One of the most exciting things about the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 is that it might be the most affordable foldable phone yet, but it's still sure to come with a hefty price tag, which future Samsung foldables might no hold.
In fact, according to The Elec (opens in a new tab), a South Korean tech industry news site, Samsung is testing a new lamination process to bond the OLED module to the protective glass of its foldable phones, and this process is supposed to be ten times cheaper.
This involves the use of a clear adhesive liquid rather than clear tape, and the process is said to be quicker and cheaper.
It's unclear exactly how much money this switch to Samsung could save in total, let alone whether those savings would trickle down to consumers, but it's certainly possible it could lead to cheaper foldable phones.
That's not the only benefit either, as this process also allows for slimmer screens with no top or bottom bezels. The bezels of high-end smartphones, including foldable phones, are already small, but they still exist, so it seems that their days could be numbered.
Analysis: when will folding be cheaper?
While the technology looks promising, the report says it's about to be tested in a factory in Vietnam, so it sounds like Samsung has yet to commit to using it in phones. As such, we may be waiting a bit for this change, if it happens at all.
We may be able to see it used in time for the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Galaxy Z Fold 5 in 2023, but we're not counting on that.
Either way, we may not see truly affordable foldable phones until at least 2024, as another recent leak suggested that's the soonest we'll see foldable equivalents to Samsung's mid-range Galaxy A lineup.
In the meantime, if you love Samsung but can't stretch yourself with a flip phone, it's worth taking a look at the best Samsung phones, as there are plenty of more affordable options out there.
Via Phone Arena (Opens in a new tab)