design.
Full List of Best of CES 2026 Winners
The CNET Group, partnering with CTA, selected winners across 22 categories plus one Best Overall from thousands of entries. Here are the standouts:
- Best Overall: Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold – The ultimate phone-tablet hybrid with seamless multitasking on a massive display.
- Best Age Tech: Tombot Jennie – A lifelike robotic puppy companion for seniors with dementia, offering therapeutic emotional support.
- Best Outdoor Tech: Mammotion Luba 3 AWD – An all-wheel-drive robotic lawn mower with advanced lidar and AI for tackling extreme slopes and obstacles wire-free.
- Best Mobile Tech: Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold (also dominated here).
- Other notable wins included advancements in accessibility, sustainability, and smart home tech.
These CES 2026 best of winners showcase technology becoming more human-centric—from emotional wellness to effortless outdoor maintenance.
Category Highlights: Standout Innovations at CES 2026
CES 2026 featured remarkable advancements across categories. Here are key highlights:
Age Tech and Accessibility
Tombot Jennie earned Best Age Tech for its hyper-realistic design, created with Jim Henson’s Creature Shop. This robotic golden retriever puppy responds to touch, voice, and name—wagging its tail, nuzzling, and providing comfort. Designed for dementia patients, it reduces agitation and loneliness without risks like tripping.
Real-world tests in senior communities showed residents lighting up with joy. Priced around $1,500, Jennie targets FDA medical device status for health monitoring. In an aging world, this blends robotics with empathy beautifully.
Outdoor and Home Automation
The Mammotion Luba 3 AWD revolutionized robotic mowing with its Tri-Fusion Navigation (lidar, RTK, AI vision) for centimeter accuracy and live 3D mapping. It handles 80% slopes, avoids hundreds of obstacles, and covers up to 2.5 acres wire-free.
Pre-orders start at $2,399, with efficiency mowing 7,000 sq ft per hour. This flagship pushes boundaries in autonomous outdoor tech, saving time while promoting sustainability.
Mobility and Foldables
Samsung’s Galaxy Z TriFold swept mobile categories. Its 10-inch unfolded screen supports desktop-like multitasking, DeX mode, and Gemini AI integration. Though bulky when folded (around 309g) and premium-priced (~$2,500), it feels sleek open and durable.
Experts note it outshines bi-folds for productivity, turning your pocket device into a mini-laptop.
Why Samsung Dominated Mobility at CES 2026
Samsung’s Galaxy Z TriFold CES success stems from perfect timing of design and utility. After years refining foldables, this tri-fold delivers a true phone-tablet hybrid—6.5-inch cover screen for daily use, expanding to 10 inches for work or media.
Key factors in Samsung’s dominance:
- Engineering Breakthroughs — Thinner unfolded profile (3.9mm), reduced creases, and smart anti-misfold haptics.
- Practical Multitasking — Resizable apps, split-screen, and Bluetooth accessory support for laptop replacement.
- Market Positioning — Competitors like Huawei’s Mate XT exist, but Samsung’s polish, ecosystem (One UI), and U.S. launch make it accessible.
- Judge Praise — Described as a “vanguard in design with genuine utility,” it solves foldable criticisms of limited screen real estate.
As one expert noted at CES, “Samsung didn’t just iterate—they redefined mobile computing.”
Implications for 2026 Phones: The Foldable Revolution Accelerates
The Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold’s Best Overall win signals 2026 as the year foldables mature.
Benefits:
- Productivity Boost → Larger screens enable true multitasking, reducing tablet needs.
- Entertainment Immersion → Ideal for streaming, gaming, and reading.
- Hybrid Work → DeX and AI features support on-the-go professionals.
Challenges:
- Price and Bulk → Premium costs and thickness may limit mainstream adoption.
- Durability Concerns → Multiple hinges raise long-term reliability questions.
- Battery and Heat → Larger displays demand efficient power management.
Real-World Examples: Early adopters in Korea report replacing laptops for light tasks. One reviewer called it “the closest to sci-fi foldables yet.”
Expert Quotes: “This pushes competitors like Apple (rumored iPhone Fold) and Google to innovate faster,” said a ZDNET analyst. Samsung’s creaseless OLED prototypes hint at even better future models.
Future Predictions: Expect more tri-folds, rollables, and AI-integrated mobiles in 2026. Budget options will emerge, and ecosystem integration (e.g., smart glasses pairing) will grow.
FAQ: Common Questions About CES 2026 Awards and Winners
What is the Best of CES 2026 award? Official awards by CNET Group and CTA recognize top exhibitors for innovation, problem-solving, and excellence.
Why did Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold win Best Overall? Its tri-fold design offers unmatched versatility, blending portability with tablet productivity.
When will the Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold launch in the US? Expected Q1 2026, following limited releases elsewhere.
Is Tombot Jennie available now? Shipments begin summer 2026 after years of development.
How much does the Luba 3 AWD cost? Starting at $2,399, available for pre-order now.
What trends defined CES 2026? Human-centric AI, advanced robotics, sustainable tech, and mature foldables.
For more on foldables, check our related articles:
- The Rise of AR Glasses in 2026: Why They’ll Finally Replace Your Smartphone →(Deep dive into AR wearables like Xreal Air 3 and Rokid Max 2, CES 2026 previews, and how they’re set to disrupt smartphones.)
- CES 2026 Day 3 Recap: Foldables, AI Lights, 8K Cameras, and Premium Audio Shine → (Highlights innovative gadgets like foldable devices, AI-powered lighting, high-res cameras, and premium audio tech from CES.)
What was your favorite CES 2026 reveal? Share in the comments, subscribe for updates, and tell us if you’d buy a tri-fold phone
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