Samsung Electronics has finally issued a statement in response to problems hounding its foldable smartphone. Samsung had postponed the proposed Galaxy Fold China launch scheduled to hold on April 26 due to issues with the display. Samsung has now officially released a press statement intimating that the Fold’s release has been postponed indefinitely.









Recall that the Galaxy Fold was released last week to reviewers and the feedback were all not so good. A couple of the units were damaged due to some sort of defective displays. The Korean technology giant says it will postpone the launch of the Samsung Galaxy Fold to a later date.



This, after the displays of some units issued to reviewers broke and malfunctioned, even without peeling off the thin layer — something that people like American YouTuber Marques Brownlee mistook for a screen protector — from the panel.



It’s a no-no for a device whose main highlight is a display that can purportedly be opened and closed around 200,000 times before problems could occur. This brings us back to 2016, when the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 was recalled because of exploding and overheating batteries.



The development comes just a few days before the supposed April 26 release of the Galaxy Fold in the United States, where it was going to be sold for $1,980 or roughly P102,951 in Philippine pesos. This week’s media events in Hong Kong and Shanghai have apparently been called off as well.



But while that one happened after the smartphone became available on the market, this year’s issues were discovered before sales have started — fortunately — and for a device that only a handful could afford. So we believe that it would be much easier for Samsung to bounce back from this mishap this time. We wonder how it could affect the eventual release of the Huawei Mate X and other similar products, though.



SAMSUNG’S OFFICIAL STATEMENT:



“We recently unveiled a completely new mobile category: a smartphone using multiple new technologies and materials to create a display that is flexible enough to fold. We are encouraged by the excitement around the Galaxy Fold.



While many reviewers shared with us the vast potential they see, some also showed us how the device needs further improvements that could ensure the best possible user experience.



To fully evaluate this feedback and run further internal tests, we have decided to delay the release of the Galaxy Fold. We plan to announce the release date in the coming weeks.



Initial findings from the inspection of reported issues on the display showed that they could be associated with impact on the top and bottom exposed areas of the hinge. There was also an instance where substances found inside the device affected the display performance.



We will take measures to strengthen the display protection. We will also enhance the guidance on care and use of the display including the protective layer so that our customers get the most out of their Galaxy Fold.



We value the trust our customers place in us and they are always our top priority. Samsung is committed to working closely with customers and partners to move the industry forward. We want to thank them for their patience and understanding.



Samsung will take the same to properly ensure that users understand that the protective display layer is not to be removed from the screen. At the same time, it will figure out how to strengthen the display’s protection.“



