Samsung To Focus On Affordable Foldables Amid A Declining Smartphone Market،
Over the past three months, smartphone makers like Samsung, Oppo, Xiaomi, and Honor have launched more than 13 new foldable phones, which is more than the number of foldable phones in the first half of 2023. This indicates that manufacturers are giving more Watch out for untapped foldable phones. markets, as sales of conventional smartphones are in constant decline.
Samsung could launch affordable foldables next year
According to a report from TrendForce, Samsung is working to release relatively affordable mid-range foldable phones next year. This will allow a wider range of customers to purchase foldable phones, especially since current generation foldable phones are more expensive than regular flagships.
How much do Samsung’s latest foldables cost?
For example, the official website shows that Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 5 currently costs Rs. 9,999. 99,999. The phone offers 8GB of RAM, 256GB of storage and runs on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC. Besides the main screen that folds, the phone also has a 3.4-inch cover screen. Similarly, the latest Galaxy Z Fold 5 costs Rs. 9,999. 1,54,999 for the model with 12 GB RAM and 256 GB storage.
While we expected Samsung to drop the price of the Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Galaxy Z Fold 4 this year, the former is available at Rs. 9,999. 79,999 (8/128 GB), while the latter costs Rs. 79,999 (8/128 GB), while the latter costs Rs. 1,39,999 (12/256 GB). To put things in perspective, Samsung’s 2022 foldable devices are priced as high as Apple’s 2023 iPhone, i.e. the iPhone 15 (128GB). Samsung’s flagship for 2023, the Galaxy S23 (8/256 GB), also costs Rs. 9,999. 79,999.
What’s the problem with foldable phone prices?
This leaves buyers with a dilemma: invest their money in a tried and tested form factor that has been around for over two decades or get something that is not common and could cost more to repair. Since the smartphone market is no longer growing at the pace it was a few years ago, people are buying few phones because they don’t have enough reason to upgrade every year. This is the model that manufacturers like Samsung are aiming to break with affordable foldables.
Is any company focusing on affordable foldables?
Most recently, Lenovo-owned smartphone brand Motorola launched an affordable foldable smartphone nationwide. The Motorola Razr 40 (8/256 GB) was released in June 2023, as a mid-range flip-style foldable. Currently, the phone is available for Rs. 9,999. 49,999 on Amazon. Amid declining smartphone sales, companies are expected to focus more on bringing cheaper foldables to market with specifications close to flagships.
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