Though foldable phones have been around for several years now, they’re still very expensive and out of reach for most people. For example, the latest Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 is $1,800, and most of the competition is priced similarly. But Samsung may be working to fix that with a more affordable “entry-level” foldable.
According to a report from The Elec, it looks like Samsung will introduce an “entry-level” Galaxy Z Fold 6 device this year. The goal of this move would be to “increase the penetration rate of the foldable phone market,” which would make sense as we see more foldables originating from China.
The report also reveals that despite being one of the pioneers of the foldable market, Samsung is in third place in the Chinese market for that specific form factor. That’s due to the fact that Xiaomi, Honor, and Huawei have foldables with much more affordable price points in that region compared to Samsung and have thus outsold Samsung’s Z Fold series.
If this sounds familiar, that’s because it isn’t the first time we’ve heard this. Samsung has been rumored to be working on a more affordable foldable, but it just hasn’t come to fruition quite yet. In November 2023, there were suggestions that the company would be working on a “midrange” foldable, but Samsung also apparently shot this idea down.
There are still no big leaks regarding the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 or Z Flip 6, for that matter. The only things that may be possible at this point are a different aspect ratio and a thinner profile.
As someone who has only started to dive into foldables with the Google Pixel Fold ($1,800) and the OnePlus Open ($1,700), I actually do enjoy the form factor. It’s great to have the compactness when the device is closed, while being able to open it up when you need more screen space. But the price has always been a problem, especially for the average person.
If Samsung is indeed going to launch a more affordable, entry-level foldable, I’m all for it. It will definitely entice those who have always wanted to try the form factor, but have balked at the price tags. For some people, having a foldable would make things simpler, as it might eliminate the need to carry around both a phone and a tablet. A cheaper Galaxy Z Fold 6 from Samsung could be the folding phone that makes getting such a device a reality for more people — and that’s exciting.
