The Rs 1.5 Lakh Samsung Galaxy Fold's Two Screens Are Acting Weird, And Users Are Freaked Out
When Samsung launched the new Galaxy Fold back in February it looked like the coolest device we¡¯d seen in a long time. But now that it¡¯s been in the hands of a few reviewers for a little while, we¡¯re starting to see big problems with the phone.
When Samsung launched the new Galaxy Fold back in February it looked like the coolest device we'd seen in a long time.
But now that it's been in the hands of a few reviewers for a little while, we're starting to see big problems with the way the phone is built.
Samsung
We'd previously reported that you should probably stay away from foldable smartphones this year, because they're still in their first generation. That means their builds are not likely to be perfect, and that's exactly the case. Reviewers testing the devices initially had positive impressions. But a few days later, they're starting to report a number of display issues.
For instance, Mark Gurman from Bloomberg says half his screen has gone black and it's begun to bleed over. That might have to do with the fact the he peeled what he thought was a screen protector off the display. As it turns out, that's actually part of the display, something he wasn't supposed to mess with.
The phone comes with this protective layer/film. Samsung says you are not supposed to remove it. I removed it, not knowing you¡¯re not supposed to (consumers won¡¯t know either). It appeared removable in the left corner, so I took it off. I believe this contributed to the problem. pic.twitter.com/fU646D2zpY
¡ª Mark Gurman (@markgurman) April 17, 2019
Marques Brownlee also tweeted about seeing the film and attempting to peel it off. He didn't get very far before his display started freaking out too. This is actually something Samsung mentions in the manual, saying, "The main screen includes a special protective layer. Peeling off the protective layer or using any adhesives on the main screen, such as screen protectors or stickers, may cause damage."
PSA: There's a layer that appears to be a screen protector on the Galaxy Fold's display. It's NOT a screen protector. Do NOT remove it.
¡ª Marques Brownlee (@MKBHD) April 17, 2019
I got this far peeling it off before the display spazzed and blacked out. Started over with a replacement. pic.twitter.com/ZhEG2Bqulr
Dear future #GalaxyFold owners, I know I always say "No one ever read the instructions"... PLEASE READ THIS ONE!!!
— Des (@askdes) April 17, 2019
(This is the wrap over the screen of the Galaxy Fold) pic.twitter.com/LuQPRfDZIE
But that isn't reason enough for all the problems appearing. Though Gurman's can be explained by that, Brownlee didn't manage to peel much off at all. And then there's Steve Kovach from CNBC with his own display problem.
After one day of use... pic.twitter.com/VjDlJI45C9
¡ª Steve Kovach (@stevekovach) April 17, 2019
The thing is, Kovach never touched that protective film, the display just started freaking out on its own. Eventually, it went completely black and wouldn't turn on at all.
And then there's Dieter Bohn from The Verge, whose display is working fine. His issue is this bulge that he noticed underneath the display, right near where the fold crease is. Because of that the OLED panel is distorting, but it would be really annoying even if it wasn't.
Dieter Bohn/The Verge
That would be terrible news for a device like the iPhone, so it's even worse when its the Galaxy Fold, which costs about $2,000. Samsung has of course been replacing the units for the reviewers, and will probably do the same for consumer piece with these issues. But the problem is the appearance of those issues in the first place.
Samsung obviously got something wrong with the Galaxy Fold, and hopefully has a fix on the way soon. Whether other foldable screen phones -- like the Huawei Mate X -- suffer from similar teething issues remains to be seen.
