Samsung has officially unveiled the Galaxy Fold, the company's first foldable smartphone. The device features a groundbreaking hinge system with multiple interlocking gears—you can't even see it from the outside—that lays perfectly flat when opened.
Is the Galaxy Fold the future of smartphones?
Samsung Galaxy Fold Hands on Impressions – a 'foldable' tablet in your pocket!
The latest Galaxy Fold news
April 24, 2019 – The Galaxy Fold could relaunch on June 13
After the release was delayed indefinitely, AT&T has begun issuing messages to customers suggesting that Galaxy Fold pre-orders, which had originally been slated to arrive this week, could now arrive on June 13.
Samsung itself hasn't confirmed the release date yet, but federal regulations require AT&T to inform customers and receive acceptance of the new shipping date. Samsung said it'll issue updated information about the release in two weeks, so we'll see whether the company confirms June 13th, or if the date is merely a placeholder on AT&T's systems.
April 22, 2019 - Galaxy Fold launch delayed amid issues with the display
Samsung is delaying the release of its Galaxy Fold smartphone amid reports of issues with the display. According to the Wall Street Journal, Samsung won't release the Fold "at least until next month."
The report follows the new that Samsung has already delayed the launch in China. With the U.S. in the mix, this Galaxy Fold fiasco is turning out to be a real mess.
Two outlets, CNBC and The Verge, reported their Galaxy Fold review units broke within a few days of testing the device. That was coupled with a number of reports of reviewers peeling a protective layer off the display that permanently damaged it. All of this convinced Samsung to go back to the drawing board deal with the fallout of these issues and investigate if these are standalone devices or something more serious that could affect more devices.
The Galaxy Fold release has reportedly been delayed
That being said, we should commend Samsung for taking the initial hit and making sure everything is good with the phone. Sure, it is disappointing to see the device being delayed, but at least it'll avoid a more catastrophic path like the one it ran into with the Galaxy Note 7 that resulted in a recall and cancellation of the device.
This might also nudge other makers of foldable devices like Huawei to ensure their devices are up to par at launch or risk running into similar issues.
April 19, 2019 - Galaxy Fold teardown shows off its complicated internal design
Now that the Galaxy Fold is getting into people's hands, we are seeing close-ups of how Samsung's new and impressive phones works, including a complete teardown that shows us the internals of the device. Photos of the teardown were posted on the Chinese site Weibo. Needless to say, the phone is an engineering feat with many moving parts. The hinge, in particular, consists of five parts that ensure the phone can open and close in satisfactory manner up to 200,000 times during its lifespan.
We also get a look at the phone's battery, or we should say batteries. Samsung split the battery half to fit in the two main compartments of the phone since batteries don't bend.
It's impressive to see what lengths Samsung went to create its new smartphone. On the other side, the complicated nature of the device has already led to some quality issues with multiple review units breaking within a matter of days. Samsung is investigating the matter, but seeing the inside of the device, it's easy to see how the phone could fail with such complicated design.
April 17, 2019 – Samsung responds to Galaxy Fold display issues
As detailed by Andrew Martonik over at Android Central, there's two reasons Galaxy Fold displays are breaking. One is fixable, the other is most firmly not. However, Samsung has provided a statement to Mark Gurman of Bloomberg, which reads:
A limited number of early Galaxy Fold samples were provided to media for review. We have received a few reports regarding the main display on the samples provided. We will thoroughly inspect these units in person to determine the cause of the matter. Separately, a few reviewers reported having removed the top layer of the display causing damage to the screen. The main display on the Galaxy Fold features a top protective layer, which is part of the display structure designed to protect the screen from unintended scratches. 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.
Ultimately, this explains a lot and it's worth remembering that a $2,000 first generation phone is still that: a first generation device. There's bound to be issues, although the overall concept of a protective layer on a folding display, that is key to the display's integrity yet is easy to remove, doesn't inspire us with confidence for the future of foldable devices.
April 17, 2019 – T-Mobile says not to remove the Galaxy Fold's 'protective layer'
Following several reports of broken Galaxy Fold displays (see below), Des from T-Mobile took to Twitter to show the warning on a retail unit of Samsung's foldable phone.
The photo appears to show that there is a warning on the cellophane wrapper the phone comes in. It reads:
ATTENTION
The main screen includes a special protective layer. Peeling off the protective layer using any adhesives on the main screen, such as screen protectors or stickers, may cause damage.
Unfortunately, that's not likely to be enough. Most users will remove that wrapper without a glance at the warning, and something of this magnitude needs to be more clearly communicated. The warning did not appear on review units – including the one received by our friends at Android Centra, but Des' tweet suggests it is present on retail devices.
April 17, 2019 - Galaxy Fold review units have begun breaking after only a few days of use
The Samsung Galaxy Fold maybe the phone of the future, but it is not very durable. Multiple users who received review units have reported that their units have already broken after only a couple of days of use.
CNBC and The Verge have reported their units unexpectedly broke or have had issues. Each has confirmed it happened as they opened or closed the device, which concerning because that's a task the phone will perform thousands of times during its lifespan.
https://twitter.com/stevekovach/status/1118571414934753280Beyond them, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and tech YouTuber Marques Brownlee also had issues with the display, but it appears their issues stem from removing the protective layer on the display. It seems they are at fault for the issues on their review units. Even so, Samsung may run into this issue if regular customers who buy a Galaxy Fold think the protective layer is just a regular screen protector.
Here's what the The Verge stated of their issues:
Whatever happened, it certainly wasn't because I have treated this phone badly. I've done normal phone stuff, like opening and closing the hinge and putting it in my pocket.
Having a phone with moving parts is always a risk because that increases the chance of failure. It appears that this is happening to the Galaxy Fold. Currently, the number of devices suffering issues is quite low, so it isn't a widespread issue affecting all Samsung Galaxy Fold units. So far, Android Central has not encountered any issues with its review unit.
If you happened to pre-order a Galaxy Fold, do not remove the protective layer of the Galaxy Fold display. This may lead to irreparable damage.
Samsung has not yet commented on the reports. As soon as it does, we will update the post.
April 17, 2019 - Samsung says the Galaxy Fold is already sold out
If you hoped to preorder the Samsung Galaxy Fold ahead of its launch, I have some bad news. According to Samsung, the device is currently sold out, due to overwhelming demand.
In an email sent to customers who were placed on a waitlist, the foldable device is out of stock only a few days after preorders were made available. Preordering the device was your only hope of securing the device on launch day.
If you failed to preorder the Galaxy Fold but signed up for the opportunity to do so, you're still on the list. Unfortunately, you're going to have to wait until stock is replenished, and Samsung doesn't say when that will be.
The good news is you can still preorder the Galaxy Fold through AT&T, although shipping estimates have been pushed back to June 3. That's going to make the wait all the more excruciating, considering how great Samsung's new foldable device is.
April 15, 2019 – Galaxy Fold now available to pre-order through AT&T and Samsung
Want to buy the new Galaxy Fold through your carrier, or on a monthly plan? If AT&T is your carrier of choice, you can now pre-order one, for the princely sum of $66 per month on AT&T Next with a 30 month contract.
Unless you're dead set on buying through your carrier, you might also want to consider Samsung's online store which lets you buy it for $82.50 per month on a 24 month contract, or for $1980 outright. Interestingly, the Samsung store has a few exclusive color options like Blue and Green which are only available on an AT&T device.
April 11, 2019 - Galaxy Fold takes two major steps towards becoming readily available
The Samsung Galaxy Fold is on the cusp of being readily available to purchase by customers. Today, T-Mobile announced that the next-gen Samsung folding phone will be available to purchase online beginning April 25 and in select T-Mobile stores April 26.
But if you want to preorder the phone already, you can do so through Samsung's site beginning April 12. While announcing the Galaxy Fold availability, Samsung also revealed Galaxy S10 preorders will open some time in May.
T-Mobile is the first carrier to confirm support for the Galaxy Fold with more to follow. T-Mobile says the it will be come with a carbon fiber case and the impressive Galaxy Buds bundled in. That should make up for the enormous price tag of $1,980, which will prove to be its main hurdle in breaking out with customers.
This news is reaffirmed by another report from ZDNet that confirms Samsung Display has ramped up mass production of the foldable OLED panels for the Galaxy Fold that expand up to 7.3-inches.
Samsung originally set April 26 as the date for the device's release and it looks like it'll meet that deadline. More importantly, it'll be competitors like the Huawei Mate X, another foldable phone, to market.
The standard version will be available in the U.S. but South Korea is getting the 5G version in May. It's unclear if the U.S. will get that variant sooner or later.
March 27 - Samsung video shows off Galaxy Fold undergoing strenuous stress test
Following the Galaxy Fold's announcement, one of the biggest questions was how the device's folding mechanism would hold up over extended periods. Well, Samsung's latest video should allay any fears that the device's hinge will wear after repeated use.
The video shows the Galaxy Fold being tested by a series of stress test machines, which folds the device over and over and over. So far, everything seems to check out in terms of durability, but we have to remember that these tests are occurring in a controlled environment.
Seeing the Galaxy Fold being tested in a lab is one thing. Seeing the Galaxy Fold being used out in the real world is another. There's no telling how well the hinge will hold up after several months of regular usage.
Either way, Samsung claims the Galaxy Fold is durable enough to "outlast 200,000 folds and unfolds," which should more than cover the lifetime of the device.
March 25, 2019 - Galaxy Fold coming to the UK, pre-orders go live April 26
Samsung on Monday announced it has teamed up with EE to bring the Galaxy Fold to the UK this spring. Pre-orders for the much anticipated foldable device will go live on April 26 ahead of its retail launch on May 3.
Samsung's new foldable device promises to introduce users to an entirely new category of smartphone, with a groundbreaking design that can be folded in half. The Galaxy Fold features a breakthrough hinging mechanism, making the device tough and flexible.
Samsung UK and Ireland Vice President, Conor Pierce, voiced his excitement about offering the Galaxy Fold in partnership with EE:
With the Galaxy Fold, we didn't just change the shape of the phone. We pushed the boundaries of innovation to change the shape of tomorrow. We are so proud to have defied convention to pioneer a new category of smartphone, one that adapts effortlessly to today's demands for multi-functional handheld devices. We're a decade on from when we launched the first S Series phone; the aspirational design of the new Galaxy Fold will help define the next ten.
Users can pick up the Galaxy Fold for £1799.
February 24, 2019—Samsung Galaxy Fold showcased in lengthy video
Update: The video has been removed.
Samsung has released a captivating video that showcases the Galaxy Fold in the real world. If you had any doubts that the Galaxy Fold was just a concept and not something Samsung could execute, this video will put any fears to rest.
There's no commentary attached to the video. Instead, Samsung allows the Galaxy Fold's striking design do the talking. Compared to traditional candybar phones currently on the market, the Galaxy Fold truly is unlike anything else out there.
It's so mesmerizing to watch as the phone is unfolded. It all works so seamlessly—at least in the video. You can check it out above.
February 20—Samsung Galaxy Fold launches April 26 for $1,980
When the Galaxy Fold is closed, it features a modest 4.6-inch display (840 x 1960). Open the device up to unveil a 7.3-inch (1536 x 2152) Infinity Flex display—the device is half smartphone and half tablet. This is a new era of the "phablet," and it looks fabulous.
"In order to make a brand new type of smartphone, we had to come up with all new ways to design and manufacture," said Justin Denison, SVP of product marketing, Samsung.
All the big details
Samsung Galaxy Fold has two displays
Why be content with one display when you can enjoy two? The Galaxy Fold takes the concept of "phablets" to a new level, offering one display on the outside and another when you unfold the Galaxy Fold like a book.
When closed, the Galaxy Fold offers a 4.6-inch with a 21:9 aspect ratio. Meanwhile, the phone's main display is 7.3 inches with a 4.2:3 aspect ratio.
While the Galaxy Fold offers a large 7.3-inch display when open, it's worth noting that there's a rather large notch in the top right corner, which might be a problem when watching video.
The good news is that Samsung said it worked with companies to optimize apps for the device, including Office apps. Samsung also said that Galaxy Fold owners will get access to YouTube Premium for free, which is a nice little offer.
The beauty of App Continuity
The device supports a feature called "App Continuity," which will allow users to use an app on the front display and continue where they left off when the Fold is opened. In the demoes Samsung shored on stage, the experience look seamless and quick.
On the inside, the device features a state-of-the-art 7nm processor and 12GB of RAM, ensuring optimal performance. The device also sports 512GB of storage, so you'll never run out of space. Meanwhile, the Galaxy Fold comes equipped with two batteries on each side of the fold, which required a special engineering process.
Samsung Galaxy Fold specs
| Category | Features |
|---|---|
| Display | Main display: 7.3-inch QXGA+ Dynamic AMOLED (4.2:3) Second display: 4.6-inch HD+ Super AMOLED (21:9) |
| Camera | 10MP selfie camera, 16MP ultra wide, 12MP wide-angle, 12MP telephoto |
| Processor | 7nm 64-bit Octa-core |
| Memory | 12GB RAM, 512GB of storage |
| Battery | 4,380mAh |
| OS | Android 9.0 |
Users will unlock the Galaxy Fold through a fingerprint sensor that's located on the side of the device, which means lefties will be forced to hold the Fold a certain way.
The Galaxy Fold also sports six cameras: three sensors on the back, two sensors on the inside, and one final sensor on the front. No matter how you slice it, the Galaxy Fold is a powerhouse, equipped with some incredible specs and ideas, including 5G (there is also an LTE version).
Samsung Galaxy Fold price
You'll be able to get your hands on the Galaxy Fold when it launches on AT&T and T-Mobile April 26 for $1,980 in Space Silver, Cosmos Black, Martian Green, and Astro Blue.
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