Samsung plans to make the Galaxy Z Fold 3 a lot more affordable
For as wonderful and innovative as the Galaxy Z Fold 2 was (and still is), there’s a rather large reason why the phone hasn’t really taken off for mainstream users. We’ve detailed what we think Samsung could do to change this, especially considering that other phone makers are expected to bring new foldable phones to the global market this year. But the biggest barrier for many is the price point.
A starting price of $2,000 is a tough pill to swallow, even if you were to subsidize the price into monthly installments with your carrier. Even the Galaxy Z Flip 5G started at $1,380, which is more than the Galaxy S21 Ultra and was more expensive than the Galaxy S20 Ultra from last year. But according to SamMobile, Samsung is going to change things up with the release of the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and the Z Flip 3.
These latest rumors suggest that both the Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3 will be “up to 20% cheaper than their predecessors”. Considering that’s a price cut of around $400 for both models, this could finally be the push that Samsung needs to turn these into mainstream devices, and not just novelties for those with deep pockets or and/or smartphone enthusiasts.
While a phone priced at $1,600 is still rather steep, it’s much more manageable than the $2,000 price from the Z Fold 2. Add in the fact that we should see a more durable folding display, and S Pen support, and it sounds like a massive recipe for success.
SamMobile also made a point of saying these phones will see “up to” a 20% discount, which is important. It likely means that Samsung is preparing multiple configurations for each device, similar to what we see with traditional smartphones. But that’s also great for the end-user as you can get more storage if you need it, or just get the entry-level model to see what all the fuss is about.