Samsung might not be launching the cheaper and thinner variant of their high-end foldable smartphone Galaxy Z Fold 6. Earlier, it was reported that Samsung will launch its first Galaxy Fold FE variant along with the upcoming Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Galaxy Z Fold 6. But new developments suggest the company could be dropping those plans for the time being.
As highlighted by The Elec, “lack of product differentiation factors” and “uncertainty in the business situation” are the key reasons why the Korean tech company has planned to cancel the launch of the device. However, the cheaper variant is said to have lacked the digitiser crucial for the S-Pen functionality.
The report also claimed that Samsung has recently completed testing of the device, featuring an IPX8 rating and 200,000 folds rating, but it wasn’t any thinner than other competitive phones from the rival Chinese companies.
The cost for the rumoured foldable smartphone was earlier expected to be around 800 USD (around Rs 66,000) which is quite cheaper as compared to the 1800 USD (Rs 1.49 lakh) for the Galaxy Z Fold 5. The development indicates that Samsung might only be launching the standard Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6 during the supposed Galaxy Unpacked event in July this year.
Samsung launched its first foldable smartphone in 2019 and has been at the forefront since then. Due to a visible line running through the center of the screen, the first-generation foldable smartphones from Samsung received mixed reviews from consumers.
The Korean tech giant revamped its foldable phone line-up with the launch of Galaxy Z Fold 5 last year. Powered by Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 and 12 GB RAM, the device had a 4400mAh battery with fast charging. The Galaxy Z Fold 5 is currently priced at Rs 1,54,999 in the Indian market.
The same report claims that Samsung might think of launching the affordable version of Galaxy Z Flip 6 next year but it is mostly based on rumours as of now.