One of the biggest disadvantages that foldables face in the industry are their price tags. As such, the foldable industry has been in a downward spiral, with some phone manufacturers pulling out of the segment entirely. Samsung has also revised and toned down the sales expectations for the Galaxy Z Flip 7 and the Galaxy Z Fold 7.
According to a report (translated source), the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE will cost around one million won, which is approximately $736 USD. If that’s true, then this should in theory incentivize a lot of customers to give foldable phones a try. Other cheap foldables have existed, of course. But many consumers — particularly in the U.S. — don’t want to get something that’s not a Samsung, Apple, or Google phone.The report also mentions that the Flip 7 FE will be powered by Samsung’s own Exynos 2500 processor. This chip was first supposed to debut in the Galaxy S25 series, but Samsung was unable to get it ready in time. The Exynos 2500 is also said to be powering the Galaxy Z Flip 7. For people averse to Exynos chips, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 will reportedly come with the Snapdragon 8 Elite processor instead.
The uncertainty caused by the volatile tariff policies is affecting Samsung’s competitors too. Apple is perhaps being affected the most, and has been the target of direct criticism from the president. There are rumors that the company is discussing raising the prices of the upcoming iPhone 17 series to compensate.
Regardless of how the situation plays out Stateside, it’s about time one of the big players realized that a cheaper foldable is necessary for the market. Now, if only they’d come to the same conclusion for bigger batteries.
