Samsung is trying to fix a creasing issue with the Galaxy Fold's screen, report says
- Samsung is working to address a flaw in the Galaxy Fold's screen that results in a crease after the phone has been folded about 10,000 times, according to Bloomberg.
- The company is reportedly considering offering free screen replacements to Galaxy Fold buyers after the device launches.
- Samsung is also said to be working on two new foldable phones to follow the Galaxy Fold.
Samsung is working to improve the durability of the screen on its Galaxy Fold, the nearly $2,000 foldable smartphone it announced last month and plans to launch at the end of April, according to Bloomberg.
The company is said to be working to fix an issue with the screen that causes a crease to form after the device has been folded about 10,000 times. The American consumer views his or her phone an average of 52 times per day, according to a survey from Deloitte published in November. At that rate, this would indicate American consumers view their phone more than 18,000 times per year. It's worth noting that the Galaxy Fold can also function as a phone when the device is closed, meaning users won't have to open and fold the device to use apps and check notifications on the Fold's smaller screen. As such, it's not yet clear how often consumers will be folding and unfolding the device in everyday use.
One potential solution Samsung is reportedly considering is offering free screen replacements to those who purchase the phone. The crease is said to appear on a protective film positioned on the touch sensor bonded with the display underneath. This issue may be the reason why Samsung prevented media attendees from using the phone following its keynote on February 20, one of Bloomberg's sources told the publication. A Samsung spokesperson told Bloomberg that wasn't the case, and the reason it wasn't available for hands-on use was that the company wanted to keep the focus on the newly announced Galaxy S10 smartphones at the event.
A Samsung representative declined to comment when reached by Business Insider.
The details about this reported creasing issue on the Galaxy Fold were mentioned in a Bloomberg report indicating that Samsung is working on two additional foldable phones. The Korean electronics giant is reportedly designing a new clamshell phone that folds away from the user, similar to Huawei's Mate X. The device could debut late this year or early next.
Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Fold alongside its new Galaxy S10 lineup, a new smartwatch, and new wireless earbuds on February 20. The phone will start at $1,980 when it's released on April 26.
The company is positioning the Galaxy Fold as being a versatile powerhouse that functions as both a phone and a tablet. When folded, the device offers a 4.6-inch phone-sized display that can expand into a 7.3-inch tablet-sized screen. It's capable of running more than three apps on screen and supports universal flash storage 3.0, meaning it should be able to read and write data faster than other mobile devices.
Chinese phone giant Huawei unveiled its own foldable phone, the Mate X, just days after Samsung introduced the Galaxy Fold. Motorola is also working on a foldable phone, as well as popular Chinese phone maker Xiaomi among other firms. Samsung's decision to begin its keynote by unveiling the phone ahead of the Mobile World Congress conference that took place in Barcelona at the end of February was undoubtedly an effort to position itself as a leader in this emerging smartphone trend.