Samsung has captured a fairly greater share of the foldable market with its Galaxy Z Fold and Z Flip ranges. However, it is also undeniable that new foldable phone entries from Chinese brands are starting to shift the spotlight away from the South Koreans, with one of the primary reasons being a lower price point. Samsung is reportedly planning to launch a cheaper Galaxy Z Fold 6 or a “Fan Edition” version to make up for such a shortcoming.
Why Samsung is launching a cheaper Galaxy Z Fold 6
According to the South Korean publication, The Elec, Samsung plans to introduce a more affordable Galaxy Z Fold 6, which might debut as the Fold 6 FE alongside the standard Z Fold 6 and clamshell Galaxy Z Flip 6 in the second half of 2024. It is believed Samsung felt threatened by the emergence of cheap foldable phones from Chinese companies, including Xiaomi and Oppo.
However, it was also described that Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip lineup, including the Galaxy Z Flip 5 (review), has been selling better than the book-folding Galaxy Z Fold line in recent years. On this note (pardon the pun!), an entry-level Galaxy Z Fold 6 would help Samsung balance the numbers of its two foldable form factors while increasing the sales of its foldable devices in the process.
Of course, it cannot be denied that a cheaper Galaxy Z Fold 6 would affect the sales of the Galaxy Z Fold 6, and subsequently the bottom line of the South Korean tech giant as well, as noted by the outlet.
We can also safely add the reason that Samsung’s foldable devices only add very few surprises and improvements between generations. For instance, the OnePlus Open (review) became one of the favorite foldable devices in the market when it arrived with an impressively thin build in addition to the flagship-grade cameras.
What are the selling points of Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Flip 6?
Right now, it’s unclear how Samsung is going to make the Galaxy Z smartphones more exciting again aside from the usual versatile and folding form. We heard just last year that the South Koreans could copy its rivals and make the Galaxy Z Fold 6 significantly thinner while the Galaxy Z Flip 6 might sport a larger cover screen and better cameras.
The upcoming Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Galaxy Z Fold 6 would most likely be equipped with a tougher IronFlex display, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset and Galaxy AI features that are similar to the Galaxy S24 trio (review). Some immediate advantages of the new chip are a far faster processor and graphics as well as better battery life for the device.
Regarding the price, it’s unknown how much the Galaxy Z Flip 6 or Galaxy Z Fold 6 will cost. Knowing Samsung, these handsets may command a similar price point with the entry-level Galaxy Z Fold 6 possibly being a few hundred dollars cheaper than the standard model.
Given the chance, how would you change the Galaxy Z Fold 6 or Galaxy Z Flip 6? Should Samsung focus on making them thinner and lighter? Do you think they should prioritize a longer battery life and a more durable build? Hit us with your answers in the comments.
