Introduction
Samsung is currently the number one dealer of Samsung Galaxy foldable phones. Before this week, news broke that Samsung is working on delivering sub-$800 foldable by 2024. The famous Gen Galaxy Z Fold 3 starts at $799, while the Samsung Galaxy foldable phones Z Flip 3 is selling for $999 — an outstanding decrease compared to them before this week. While the $999 price tag of the Flip 3 is the boom in the fashionability of foldable, it still requires a further decrease in price for mainstream users to embrace foldable technology completely. And Samsung knows this.
Six ways Samsung can make cheap and good folding phones.
We currently know that Samsung is reportedly working on a cheap Samsung Galaxy foldable phone. But how might the company make and launch a foldable smartphone that costs a minor than $800? We have many ideas on how that could come.
No external display on the Flip
Let’s start with the Flip, the cheaper of the two Samsung Galaxy foldable phones, on demand right now. The smartphone carries an external display for you to get effects served on the go. It features an 1.9- inch display on the front, which lets you look at the date and time, see quick notifications and personalize it to your fancy other clocks.
That said, it’s not the most prominent external display on a foldable clamshell smartphone. The Motorola Razr sports a much larger screen, which is further functional and lets you reply to messages without showing the device. Given the limited functionality, it may be a good idea for Samsung to get relieved of the small external display altogether on a cheaper version of the Z Flip. It’s formerly not the most helpful element on the Flip 3, and omitting it on a more accessible variant could be a considerable cost saving for Samsung.
Remove the Fold’s under-display camera.
Talking about the more extensive foldable stock, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 features an under-display camera on the folding display. The Fold is Samsung’s final device to showcase its advanced technologies. As a result, the Samsung Galaxy foldable phone Z Fold 4 has a better under-display Camera, with more pixels covering the hole-punch area to hide the camera better.
Under-display camera tech is still innovative. While it stays in nascent form, Samsung could drop the tech and go for the old-fashioned hole-punch display on a cheaper Z Fold — just like the Galaxy Z Fold 2.
Scaled-back camera optics
The Galaxy Z Flip 3 sports a dual rear camera setup, while the Samsung Galaxy foldable phone Z Fold 3 features three cameras on the back. Neither are flagship-level, yet they still produce beautiful photos. And if reports are to be believed, Samsung is working on bringing much more affecting optics to the Samsung Galaxy foldable phone Z Fold 4, which would put it on par with the Galaxy S22 Ultra.
It is another opportunity for Samsung to save some cash with cheaper foldable. It could opt for mid-range cameras for the more affordable Galaxy Z Flip. On the other hand, Samsung can use a dual rear camera setup – a primary sensor paired with either an ultrawide or blowup sensor — on the cheaper Z Fold. The lower number of cameras and a lack of optical image stabilization could lead to a lower price.
A mid-range processor
Samsung’s current-move, en foldable, is powered by the flagship Snapdragon 8- series processors. It makes the Flip 3 and Fold, three flagship-grade smartphones apart from Samsung’s Galaxy S lineup.
However, shifting out a flagship Snapdragon chip for an amid-range one seems logical if Samsung is looking to make a sub-$ 800 foldable.
A lower-capable chip could lead to limited functionality in the OS, however. For instance, you might not get DEX support on the cheaper Fold. But it would be a calculated move since utmost druggies don’t require a flagship processor for the day-to-day tasks. Plenty of Snapdragon 7- series chips have proven their worth for less cash, so there’s no reason for Samsung not to go this route.
No wireless charging
The Galaxy Z Flip 3 and the Fold 3 feature wireless charging — a feature trickling down to flagship smartphones. Still, it isn’t a norm for formed-range smartphones to support wireless charging. To recall, OnePlus didn’t include the part on its flagships for years to keep prices in check. Samsung could follow OnePlus’ lead and limit charging functionality to wired charging to reach a lower price tag.
Lacking water resistance
One-Plus, again, is a good illustration then. The company didn’t go through the blessings for IP conditions for numerous of its smartphones. Indeed, the OnePlus 10 Pro didn’t rate for water resistance on non-T-Mobile units. Samsung could skip assiduity IP blessings or remove the support entirely for a lower price label. While both are feasible options, we’d like to see the former approach.
A lower price label to make consumers trust
Right now, foldable smartphones are among the premium phones to buy. The $380 launch price for the original Samsung Galaxy foldable phone Z Flip was too much for an average Joe to take the leap of faith in new technology. Combine this with the query of how the smartphone would age, and you’re looking for a skeptical buyer.
Lowering the price tag would not only increase foldable smartphone adoption. But also make a trust for foldable screens by clearing misconceptions that they don’t last as long as a regular slab phone. Samsung formerly made good progress on this front with the Samsung Galaxy foldable phone Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3 pricing. With a few additional tweaks to its foldable formula, there’s no reason Samsung can’t go even lower.
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