Samsung delays launch of Galaxy Fold after review unit screen failures [u]

AppleInsider · April 22, 2019 2:59PM

After cancelling launch events in China, Samsung has confirmed that is has delayed the U.S. Galaxy Fold smartphone debut until further notice, and is promising changes to make the screen stronger.

Image Credit: Steve Kovach on Twitter

Samsung's Galaxy Fold was beset by problems that early reviewers discovered. While some reviewers had peeled off a part of the folding display, thinking it was a removable protective coat, others had more severe problems, like a protruding hinge, or broken screen.

Samsung has issued a statement to AppleInsider and other venues, discussing the delay.

Initial findings from the inspection of reported issues on the display showed that they could be associated with impact on the top and bottom exposed areas of the hinge. There was also an instance where substances found inside the device affected the display performance. We will take measures to strengthen the display protection. We will also enhance the guidance on care and use of the display including the protective layer so that our customers get the most out of their Galaxy Fold.

We plan to announce the release date in the coming weeks.

Samsung has said that it will revise the release date in the next few weeks. Whether the delay is on the order of weeks or months is not clear at present.

An internal investigation is currently underway but report sources claim the initial issues stem from the way the device's hinge operates, applying extra pressure to the internal screen when used. While some reviewers have publicly shown their devices failing because of the hinge, with other having problems relating to a flickering screen, not all reviewing outlets reported issues with the device.

The reports of found faults were made worse by a connected issue, where reviewers thought the display had a protective cover applied, similar to ones applied to inflexible displays to protect the glass. In the case of the Galaxy Fold, what was believed to be a covering layer turned out to be the top layer of the display, with reviewers unwittingly ruining the display when attempting to take it off the screen.

Samsung plans to warn consumers not to remove the display's top layer.

maestro64 · April 22, 2019 3:03PM

But they were first!!! well not really, just first in a line of first. But Samsung does not think people should have to wait in line to for better quality, so they give you this.

ericthehalfbee · April 22, 2019 3:11PM

They’re looking for some better glue to hold the film to the screen.

Here’s an idea:

Maybe the screen should have been manufactured with the top layer of film permanently attached so it’s basically I single finished component, instead of slapping the film on later (so poorly that people though it was just a screen protector film you should peel off).

hodar · April 22, 2019 3:16PM

If only there were some sort of "testing" that could be done, prior to shipping this to the customer.

Like, if only there existed the technology to repeatedly open and close this device, through a temperature cycle, thousands and thousands of times; just to see if the product was robust enough to be delivered to the customer.

But, that would require a company that gave a crap about delivering a quality product.

gutengel · April 22, 2019 3:32PM

I mean, they already have experience with this flops since the exploding phones, right?

mpantone · April 22, 2019 3:33PM

Fold

frumius · April 22, 2019 3:37PM

I haven’t seen it, but for the edge of “the top layer of the display” to be visible enough to look like something to tear off is unutterably lame.

Brings a tear to my eye 🙄

edited April 2019

thanx_al · April 22, 2019 3:45PM

But, but, but. Apple is late to the folding phone market. But, but, but Samsung is brave by being first. Really innovators or something. End snark . The crass double standard in the tech press is obnoxious. Had this been Apple there would be screaming headlines of #FoldGate. The stock would have tanked. Calls for Tim's head. This incident just reconfirms my belief that most of the tech press are blathering shills.

edited April 2019

anantksundaram · April 22, 2019 3:47PM

Pathetic. Apparently, this is what happens when Samsung doesn't have Apple doing their R&D for them.

I am waiting with bated breath to see how Huawei et. al overcome this issue: anyone want to bet?

edited April 2019

n2itivguy · April 22, 2019 3:50PM

mpantone said:

Fold

Brilliant! 😂

larz2112 · April 22, 2019 3:50PM

As Kenny says, You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em." In this case, if you can't fold 'em, better hold 'em for now.

lkrupp · April 22, 2019 3:50PM

Now if this had been Apple the tech blogs would be screaming at the top of their lungs, “Doesn’t Apple test their stuff before releasing it? Steve would never have allowed this! Another failure by Apple! Let the class action lawsuits begin!” And so on and so on.

But it’s Samsung and the general tech blog attitude seems to be, “Well, Samsung was first to market so some glitches are to be expected. Samsung innovates and when you are on the bleeding edge things happen.”

And people say the tech media is unbiased, fair, and balanced.

78bandit · April 22, 2019 3:55PM

They should probably just cancel it. I don't see foldable display technology being ready for mainstream devices anywhere in the near future. Bendable displays may work, but having a 180 degree fold with millimeter level radius is a recipe for disaster. I don't care how well it performs in a laboratory setting, in the real world debris like sand particles that get between and under the display as well as flex in the device as users apply uneven pressure during the folding process is going to cause failures just like we've seen with the review units.

If you really need a multi-panel device then it would seem having separate glass displays aligned with mechanical hinges would be the best solution. You'll still have some type of cable to hook them together, but that can be run on the outside of the panels and avoid such a tight bend.

horvatic · April 22, 2019 3:55PM

Imagine that! This is why you won't see Apple putting out something like this for a while. Apparently there was hardly any testing of this model or they would have seen the failures first hand. And yes if this was Apple the stock would have tanked 100 point plus easily! So unfair for Apple as a company.

lkrupp · April 22, 2019 4:15PM

horvatic said:

Imagine that! This is why you won't see Apple putting out something like this for a while. Apparently there was hardly any testing of this model or they would have seen the failures first hand. And yes if this was Apple the stock would have tanked 100 point plus easily! So unfair for Apple as a company.

Exactly. This is Samsung literally throwing shit against the wall to see if something sticks. In its attempt to “innovate” and be first it completely disrespects its customers just to be able to pound its chest and say “Look at us!” And just like VR my personal opinion is that folding phones are a solution looking for a problem. And yet Samsung likes to mock Apple for its design. But then consider who is probably buying Samsung’s flagship products, neckbeards and basement nerds with axes to grind against Apple.

dws-2 · April 22, 2019 4:23PM

I don't understand why it's even possible to peel off part of the display. That's just bizarre. Regardless of whether there's a warning, that's just cheap and easily broken.

jungmark · April 22, 2019 4:46PM

"We are waiting for Apple to show us how to make a refined product. Other than that, the Fold is quite smooth. So in a sense, it's really Apple's fault. "

radarthekat · April 22, 2019 5:32PM

78Bandit is on the right track.

This product, at least this version 1 edition, will be shuttered. The issues are too fundamental for it to be adjusted and then released. Samsung is telling us a few weeks from now they will give us a new release date. Nope. Samsung will use this next three weeks to refund any deposits and attempt to quietly cancel any pre-orders. Then they will make a very brief statement about working on the product and then we’ll hear nothing more.

At least, if they’re smart that’s what they’ll do.

edited April 2019

realistic · April 22, 2019 5:49PM

radarthekat said:

78Bandit is on the right track.

This product, at least this version 1 edition, will be shuttered. The issues are too fundamental for it to be adjusted and then released. Samsung is telling us a few weeks from now they will give us a new release date. Nope. Samsung will use this next three weeks to refund any deposits and attempt to quietly cancel any pre-orders. Then they will make a very brief statement about working on the product and then we’ll hear nothing more.

At least, if they’re smart that’s what they’ll do.

Smart and Samsung are mutually exclusive. The rather basic and extremely important peeling screen issue alone should have prevented this product from ever seeing the light of day.

sflocal · April 22, 2019 5:49PM

You got to know when to hold it...
know when when to fold it.,,
know when to walk away..,
Know when to to run.,

appleish · April 22, 2019 6:06PM

Shocker.

Samsung delays launch of Galaxy Fold after review unit screen failures [u]

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