Samsung could be working on a more affordable foldable for 2020
Foldable tech is making waves right now, with the Samsung Galaxy Fold and the Motorola Razr making headlines as pricey options for fans of the flexible display. Now, according to a leak, Samsung is working on a more affordable folding device.
The Korea Herald has reported that Samsung will launch two new folding devices in 2020. It cites anonymous ‘industry sources’, who have also stated that one of the two devices will be a clamshell style device with a vertical fold priced at around $845. The existence of this device was already essentially revealed by Samsung at a recent conference, but the price is new.
Read our review of the Samsung Galaxy Fold
Is this what the Galaxy Fold 2 will look like? Image credit: LetsGoDigital
While not exactly cheap, $845 is still a far more affordable price point for a Samsung foldable than the Galaxy Fold, which came in at $2000 – or £1900. While we were expecting a drop in price (with any new pioneering technology, the first iteration is always the most expensive to produce) we didn’t necessarily expect the cost to drop this low. The maturing of foldable tech will no doubt impact this price point but we hope it doesn’t come at the cost of too many features.
The Korea Herald’s source suggests that the other release will be a horizontally folding device – likely an update on the current Galaxy Fold. However, we’ll likely need to wait until February to see the clamshell device unveiled, and even longer for the second Galaxy Fold.
Rumours also suggest that LG is set to make its debut in the foldable device market soon.
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Image credit: Samsung
So, price aside, what will Samsung look to change in its new foldables? Durability and toughness will be high up the list, after many Galaxy Fold users have complained about the fragility of the folding phone.
Again, this seems like the sort of necessary teething problem associated with any new technology. We hope this is one that Samsung will be able to iron out with the next generation of foldable devices.
When we reviewed the Galaxy Fold, we noted that the camera lagged behind that of many competing devices too. This will be a difficult issue to remedy considering the substantial price drop. We’re interested to see if Samsung will attempt to up the camera offering next time out.
It’s also worth remembering that, at this point, the Korea Herald’s information can only be categorised as rumour. While we believe that the new phone will be cheaper than the Galaxy Fold, it remains to be seen whether the information and figures from the source are correct.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
