Samsung Galaxy Fold’s screen malfunctions after a day, reviewers say
- News of the US$1,980 phone’s ‘breakage’ came just days before an invitation-only preview of the device for Hong Kong tech reporters
Samsung’s new Galaxy Fold, a splashy US$1,980 phone that opens into a tablet, was malfunctioning for some journalist reviewers after only a day or two of use, according to posts on social media this week.
News of its “breakage” came just days before an invitation-only “exclusive preview” of the device for Hong Kong tech reporters expected to take place on April 23.
The problem seemed to be related to the unit’s screen either cracking or flickering, according to Twitter posts by technology journalists from Bloomberg, The Verge and CNBC, who received the phone this week for review purposes. The Galaxy Fold officially goes on sale on April 26 in the United States.
Samsung Electronics did not respond to several requests for comment.
The South Korean company’s Galaxy Fold resembles a conventional smartphone but opens like a book to reveal a second display the size of a small tablet at 7.3 inches (18.5cm).
Although Galaxy Fold and Huawei’s Mate X foldable phones are not expected to be big sellers, the new designs were hailed as framing the future of smartphones this year in a field that has seen few surprises since Apple introduced the screen slab iPhone in 2007.