- Samsung will be launching Galaxy Z Fold8 next year in-line with all the previous launches.
- Apart from the usual upgrades, we could see a component downgrade from titanium to regular CFRP backplate due to growing US-China trade war.
- Titanium is much harder to source from Chinese suppliers and thus, Samsung could be considering using CFRP that it had been using on Fold3 till Fold6, only to switch to titanium on Fold7.
Samsung might be considering downgrading the next-gen Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8, launching exactly a year from now. Traditionally, Galaxy Z Fold devices don’t come cheap; the Galaxy Z Fold7, for instance, has a retail price of $2,000. However, reports suggest this measure is credited to counter the difficulty that the South Korean giant is facing sourcing titanium from its Chinese suppliers.
Waiting for Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 next year? Get ready for a ‘downgrade’!
According to The Elec, Samsung is considering changing the backplate on the Galaxy Z Fold8. It uses a titanium backplate on the Fold7 to support its display, and to be honest, it works great. You’ll find the same material on Fold SE; however, the upcoming Fold8 might not carry the same material.
Instead, Samsung could use a carbon fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) backplate on the Fold8. This isn’t some kind of new or brittle component, since it has been in use since Fold3; however, titanium offers much more durability for something as delicate as a foldable display. With the switch from titanium to CFRP, one could assume it’s a bit of a downgrade in terms of materials used, although we could still see upgraded specs once the phone launches next year.
Why is there a sudden change in the material?
You might be wondering why Samsung is reverting to CFRP suddenly after upgrading to a titanium backplate in the Z Fold7, which was launched earlier this month.
Perhaps, it has to do a lot with the Chinese suppliers. You see, Samsung sources high-grade titanium from its suppliers in China. Titanium is harder to source, and with the ongoing clashes between the US and China with regard to trade, it is only fair that Samsung had to switch to CFRP because it is easier to source.
Compared to CFRP, titanium offers better quality; it is stronger than aluminum but a bit difficult material to work with. With all that, it also comes with a slightly higher cost, which is ultimately passed on to the end users, and that’s something that makes the phones expensive. No doubt, even Apple switched to aluminum on-board iPhone 17 after using titanium on iPhone 15 and 16.
Our title on Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 taking a downgrade might seem clickbait, however, it isn’t. We are discussing a crucial component here, although overall, we won’t see any downgrades since Fold8 will surpass what Fold7 brings to the table, at least we hope so. For anything else, let’s take it with a pinch of salt, as we have a year to get the finished product in our hands.
