While there is much to like about the best folding phones, everyone can agree that they are always too expensive. One would hope that as technology advances and competition increases, prices will come down or cheaper models with inferior specs will be released. According to Samsung, the Galaxy Z Fold series will not go that way anytime soon.

This was confirmed after the release of the new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition, a larger foldable that will only be available in Korea and with a much higher price tag than the Galaxy Z Fold 6. A Samsung official (via SamMobile) said, “It's not a premium product, but rather a product released to expand the options. You can choose according to your preference. At the moment, we have no plans to release another product at a lower price.”

Rumors leading up to the announcement of the Z Fold SE were... Messy to say the least. Early rumors suggested that Samsung could announce the Galaxy Z Fold 6 FE at the end of this year.

In fact, some of these rumors suggested that this hypothetical Fan Edition could be priced around $800. This would not only be $1,000 less than the Galaxy Z Fold 6, but also less expensive than the Galaxy Z Flip 6. In mid-May, Samsung reportedly canceled plans for such a device.

When rumors of a third Galaxy Z Fold device appeared online, they focused on the “Ultra” model, which eventually became the special edition Samsung had just announced. And as I pointed out earlier this year, the name “Ultra” would not have been appropriate because of the alleged (and deserved) lack of S Pen support.

Even though the Z Fold SE has some impressive upgrades, including a 200MP main camera, the first on a Samsung foldable, it sounds like Samsung is trying to push the same narrative with this statement. It also means that the company has no intention of lowering the price anytime soon, which is very disappointing.

There have been several rumors recently that a lower-priced version of the Galaxy Z Flip 7 might appear next year. However, at least one leaker has refuted that claim, suggesting it may be an “enhanced” flippable, possibly a special model like the Z Fold SE. If Samsung is to be believed, it is clear that the initial reports were wrong.

Here's hoping that other foldable phone makers will contribute to future price drops. There is already the Motorola Razr 2024 for $699 and the OnePlus Open is $200 cheaper than the Galaxy Z Fold 6. Sadly, I don't see a big price increase anytime soon.