Samsung shuts down rumours about affordable US$500 foldable smartphone

An earlier report from TrendForce talked about Samsung launching affordable foldable smartphones in 2024-25. Rumours about Galaxy A-branded foldables aren't new and have been around for a while. However, Samsung just shut them down by stating that it has no plans to democratize foldables anytime soon.

In an interview with Koreajoongangdaily, an unnamed Samsung executive says the company has no plans for affordable foldables. While not surprising, it is a bit disappointing as most proper foldables (not counting the flip-style) phones will set one back by at least US$1,000, which is well beyond the reach of most people.

The executive also added that the verdict is still open for "Fan Edition" versions of its popular Galaxy Z Fold and Galaxy Z Flip foldables. Unlike the US$500 foldables, they haven't been ruled out entirely, but there is a slim chance of a Galaxy Z Fold 5 FE or Galaxy Z Flip 5 (US$977 0n Amazon) FE debuting anytime soon. Samsung will probably prioritize launching its tri-folding tablet before anything else.

It has been largely under wraps since its patent listing leaked in 2021. However, Huawei could beat Samsung to the punch if it doesn't act soon. Industry analyst Ross Young says Huawei planned to launch its revolutionary new foldable by the end of 2023. That seems implausible now, so its release may have been pushed back to 2024.