Following early reviewer experiences and questions around the readiness of the Galaxy Fold, Samsung has officially announced that they will be delaying the launch of the foldable smartphone.
In a statement released on April 22, the company said that reviewer experiences showed that the device needed to be improved further.
“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,” Samsung said in their statement.
Most reviewers who reported their display breaking after a few days of use discovered that this was due to removing a protective layer. Many mistook this layer for a screen protector. Removing the protective layer resulted in the screens malfunctioning shortly after.
However, other reviewers, such as the team at The Verge, experienced display issues without removing this layer.
After investigating broken devices, Samsung said that the issue lies with vulnerable areas around the hinge and, in one case, a substance found inside the device.
“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,” Samsung says.
The smartphone maker is planning to strengthen the display protection of the Galaxy Fold. They also plan to improve customer guidance on care, which may include bringing more attention to the need to keep the protective layer in place.
A new launch date will be announced in the coming weeks.