To fold or not to fold, that is the question that Samsung faces in the wake of issues with its latest flagship smartphone, the Galaxy Fold.
Several reviewers of the Galaxy Fold experienced critical issues with the new screen technology that have led Samsung to recall the units for investigation. For example, one reviewer experienced a bump on the screen, while another reviewer created a screen issue by accidentally peeling off the top portion of the multi-layer screen.
Recently Samsung said in an email to preorder customers that it will automatically cancel all orders if it can’t fix issues with the product by May 31. An interview with the CEO in a Korean newspaper and the email about the preorder sent a ripple of rumors through the smartphone industry that Galaxy Fold was doomed. Clearly, Samsung’s drive to be first with breakthrough innovation presented challenges for the company and a nascent market.
The race amongst smartphone manufacturers to release a foldable product showcases how intense the competition is in the sector and how fast innovation is happening.
While the fate of this specific iteration of the Galaxy Fold remains in question, Samsung most assuredly will ship a foldable product. Obviously, the next iteration of the Galaxy Fold will feature design changes that eliminate a person’s ability to access the edges of the screen. While we await changes in the Galaxy Fold, the best thing to do is evaluate how the original Galaxy Fold changes the smartphone landscape and what you should look for in a foldable product.
Having said that, it’s also clear that people are interested in the foldable a category. Even at nearly $2,000 price tag, Samsung had a preorder list for the Galaxy Fold. In my opinion, there’s a certain mystique about a device that is the equivalent of the transformers of computing technology. Apparently, consumers also agreed.
The foldable device market has arrived with Huawei, Royole FlexPai and Samsung all offering foldable products this year. Motorola is also said to be launching a new RAZR foldable as well. It’s to be determined when Apple will enter the market, but I’m sure it has something up its sleeve. Now that it’s made peace with Qualcomm we may even see a 5G foldable from Apple soon. More
