Samsung has said it wants to make foldable phones more accessible to more people. But if a new rumor about the prices for the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy z Flip 6 foldables proves to be accurate, the phone maker has an odd way of doing that.
Leak-monger Steve Hemmerstoffer, who posts as OnLeaks on X, suggest that both the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6 will cost $100 more than their predecessors in information he shared with Smartprix.
Samsung’s foldable phones were already pretty spendy. The Galaxy Z Fold 5 started at $1,799 when it debuted while the Galaxy Z Flip 5 costs $999. So that would mean the new versions would cost $1,899 and $1,099, respectively, at a time when other phone makers have released foldables of their own to better compete with Samsung.
Here's what OnLeaks says the different configurations of the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6 will cost. (He expects 256GB, 512GB and 1TB models of the Galaxy Z Fold 6 while the Flip is supposed to come in 256GB and 512GB versions.)
- Galaxy Z Fold 6 (256GB): $1899.99
- Galaxy Z Fold 6 (512GB): $2019.99
- Galaxy Z Fold 6 (1TB): $2259.99
- Galaxy Z Flip6 (256GB): $1099.99 USD
- Galaxy Z Flip6 (512GB): $1219.99 USD
The Galaxy Z Fold 6 is rumored to be getting thinner than its predecessor while its cover display should get a wider aspect ratio. Even with an upgrade to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 system-on-chip and the addition of Fold-specific Galaxy AI features, those don't sound like the kind of changes that would justify a price hike. And that's without considering the rumor that the Galaxy Z Fold 6 may lack Wi-Fi 7 support.
A higher price for the Galaxy Z Fold 6 might have been easier to swallow if Samsung were also releasing a lower-cost version of its foldable, as had been rumored with the Galaxy Z Fold 6 FE. However, plans to deliver that particular model appear to be on hold.
"After last year's tepid releases, I think There's been so much competition, I don't think raising prices will help its cause in drawing people back,” says Tom’s Guide phone editor John Velasco when I asked him about the price hike rumor.
In contrast, the Z Flip 6 does appear to be getting a few more upgrades than the Z Fold 6. Beside the new Qualcomm chip, the Z Flip 6 has been tipped to get a larger 4,000 mAh battery. The exterior screen is supposed to be larger, bumping up to 3.9-inches compared to 3.4-inches on the Z Flip 5.
The new battery might make the phone thicker than the last year’s model, but the design appears functionally the same. The interior display may be getting improved Corning Gorilla Armor but that’s about it.
Compared to the Z Fold 6, the Z Flip 6 is expected to get a better camera bumping the main camera from a 12MP sensor to 50MP.
We'll find out just how accurate that price hike rumor is shortly when Samsung holds its next Galaxy Unpacked event. That could happen as soon as July.
