Samsung has revealed plans to bring more affordable foldable phones to market based on its flagship-priced Galaxy Z Flip and Galaxy Z Fold 2

And with rumors swirling that Apple is preparing to enter the foldable phone space with a possible iPhone Flip or iPhone 13 Flip, Samsung's move to make foldable handsets more accessible could crush Apple's ambitions before it even launches a foldable phone

TM Roh, Samsung's president and head of its mobile communications business, explained that the company sees "momentum building" in foldable devices this year, which is spurring a move to make more affordable foldable phones

"We will expand our portfolio of foldables to make this groundbreaking category more accessible to everyone," Roh said in a new Samsung report

We hope it will translate into foldable phones and potentially other devices, such as tablets under $1,000 with foldable displays

Samsung has mentioned in the past that it intends to launch more FE-branded phones after reviving the label with the Galaxy S20 FE Thus, these "more accessible" foldable phones, like the Galaxy Z Flip FE and Galaxy Z Fold FE, could accompany the standard flagship version at launch

Samsung's move to make a more affordable foldable phone may be concerning news for Apple

There is no shortage of rumors about the so-called "iPhone Flip," which is supposed to be a Galaxy Z Flip-style foldable iPhone

A recently filed patent by Apple details a new version of Ceramic Shield technology, first used in the iPhone 12, that would make the display flexible and tough As such, we can expect it to make an appearance on the iPhone 13 Flip

It is not only patents that suggest the iPhone Flip is on the way Apple has taken delivery of a foldable display from Samsung and leaker Jon Prosser has reportedly seen a prototype of the phone Interestingly, Prosser said it is a dual-screen design, not a foldable one

However, despite reports and evidence that the iPhone Flip exists, it has yet to materialize That is a boon for major rivals like Samsung, which has already made inroads into true foldable phones

Now that Samsung is getting ready to expand its foldable phone product range, a set of foldable phones at different price points could effectively flood the market with a variety of devices that Apple would need to compete

However, if Samsung's foldable phones were to be challenged, Apple would be the likely candidate The Cupertino company has a long-established reputation for taking its time with new gadgets and form factors, then releasing new devices that set the standard for others to follow

The lack of any hints about a release date for the iPhone Flip suggests that Apple may be doing the same thing with its foldable phone However, there is no denying that Samsung could steal a march on its main rival and offer a series of impressive folding phones in 2021

In the meantime, we look forward to the Samsung Galaxy S21 as Samsung seems poised to unveil its next flagship Galaxy phone on January 14