Why Samsung had to delay the Galaxy Fold smartphone release
- A number of review units lent to the media suffered several serious malfunctions
- Screens started to malfunction within hours and after a day or two were totally useless
Problems with the Fold screen would be a deal breaker on their own. But the issues go deeper. As a phone, it’s not good enough. As a tablet, there are also too many drawbacks. As a combined device that can morph between the two, the Galaxy Fold is an intriguing sneak peek at what might be possible in the future of mobile computing – but probably not for years.
The first Fold review model arrived on April 15. It was an exciting moment. In a world awash with black, shiny rectangles from Apple, Google and others, Samsung was at least trying something different. However, it quickly became apparent that compromises had been made.
When using the phone in folded format, the device was thick and somewhat cumbersome – about the width of two regular smartphones.
The 4.3-inch screen wasn’t useful for much beyond making and receiving calls; it’s too narrow for typing anything other than quick messages. The front display also looked odd compared with today’s full-screen phones, with very thick top and bottom bezels. Beyond that, the front glass seemed as durable as other smartphones.
Unfolding the gadget revealed a large, bright and colourful display. But that’s when the serious flaws emerged. The inside screen had a plastic film that looked like a screen protector or any other thin piece of plastic that comes with a new phone, table or TV set when you take it out of the box. This protective layer began to peel in the left corner and the natural urge was to remove it. Once the film was off, the display started failing almost immediately. Samsung did not tell reviewers to keep this film on the device, nor did the packaging warn users against removing it.
