The Galaxy Fold is the first foldable phone by Samsung. It’s going to be released in the coming weeks. However, many reviewers that received the phone stated that their foldable screens have broken after a day or two of normal use. So how exactly is this extremely high-end phone priced at $1,980 breaking?
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One confirmed reason is the removal of a protective plastic layer on the screens. These look like a typical screen protector that you’d put on a phone screen. But as Marques “MKBHD” Brownlee and Mark Gurman from Bloomberg learned, this was a lot more than a simple screen protector. By design, it’s not intended for this protective layer to be removed from the screen.
Another possible reason might be faulty hinges that allow the screen to fold. Dieter Bohn from The Verge also reported that the Galaxy Fold they received for a review had broken. The speculated cause for this has been a piece of debris coming between the screen and the hinge.
In response, Samsung has stated it will inspect the units to determine why the screens broke. The company also admitted the issue regarding the removal of the protective layer. “Removing the protective layer or adding adhesives to the main display may cause damage. We will ensure this information is clearly delivered to our customers,” said Samsung in its statement.
Granted, this isn’t the worst disaster Samsung has dealt with regarding its phones. That honor still belongs to the explosive batteries on the Note 7. Despite this, the reports have hurt Samsung’s stock with shares finishing 3% lower according to CNN. Nonetheless, analysts expect the company to bounce back from this.
One reason is that Samsung is a large conglomerate. It produces everything from TV’s to smart home gadgets to military equipment. As such, it has room for risk and failures. Secondly, with the foldable screen being on a separate device instead of its flagship, The Galaxy Fold is considered a low-risk form of innovation.
With the current nature of the smartphone market, no manufacturer can afford to not innovate. Despite their high price, foldable phones are one of the hottest trends. Yet, this is also a new piece of technology. As such, one could argue that it’s only normal that there’s a risk of failure.
Yet, one could further argue that Samsung needs to do more. The company stated that the Galaxy Fold could withstand 200,000 folds. Yet, as we’ve seen this isn’t entirely true in the real world. Following its debacle with the Note 7, the company should’ve implemented more stringent measures to test its devices in the real world before making bold claims.
Furthermore, the company also stated that its pre-orders for the Galaxy Fold have sold out. It’s a positive step to do more to communicate the importance of not removing the protective layer on the screens. But as with all new devices, you’re probably better off waiting 3 or 4 months, until the kinks are sorted out before spending your money on them. Yet, Samsung has also stated its pre-orders of the Galaxy Fold have sold out in the US.
