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Samsung appears to be readying a Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE that would give the company its first budget foldable phone.
Display analyst Ross Young claims an FE-badged Samsung clamshell is “finally coming” in 2025. While he doesn’t have many details, he says the screen will “likely” be the same as on the regular Z Flip 7.
Young also maintains that the Special Edition of next year’s Galaxy Z Fold 7 will closely resemble the Z Fold 6 SE that launched in South Korea in October.
Those hoping for a Z Flip 7 FE should be excited. It looks like a Samsung FE clamshell is finally coming in 2025.
— Ross Young (@DSCCRoss) November 19, 2024
The standard Z Flip 7 is expected to refine the formula with a faster Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, but not much else is known about it at this early stage. Samsung could give the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE a lower-end chip, reduced memory, or other measures to cut costs.
With that in mind, the Galaxy S24 FE and similar FE-badged devices usually straddle the line between flagships and the budget Galaxy A-series. Samsung might keep many key features in the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE, particularly its signature foldable display and cover screen.
There’s a strong incentive for Samsung to make lower-cost foldables. While it still dominates the category with just over 50% market share in June, according to TrendForce, it’s facing hotter competition from more cost-conscious rivals like Motorola’s Razr 2024, the Honor Magic V, and the Xiaomi Mix Flip. A budget Z Flip could be important to fending off these alternatives.
As of this writing, a Z Flip 6 starts at $1,099 before discounts. Motorola’s ‘starter’ clamshell, the Razr 2024, normally sells for $700 and is easy to find for $600. That puts the Samsung offering out of contention for many people, including those who might instead pick a similarly-priced conventional device like the iPhone 16 Pro, Galaxy S24+, or Pixel 9 Pro.
