We are indeed living in an era dominated by smartphones. Overseas manufacturing giants are claiming to produce the thinnest folding phone globally, and companies like Motorola are partnering with celebrities like Paris Hilton to promote their foldable devices. Meanwhile, Samsung, the smartphone giant credited with popularizing foldables, is reportedly considering reducing the price of its Z Flip foldable to make this emerging device category more affordable.

The extent of the price reduction is still uncertain, as it is currently just a rumor. The rumor originated from a Turkish firmware listing on Twitter/X, which appears to be a screenshot of an upcoming Samsung folding device destined for the European market. The model number “SM-F761B” suggests that it might not be the Galaxy Z Flip 7, but rather a Galaxy Z Flip FE, or Fan Edition, following Samsung’s typical naming convention.

Samsung’s “Fan Edition” models are typically more affordable versions of their popular devices. Surprisingly, the company has not released a folding smartphone in this category yet, despite the growing competition from other brands. Motorola, for instance, released the Razr last year, which started at $700 and made a flip-phone smartphone more accessible to users, albeit with some compromises, such as subpar camera performance.

Rumors of a more affordable Samsung flip phone have been circulating since last year, and we are willing to consider this latest rumor, which is currently only being discussed among niche enthusiasts. According to Ross Young, a renowned display analyst, the Z Flip FE will utilize the Galaxy Z Flip 6‘s 6.7-inch display panel, which could help reduce costs.

If Samsung were to launch a cost-efficient fan edition foldable, it would likely be later this year, possibly before the release of the new flagship folding devices. The Galaxy Z Flip 7 and Galaxy Z Fold 7 are expected to debut this summer in the Northern Hemisphere, potentially preceded by an event in New York City, following the pattern of previous years.