Despite having a unique form factor, Samsung‘s Galaxy Fold failed to become commercially successful due to its whopping US$1980 price tag.
The next step of the flagship? A cheaper Galaxy Z Flip.
However, it’s now being reported that a Galaxy Fold Lite might soon be on its way.
Specifications: the Good and the Bad
Max Weinbach, the XDA TV host and writer for XDA Developers, tweeted that the new smartphone is being developed by Samsung to give its customers the chance to experience the impressive foldable form by breaking the expensive pricing conundrum.
The phone will comprise parts from 2018, 2019 and 2020. It’s also likely for the device to have a smaller outer display in comparison to its predecessor. Other specifications include 256GB storage, two color options (Mirror Black and Mirror Purple), and a display that lacks an ultra-thin glass display. Also, the phone will offer 4G connectivity and not 5G.
The fact that the Galaxy Fold Lite won’t have a UTG display puts it at a risk to develop cracks – as was the case wiht the Fold. This might be a conscious decision by the company to keep the costs to the bare minimum.
Although Weinbach didn’t mention the chipset that the phone will support, Android Central reported that it might arrive with a Snapdragon 865 processor. If that’s the case, the phone will become more powerful than both the original Fold as well as the Galaxy Z Flip.
Affordability is Given a Priority
Weinbach has also claimed that the Galaxy Fold Lite will hit stores in late 2020 and may cost US$1099, which is certainly less than the price tag of the first Fold. We can’t say it’s a steal though considering that the Galaxy S20 is just US$99 cheaper than the rumored price of the Fold Lite, but the S20 also offers 5G connectivity.
Let’s face it though: even after the significant price reduction, the phone isn’t what the masses can easily afford, particularly with the current state of the economy, which has been impacted by COVID-19.
Until Samsung can start churning out more affordable versions of the foldable phones, commercial success still remains uncertain.
Galaxy Fold Special Edition
According to the CEO of Display Supply Chain Consultants, Ross Young, Samsung will soon announce the Galaxy Fold Special Edition come July in its bid to clear out the Galaxy Fold 1 inventory before the launch of Galaxy Fold 2. This special edition is rumored to break the four figure mark at a price point of US$1099.
Cool. I spent a long time looking for relevant content and found that your article gave me new ideas, which is very helpful for my research. I think my thesis can be completed more smoothly. Thank you.