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Samsung's Galaxy Fold is 'ready to hit the market,' exec says


Samsung’s Galaxy Fold is ‘ready to hit the market’ after the firm says it fixed ‘most’ of the beleaguered phone’s display problems

  • At an event, a Samsung Display exec said the Fold is ‘ready to hit the market’
  • The Samsung exec added that ‘most’ of the screen issues have been resolved
  • The $1,980 folding phone was previously delayed due to various display issues

Samsung’s long-awaited Galaxy Fold may finally be ready for primetime. 

The $1,980 folding phone, which was previously delayed due to display issues, is finally ‘ready to hit the market,’ according to the Korea Herald

The Galaxy Fold was originally supposed to launch at the end of April, but several review units stopped working after minimal use, causing Samsung to recall the device. 

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More than one month after it was postponed, Samsung may finally be ready to launch its folding phone. The Korean tech giant expects to announce a launch date in the 'coming weeks'

More than one month after it was postponed, Samsung may finally be ready to launch its folding phone. The Korean tech giant expects to announce a launch date in the ‘coming weeks’ 

WHAT MAY HAVE CAUSED THE GALAXY FOLD TO BREAK? 

  • The device’s ‘alarmingly fragile’ display likely couldn’t withstand the pressure from the hinge as it was opened and closed. 
  • A 7mm gap between where the two display halves meet invites dust, dirt and other damaging particles to get trapped underneath the display. 
  • The device is made with an OLED display, which is extremely delicate compared to traditional LCD screens, and is susceptible to even the slightest of damage.

‘Most of the display problems have been ironed out, and the Galaxy Fold is ready to hit the market,’ Kim Seong-cheol, vice president of Samsung Display, said at an industry event, according to the Herald. 

Seong-cheol stopped short of providing a specific launch date, however. 

Samsung has yet to comment on Seong-cheol’s remarks. Samsung Display is the firm’s display-manufacturing arm and is separate from Samsung Electronics’ mobile division. 

Many have speculated that Samsung will release the Fold in July, ahead of the Galaxy Note 10 launch, but so far the firm has denied these rumors, the Herald noted. 

The last official word on the Galaxy Fold’s fate came last week, when Samsung said it expects to announce a launch date in the ‘coming weeks.’ 

It means that prospective buyers will have to wait until July or possibly even later to get their hands on a Galaxy Fold. 

Previous reports indicated that Samsung would be making changes to the phone’s hinge design so that it would no longer be at risk of trapping dust or debris.

The firm may also extend the protective layer on the device’s screen to fill the entire surface area, instead of leaving room for a small bezel, so that the film no longer curls up or can be removed by users.  

YouTube user Marques Brownlee said he removed the protective film and his device began having issues. He was just one of several other early users who experienced that issue

YouTube user Marques Brownlee said he removed the protective film and his device began having issues. He was just one of several other early users who experienced that issue

‘We will take measures to strengthen the display protection,’ a Samsung spokesperson told CNET

‘We will also enhance the guidance on care and use fo the display including the protective layer so that our customers get the most out of their Galaxy Fold.’

The Galaxy Fold was supposed to ship on April 26th, but Samsung was forced to cancel the launch after several review units broke after just one or two days of testing. 

Users said the display began to flicker and turn black before becoming completely unusable.  

The issues are believed to stem from the hinge causing too much pressure on the screen.   

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE GALAXY FOLD? 

Samsung debuted the $2,000 Galaxy Fold to great fanfare in February.  

But journalists who received review units ahead of the Fold launch in late April reported experiencing issues with the interior screen.  

After just one or two days of use, users said the display began to flicker and turn black before becoming completely unusable. 

Last week, journalists who received review units ahead of the Fold launch reported experiencing issues with the interior screen

The display would flicker and go completely black at times, rendering the device useless

Last week, journalists who received review units ahead of the Fold launch reported experiencing issues with the interior screen. The display would flicker and go black

The issues are believed to stem from the hinge causing too much pressure on the screen. 

Some said they had removed a protective layer on the screen that was supposed to stay on.

Meanwhile, others said they didn’t remove the protective film, but the device still stopped working.         

YouTube user Marques Brownlee said he removed the protective film and his device began having issues

YouTube user Marques Brownlee said he removed the protective film and his device began having issues

A warning on the Galaxy Fold packaging instructs users not to remove the protective layer, according to a photo posted by T-Mobile Senior Product Manager Desmond Smith. 

‘The main screen includes a special protective layer,’ it reads. ‘Peeling off the protective layer or using any adhesives on the main screen, such as screen protectors or stickers, may cause damage.’

Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman said his Galaxy Fold started operating abnormally after he removed the film and eventually became unusable.  

Additionally, YouTube user Marques Brownlee said he removed the protective film and his device began having issues.   

But Dieter Bohn, executive editor of technology news site The Verge, says he left that layer on and his screen still broke.  

The issues raise questions about whether or not the Galaxy Fold can withstand normal use.    



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