Samsung could offer a cheaper entry-level Galaxy Z Fold 6 option later this year, according to reports from South Korea.
Website The Elec, which tends to have its finger on the pulse of the local South Korean tech industry, as posted a report claiming that Samsung is looking to increase its foldable market share in China. It’ll do this, apparently, by lowering the cost of entry with cheaper entry models, starting with the Galaxy Z Fold 6.
There’s some uncertainty over this move given the parlous state of the smartphone industry. By some estimations, Samsung lost its position atop the global smartphone market to Apple in 2023, and that’s been attributed to the fact that only premium phone sales grew. In other words, going cheaper might not be the key to returning Samsung to the top in 2024.
Of course, even a cheaper full-sized foldable is unlikely to be considered as anything other than a premium product, given the Galaxy Z Fold 5’s eye-watering £1749/$1799 asking price.
Still, there would appear to be an avenue here. While Samsung only has a 1% share of the regular smartphone market in China, its foldable share is said to be 19%. There’s a clear foothold here, so making a foldable phone that can compete with Honor and Huawei on price would seem prudent.
If Samsung does produce a cheaper Fold 6, it’ll likely be the third member of the company’s 2024 foldable line-up, alongside a regular (premium) model and the Galaxy Z Flip 6.
