Samsung upcoming foldable phones may launch at cheaper prices

Samsung is reportedly considering contracting Amperex Technology Limited (ATL) for batteries that will power the company’s upcoming foldable phones.

Samsung’s high-end foldable phones may become cheaper soon. According to The Elec, Samsung is planning to reduce the prices of future foldable phones and it will do that by replacing the existing batteries with new ATL batteries. Samsung stopped using ATL batteries after the debacle that involved multiple Galaxy Note 7 units catching fire, but later resumed taking the supply for cheaper Galaxy M and Galaxy A series phones.

The report said that Samsung is considering contracting Amperex Technology Limited (ATL) for batteries that will power the company’s upcoming foldable phones. By using ATL batteries, Samsung is likely to bring down the cost of these phones, since batteries make for about 5 per cent of the total manufacturing costs of a smartphone.

The decision to go for ATL batteries again is reportedly pending with Samsung’s MX business, which is the name of the company’s mobile business. Once approved, it will be the first time Samsung will be using ATL batteries on the Galaxy Z series of foldable phones.

Currently, Samsung uses Samsung SDI batteries in Galaxy Z Fold and Galaxy Z Flip phones and they have received a mixed response from users. Several users have complained that the battery life of Samsung’s foldable phones is bad, so maybe the decision to switch to ATL batteries will lead to lower prices but also better battery life on the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold and Galaxy Z Flip phones.

ATL lost Samsung as its customer back in 2017 after reports of Galaxy Note 7 units catching fire began pouring in. Samsung blamed ATL’s faulty batteries and ended its contract. But now most Galaxy M and Galaxy A series phones use ATL’s batteries and they have so far turned out fine — or rather have been in a far better state than that of the ill-fated Galaxy Note 7. This could be a major factor why Samsung is considering using ATL batteries on its foldable phones.

While the specifics are not clear, ATL will likely provide Samsung with the conventional Lithium-ion batteries. This is a non-bendable battery, so instead of one, the foldable phones end up using two different batteries on either side of the hinge to provide for the power requirements of the foldable phone. But there is already a solution to this problem. Researchers from ETH Zurich in Switzerland have developed the world’s first foldable lithium-ion battery. These batteries can be stretched, folded, bent, and twisted — just like electrical tape. However, this technology is in a nascent stage and it may take years for it to be commercially mass-produced.