Samsung’s cheaper Galaxy Z Fold 6 likely to lose S Pen support in cost-cutting

Ben Schoon | Feb 1 2024 - 7:39 am PT

We’ve heard a fair bit about Samsung’s upcoming, more affordable version of the Galaxy Z Fold 6, and now a new report is telling us one of the differences to expect: no S Pen support.

Reports over the past couple of weeks have helped dial in that, later this year, Samsung intends to release a second version of the Galaxy Z Fold 6 that’s apparently more affordable, described as “entry-level.” There’s no word on what price point Samsung is targeting, but we’re now getting a sense as to what might make up the difference between the two models.

According to ETNews, Samsung plans to remove S Pen support from this more affordable Galaxy Z Fold 6. This wouldn’t simply be a software block, as the S Pen requires a special type of digitizer. So Samsung saves on actual hardware costs by removing this functionality.

The report goes on to mention that Samsung is “expected” to also make changes in “other parts and performance.” Presumably, some other cost-cutting measures could include using a less powerful chipset, offering less storage or memory, as well as utilizing cheaper camera hardware.

This cheaper version of the Galaxy Z Fold 6 is expected to arrive alongside the flagship model later this year.