The Samsung Galaxy Fold – the ambitious, albeit expensive first major foldable phone – has a new release date window: September, five months after it faced reliability setbacks and a recall.
Its comeback story is destined to begin in 'select markets' the same month we expect the iPhone 11, with exact availability details to come closer to launch, according to Samsung’s official statement today.
The September timing of the Galaxy Fold also puts Samsung's foldable head-to-head with the foldable Huawei Mate X that's supposed launch by then, with current plans to release it in China first. Which company will claim that 'world's first' title?
Samsung promises Galaxy Fold reliability improvements
Samsung promises that the delicate hardware behind the Galaxy Fold has been fixed and that the company is "conducting final product tests." CEO DJ Koh has gone on the record to say that Samsung launched the phone before it was ready, and it looks to be correcting that issue this time around.
Notably, the thin, protective layer that looked like a removable plastic screen protector has been redesigned so not to confuse people who instantly usually rip those off of brand new phones.
Samsung also says it has sealed up potential debris vulnerabilities around the 20-part, dual-axis hinge, which is essential to the device folding and unfolding. Dust entered through gaps in the hinge, causing a second reason screens were breaking on a handful of review units.
Here are the changes that Samsung is promising with the refined Galaxy Fold:
- The top protective layer of the Infinity Flex Display has been extended beyond the bezel, making it apparent that it is an integral part of the display structure and not meant to be removed.
- Galaxy Fold features additional reinforcements to better protect the device from external particles while maintaining its signature foldable experience:
- The top and bottom of the hinge area have been strengthened with newly added protection caps.
- Additional metal layers underneath the Infinity Flex Display have been included to reinforce the protection of the display.
- The space between the hinge and body of Galaxy Fold has been reduced.
- Additional metal layers underneath the Infinity Flex Display have been included to reinforce the protection of the display.
- The space between the hinge and body of Galaxy Fold has been reduced.
All of this is not to say that the Galaxy Fold didn’t go through convincing stress tests earlier this year. Samsung demonstrated its device could withstand more than 200,000 folds and unfolds in a mesmerizing video. But a machine perfectly folding the phone with uniform pressure points didn’t translate well in the real world.
The Galaxy Fold specs and concept remain the same
Although Samsung is promising reliability from the reworked Galaxy Fold, the actual specs and concept remain unchanged as far as we know. It has a 7.9-inch mini-tablet-sized screen unfolded, and slims down to sport a separate outer 4.6-inch screen on the outside when folded.
It has a total of six cameras – three on the back of the device and two additional cameras in the notch of the 7.3-inch display – two batteries that combine for a capacity of 4,380mAh, and a fingerprint sensor in the power button that also doubles as the new Bixby button.
Samsung, which is expected to launch the Galaxy Note 10 and Galaxy Note 10 Pro on August 7, is getting its foldable phone news out of the way ahead of its Unpacked event. It appears as if Samsung fans will have three different phones to decide between in the coming weeks.
It’s also poised to launch ahead of the foldable Huawei Mate X, which is supposed to debut in September and arrive first in China. Despite the delay, Samsung is likely to be first to market with a foldable phone with mainstream appeal (sorry, Royole FlexPai), maybe in part thanks to the Huawei ban in the US.
If the Galaxy Fold appears at the Note 10 launch event, we’ll be sure to grab more hands-on time with the overdue device. Stay tuned for more in the coming days.
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