Samsung has yet to put a price cap on its high-end foldable phones, preventing the company from reaching as many markets as it can with its regular-shaped smartphones. Although the South Korean giant wants to use high-end materials in its latest devices, changes in the global economic situation may mean that it cannot offer these smartphones at competitive prices.
A report suggests that Samsung is already considering removing the titanium backplate from the Galaxy Z Fold 8 - which was an add-on feature on the Galaxy Z Fold 7 to enhance durability - as it could reduce some costs in the next generation of high-end foldable phones due out in 2026.
If Samsung were to switch from a titanium backplate to a carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) backplate, it would be considered a configuration downgrade, but The Elec reports that there is an issue with the part because titanium is currently harder to come by compared to CFRP. Unsurprisingly, the U.S.-China trade war has hampered supply chains for companies like Samsung, causing the company to have trouble sourcing the titanium metal used to make the component.
Switching to a CFRP back panel for the Galaxy Z Fold 8 will reduce its durability, but the benefit is that Samsung can reduce the cost of the device, thereby reducing the overall cost of mass-producing a single foldable flagship product. According to Sammobile, the CFRP backplate was introduced when the Galaxy Z Fold 3 was released, and the Galaxy Z Fold 6 also retains this part, so this is not a major compromise.
Again, it’s worth noting that The Elec’s forecasts for a number of products have been biased in the past, so readers should treat this report with caution and wait for subsequent updates.