Is Samsung’s delayed Galaxy Fold worth US$2,000?
- Ahead of its now delayed release date, reviewers got to test Samsung’s foldable Galaxy Fold ‘phablet’ and discovered it has potential, despite early screen malfunctions
Samsung’s new US$1,980 Galaxy Fold has been making waves over the last two weeks, not necessarily for all the right reasons.
And now the arrival of Samsung’s foldable hybrid – a cross between a thick smartphone and iPad mini-sized tablet – has been delayed until at least next month, in the aftermath of screen damage and busted phones reported by early reviewers.
Ahead of such problems, the phone drew plenty of hype and buzz for its innovative design, not to mention its near US$2,000 price.
At Samsung’s request, AP returned its review unit Tuesday, but USA TODAY’s Ed Baig and Eli Blumenthal have been messing around with the device for the last week.
Here’s what we experienced, and what you need to know to get caught up on the news.
The latest news
What’s going on with the delay?
The saga that led to the delay began after reviewers from CNBC, The Verge, Bloomberg as well as influential YouTuber Marques Brownlee, who (like USA TODAY) were among those given pre-release test units, reported screen damage that broke the Fold.
The display on the unit given to CNBC, for example, flickered uncontrollably, causing the device to turn off and completely malfunction.
The Verge said its unit developed “a bulge that appeared to be the result of something in between the screen and the hinge”.