Samsung users furious over ‘ridiculous’ prices for new flip phones with Z Fold6 starting at $1900
The prices of Samsung’s latest mobile devices, the Galaxy Z Flip6 and the larger Z Fold6, are already causing outrage after they were announced via a livestream on Wednesday.
While the hardware specs of both phones remain largely unchanged (the Fold6, for example, still has its 50-megapixel main camera on the rear), the base models of the Galaxy Z Fold6 carry a price tag of $1,899 and the Z Flip6 $1,099.
“They killed my hype with this offer,” complained one Reddit user who indicated he currently owns a Z Fold5, while discussing Samsung’s “Galaxy Unpacked” live event.
“As a Fold 4 owner,” said another, more brazen user, “to hell with it, Samsung.”
Despite the hardware specs remaining largely unchanged (the Fold6 still has its 50-megapixel main camera on the rear, for example), the entry-level models for the new Galaxy Z Fold6 (above) carry a hefty new price tag of $1,899, as does the new $1,099 Z Flip6
Prices for Samsung’s latest mobile devices, the Galaxy Z Flip6 and larger Z Fold6, are already sparking outrage after they were announced via a livestream on Wednesday. One user on Elon Musk’s X platform called the phones’ starting price “flipping ridiculous” (Like this)
Above, a photographer takes glamour shots of Samsung’s latest Galaxy Z Fold
That user, who goes through life kasakka1 on Reddit expressed his frustration not only over the price increase, but also over Samsung’s lower trade-in value for old Galaxy phones.
“I’m not going to pay 1,800 euros (about $1,950) for basically the same phone,” added kasakka1, “except one that’s not going to break easily in the long run.”
For Samsung consumers in the European Union, prices for the new Galaxy phones were even higher, with the Z Fold6 costing 2,099 euros ($2,272), for example.
But the trade-in value of older models was a maximum of 359 euros ($389) for the Z Fold4 and 639 euros ($682) for the Z Fold5.
“I really hope people skip this one to teach Sammy a lesson,” one Redditter wrote.
“All you get is a custom design and AI features that will come to the Z Flip5 and Z Fold5 in a few months.”
“I really hope people skip this one to teach Sammy a lesson,” one Redditter declared of today’s announced price hike. “All you’re getting is a custom design and AI features that will come to (Z Flip5 and Z Fold5) in a few months.”
But the new foldable phones aren’t exact carbon copies of Samsung’s previous models. The Z Fold6 (pictured) comes with an upgraded 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera, which the company says is designed for better low-light performance.
These minor improvements weren’t enough to assuage consumer dissatisfaction with the new models’ high new prices. “Samsung’s flagships are overrated and overpriced,” tech watcher Ayush Pandey posted on social site X (above)
But the new foldable phones aren’t total carbon copies of Samsung’s previous models, as the Z Fold6 comes with an updated 12-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera, which the company claims is designed for better low-light performance.
The Z Fold6 also gains a few extra millimeters of width on its outer display, making it a 6.3-inch display (up from the Fold5’s 6.2-inch display), with a resolution of 2376×968 and a 120Hz refresh rate.
The phone also weighs less now, at 239 grams (just over a quarter of a kilo), compared to the Z Fold5’s 253 grams.
But these small improvements were not enough to eliminate consumer dissatisfaction with the high new prices of the new models.
‘Samsung’s flagships are overrated and overpriced,’ says tech watcher Ayush Pandey posted on social site X.
The phone maker confirmed that the two new phones will go on sale on July 24
“I would say iPhones in that price range are much better,” Pandey said.
“$1900 is the starting price for the new #zfold6 #samsung,” another user, Cleatus, declared, “This is ridiculous (Like this).’
Still, some aspects of the new Galaxy phones did offer tangible hardware improvements, especially on the smaller Z Flip6.
The Flip6 comes with a much larger and longer-lasting battery, at 4,000mAh, and a new ‘vapor cooling chamber’ to prevent the wearable device from overheating.
The Flip6 also gets an upgrade to the same 50-megapixel main camera sensor as its bigger sibling, the Fold6. The entry-level version even comes with the new ultra-wide-angle camera, just like the Fold6.
The base model has 12GB of RAM instead of 8GB, and the Z Flip 6 starts at 512GB instead of 256GB. If you’re going to raise prices anyway, this seems like the least you could do.
“Samsung is constantly focused on innovation,” said James Kitto, head of mobile technology for Samsung UK and Ireland.
“It’s in our DNA,” Kitto said, “and this launch is a testament to that. We’re bringing our customers the next generation of foldables — our thinnest, lightest, and most sustainable yet.”