The Foldable Market Evolution
Foldables have been around for several years, but the recent launch of the iPhone Duo means the foldable market could be on the verge of changing in a big way. To the point where Samsung is reportedly looking to mix things up, and offer an even more diverse range of foldable-centric devices than it already does.
The latest rumor claims that Samsung is currently working on a companion for the Galaxy Z Fold 9, sharing the same wider passport-shape of the Galaxy Z Fold 8. According to a leak on Korean network Naver, Samsung is testing two possible options, including a Galaxy Z Fold 9 Plus and a lower-priced Galaxy Z Fold 9 FE.
An FE-branded model could be a very good idea, especially in the current climate, provided Samsung avoids past mistakes.
Rising Smartphone Costs
It's no secret that the cost of smartphones is rising, and Samsung has been one of the worst offenders when it comes to price hikes. The Galaxy S26 series was already subjected to some price hikes at launch, depending on which version you bought, only for Samsung to raise prices again at the start of October. The Z Fold 8 Ultra was also noticeably more expensive than the Z Fold 7, which was in turn more expensive than the Z Fold 6.
The reason for these price hikes are obvious. The cost of phone manufacturing has been rising for a number of years, and the last 12 months have seen an explosion in the cost of RAM and storage — all thanks to the current AI boom we've been experiencing.
Because of that multiple electronics companies have been forced to increase prices across the board including Samsung, Apple and Google.
The key problem with foldable adoption has been that they're so expensive, especially without easy access to Chinese brands that usually charge less. Continuous price hikes mean that now is the perfect time to start releasing lower-cost foldables.
The iPhone Duo has raised a lot more awareness about foldables, and could mean higher foldable adoption rates across the board. All foldable phone makers need to do is make sure their devices are accessible, and offering something with a lower price tag is one way to do that — even if it does come with some compromises.
Plus, the cost of everything is going up, and there's less money to spend on luxury purchases like new smartphones, especially ones that cost close to $2,000.
Competition and Market Share
While the launch of the iPhone Duo will help raise awareness of foldable phones, it also means that Galaxy foldables have some serious competition — possibly for the first time ever.
Apple is a popular brand, and that's reflected in the fact iPhone sales outpace any other individual phone brand. Even Samsung, easily the most popular Android brand, trailed behind Apple in global market share last year.
There are plenty of people out in the world who will only ever buy an iPhone, but convincing people to make the switch is not impossible. Samsung needs something that will help fight the increased competition from Apple and convince people that a Galaxy foldable is a much better option than an iPhone Duo.
Considering the Duo starts at $2,000, second only in price to the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, the obvious solution is to start offering something even cheaper to hook in buyers unwilling to pay top dollar.
The Galaxy Z Fold 8 is already slightly cheaper than the Duo, especially when you can grab one on sale. But finally releasing a Fan Edition foldable at an even lower price point should help steal interest away from Apple and other foldable rivals.
Lineup Adjustments
One of the earliest rumors about the Galaxy Z 9 lineup was that Samsung may be planning on scrapping the Galaxy Z Flip 9. At least one recent rumor has refuted that, but considering its been fairly persistent, there may be some truth to the claims.
Considering Samsung has basically neglected the Z Flip series for the past few generations, and the relative popularity of book-style foldables, it's no surprise that they might turn around and can the whole thing.
If that does end up being the case, then Samsung will have a very large gap in its lineup, not just because it might be killing off a staple, but because the Z Flip series has always served as a lower-cost option for foldable users.
Admittedly, $1,199 is still pretty expensive for a smartphone. For your money you often get slower charging, worse battery life, lower durability and a bunch of other compromises to pay for the folding screen.
Still, the Z Flip series offered a cheaper alternative to the expensive Z Fold lineup. Without it, the base cost of a Galaxy foldable would shoot up to whatever the Z Fold 9 costs, likely at least $1,900.
If there's a Z Fold 9 FE, then suddenly the cost of entry isn't quite so expensive. It lowers the barrier of entry for more frugally-minded folks.
Execution and Strategy
The actual success of a Z Fold 9 FE depends on what Samsung does with it and the sacrifices made to keep costs low. Last time that happened we ended up with the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE, which was quite stripped down compared to the Z Flip 7.
The price of a Z Flip 7 FE started at $899, which was just $200 cheaper than its full edition sibling, showing how disappointing the Fan Edition model could be if not priced right.
The price of a Z Fold 9 FE needs to reflect the compromises involved, and those compromises need to ensure that the user experience isn't hampered in any meaningful way. Samsung needs to put thought and care into the design of this hypothetical phone.
Considering the job it did with the Z Fold 8 and the Fold 8 Ultra, there is hope for a well-executed Z Fold 9 FE, provided Samsung doesn't opt for a Z Fold 9 Plus instead.
