Set to be priced at $1980 when it goes on sale in the United States on April 26, the Galaxy Fold is far from cheap. But it isn't overpriced. Hear me out…
The Galaxy Fold can be unfurled from its sedentary form as a smartphone to morph into a 7.3-inch tablet, making it an all-too-appealing two-in-one solution; customers receive both a smartphone and a tablet, bundled into one device — the first of its kind — eliminating the need to transport two.
Basic Math: $1500 + $500 = $2000
Now let's talk reasoning. The top-of-the-line Galaxy S10+ will set customers back around $1500, while a brand new Galaxy Tab S5e costs somewhere in the region of $500. Combine those two figures and you'll come out with $2000 — that's $20 more than the Galaxy Fold will cost when it launches.
Related: Galaxy S10+ Review
That's the first crucial detail in my argument that the Galaxy Fold isn't overpriced, and that's because you're buying two devices that just so happen to be merged into one. Sure, it isn't going to appeal to everyone, but it will to those who are in the market for both a high-end smartphone and tablet.
It's been in development since 2016
If that hasn't convinced you, R&D might. You see, launching a new product that's like no other requires an awful lot of time and funding. Samsung hinted that it's been working on the foldable screen since 2016 and has sunk tens, if not hundreds, of millions of dollars into its development.
It has to make that investment back somehow, so — as Apple did with the iPhone X — it's likely added a small surcharge to the handset, bumping the original price up to the $1980 mark. And if we consider that to be the case, the Galaxy Fold is somewhat good value for money.
How, you ask? Because you're getting state-of-the-art tech, a smartphone and a tablet — all wrapped up into a single handset that will set you back less than you'd pay if you were to pick them up separately. And when you take that standpoint, $1980 isn't too outrageous; it's actually quite fair.
But it's not all rainbows and unicorns
There's one downside to the Galaxy Fold, though. Seeing as it adopts a form factor that's never been trialled before, there's bound to be an issue or two — and that's something that the first wave of adopters will take the brunt of. So in that sense, it's more of an experiment for Samsung.
But foldable devices is the direction the industry is headed in, and as was the case with Apple and the iPhone X before launching the iPhone XR, the earliest adopters will have to pay the most to get their hands on the tech. But unlike Apple, what Samsung's asking makes a lot of sense.
I mean, two top-spec devices, rolled into one, for less than you'd pay to pick them up individually?
Count me in.
