Galaxy Fold: Samsung's foldable phone will launch in September – CNET

Sixty-nine days after it was supposed to go on sale, Samsung announced a new release window for the Galaxy Fold, its first-ever foldable phone. Or rather, a release month: September. And only in select countries, as initially planned. Samsung said it would share specific sale dates as the month nears, likely in August. With this announcement, the world’s largest phone-maker has at long last broken its silence about the $1,980 device, which has been delayed since April 22 after reviewers reported screen breakages, flickering and bulging.

Although the Galaxy Fold pre-orders sold out on the first day, the phone never officially went on sale, and no preorder money was collected. CNET’s review unit didn’t break, though it did experience minor damage to the screen.

In addition to a new launch window, Samsung also said it fixed the problems that caused some reviewers’ phones to break in the first place. The fixes include:

• A protective top layer that extends beyond the bezel, “making it apparent that it is an integral part of the display structure”, not a dust guard you’d want to remove.
• “Reinforcements” to keep debris from working its way underneath the screen.
• New “protection caps” to strengthen the top and bottom of the hinge area, which had revealed natural gaps where particles could get in.
• Metal reinforcements beneath the screen (the Infinity Flex Display), presumable to make the plastic screen stiffer.
• Reducing the air gap between the Fold’s body and hinge.

“All of us at Samsung appreciate the support and patience we’ve received from Galaxy fans all over the world,” Samsung said in its statement. Samsung has also worked on improving apps, the company said in its statement.

A new sales date acknowledges that Samsung still has faith in the foldable phone future, even if some of its critics waver. We haven’t seen the new phone — either a mock-up or in person, but we’re curious about how the changes affect the handset’s look.

Along with 5G, the next-generation network technology, foldable phone designs are potentially the most significant change to the phone industry in a decade. At a time when sales are staling for heavyweights like Apple and Samsung, a phone that folds in half offers a radical new look. It also opens up new ways to use a device that has the screen size of a tablet in a package about the size of a large smartphone.

The delay has caused concern over the ability of foldable phones to make good on their design promise, especially at such exorbitant prices. Huawei’s foldable phone, the Mate X, costs about $2,600 (2,300 euros). Samsung’s very public problems have also cast doubt over rival phone-makers’ eagerness to release their own foldable phones. 

What happened to the Galaxy Fold?

The Galaxy Fold bends in the middle with the aid of a plastic screen, since bendable glass screens aren’t yet available. Unlike glass, the material is relatively soft. Samsung reinforced it with a plastic adhesive, which stopped short of the edges, caused some reviewers to peel it off like you could a protective film you find on some phones.

The screens on those review units immediately stopped working. Other reviewers found that debris or dust had gotten beneath the display through an air gap between the phone’s screen and hinge. Another experienced one side of the screen that flickered, rendering the Galaxy Fold unusable.

Though few and far between, Samsung is no stranger to disastrous product launches. In 2016, it recalled the Galaxy Note 7 twice in response to evidence that the battery could overheat to the point of catching fire. 

During our time with a pre-production unit, we praised the Galaxy Fold for its unique design and long-lasting battery. It has a 4.6-inch display that served as its “cover,” with all the usual features you’d expect on a phone. But you could open it up like a book to a 7.3-inch tablet. The Fold also had six cameras, which included the same triple-camera setup as the Galaxy S10, and it cost $1,980 (about £1,500 or AU$2,800). 

Before Samsung first announced it was going to delay shipping out the Galaxy Fold, the company also said it was developing two more foldable phones, according to Bloomberg. With all the hurdles it had to overcome with the Fold, however, Samsung’s foldable phone ambitions hang in the air.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates soon.