Samsung Galaxy Fold Up for US Pre-Order This Week

Pre-orders for the device initially opened back in March, with the device slated for release on April 26. However, these were canceled when early reviews revealed that the device is far too fragile for general use. The device will be available either unlocked or on AT&T at select Best Buy and AT&T stores and retains the same $1,980 price tag of its flawed predecessor.

Fixing Design Flaws

The previous version of the device reportedly riddled with design flaws that made it far too easy to damage. For one, gaps in the hinge allowed dust and dirt to enter the device mechanism, damaging the screen and preventing the Fold from closing. The device also featured an odd protective layer on the screen which was easily mistaken for a screen protector—peeling which would irreparably damage it.

The Galaxy Fold comes to the U.S. this Friday! https://t.co/Wcs1ULGktC #GalaxyFold @DigitalTrends

— Julian Chokkattu (@JulianChokkattu) September 23, 2019

The newly redesigned phone features an improved hinge mechanism designed to block dust, and the protective coating on the screen has now been tucked around the screen edges, ensuring it cannot be peeled off. Samsung also promises to offer what it calls the “Galaxy Fold Premier Service”. Details on the premier service are sparse at the moment, but it appears to include improved support and perhaps an extended warranty.

A Sturdier Samsung

Although Samsung has updated the Galaxy Fold’s design to make it sturdier, the company has taken extra effort to inform Fold owners to take extra care of the device, since it is still more fragile than typical smartphones. In a video titled ‘Caring for your Galaxy Fold’, Samsung warns users to touch the folding screen lightly and keep metallic devices away from the Fold’s magnetic seal.   Samsung’s isn’t simply being pedantic about its new phone. A recent durability test by the popular Youtuber JerryRigEverything demonstrates the fold is likely the most fragile smartphone on the market today, with the hinge mechanism being trivially simple to break, while the screen is so soft that even fingernails can leave it permanently marked. What do you think about Samsung’s refined Galaxy Fold device? Does it live up to the almost decade-long promise of foldable smartphones? Let us your thoughts in the comments below!

---

Images are courtesy of Pixabay, Twitter, Shutterstock.