The biggest US carriers are skipping out on the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE
TL;DR
- The Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE is official, but none of the three major US carriers are currently offering it directly.
- Customers on Verizon, AT&T, or T-Mobile will need to buy the Z Flip FE unlocked or finance it through Samsung or a retailer.
- Boost Mobile and Xfinity Mobile are offering the Z Flip FE for free as part of a promo for their postpaid plans, though more carriers could eventually follow.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Flip 7 are now official, and this year also brings a new family member: the Z Flip 7 FE. The new model is essentially a more affordable version of the Z Flip, priced $200 less than the regular Z Flip. Unfortunately for those in the US, getting this budget model might be a little trickier.
While Samsung and third-party retailers will offer the unlocked Galaxy Z Flip FE, those who buy phones directly from their carrier will find limited options. As first spotted by SamMobile, all three major US carriers appear to be skipping out on the Z Flip FE. From Best Buy to Samsung, retailers are only offering the unlocked version of the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE, despite offering carrier-specific options for the Fold 7 and Flip 7. Likewise, none of the big three carriers have any information about the Flip 7 FE on their official website.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE
Cheapest Galaxy foldable to date • 50MP primary camera
Budget-friendly Galaxy Z Flip
With as few compromises as possible to bring the price down, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE rocks a 6.7-inch main display, a 3.4-inch front display, and an Exynos chipset.
So what exactly does this mean? At least for now, if you’re a Verizon, AT&T, or T-Mobile customer, your only option is to buy the Z Flip FE outright for $899 or to finance it through Samsung or another retailer.
Of course, that doesn’t mean no US carrier will offer the Z Flip FE. So far, both Boost Mobile and Xfinity Mobile are confirmed to be offering the handset for free with their postpaid plans as part of a new promo. While there’s no official word from any prepaid carriers yet, it’s possible that some of the better prepaid providers may eventually offer the phone at a discounted rate as well.
As for why the Z Flip 7 FE isn’t being offered directly by the big carriers? Although no official reason has been given, it’s not uncommon for major carriers to skip certain phone variants if they feel the devices are too similar to existing options, too niche, or unlikely to sell well. That’s very possibly the case here, but it’s also possible that the carriers don’t want to take attention away from the flagship models during the pre-order window and may have an interest in offering it sometime after its official launch on July 25.
For now, I wouldn’t say that it’s 100% set in stone that no major US carrier will ever offer the Z Flip 7 FE, but so far it’s looking more likely.
