According to a new report from The Elec, Samsung is preparing to make a shift in what powers its next generation of foldables. Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3 are expected to utilize battery tech from ATL, a method of cutting down costs on the new foldables.
China’s Amperex Technology Limited, ATL, is a regular partner of Samsung, in recent years providing batteries for smartwatches, the Galaxy S21 series, and other devices. That famously included the Galaxy Note 7, but standards have changed in the time since.
What’s notable here is that Samsung is switching course from all of its previous foldables. The Galaxy Fold, Z Flip, Z Fold 2, and Z Flip 5G all used Samsung SDI batteries. On a related note, Samsung has been expected to drop Fold 3 battery capacity slightly as well.
The reason Samsung is switching its battery tech in the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Flip 3 is to drive down the price of the two foldable smartphones. That’s an effort Samsung has been making over the past year as it cut the price of Galaxy Z Flip 5G to $1,199 and Galaxy Z Fold 3 to $1,799. Notably, though, this probably won’t make a massive impact on the price of either smartphone. The cost savings of each battery is estimated at around $10-$15, meaning at most we’re looking at $30 off of Samsung’s bottom line.
Other rumors regarding Samsung’s next foldables include multiple colorways, slightly revamped designs, S Pen support and an under-display camera on the Fold, and more. You can catch up on more below.
More on Samsung:
- Sketchy leak shows off possible Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3 w/ Pixel 2-inspired design
- Samsung’s next foldables will reportedly carry water resistance worthy of an IP rating
- Galaxy Z Fold 3 apparently won’t include a storage silo for its S Pen, like the S21 Ultra
Author: Ben Schoon
Source: 9TO5Google
