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Last updated: January 24th, 2024 at 08:42 UTC+01:00
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To remedy this situation, Samsung is trying to find a couple of solutions, and one of them involves launching a cheaper version of the Galaxy Z Fold device.
There have been reports over the years about Samsung launching cheaper versions of the Galaxy Z Flip and the Galaxy Z Fold. However, most of them turned out to be inaccurate. A new report from TheElec now claims that Samsung is seriously considering launching a cheaper version in the Galaxy Z Fold 6 lineup later this year. Apparently, the goal is to increase shipments by bringing foldable phones at a more accessible price point. However, the company is confused about whether to go forward with its plan as the smartphone market conditions are still not very strong, and if the demand falls as it did in 2022 and 2023, it could hurt the profitability of Samsung's foldable phones.
Watch our Galaxy Z Fold 5 review in the video below.
If Samsung goes through with its plan, there will reportedly be three phones in the Galaxy Z lineup this year: the Galaxy Z Flip 6, the cheaper Galaxy Z Fold 6 variant, and the Galaxy Z Fold 6. It isn't clear what will be the name of the cheaper version of the Galaxy Z Fold 6, but looking at Samsung's recent record, it could be named the Galaxy Z Fold 6 FE.
The report also claims that Samsung has reduced the thickness of the regular Galaxy Z Fold 6 after looking at the foldable phones released by Honor and Huawei. The Galaxy Z Fold 6 is reportedly quite thin compared to the Galaxy Z Fold 5. It could entice a lot of buyers, but how big a battery the company could fit inside that thin chassis remains to be seen.
The Galaxy Z Flip 6, on the other hand, is reportedly an iterative upgrade compared to the Galaxy Z Flip 5. So, it might not sell as much as the Galaxy Z Flip 5 did, and Samsung would need a cheaper Galaxy Z Fold 6 to improve the shipments of the 2024 foldable smartphone lineup. However, if the situation in the smartphone market remains grim like it is now, Samsung might not launch the Galaxy Z Fold 6 FE so as not to hamper the sales of the higher-priced Galaxy Z Fold 6.
Asif is a computer engineer turned technology journalist. He has been using Samsung phones since 2004, and his current smartphone is the Galaxy S21 Ultra. He loves headphones, mechanical keyboards, and PC hardware. When not writing about technology, he likes watching crime and science fiction movies and TV shows.

