Published , by Kevin Tucker
Published , by Kevin Tucker
Things did not work out well when early Samsung Galaxy Fold mobile phones were first given to members of the press. Almost immediately after getting their hands on the phones, the Fold's namesake bendable display promptly broke, leading the company to take the phone back to the drawing board. Now, it appears Samsung is finally ready to bring the phone back into the fold (see what I did there?) by announcing that the Galaxy Fold is at last "ready to hit the market."
Speaking to The Korea Herald, Samsung's Display Vice President is quoted as saying "Most of the display problems have been ironed out, and the Galaxy Fold is ready to hit the market." While no specific release date was offered, it seems like the Galaxy Fold is set to make a return "in the coming weeks."
While this would normally be good news, we're a little put off by the "most" part of that quote. The biggest problem reported by Galaxy Fold users was that the screen straight-up busted through normal use, and we assume that was the main problem addressed. However, users noted other problems too, like how the finish on the screen could be peeled off by those who may be convinced that it's something of a screen protector. It's not, of course — it was the screen itself they were peeling back.
Given that the Galaxy Fold is the very first smartphone with a folding display to come from a major mobile manufacturer, we understand that some problems will appear. This is effectively brand-new tech, after all. But at the same time, we'd hope that a company representative would be able to speak with authority and say that all problems have been fixed. This is $2,000 mobile phone, after all.
Either way, the Samsung Galaxy Fold is set to return to the market sometime soon, and we're eager to see how this new version holds up to rigorous everyday use. If the display technology works as intended, we may very well start seeing it become more commonplace on the mobile market. If not — that is, if the devices once again prove to be fragile — the era of the folding smartphone display may end before it ever actually begins.