Despite what a couple of recent rumors have said, Samsung doesn't seem to have any plans for a low-cost or mid-range foldable phone. According to a Korean publication citing a Samsung Electronics spokesperson, Samsung “Won't manufacture foldable phones that are priced in the midrange, and the latest rumors are groundless.”
The rumors seem to have originated from TrendForce through a report analyzing the foldable market and via tipster Tech_Reve on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter). The latter also claimed that the budget Galaxy foldable phones would cost $400-$500, which sounds a bit too unrealistic to be true.
Story continues after the video
The fact of the matter is that Samsung has been trying (and sometimes succeeding) to lower foldable phone prices for years, but even with the company's efforts, the Z series still consists of high-end phones that use costly premium technologies.
Releasing a foldable phone that costs as much as the Galaxy A54 would mean the high costs of the hinge and foldable panel wouldn't leave much room for anything else.
Unless Samsung is willing to lose a good chunk of money on every unit sold, this kind of cheap foldable device probably won't happen anytime soon. Not before foldable display technology, hinges, and foldable manufacturing prices get much lower.
Is Samsung working in secrecy or not at all?
There's a possibility that Samsung is considering expanding its foldable phone portfolio with new and/or cheaper models, and the company isn't yet willing to reveal its plans to the media.
Then again, there's a possibility that it might not, and outside the few vague rumors, we've seen no hard evidence of a cheap foldable phone being in the works.
The Samsung spokesperson had this to say on the matter: “There's nothing decided on the matter.” So, at most, this could mean Samsung thought about it as an idea in a vacuum but it's far from putting anything into practice or contacting suppliers.
Either way, even if Samsung has plans for a third foldable phone model next year, we can be sure it won't cost $500 or less.
If you are looking for a cheaper foldable device, keep an eye out on the Galaxy Z Flip 5 around Black Friday and try to take advantage of Samsung's enhanced trade-in discounts where available.
