For Samsung, a tech company that stakes its reputation on shipping flashy new smartphones with eye-catching features, it was a nightmare come true.

One of its latest phones, the Galaxy Fold, generated lots of attention this year for an exciting new feature: It could be folded and unfolded like a book to decrease or increase the screen size. The nearly $2,000 cost was also eye-catching.

The device made its way into the hands of a small number of gadget reviewers this week, just ahead of its public release.

And then things went awry.

First, one reviewer said one side of the device’s screen had died on Day 1. The next day, another critic said his device had become unusable. Then another reviewer reported different problems with the screen.