Whilefoldable phoneshave been around for a few years now, it was only in the last couple of years that manufacturers started taking this form factor more seriously. However, cost is a major bottleneck for such devices. Phones like theSamsung Galaxy Z Fold 5, for instance, start from $1800, putting it out of most consumers' price range. We’re now learning about Samsung potentially readying an “entry-level model” of the Galaxy Z Fold 6 this year to address this.
Sources cited by the South Korean publicationThe Elec(via9to5Google) indicate that Samsung is considering the development of an entry-level alternative to the Galaxy Z Fold 6. This cheaper foldable could launch alongside the standard Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6 sometime in the second half of 2024, per the report.
The move by Samsung could be geared towards gaining some parity in the Chinese foldable smartphone market, which has seen foldables from brands like Huawei, Honor (a former sub-brand of Huawei), Xiaomi, Oppo, and Vivo. Data from market research firm Omdia points out that Honor leads the pack in terms of foldable market share in China, followed by Huawei, and Samsung. So Samsung’s plan could be to provide a gateway for people seeking a lower-cost book-type foldable. Consequently, this could help the South Korean electronics juggernaut gain a foothold in the highly competitive smartphone business in China.
On the other hand, The Elec says the general uncertainty around the mobile industry this year could be an “obstacle” for this affordable Galaxy Z Fold 6 alternative. There’s also the obvious risk of people preferring the cheaper book-type foldable rather than investing $1800 or more on the high-end version, which would then affect the sales of its premium model.
In any case, we have to take this report with a generous grain of salt, given that Samsung has already brushed aside reports of venturing into themidrange foldable segment. But considering how the industry is quick to adapt to the changing landscape of the mobile industry, we’re going to keep our hopes up here.
Launching a midrange or less expensive foldable is not unachievable,as we’ve seen in multiple non-US markets. But setting a price tag for this hypothetical low-cost Z Fold would be a challenge since Samsung already offers theGalaxy Z Flip 5for $1000, albeit in a different form factor. So there are lots of permutations that Samsung will have to figure out to get it right, and we hope to hear more on this front imminently.
In the meantime, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 is the best foldable you’re able to get right now, even more so with the $100 plus discount currently running online.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5
Samsung’s latest and greatest foldable is still a great buy in 2024, thanks to this $105 discount. Let’s not forget that the Galaxy Z Fold 5 is eligible to receive some of the Galaxy AI features shown off with the Galaxy S24 this month. These are enough reasons to get this excellent foldable right now.
