Samsung’s long-awaited Galaxy Fold may finally be ready for primetime.
The $1,980 folding phone, which was previously delayed due to display issues, is finally ‘ready to hit the market,’ according to the Korea Herald.
The Galaxy Fold was originally supposed to launch at the end of April, but several review units stopped working after minimal use, causing Samsung to recall the device.
‘Most of the display problems have been ironed out, and the Galaxy Fold is ready to hit the market,’ Kim Seong-cheol, vice president of Samsung Display, said at an industry event, according to the Herald.
Seong-cheol stopped short of providing a specific launch date, however.
Samsung has yet to comment on Seong-cheol’s remarks. Samsung Display is the firm’s display-manufacturing arm and is separate from Samsung Electronics’ mobile division.
Many have speculated that Samsung will release the Fold in July, ahead of the Galaxy Note 10 launch, but so far the firm has denied these rumors, the Herald noted.
The last official word on the Galaxy Fold’s fate came last week, when Samsung said it expects to announce a launch date in the ‘coming weeks.’
It means that prospective buyers will have to wait until July or possibly even later to get their hands on a Galaxy Fold.
WHAT MAY HAVE CAUSED THE GALAXY FOLD TO BREAK?
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE GALAXY FOLD?
Samsung debuted the $2,000 Galaxy Fold to great fanfare in February.
But journalists who received review units ahead of the Fold launch in late April reported experiencing issues with the interior screen.
After just one or two days of use, users said the display began to flicker and turn black before becoming completely unusable.
The issues are believed to stem from the hinge causing too much pressure on the screen.
Some said they had removed a protective layer on the screen that was supposed to stay on.
Meanwhile, others said they didn’t remove the protective film, but the device still stopped working.
YouTube user Marques Brownlee said he removed the protective film and his device began having issues
A warning on the Galaxy Fold packaging instructs users not to remove the protective layer, according to a photo posted by T-Mobile Senior Product Manager Desmond Smith.
‘The main screen includes a special protective layer,’ it reads. ‘Peeling off the protective layer or using any adhesives on the main screen, such as screen protectors or stickers, may cause damage.’
Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman said his Galaxy Fold started operating abnormally after he removed the film and eventually became unusable.
Additionally, YouTube user Marques Brownlee said he removed the protective film and his device began having issues.
But Dieter Bohn, executive editor of technology news site The Verge, says he left that layer on and his screen still broke.
The issues raise questions about whether or not the Galaxy Fold can withstand normal use.
Source: Dailymail
