Samsung Completes Redesign of Galaxy Fold That Fixes Screen Failures

Samsung has completed its redesign of the Galaxy Fold to resolve the multiple display failures that led to its delay, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday.


According to the publication, the smartphone maker is now in the "final stages" of producing a version that's ready for the consumer market, but it's still unable to give a firm launch date.

The South Korean company originally planned to roll out its $1,980 foldable phone on April 26, but was forced to delay the launch after several units sent out to reviewers broke during testing.

All of the issues were related to the device's screen, which was later shown to be vulnerable to debris ingress, thanks to an iFixit teardown that was later removed at Samsung's request.

The company has reportedly fixed these problems, according to people familiar with the matter who spoke to Bloomberg.

It has now stretched the protective film to wrap around the entire screen and flow into the outer bezels so it would be impossible to peel off by hand, said the people, who have seen the latest versions. It re-engineered the hinge, pushing it slightly upward from the screen (it’s now flush with the display) to help stretch the film further when the phone opens.

That tension makes the film feel harder and more a natural part of the device rather than a detachable accessory, they added. The consequent protrusion, almost imperceptible to the naked eye, may help reduce the chance of a crease developing in the middle of the screen over time, one of the people said.

Samsung on Monday announced plans to hold an event on Wednesday, August 7 in New York City, where it will unveil its next-generation Galaxy Note device.

Samsung may also use the August event to provide more detail on when we can expect the delayed Galaxy Fold to launch.