Samsung's entry-level foldable could cost less than the Galaxy S24 (Update)

Update: March 19, 2024 (3:50 AM ET): We’ve updated this article to clarify that there’s no word on whether this rumored sub-$800 foldable phone is a Galaxy Z Fold or Galaxy Z Flip model.

Original article: March 18, 2024 (12:37 PM ET): Rumors about Samsung working on two versions of the Galaxy Z Fold 6 have been swirling around for a while now. While some rumors have suggested the second book-style foldable will be an entry-level device, other rumors have suggested the opposite. Nevertheless, a new report claims that an upcoming cheaper Samsung foldable could be surprisingly affordable.

A report from the Korean outlet SisaJournal-e claims Samsung is planning to release a cheaper Galaxy foldable this year. The outlet doesn’t specify whether this is the rumored cheaper Galaxy Z Fold 6 or a Flip device. According to the translation, the report says the “entry-level foldable phone model is estimated to be less than $800.” This would not only be less than half the price of the Galaxy Z Fold 5 ($1,800) and cheaper than the Galaxy Z Flip 5 ($999), but it could make the foldable even cheaper than the vanilla Galaxy S24 ($800).

To achieve this lower price tag, Samsung will reportedly make a few compromises. The specifications of the processor, display, and battery are expected to be downgraded. Meanwhile, the cameras are said to be almost similar “to the existing model.” The report does mention a dual camera setup.

We’re guessing this cheaper model could be a Galaxy Z Flip device rather than a Fold model. After all, Samsung’s own Flip phones retail for $1,000, while the likes of the Motorola Razr 2023 start at $700. Meanwhile, even the cheapest Fold-style foldables from niche brands typically retail for $1,200 or higher. So it wouldn’t be a huge stretch for Samsung to offer a cheaper Flip, but the company would have to make a ton of massive compromises to a Fold model to cut the price by more than half.

In any event, we haven’t heard much about a cheaper Flip before. But we recently learned that the Galaxy Z Fold 6 has a variant codenamed Q6a. Roland Quandt of WinFuture claimed he heard during MWC 2024 that the Q6a model may be more expensive than the standard model, in contradiction to earlier reports. It seems we won’t get full clarity on this situation until we get closer to the device’s launch date.