Samsung fans might not have to wait as long for a cheaper version of the company's much-loved flip phones as we thought.
The South Korean tech giant was one of the early adopters of the foldable phone form factor and was initially one of the better adopters of the technology. However, the company's efforts to upgrade its foldable phones seem to have stagnated, at least compared to recent releases like the Pixel 9 Pro Fold.
The other issue is that, when compared to devices like the affordable Nubia Flip 5G, Samsung's phones are just way too expensive for mass adoption.
Those hoping for a Z Flip 7 FE should be excited. It looks like a Samsung FE clamshell is finally coming in 2025.November 19, 2024
A recent post on X from Display Analyst Ross Young, (via Android Police), now suggests Samsung is planning a cheaper foldable in 2025. This matches another recent report from a Korean outlet that stated that Samsung was aiming to release such a phone alongside the Galaxy Z Flip 7. However, it should be noted that neither source has a set date just yet, so there's a fair amount of leeway.
Releasing a cheaper version of the foldable alongside the main version would be an interesting move. As stated, one of the biggest complaints about Samsung devices in general is the high cost of entry. For instance, the Galaxy Z Flip 6 cost a little over a thousand dollars while the Nubia Flip 5G was less than half that. The biggest challenge facing Samsung is where it can cut costs, especially with the Galaxy S25 series potentially seeing a price rise.
We might have an idea of where those costs are being cut thanks to a recent leak that revealed one key spec. According to the rumor, Samsung is looking to use the Exynos 2400 chip, the same that appeared in Galaxy S24 models outside of the US. If accurate then this would help to keep the cost of the device down. The same leak also stated that the Galaxy Z Flip 7 will feature the upgraded Exynos 2500.
At this point, we don't know enough about Samsung's cheaper clamshell phone, but having an apparent release date is a good start. However, the biggest question will always be how much it costs. For the time being, we can only wait until the official announcement, which could occur at the next Galaxy Unpacked.
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