Samsung's $2k foldable phone goes on sale following major setback
Mobile Nations senior editor Russell Holly gives his take on Samsung’s Galaxy Fold phone.
Samsung announced their highly-anticipated folding phone is set to hit stores Friday in select countries following a troubled past.
The Galaxy Fold’s original April launch was pushed back after reports that some reviewers’ phones were breaking. In July, the South Korean tech giant said that the problems with the device’s innovative folding screen were resolved.
“During the past several months, Samsung has been refining the Galaxy Fold to ensure it delivers the best possible experience,” the company said in a statement. “Not only we improved the Galaxy Fold’s design and construction, but also took the time to rethink the entire consumer journey.”
In their announcement, the company said the nearly $2,000 phone will launch on Sept. 6 in South Korea followed by select countries including the U.S. and more, adding, "with a 5G-ready option in select countries, consumers will be able to unfold the future on the fastest network speeds available."
“The category-defining Galaxy Fold is a device that defies the barriers of traditional smartphone design. Now, we’re excited to release this pioneering mobile technology, and allow consumers to experience it for themselves."
Journalists who had received the phones said the folding screen started flickering and turning black before fizzling out. Two reviewers mistakenly removed an outer plastic layer from the screen that was supposed to stay on.
Samsung has said the composite polymer screen can be opened and closed 200,000 times, or 100 times a day for five years. The delay was a setback for Samsung and for the broader smartphone market, which had been looking to folding screens as one way to catalyze innovation in the industry.
The Galaxy Fold is slightly longer and narrower than a standard smartphone when folded, but opens up to the size of a small tablet, with the internal screen display bisected by a crease. It also has another screen on the outside so it can be used when closed.
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.