A budget Galaxy Z Fold 6 model could be in the works, says report

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We’ve heard Samsung may be working on an affordable version of its foldable smartphones. While our initial speculation was about the Galaxy Z Flip 6, the latest report points to an affordable variant of the Galaxy Z Fold 6. 

According to a report by WinFuture, Samsung is planning to have a third foldable smartphone in its lineup this year, alongside the usual Galaxy Z Fold and Z Filp.

And if the report is correct, this is the affordable foldable we’ve been expecting from the company, even though a previous rumor about a budget foldable was debunked.

Is a budget Galaxy Z Fold 6 really happening? 

WinFuture’s report reveals Samsung has three codenames in play for its next set of foldable smartphones. 

The first two codenames are “Q6” and “B6,” which are the direct follow-up to the “Q5” and “B5” of the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5. 

Hence, the new codenames could be for nothing else by the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6. However, there’s a third codename in play – “Q6A.”

If “Q6” stands for the Galaxy Z Fold 6, then the codename “Q6A” could be a second variant of the Z Fold 6. 

The new codename is likely for an affordable variant of the company’s foldable, and the “A” in the codename nearly confirms our suspicion, as Samsung has a budget line called “Galaxy A.”

However, we also speculate Samsung could also name the device Galaxy Z Fold 6 FE, making it a part of the company’s revamped FE series, which is a budget-oriented segment of its flagship series.

The Galaxy Z Fold 6 FE may lack a classic feature

Another piece of budget Galaxy Z Fold 6 news comes from ETNews, which states that the budget Z Fold 6 or Z Fold 6 FE, or whatever you may want to call it, will not come with the company’s S Pen stylus support.

Samsung actually sells the S Pen separately from the Galaxy Z Fold 5. However, having the stylus support requires a part called a digitizer. And by not adding this part will probably make the Galaxy Z Fold 6 FE cheaper.

In addition, the outlet claims that other “parts and performance” of the phone might be cheaper than those of the standard Galaxy Z Fold 6. However, the outlet doesn’t go into specific detail.

Either way, not supporting the S Pen makes sense, as it is a non-essential component of Samsung’s foldable handsets, and probably not many users will miss it, as most don’t even purchase the S Pen for their foldable phones.

Also, the Galaxy Z Fold doesn’t have a S Pen slot to house it. So, in most cases, getting one is more of a hassle.

However, the Korean company will definitely find other ways to reduce costs, too – probably by using a lower-end chipset or low-end screens.

That said, take all these with a pinch of salt, as these are very early speculations. We don’t know anything about this budget/entry-level version of the Galaxy Z Fold 6, including what it might be called, its specs, and most importantly – the pricing. 

Nevertheless, if the report is accurate, it will be a major shake-up for Samsung’s foldable lineup – probably even for the entire foldable market.

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