Samsung's "mid-range foldable" takes a step closer to reality with an official Wi-Fi certification

Could there be a Z Flip Lite in the works? (Source: Samsung)

A recent leak has pointed to an upcoming Samsung foldable that may be more affordable than its predecessors. This rumor now gains more weight due to the fact that the Wi-Fi Alliance has registered a device with its alleged model number. This new leak may also point to specs that may indeed render it the foldable for (more of) the masses.

Deirdre O'Donnell, 08/23/2020

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Samsung's foldable devices - which are currently organized into the Galaxy Z Fxxx(n) series - are the cutting-edge of premiumleak smartphones. However, they also all have the price-tags to match: even the technically lowest-end Z Flip launched for about the same price as a Note 20 Ultra 5G. Then again, there are some hints that the OEM is working on making this category accessible to more consumers as soon as possible.

They arose with a rumor that the Korean electronics giant have a foldable (thought to be so as its model number allegedly has the prefix SM-F, same as the Galaxy Fold, Z Fold2 and both Z Flip variants) with internal storage SKUs of just 64 to 128GB in the works. Now, this same device has popped up on the Wi-Fi Alliance's website.

This type of leak is often a sure sign that a device is real and will see a debut in the near future. It may also confirm that it is of the mid-range variety, as the wireless connectivity evaluated for in this certification only goes up to 802.11 ac (or "Wi-Fi 5", as it is sometimes known). Combine this with its rumored storage spec (even the Z Flip gets 256GB), and it is looking sub-flagship indeed.

This SM-F415F/DS, as it is known in its new official documentation, is also now projected to get a Snapdragon 7-series processor, and, thus, to fall into the ~US$700 price-tier. Should this be the case, its launch might come as a nasty shock to the upcoming Motorola Razr 2020 5G - not to mention conventional phones such as the OnePlus Nord. Then again, Samsung has yet to acknowledge this rumored affordable foldable in any way.