what you need to know
- The upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 6 will reportedly come in two versions: a high-end model and a “budget” model.
- According to ET News, there are rumors that the “budget” model will ditch the pen input feature.
- Another report says it could also be thinner.
According to ET News, Samsung is preparing the first “budget” version of the Galaxy Z Fold series. To lower the price, the tech company is rumored to be dropping a key feature.
Currently, Samsung is developing two models of the flagship Galaxy Z Fold series. The first model will be a traditional phone, similar to the currently launched Galaxy Z Fold 5, but with new features. Interestingly, according to the report, the “budget” model will not have pen input capabilities. High-end models will retain the feature, but “budget” models will drop it to lower the price for consumers.
It’s worth noting that the lack of parity between the two models may not be limited to pen input capabilities. Show Supply Chain Consultants’ Ross Young Add to X (formerly Twitter) Phones can be thinner because “the digitizer is thick.”
What remains to be seen is how the price of the “budget” model is handled. Currently, the suggested retail price of the Galaxy Z Fold 5 is $1,799.99 for the 256GB model. Prices climb all the way up to $2,159.99 for the 1TB storage version – the largest amount of storage available. In this case, the cost of the lower-end model will be significantly lower, but how much cheaper remains to be seen.
Still, the development continues the tech giant’s recent trend of launching lower-end models of flagship devices known as FE or Fan Editions, which are more attractive to consumers due to their lower cost. In exchange for lower cost, some features are given up. However, as Android Central’s Jay Bonggolto reported earlier this month, the Galaxy S24 FE’s performance could be very close to the flagship model.
Rumored features of the S24 FE include a much larger battery (4,500mAh) than the Galaxy S24’s 4,000mAh battery, and a 6.1-inch AMOLED display powered by either the Exynos 2400 or Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset. The end result is a device that’s very similar to the flagship model, but doesn’t cost as much.
This should come as a relief to consumers, because if the Galaxy Z Fold 6 FE doesn’t have pen input, and potentially doesn’t have a thinner display, it will still retain as many iconic elements as possible at a more consumer-friendly price tag .