The new foldable Samsung phone Galaxy Fold is ficially available for purchase at a whopping $1,980, and for that price, you’d expect all the kinks to be worked out. Unfortunately, that is not the case. According to Verge reporter Dieter Bohn, his Fold broke after just a day normal use — and he’s not the only one.
In photos Bohn’s phone, a bulge can be seen at the inside hinge where the phone actually folds, suggesting some sort debris must have lodged itself inside. “Whatever happened, it certainly wasn’t because I have treated this phone badly. I’ve done normal phone stuff, like opening and closing the hinge and putting it in my pocket,” Bohn wrote.
“Or maybe something got in another one the little gaps somewhere else. Or maybe it was pieces from the hinge itself breaking loose and working their way up into the screen. I don’t know. I just know that the screen is broken, and there was no obvious proximate cause for the bulge that broke it. I certainly haven’t used it on a beach or shook it in a bag chips or anything wild. Just normal use.”
He continues, sharing examples other reviewers whose phones have also become inoperable after just one or two days, for a variety reasons.
After one day use… pic.twitter.com/VjDlJI45C9
— Steve Kovach (@stevekovach) April 17, 2019
The phone comes with this protective layer/film. Samsung says you are not supposed to remove it. I removed it, not knowing you’re not supposed to (consumers won’t know either). It appeared removable in the left corner, so I took it f. I believe this contributed to the problem. pic.twitter.com/fU646D2zpY
— Mark Gurman (@markgurman) April 17, 2019
PSA: There's a layer that appears to be a screen protector on the Galaxy Fold's display. It's NOT a screen protector. Do NOT remove it.
I got this far peeling it f before the display spazzed and blacked out. Started over with a replacement. pic.twitter.com/ZhEG2Bqulr
— Marques Brownlee (@MKBHD) April 17, 2019
The first generation any device is likely to have issues, but for such a high price tag, they had better be exceedingly rare. The amount experienced reviewers who have so far had issues with their new phones is far too high, and the average consumer will likely face these issues even more frequently.
Samsung has yet to respond to Bohn’s request for comment, though they did send him a replacement review model.