Samsung Leak Reveals Surprise Price Drop For New Foldable Phone

Forbes Innovation Consumer Tech Samsung Leak Reveals Surprise Price Drop For New Foldable Phone Janhoi McGregor Senior Contributor Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. Tech reporter. Recovering startup founder.

(Pronounced: jan-eye) Following Click to save this article. You’ll be asked to sign into your Forbes account. Nov 10, 2023, 11:52am EST Press play to listen to this article! Got it! Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Samsung might be working on a cheaper version of the Galaxy Z Fold 5.

Photographer: Jeenah . . .

[+] Moon/Bloomberg © 2023 Bloomberg Finance LP Samsung is planning to release a mid-range foldable phone at a much lower price point than its current line-up a new report claims. The new foldable will land in 2024 according to supply chain sources speaking with research firm Trend Force . Samsung has the explicit goal of “further reducing price barriers and making foldable phones more accessible to a broader range of consumers,” the company’s report explains.

This has been backed up by tipster @Tech_Reve on Twitter/X, who claims that Samsung is aiming to price this new flexible handset at between $400 and $500. Right now, the Z Flip 5 and Fold 5 cost $999 and $1,799. 99 respectively.

A $500 budget iteration of one of these models would be a huge climb down in price, making it cheaper than the recently released mid-range Galaxy S23 FE. The expensive parts of a foldable phone come in the complex mechanics of building a sturdy hinge and manufacturing durable Ultra Thin Glass for the display. Both are a barrier to making cheaper foldable phones.

But the other major another issue is software. MORE FOR YOU Ukraine’s Getting Nearly 200 Leopard 1A5 Tanks. Now It Needs New Tank Tactics.

ChatGPT Down As Anonymous Sudan Hackers Claim Responsibility After A Stunning Loki Finale There Should Not Be A Season 3 Foldable phones have a different user experience, and user interface, in comparison to standard slab-shaped handsets because of their multi-tasking abilities. When it’s executed well, the foldable experience is the best a smartphone can offer. When it’s buggy and counter intuitive, like those early versions of the Samsung Fold, it ruins the experience.

MORE FROM FORBES Google Issues Warning To Pixel Users Over Android 14 Media Bug By Janhoi McGregor There’s no point in making a cheaper foldable phone if the software isn’t as impressive as the hardware. In an interview with Tom’s Guide earlier this year, Drew Blackard, vice president of mobile product marketing at Samsung, said the same. “Foldables eventually will come down in price.

This year, we really focused on resolving the pain points that we saw for our current foldable user base…. we are focused on continuing to refine the experience. Of course, over time, as the technology evolves, we’ll continue to see innovation and hopefully bring it down in price point at a future time.

” Trendforce and Tech Reve didn’t reveal any more details about the cheaper foldable. But one of the major challenges will be where cost savings can be made. The Fold 5 and Flip 5 already use mid-tier cameras to keep the price down.

So a budget foldable will likely have to downgrade the snapper even more to meet a lower price point, or the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Flip 6 will finally adopt a camera that’s on par with the flagship Galaxy S24. The most likely outcome is that Samsung will release a budget version of the Flip 5, which is already the company’s cheapest foldable phone. Similar clam-shell shaped handsets, like the Motorola Razr, have seen huge price drops over the years.

This might be the least risky form factor for Samsung to experiment with. Find me on Facebook and hit the follow button below for the latest tech news. Check out my website .

Janhoi McGregor Editorial Standards Print Reprints & Permissions.