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Watch Samsung's Galaxy Fold fall woefully short of 200,000 folds
After a lot of hype and some notable delays, Samsung's Galaxy Fold is now available in the US. Even after upgrades to make the phone more durable, Samsung has cautioned users to be extra careful. So this week, CNET decided to put the phone to the test.
Microsoft is right: Dual displays are a safer bet than folding screens
There were plenty of rumors leading up to yesterday's Microsoft event about a foldable Surface. But instead of getting a true foldable, with a single bendable screen, Microsoft showed us the Surface Neo and Duo, which feature dual screens connected by sturdy hinges. Sure, they may look a bit archaic compared to the folding OLED screens phone makers are rushing to put on shelves, but maybe folding screens are more trouble than they're worth. Using two screens still gives us a taste of a whole new generation of computing, where our devices can take on wild new forms, but it does so with fewer headaches.
What do you want to know about Samsung's updated Galaxy Fold?
Well, would you look at that: The same day Samsung announced its official US Galaxy Fold launch, it also loaned us one of its updated devices for yet another round of testing. For the next week or so, I'll be digging into the changes Samsung made in this redesigned Fold and reviewing it (yes, again) with more of a focus on durability. Before we get to that, though, I want to know what you want to know.
Samsung will start selling the Galaxy Fold in the US on September 27th
After months of drama stemming from flaky review units and questionable design choices, Samsung is finally ready to sell Galaxy Fold in the US. Assuming you have $1,980 at the ready, you can claim your own foldable on September 27th from either AT&T (in case you're already a subscriber) or from Best Buy or Samsung retail locations (which sell unlocked and AT&T models.) As always, though, we're left with one significant question: Should you actually buy one of these things?
Samsung asks users to be extra careful with the Galaxy Fold
Samsung postponed Galaxy Fold's release to fix its issues after an early rollout put damaged units in the hands of reviewers. The redesigned Fold felt sturdier than before when we tried it at IFA, but it sounds like the tech giant still wants you to take extra good care of the device if you buy it. Samsung has published a new care guide video showing the model's features with instructions on what and what not to do when handling it.
Samsung's Galaxy Fold will have support from 'hundreds' of apps
Foldable phones aren't worth much without apps that can take advantage of their screens -- Huawei even postponed the Mate X to give app makers more time to optimize their titles. That might not be much of a problem now that the revised Galaxy Fold is finally ready to make its debut. Samsung revealed that it has worked with Google and developers to bring Fold support to "hundreds" of apps, including big names like Amazon Prime Video, Facebook, Spotify and Twitter. This comes after Samsung and Google set up test labs that have spent months helping app makers fine-tune their work for the Fold.
Samsung cancels Galaxy Fold pre-orders to 'rethink' the experience
Samsung may be on the cusp of launching the updated Galaxy Fold, but that isn't stopping the company from making last-minute changes to its launch plans. As YouTubers, writers and others have discovered first-hand, Samsung is cancelling all Galaxy Fold pre-orders from its online store in order to "rethink the entire customer experience," ranging from the actual purchase through to after-sale support. This includes the just-announced Premier Service that gives foldable phone buyers around-the-clock direct access to experts.
Samsung's reinforced Galaxy Fold feels stronger than before
At last, Samsung is ready to unveil the refined Galaxy Fold. After an embarrassing initial rollout earlier this year that was plagued with multiple damaged review units, the company was forced to delay launching its foldable flagship. It went back to the engineering room to figure out how to make the handset more durable, and seems to have sorted out its issues, announcing in July that the Fold would be available in September. Well, here we are now in September at IFA 2019, and Samsung has finally given us our first hands-on with the redesigned device.
Live from Samsung's IFA 2019 press event!
Samsung already revealed the Galaxy Note 10 a few weeks ago, but the company is still hosting a press conference here in Berlin for IFA 2019. Between then and now, the Korean giant has announced the Galaxy A90 5G, brought HDR10+ to 8K TVs and shown off the Exynos 980 CPU and Modem. We'll be there live and expect more info on the return of the Galaxy Fold to be the major news of the day. Of course, it's Samsung, so you never know what other surprises may be in store.
Samsung Galaxy Fold launches in Europe on September 18th
After its first attempt at a launch fizzled out in the spring, the Samsung Galaxy Fold is ready to try again at making a first impression. As promised, it's ready for launch now and is available starting September 6th in South Korea. At IFA 2019 in Germany, Samsung also revealed that the device will hit France, Germany, the UK and Singapore on September 18th. In Korea, only the Galaxy Fold 5G 512GB model is available, with carriers like SK Telecom and LG U+ opening pre-sales today before devices are delivered Friday. For reasons yet unknown, the Fold will be 5G-ready only "in select markets," while others will only have an LTE-compatible version to snap open and closed. The price is 2,398,000 won, or about $2,000 US, and there's a Fold Advantage+ program that promises to cover 70 percent of display repair costs, once a year. In March there were rumors of a program to offer screen replacements if a visible seam forms across the display, and it appears that the Advantage+ program is what Samsung has decided to go with. An announcement for the US reveals we can expect the device "in the coming weeks" in two colors -- Cosmos Black and Space Silver -- but doesn't mention anything about 5G or screen replacements. What it does give additional info on, however, is the addition of a new Galaxy Fold Premier Service it's launching along with the phone. In a move that might help justify its nearly-$2,000 retail price, the Premiere Service adds 24/7 direct access to Samsung experts for "tailored guidance and support over the phone." They can even help you set it up for the first time with a one-on-one session designed to highlight its special capabilities.
You can once again pre-register to buy the Samsung Galaxy Fold
After a more than five-month delay, it looks like Samsung, true to its word, is on track to launch the Galaxy Fold this September. As of Monday, the company is once again allowing consumers in the US to pre-register to purchase its first foldable smartphone. The fact Samsung is allowing individuals to pre-register to buy the Fold suggests we'll see the phone finally make its way to consumers sometime later this month.
Samsung to fight falling profits with midrange phones, 'mainstream' 8K
As Samsung expected, its Q2 profit is off from last year's by about 56 percent. An operating profit of $5.6 billion (6.6 trillion Korean won) is no small figure, but obviously not up to par for the electronics giant, and follow a similar result in Q1 of this year. A big reason for the fall is a drop in prices for memory chips, which Samsung is a major supplier of for products like smartphones and servers. It's also negatively affected by weak iPhone sales since it supplies Apple with parts, and is facing slower sales for its own high-end phone models. Last year Samsung was looking toward foldable devices to help turn around the trend, and after a delay it's still expecting the Galaxy Fold to join its Galaxy Note 10 as an "innovative" new product launch. According to the company's report, it's also pushing ahead on 5G.
T-Mobile won't sell the Galaxy Fold
Samsung has revealed the beleaguered Galaxy Fold will finally ship this September, but you won't be able to buy it through T-Mobile. The carrier has confirmed it won't sell the foldable smartphone.
Samsung will release the Galaxy Fold in September
Three months. That's how long it has been since Samsung announced it would delay the Galaxy Fold due to issues that arose after reviewers got their hands on its nearly $2,000 device. People pointed out a hinge that could let debris fall inside and its screen protector as problem areas, and Huawei similarly delayed its folding Mate X. We've had speculation about how the company could fix it, rumors that a redesign is complete and hints that updates are incoming, but very few official statements until now. Samsung has revealed the next step for the Fold, which is to release the device in September in "select markets." The company listed several changes in its press release, and they're in line with the earlier rumors. Along with the press release, Samsung also released a gallery of photos of the device, and it looks to our eye pretty much like the Fold already did.
Our foldable future is running a little late, and that's OK
From the moment it was first teased last year, Samsung's Galaxy Fold convinced many that foldable phones were the next frontier to conquer. To no one's surprise, it wasn't long before competitors announced foldable plans of their own, feeding a cycle of hype that culminated at this year's Mobile World Congress. Samsung showed off the Galaxy Fold to the public (albeit, behind glass). Huawei unveiled its Mate X, a beautiful rival to Samsung's device that somehow cost even more. And Motorola, which had long been rumored to be working on a foldable, indiscreetly confirmed its plans to launch one this year. By this point, industry watchers and phone nerds had worked themselves into something of a foldable frenzy, and Samsung was supposed to be the first to scratch that itch. The Galaxy Fold was slated to launch in the United States on April 26th, but that, uh, clearly didn't happen.
Bloomberg: Galaxy Fold redesign is complete
Still waiting for Samsung's first foldable phone? Bloomberg cites anonymous sources saying that Samsung has completed a redesign of the Galaxy Fold in just two months. The protective film now covers the entire screen and stretches into the bezel so people can't pull it off by accident, and hopefully reduce the appearance of a seam in the middle. Also, the hinge has reportedly undergone tweaking to make it flush with the display, and pushing the film up when the device is opened.
Samsung chief says he pushed Galaxy Fold 'before it was ready'
Samsung hasn't commented much on its decision to delay the Galaxy Fold and address design flaws, but it's opening up a little today. The company's electronics division CEO, DJ Koh, told those at a media event that he "pushed [the phone] through before it was ready." The setback was "embarrassing," he added. While Koh didn't elaborate on what happened, the statement suggests that Samsung was in a hurry to get the Fold out the door and claim some bragging rights.
Samsung's Galaxy Fold delay could extend through July?
The strange case of Samsung's Galaxy Fold may drag on throughout the summer, according to a report in The Korea Herald. The outlet -- which reported in May that Samsung would reach a conclusion on the launch in a couple of days -- now says that according to company officials, if it were going to launch in July then they'd be preparing by now. It also mentions CEO DJ Koh telling another outlet just last week that the device would arrive before July. So what's the truth? At this point it's tough to discern beyond the company's actions. In a week, we'll be two months clear of Samsung announcing a delay in the launch after several reviewers experienced broken units. A week later Samsung told investors it would still release the device, and planned to announce a new launch date in the coming weeks.
Huawei delays the launch of its foldable phone until September
If you were thinking about ditching the Galaxy Fold in favor of the Mate X after the former was delayed, think again. Huawei has told CNBC that is also pushing back the release of its folding phone to spend more time testing the hardware. The launch, originally pencilled in for this summer, will now take place in September. That will enable Huawei to ensure its mechanism is more reliable, and focus on other matters, like app compatibility.
AT&T cancels Galaxy Fold pre-orders due to lengthy delay
AT&T held on to people's Galaxy Fold pre-orders even after Best Buy cancelled reservations back in May. Now that it's been almost a couple of months since Samsung's foldable device was supposed to come out, though, the carrier has decided that it's time to void pre-orders, as well. According to Tom's Guide, AT&T has sent out emails telling customers that their foldable phone pre-purchases have been cancelled. "Unfortunately," the letter reads, "Samsung delayed the release of the Fold, which means we can't ship your phone." The AT&T customers affected by the cancellation will receive a $100 promotion card and will be able to place another order once Samsung has a final release date.
