Samsung’s first budget foldable could cost less than the Galaxy S24
Rumor has it that Samsung will release a cheaper alternative to the as-yet-unannounced Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 later this year, and now we’ve got a better idea of how much this mystery book-style foldable phone might cost.
According to a report from Korean outlet SisaJournal-e (via PhoneArena), Samsung's “entry-level foldable phone model is estimated to be less than $800.” This particular report doesn’t specify whether the device in question is a variation of the Galaxy Z Fold 6 or Galaxy Z Flip 6, but previous leaks have hinted at the existence of a Galaxy Z Fold 6 FE, so it seems logical to suggest that we’re talking about the same phone here.
Of course, a sub-$800 price tag (let’s call it $799 for the sake of argument) wouldn’t make the Galaxy Z Fold 6 FE ‘cheap’, per se – at least not cheap enough to get anywhere near our best cheap phones list – but that figure would put the Galaxy Z Fold 6 FE at less than half the price of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5, which launched for $1,799.99 / ￡1,749 / AU$2,599 in July 2023.
Indeed, a $799 price tag (which equates to around ￡749 / AU$1,299) would also see the Galaxy Z Fold 6 FE cost more than the Samsung Galaxy S24 in certain regions; that phone launched for $799 / ￡799 / AU$1,399 in January this year.
So, what sacrifices might Samsung be preparing to make with this “entry-level foldable” in order to offer it at such a competitive price? Well, according to the same Korean media report, this upcoming device will have “lower” processor, display and battery specs compared to current “flagship products,” though Samsung will reportedly be able to keep the phone’s camera system at a “flagship level.”
We’ve also heard that Samsung could jettison support for the S Pen with this mystery Galaxy Z Fold 6 FE device, in order to keep its price down. The S Pen is actually sold separately to Galaxy Z Fold 5, but the phone’s compatibility with this accessory requires a part called a digitizer. So, by removing the need to manufacture a digitizer for the Galaxy Z Fold 6 FE, Samsung could reduce the production cost of the upcoming handset.
An iPhone party pooper?
As for when the Galaxy Z Fold 6 FE might hit shelves, the latest intelligence from serial Samsung leaker Revengus suggests it could debut around the same time as the iPhone 16.
“The entry-level model of the Galaxy Z Fold 6, debuting this year, is expected to be released in September to October, 2-3 months later than the regular model of Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6,” Revengus wrote in a recent X post.
“In September to October, Apple's iPhone 16 series is set to be announced and released. While the shipment target for the budget model of Z Fold 6 is not high, ranging from 200,000 to 300,000 units, it could still divert consumer attention from the iPhone 16 series, which is set to be released around the same time,” the tipster explained.
In other words, Samsung could be preparing to spoil Apple’s party by releasing a third Galaxy foldable in isolation of its two main best foldable phone contenders this year, both of which are expected to arrive a few months earlier, in late July.
