As flagship smartphones continue to get more expensive, Samsung has taken to launching “Lite” variants of its high-end devices. These are watered-down variants that bring the price down to a more palatable level for most customers. After launching the Galaxy S10 Lite and Galaxy Note 10 Lite, the company is due to launch a similar model for the Galaxy S20.
Might it do the same for the Galaxy Fold? If there was any device that needed a more affordable variant, it would be the $1,980 Galaxy Fold. According to a report out of South Korea, Samsung is planning on launching a ~$900 Galaxy Fold Lite in 2021.
What could Samsung cut from the Galaxy Fold Lite?
The dubious report claims that this device, tentatively named the Galaxy Fold Lite, was to be unveiled on August 5 alongside the Galaxy Fold 2, Galaxy Note 20 and the Galaxy Z Flip 5G. However, Samsung has apparently decided to postpone its launch to 2021.
When it does arrive, this handset is expected to cost 1 million won which is under $900 based on prevailing exchange rates. Samsung would undoubtedly have to cut a lot of things from it if such a variant does exist in order to bring the price down to this level.
So would that mean there won't be a cover display, complex camera setup and flagship-level internals? That could very well end up being the case as Samsung won't be able to cut costs when it comes to the really important bits like the hinge and foldable display panel.
There's no denying the possibility of this happening in the future. Samsung is all-in on foldable phones so a future where it offers more affordable options is very much within reach. Whether or not that happens in 2021 remains to be seen.
