Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 FE may drop this key feature to bring the price down

What You Need To Know

• The upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 6 will reportedly have two versions: a high-end model and a "budget" model. 
• The "budget" model is rumored to be ditching pen input functionality, per ET News.
• It could also be a lot thinner, according to another report. 

Samsung is preparing the first “budget” version of its Galaxy Z Fold series, according to ET News. To lower the price, the tech company is rumored to be ditching a key feature.

As it stands, Samsung is presently developing two models in the flagship Galaxy Z Fold series. The first model will be a traditional handset in the vein of the currently available Galaxy Z Fold 5, albeit with new features. Where things get interesting is that, according to the report, the “budget” model will not have pen input functionality. The high-end model will retain that functionality, but the “budget” model will ditch the feature in an effort to bring down the price for consumers. 

It’s important to note that the lack of parity between the two models may not stop with pen input functionality. Ross Young of Display Supply Chain Consultants added on X (formerly known as Twitter) that the phone could be thinner because “the digitizer is thick.” 

What remains to be seen is how the price of the “budget” model is handled. Currently, the base Galaxy Z Fold 5 retails at a suggested MSRP of $1799.99 for the 256GB model. The price stretches all the way to $2159.99 for the 1TB storage version – the largest amount of storage available. In that vein, the lower-end model would cost considerably less, though just how much cheaper remains to be seen. 

Still, this development continues a recent trend on the part of the tech giant in introducing lower-end models of its flagship devices dubbed FE or Fan Edition that are much more appealing to consumers due to their lower cost. In exchange for a lower cost, some features are dropped. However, as Android Central’s Jay Bonggolto reported earlier this month, the Galaxy S24 FE could come strikingly close to the flagship model’s performance. 

Among the features rumored to be in the S24 FE are a much larger battery (4,500mAh) compared to the Galaxy S24's 4,000mAh battery, as well as a 6.1-inch AMOLED that is powered by either Exynos 2400 or Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset. The end result is a device that is extremely comparable to the flagship model without the high price tag. 

That should give consumers some relief in that should the Galaxy Z Fold 6 FE not have pen input functionality and potentially a thinner display, it still will retain as many landmark elements in a much more consumer-friendly price tag.