With the July 2025 Galaxy Unpacked event looming on the schedule, we could find out very soon if Samsung can finally deliver a cheaper foldable.
The next Galaxy Unpacked event takes place July 9 in New York, and it's almost certain that the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7 will share the spotlight at the event.
But there have been rumblings those two flagship foldables could be joined by a third model — the lower cost version of the Flip that most people are referring to as the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE.
Much like the FE model that Samsung offers for its Galaxy S phones, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE would scale back on some of the features found on the regular Flip. By doing so, Samsung could offer the FE model for less, giving shoppers a low-cost alternative to stave off stepped-up competition from rival phone makers who can undercut Samsung's foldables on price.
A number of leakers certainly seem to think a Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE is on the agenda for Samsung. Roland Quandt has posted about some of the phone's rumored specs on WinFuture.de, while prominent leaker Evan Blass has even offered up official-looking renders of the phone that appeared at PhoneArena.
How likely is it that a Galaxy Z Flip FE joins Samsung's other phones at Unpacked? We'll address that question after reviewing potential specs for the foldable phone and just why Samsung would be motivated to produce a lower-cost device.
Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE: What to expect
Samsung has long spoken about how it wants foldable phones to become more mainstream, and an easy way to do that would be to lower the price.
The Galaxy Z Fold 6 currently starts at $1,899, making it one of the most expensive phones you can buy. The Galaxy Z Flip 6 comes in at a more reasonable $1,099, but that's still very lofty when compared to other devices, even premium ones like the Galaxy S25 Plus and iPhone 16 Pro.
Enter the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE, which would scale back some of the standard Z Flip's specs to offer a lower starting price. The most likely candidate for a downgrade would be the phone's chipset, with Samsung rumored to be turning to either Exynos or MediaTek silicon instead of the Snapdragon 8 chips that have powered recent flagship foldables.
If Samsung does turn to one of its own Exynos chips for the Galaxy Z Flip FE, it may not even be the current Exynos 2500 system-on-chip that may appear in some Galaxy Z Flip 7 models. Instead, Samsung is expected to turn to an older Exynos chip as a cost-cutting move.
The Galaxy S24 FE also scales back the camera specs offered by the Galaxy S24, so the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE could do likewise. That said, most rumors suggest the Galaxy Z Flip 6's camera setup featuring a 50MP main camera and a 12MP ultrawide lens will find its way to the FE.
A more likely difference could be the screen sizes offered by Samsung's different Flip phones. While the Galaxy Z Flip 7 is expected to feature larger interior and cover displays than its predecessor — 6.85 inches and 4 inches, respectively — the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE could stick with the Z Flip 6's screen specs. That would mean a 6.7-inch main panel and a 3.4-inch outer display.
For his part, Roland Quandt has the Galaxy Z Flip FE coming with 8GB of memory and base storage of 128GB. The entry-level Galaxy Z Flip 6 features 12GB and 256GB, respectively.
Why Samsung needs a cheaper foldable
So why go through the trouble of scaling back some of the features on the well-regarded Galaxy Z Flip? Because Samsung's no longer the only game in town when it comes to the best foldable phones.
Motorola has made a foldable flip phone of its own for years, and while early versions of the Motorola Razr were nothing to write home about, more recent models have surpassed Samsung's Flip. We currently rate the Motorola Razr Ultra (2025) as the best flip-style phone you can buy pending the release of the Galaxy Z Flip 7.
But the $1,299 Ultra isn't your only foldable phone with Motorola. There are two other models — the $999 Motorola Razr Plus and $699 Motorola Razr — that both cost less than what Samsung is expected to charge for the Galaxy Z Flip 7. And the specs of those Motorola devices are pretty formidable.
The Plus runs on a Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 — not the most powerful chipset out there, but still a pretty recent piece of silicon. It offers a 4-inch cover display and a dedicated telephoto camera — two features you won't find on the more expensive Galaxy Z Flip 6.
And while the standard Motorola Razr does make some significant compromises to get its cost down to $699, that's a remarkably low price for a phone with a foldable display that slips easily into your pocket.
In other words, Motorola gives you options. People who want a premium device can pay up for the Ultra, while the $999 Razr Plus matches up surprisingly well against the Galaxy Z Flip 6.
And if cost is important to you, the standard Razr lets you enjoy a foldable phone at a significant discount. That's a broad array of foldable options that Samsung likely feels it needs to address.
Is a Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE coming to Unpacked?
Samsung's track record with its other FE phone offers a potential clue. The Galaxy S24 FE arrived last October, around nine months after the rest of the Galaxy S24 lineup went on sale.
That's pretty typical of past FE versions of Galaxy S phones, as they tend to show up several months after their more expensive counterparts so as not to eat into sales.
That would seem to suggest that Samsung might be inclined to let the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7 enjoy their moment in the sun at Unpacked on July 9, and then launch an FE version of the Flip a few months from now. Twist my arm, and I would guess that would be Samsung's strategy.
Still, rumors and renders don't generally spring up from a vacuum. The fact that there's this much chatter about an FE model — particularly from people with pretty strong reputations regarding unannounced Samsung products — suggests we could be in for a surprise at the next Unpacked.
With less than two weeks to go before Samsung executives take the stage in New York, we won't have to wait long to find out just how many foldable devices the company plans to launch this summer and whether Samsung's foldables are about to get a more affordable option.
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