Galaxy Z Flip 5G, Maximum Official Subsidy Increased from 480,000 KRW to 600,000 KRW Ahead of Unpack Event

[Asia Economy Reporter Eunmo Koo] The official subsidy for the 'Galaxy Z Flip 5G,' released last year, has increased up to 600,000 KRW, bringing the actual purchase price down to the 600,000 KRW range. As the launch of the next-generation ‘Galaxy Z’ series approaches, the value of existing foldable phone models is beginning to decline significantly.

According to industry sources on the 15th, KT raised the official subsidy for the Galaxy Z Flip 5G from 480,000 KRW to 600,000 KRW as of that day. This is the highest level among the three major mobile carriers, with SK Telecom and LG Uplus currently offering official subsidies of 480,000 KRW and 500,000 KRW respectively for their highest-priced plans.

The retail price of the Galaxy Z Flip 5G is 1,349,700 KRW. If customers subscribe to a plan costing more than 100,000 KRW per month, the official subsidy of 600,000 KRW combined with an additional 90,000 KRW subsidy from the distribution network reduces the actual purchase price to 659,700 KRW.

This increase in the official subsidy is interpreted as Samsung Electronics accelerating the popularization of foldable phones by unveiling the next-generation foldable phone at an unpacked event in early August.

According to the industry, Samsung Electronics plans to introduce the Galaxy Z Fold3 and Galaxy Z Flip3 through an online unpacked event in early August and release them by the end of the same month. Although foreign media reported that Samsung would unveil the products on August 3, the actual unpacked date is likely to be in the latter part of the first week or the second week. Since flagship products are generally released on Fridays during the week, the release date is expected to be August 27.

The successor to the Galaxy Z Flip 5G, the Galaxy Z Flip3, features a front display that is more than twice as large as its predecessor’s, showing simple notifications when the screen is closed. It significantly reduces weight and thickness compared to the previous model to enhance portability, and its price is expected to drop by 20% compared to its predecessor.