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Samsung steps towards cheaper foldable phones starting with the Z Fold 6

By Daniel Petrov

Updated: Feb 08, 2024, 6:05 AM

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Samsung

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Pressed by Chinese foldable phone makers, Samsung is reportedly working on a cheaper phone model in the Galaxy Fold line that will probably be released at a price that is about a third less than what the Galaxy Z Fold 5 commands.

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The move is apparently meant to counter the onslaught of Oppo, OnePlus, Xiaomi, Huawei, and Honor foldables that offer thinner, more compact designs and better specs, especially in the camera department.

At the time of the leak about Samsung's $1200 Fold it was not exactly clear how Samsung intends to lower the manufacturing costs of its foldable handsets, but now Korean media The Elec spills the beans on one of the possible ways.

Making the Galaxy Z Fold 6 cheaper

Since the most expensive part of a foldable Galaxy phone is the flexible display with a plastic substrate, Samsung's Display subsidiary will be gunning to reduce its cost any way it can. A lot of other foldable phones use flexible displays made by BOE and the Chinese company has managed to supply them at lower prices than Samsung.

The OG flexible OLED panel maker is taking the matter in its own hands and has decided to use the inkjet printing method for the bezels of the Galaxy Z Fold 6 this time around instead of the usual micro dry decoration process. Instead of ordering Segyung Hitech’s micro dry process films with the ink already inside, Samsung will be using its advanced inkjet OLED printing method to apply it on its films directly before attaching the encapsulated display to the bezels that hide its circuitry and laminating the ultrathin glass covers to protect the whole setup.

In essence, this means that Samsung Display will be able to craft a longer film from which to cut more Z Fold 6 bezels and achieve a lower production costs thanks to the economies of scale magic. This production advancement will apparently be applied in time for the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and it remains to be seen if Samsung will be able to cut its manufacturing costs enough to lower the retail price from the current $1800 or so starting tag.

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Daniel, a devoted tech writer at PhoneArena since 2010, has been engrossed in mobile technology since the Windows Mobile era. His expertise spans mobile hardware, software, and carrier networks, and he's keenly interested in the future of digital health, car connectivity, and 5G. Beyond his professional pursuits, Daniel finds balance in travel, reading, and exploring new tech innovations, while contemplating the ethical and privacy implications of our digital future.