More bad news for the Galaxy Fold on Sunday Samsung will postpone the launch events for its foldable phone in Hong Kong and Shanghai, Engadget’s Richard Lai tweeted. They were originally scheduled for April 23 and 24, respectively.
The delay follows three separate problems with the Galaxy Fold’s screen that rendered early production review units unusable. The incidents have caused a concerns among tech-lovers on the internet, casting doubt on the durability of Samsung’s $2,000 foldable phone and on the concept of bendable devices in general.
The company has reportedly said, however, that the delay was caused by problems with the venue, according to SamMobile, citing “someone claiming to be familiar with the matter.” Frequent mobile tipster Ice Universe also corroborated the delay of “two events,” presumably the launch events, and also suggested that shipments of the phone itself would be delayed.
If it happens, that launch delay could possibly exclude the US. A Samsung spokesperson said last week that the US April 26 launch date is still on, according to a tweet from The Wall Street Journal. It’s unclear if Samsung will revise its statement in order to address the screen concerns and express the message on its packaging informing new Galaxy Fold owners not to remove the plastic film protecting the polymer screen.
Samsung’s Galaxy Fold woes began last Wednesday, two days after it distributed a small number of review devices to reviewers. It was revealed that peeling the plastic film off the Galaxy Fold’s 7.3-inch interior screen, which is made of a thin sheet of bendable plastic rather than glass, instantly made the phone unusable.
The company told CNET, “We are taking all necessary measures to ensure that information about protective layer is clearly delivered to our customers. Materials in the Galaxy Fold box, including the quick start guide, will include information about the protective layer. Samsung.com will have a dedicated Galaxy Fold FAQ for consumers to learn more about caring for the Galaxy Fold, including information about the protective layer. Retail representatives and customer care are trained with information about the top protective layer.”
