The 2nd Galaxy Z Fold 6 variant might be cheaper after all

The rumors concerning Samsung's plans for the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 6 keep telling different stories. One constant so far is that Samsung will supposedly release two Z Fold 6 models this year instead of one. The precise nature of the 2nd Galaxy Z Fold 6 variant is not entirely clear, but a new report suggests that it won't be an Ultra model.

In January, Korean media outlets said Samsung will complement the standard Galaxy Z Fold 6 with a cheaper variant later this year. Another report followed a month later. It suggested that Samsung's 2nd Z Fold 6 variant could actually be pricier than the standard model. It would be an Ultra variant rather than a so-called Fan Edition Fold.

Now, rumors seem to be going back to the original theory (via ETNews / @Tech_Reve), in that Samsung will supposedly release a regular Galaxy Z Fold 6 version next to a cheaper model.

This way, Samsung might capitalize on the foldable phone market's growth and keep rivals that have been gaining traction, like Huawei, at bay.

A cheaper Galaxy Z Fold 6 could secure Samsung's leadership

Once again, it's unclear how Samsung's two Galaxy Z Fold 6 models will differ. Theoretically, the Fold formula has room for improvement through an Ultra model, much like it has room to become cheaper.

Assuming Samsung will indeed choose to make Folds easier to buy, it is possible that the cheaper Galaxy Z Fold 6 will abandon features such as S Pen compatibility and Under-Panel Camera to achieve a lower price.

Editor's Note: Nothing is confirmed so far, but we can speculate that a cheaper variant might also start at 128GB of storage instead of 256GB.

The ongoing Galaxy Z Fold 5 with 256GB of memory starts at $1,799. The 512GB and 1TB models cost $1,919 and $2,159, respectively. Presumably, Samsung may want to place the cheaper Galaxy Z Fold 6 model in a price range between the base Galaxy S24 Ultra ($1,299) and the base Z Fold 5.