The Korean brand has reportedly developed a cheaper version of its upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 6 to better withstand strong Chinese competition.
Samsung is no longer number 1 in smartphones in the world, but the manufacturer remains the leader in folding smartphones, except in China. To remedy the situation, the company is reportedly working on developing a cheaper and thinner Galaxy Z Fold 6.
A cheaper and thinner Galaxy Z Fold 6
Foldable smartphones have come a long way in just a few years, but are still far from “mainstream”. This is explained in particular by the predominantly high-priced price positioning. Some brands, like Motorola with its Razr 40, are starting to reduce prices. In China, brands like Xiaomi, Honor and OPPO are very aggressive in pricing foldable smartphones without compromising on design.
According to The Elec, Samsung is focusing on the penetration rate of its book-sized folding smartphones in the Chinese market, where the Korean brand is being challenged. This is explained by various factors such as the high price of the Galaxy Fold, but also by the lack of finesse of the product, which cannot compete with the offers of competitors (Honor Magic V2, OnePlus Open, etc.). As you can see in the table below, the Samsung smartphone is the thickest in its class.
Source: Omdia
If Samsung plans a cheaper Galaxy Z Fold 6 in 2024, the weakening smartphone market could delay the company's plans. In fact, customers are increasingly turning to high-end products, which has allowed Apple to take first place in 2023.
No cheaper Galaxy Z Flip 6 in sight
Samsung's considerations for cheaper models do not seem to affect the “Z Flip” series. In fact, the manufacturer believes that the Flip series is well established (by far the brand's best-selling folding phone) and should therefore focus on solutions to boost its book-sized smartphones.
Drew Blackard, vice president of marketing for Samsung's mobile division, said foldable device prices will drop at some point in 2023, but the company will initially focus on improving product design. The Elec report therefore contradicts this statement. Samsung's plans for 2024 may have changed.
On the same topic: The Galaxy Z Fold 6 would not be the star of the next Galaxy Unpacked
Now that the Galaxy S24 is official, we should receive more information about the Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Z Fold 6. Like every year, Samsung's future folding phones are expected in the summer.
🔴 In order not to miss any news from 01net, follow us on Google News and WhatsApp.
Source: The Elec