Although a less expensive foldable is a plus, it won't be sufficient
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| (Image credit: Future) |
There are increasing rumors that Samsung may launch a budget-friendly folding phone later this year. It is being named the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 FE. The most recent speculations suggest that the phone may cost as little as $800, which is half the price of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5, albeit there are still a lot of unknowns.
Given how costly foldable phones are, this phone is much required. Even while foldable flip phones can now be purchased for as low as $699, many individuals are still unable to afford the more costly book-style folding phones. Unfortunately, though, in order to rank among the greatest phones available, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 FE will need to provide much more than just a competitive pricing.
Is $800 Still a Big Investment? Exploring the Value
Even if the $800 foldable phone looks like a fantastic value compared to previous models like the OnePlus Open or the Galaxy Z Fold 5, it's still a significant amount of money to spend on a phone. Consider the types of phones that are available these days for $800.
While some excellent phones, like the $699 Google Pixel 8, are available for less, you can still acquire an iPhone 15, OnePlus 12, or even a Samsung Galaxy S24 for $799. Even while some of those phones aren't the best flagships and do have some limitations when compared to their more costly siblings, they are still excellent phones with lots of wonderful features.
These phones have excellent screens, powerful cameras, reliable performance, long battery lives, and much more. For those who don't want to shell out an additional few hundred dollars for a premium Pro or Ultra model, they're really attractive.
Foldables are like that too—they make sacrifices, but this time they're made for the sake of design rather for economy. The Galaxy Z Fold 5 only has a 50MP camera and a single telephoto lens with a paltry 3x optical zoom, as opposed to the 200MP camera found in the Galaxy S23 Ultra.
The battery lasts 10 hours and 55 minutes in our tests, which is 600 mAh less than that of a Galaxy S23 Ultra. It also restricts charging rates to the same 25W as a basic Galaxy S24.
All things considered, these are not very difficult budgetary reductions to handle. However, it does demonstrate that while foldables give the best of the best, their prices shouldn't be as high as they are. No, the Z Fold 5's $1,799 beginning price—$600 more than the $1,199 pricing of the S23 Ultra—is due to the fact that it is a foldable phone.
Though there shouldn't be a price premium for innovative and cutting-edge technology, there is a significant disparity in cost and you still don't receive cutting-edge features. And the issue is that there will be many sacrifices made in order to scale back this pricey technology, particularly if Samsung intends to slash the price by 50%.
Galaxy Z Fold 6 FE: Addressing Cutbacks is Key
It does make me question how many features the Galaxy Z Fold 6 FE will have if Samsung can't provide a foldable phone for $1,799 that has the same hardware as a less expensive non-folding phone.
The exact trade-offs that will occur are yet unknown, but according to one rumor, there will be cuts made to several important components, including as the CPU, display, battery, and cameras. Additionally, it has been said that the phone lacks the display components required to accommodate a S Pen, eliminating many of the useful functions that are specific to the foldable model.
As of right now, the only details we have received about the camera are that it may be a "dual camera module" and that it would resemble the "current generation." That is, two rear cameras with hardware that is almost identical to the Z Flip 5 or Z Fold 5, excluding the telephoto lens on the latter.
Many individuals now cannot afford a flagship foldable device, while those who are true enthusiasts are obviously prepared to pay a higher price. A larger client base is available to join the foldable hype train when the price is lowered to a more reasonable (if you can call it that). And to keep them satisfied, you'll need to do more than just pull off the "folding" ruse.
Ultimately, what most people would consider inexpensive may not always be what is considered "cheap" for a foldable device. Therefore, what justifies spending $800 on a foldable phone whose hardware is subpar? especially considering that you can get a far superior phone for the same money. Although those phones can't fold, it hasn't really been an issue up until now.
The concept of an affordable folding device can only go so far, and Samsung will require another lure to get customers to purchase the Z Fold 6 FE in sizable quantities. For if it's not, consumers will abandon the trend before you can say "Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 FE."
The only thing left to wonder is what kind of hook it may be—and the honest truth is, I have no idea. However, given the number of hardware reductions Samsung could have to make, I anticipate that it will need to be software-based.
In summary
Thus far, foldable phones, or at least those featuring a book-like design, have remained rather specialized goods that are too expensive for most consumers. There is a chance that the Galaxy Z Fold 6 FE, or whatever name it is given, may make foldable phones more widely available. The issue is that, although being somewhat inexpensive, the phone will still cost a lot in total.
The issue is that it will be challenging to bring down the price of a foldable, and doing so might force Samsung to make some rather significant hardware tradeoffs. And if consumers aren't satisfied with the quality and experience they anticipate from a normal $800 phone, that may be a big issue. If the Z Fold 6 FE falls short of those hopes, it will require an attraction strategy beyond the folding screen to get customers in.
Since folding phones aren't as new as they were four or five years ago, let's be honest about it. They may still be rather specialized.