The big picture: Smartphone makers continue to push the boundaries of high-end device pricing in a cat-and-mouse game with consumers to see what they're really willing to pay for the latest and greatest. Just a couple of years ago, a $1,000 flagship smartphone was scoffed at but now, nobody really bats an eye.

Samsung's new Galaxy Z Flip and Galaxy S20 smartphones are the talk of the town in tech today but their price tags have caught some consumers off guard. The new foldable clamshell, while cheaper than its predecessor, still commands nearly $1,400 to get in the door and if you want the top-end S20 Ultra, be prepared to shell out roughly the same amount of cash.

If you fall into the concerned consumer category, perhaps price cuts to last year's flagship may be worth looking into?

Samsung during its Unpacked event on Tuesday announced that the Galaxy S10 family will be sticking around for another product cycle albeit at a lower price. The S10e will now start at $599, the standard S10 will command a minimum of $749 and the bigger S10+ will go down to $849.

The most affordable Galaxy S20 starts at $999.

Masthead credit: Galaxy S10e by Jan Maly