Is Samsung's Galaxy Fold already a flop?
After several early reviewers noted issues with Samsung's upcoming Galaxy Fold, the world's largest smartphone maker decided to delay the release of the pricey folding phone.
It's a small delay that could have billion-dollar repercussions for Samsung, the world's biggest smartphone maker. Analysts say the company could be in trouble after another delay for the Galaxy Fold, the new device that was supposed to be their signature smartphone.
The Galaxy Fold was touted by Samsung as the next big thing - a small, slim, sleek cellphone that unfolds to a pad-sized screen - all with a price tag of $2,000. But now the phone has big problems, and it hasn't even hit stores yet. The trouble started when early reviews came back extremely negative, and many reported significant issues with the physical layout of the folding phone. And the problems were hard to avoid. In one instance, a reviewer removed a protective layer over the screen that the company didn't warn was necessary. The reviewer said it looked just like other plastic screen protectors that are supposed to be discarded when purchasing new electronics.
Another reviewer noted the screen became dented after coming into contact with everyday items in his pocket. And when folded, there is a 7 millimeter gap that can easily catch debris and become problematic for the display. Still another reviewer showed photos of the display, unfolded and powered up, but half-dead after less than an hour of use. That foldable display has been the subject of much of the controversy. It's made of plastic, not the durable glass we've come to know on other smartphones over the past decade.
Samsung has now officially delayed the release of the Galaxy Fold, but didn't set a new date, which means it's still not clear when the phone will be available for purchase. They say they're working on fixing the folding problems and will announce a new date as soon as possible. But in the meantime, other smartphone manufacturers are starting to develop their own foldable technology, and that's not good news for Samsung.
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