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Motorola Razr 2024 (left) and Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
One of the biggest drawbacks of the current batch of foldable phones is their prices. Products like the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 are simply too expensive for most consumers. That could change as soon as next year if a possible Samsung plans come to fruition.
According to tipster @Jukanlosreve (via Gadgets 360), Samsung is likely to introduce a Galaxy Z Flip FE (fan edition) model as early as next year. When it arrives, the phone is likely to include a Samsung Exynos 2400 chipset, which is the same one that currently powers the Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24 Plus in select regions. Interestingly, earlier this year, another Samsung executive said the company had no plans to release a less expensive foldable.
In October, another tipster said Samsung plans to introduce a less expensive Galaxy Z Flip model and a premium trifold design foldable. At the time, they claimed a Samsung executive said the company was “considering ways to lower entry barriers so that more customers can actually experience foldable products, given the high satisfaction among existing foldable users.”
Not much is known about the Galaxy Z Flip FE besides the likelihood it will include an in-house chip. However, we can gain some insights by looking back at previous “FE” products. Typically, these products offer many of the same features as earlier flagship models while omitting certain elements to achieve a lower price point.
Plans for the Z Flip FE still not final
With this in mind, it is reasonable to expect that the Galaxy Z Flip FE will resemble the Galaxy Z Flip 6, but may include a less advanced display, fewer storage options, and other cost-saving adjustments. As a result, we anticipate that the Galaxy Z Flip FE will be priced lower than the entry-level Galaxy Z Flip 6, which currently retails for nearly $1,100 in the U.S. Interestingly though, and showing plans have probably not been finalized yet, earlier this year, another Samsung executive said the company had no plans to release a less expensive foldable.
Samsung’s current lineup of foldable phones, including the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6, were released in July. Assuming new models will be revealed about the same time in 2025, we can probably expect to see the first Galaxy Z Flip FE arrive a few months before. The Galaxy Note FE was the first “Fan Edition” device, released in 2017. Current FE products include the Galaxy S24 FE and Galaxy Tab S9 FE.
In other news, the same tipster says the upcoming Galaxy Z Flip 7 may feature a Samsung Exynos 2500 chip. In contrast, the current Galaxy Z Flip 6 is equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor. If this information is accurate, it suggests Samsung plans to use its more affordable in-house Exynos chipset for the Galaxy Z Flip 7 in certain regions, while in others, like the U.S., will continue to utilize Qualcomm’s latest flagship chip, most likely the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4. This practice of using different chipsets based on the region has been a longstanding strategy for Samsung’s flagship devices. The move means it can lower the price of its most popular phones in some locations.
Bryan M. Wolfe has over a decade of experience as a technology writer. He writes about mobile.
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