Samsung’s built its nicest foldable yet with the Galaxy Z Fold 4. It even has Samsung-worthy cameras. The price keeps me from recommending this phone to anyone who needs a new one.
Samsung needs to release a cheaper folding phone in the next year or two instead of upgrading the Z Fold and Z Flip. Rumors of a sub-$800 gadget aren’t enough. This must happen quickly.
The Galaxy Z Flip 4 is a cheaper Samsung foldable. The Z Flip folds to make a conventional phone smaller, not to extend its capacities like the Z Fold models.
The Z Fold 4’s multi-window app interface, taskbar, stylus compatibility, and fully functional outer display show off the foldable segment’s capabilities better than the Z Flip 4. They’re why I still use the Galaxy Z Fold 4, and they’d entice new users if the hardware wasn’t so pricey.
Cutting premium features would make a foldable cheaper. Remove the under-display camera and back telephoto camera, and use lower quality displays inside and out.
While I wouldn’t want Samsung to replace the cover display with a notification window like the Z Flip or to use a less capable Exynos processor, they may be worthwhile concessions since you’d still get the Z Fold’s spacious inner display.
Conclusion
Foldables will get cheaper as more companies make them and as their technology and parts become cheaper. Samsung must seize the moment. It has competitors like the Oppo Find N, which is a China-exclusive for now. Google Pixel Fold and iPhone Flip rumours won’t last forever.
Samsung should expand its foldable offers rather than charge as much as it can for the Z Fold and Z Flip.
Samsung can brand this inexpensive foldable readily. Maybe add an A or FE to the name, such Galaxy A53 or Galaxy S21 FE, to indicate this isn’t a Galaxy Z. I hope Samsung releases a full-size foldable for less than $1,000 next year.
We live in a time where it’s hard to justify upgrading to flagship phones, thus the only way we’ll have a mainstream foldables revolution is if Samsung releases a reasonably priced folding phone.