Samsung doesn't have much competition in the foldable phone market, with its third such device, the Galaxy Z Fold 2, coming next month. While its existing devices are exciting, an upcoming foldable phone could be the one most people care about.
A report from SamMobile suggests that Samsung might be working on a genuinely affordable foldable smartphone for the mass market, to combat the issue that all foldables cost at least four-figure sums.
The device in development bears the model number SM-F415, with the F suggesting that it will be a foldable. Going by the new naming scheme that Samsung switched to this year, it will be a part of the Galaxy Z lineup, though the final name of the product was not specified.
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A cheap foldable phone
The report states that the cheap foldable phone will come in 64GB and 128GB storage configurations, and black, green and blue colorways. It could be a clamshell similar to the Galaxy Z Flip instead of the Fold which converts into a tablet.
This isn’t the first time we’re hearing of Samsung looking to bring cheaper foldables to the market as it hopes to establish a lead in this space. While components such as hinges and ultra-thin glass are expensive, Samsung could opt for more mid-range specifications to bring the costs down.
The exact price point was not hinted at, but considering that the Z Flip is priced at close to $1,380 / £1,300 (around AU$2,050), we expect the ‘affordable’ foldable to be even lower than that.
Foldables are still in their nascent stage and a few years away from going mainstream. Some smartphones manufacturers have tried their hand at these next-gen smartphones but only a few have succeeded. Regardless, Samsung has shown massive improvements in just one generation, increasing faith in the products as well as extending its lead in the space.
