What you need to know
- The upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 6 will reportedly have two versions: a high-end model and a “budget” model.
- The 'budget' model is rumored to ditch the pen input function, according to ET News.
- It can also be much thinner, according to another report.
Samsung is gearing up for the first “budget” version of the Galaxy Z Fold series, according to ET News. To lower the price, the tech company is rumored to be ditching a key feature.
Currently, Samsung is currently developing two models in the flagship Galaxy Z Fold series. The first model will be a traditional phone similar to the currently available Galaxy Z Fold 5, albeit with new features. What makes things interesting is that according to the report, the 'budget' model will not have a pen input function. The high-end model will retain this function, but the “budget” model will ditch the feature in an effort to lower the price for consumers.
It's important to note that the lack of parity between the two models may not stop at the pen input function. Ross Young of Display Supply Chain Consultants Added on X (formerly Twitter) That the phone could be thinner because “the digitizer is thick.”
What remains to be seen is how the price of the “budget” model will be handled. Currently, the base Galaxy Z Fold 5 retails for a suggested MSRP of $1,799.99 for the 256GB model. The price extends to $2,159.99 for the 1TB storage version – the largest storage size available. In this sense, the cost of the lower model will be much lower, although we still have to see how much cheaper it will be.
However, this development continues the recent trend by the tech giant of offering lower-end models of its flagship devices dubbed FE or Fan Edition which are more attractive to consumers due to their lower cost. In exchange for a lower cost, some features are dropped. However, as Android Central's Jay Bonggolto reported earlier this month, the Galaxy S24 FE could come strikingly close to the performance of the flagship model.
Among the features rumored to be in the S24 FE are a much larger battery (4,500 mAh) compared to the Galaxy S24's 4,000 mAh battery, as well as a 6.1-inch AMOLED display powered by either an Exynos 2400 or Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset. The end result is a device that is broadly comparable to the flagship model without the hefty price tag.
This should give consumers some relief because if the Galaxy Z Fold 6 FE didn't have pen input functionality and perhaps a thinner display, it would still retain many of the premium elements at a more consumer-friendly price.
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