Samsung Still Has No Idea When the Galaxy Fold Will Launch

[MacRumors]

Samsung on Tuesday acknowledged that it is unable to provide a firm release date for its Galaxy Fold smartphone and has contacted pre-order customers in the United States to apologize for the delay (via Reuters).

"If we do not hear from you and we have not shipped by May 31st, your order will be canceled automatically," the South Korean tech giant's U.S. subsidiary told Galaxy Fold pre-order customers in an email late on Monday, which was confirmed by a Samsung spokeswoman.

In a statement given to Reuters, Samsung said that U.S. regulations required the company to notify customers that pre-orders would be canceled if the product did not ship by May 31.

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.

After recalling the review units, Samsung contacted pre-order customers on April 22, saying it would announce a new release date "in the coming weeks" and would take measures to strengthen the display protection. The device's screen was shown to be vulnerable to debris ingress, thanks to an iFixit teardown that was later removed at Samsung's request.

The development is the latest in a series of embarrassing events for Samsung, whose hybrid tablet/smartphone was supposed to demonstrate the company leading innovation in the mobile space. Still, at least the device in its current state won't get into the hands of thousands of customers around the world, which would likely have turned into a larger problem.

Samsung has said it plans to make at least 1 million Galaxy Fold handsets in the first year of production, compared to the total 300 million phones it produces annually on average. It originally closed pre-orders for the device early because of "high demand."

Article Link: Samsung Still Has No Idea When the Galaxy Fold Will Launch

 

[Dharma-P]

At least they're trying to innovate, unlike Apple shoving down the same stuff down our throats for the past few years and making us pay premium.

 

[kevinbeared]

Was it worth to rush and put out this ****** unfinished product just to say "we were first.." i don't think so.

Somebody at the top must be preparing a powerpoint to explain his decision but it will not be enough lol..

 

[keysofanxiety]

At least they're trying to innovate, unlike Apple shoving down the same stuff down our throats for the past few years and making us pay premium.

Innovation =/= something different to anything else on the market.

 

[maerz001]

I'm wondering how you can **** this up so hard as a company who put a gazillion products to market.

 

[Dharma-P]

Innovation =/= something different to anything else on the market.

A folding display in a form factor like that requires a lot of innovation.

 

[ka-spot]

me neither...

 

[ouimetnick]

I’m surprised Samsung didn’t learn from the Galaxy Note 7’s fiasco. Hope they (and Tim Apple) only announce finished products going forward (AirPower).

 

[Abazigal]

At least they're trying to innovate, unlike Apple shoving down the same stuff down our throats for the past few years and making us pay premium.

History is written by the victors.

Nobody remembers who did it first, only who did it best.

 

[AnthonyHarris]

At least they're trying to innovate, unlike Apple shoving down the same stuff down our throats for the past few years and making us pay premium.

*Failing to innovate with delicate technology that isn't ready for prime time.*
Fixed that for you.

 

[ingik]

A folding display in a form factor like that requires a lot of innovation.

I can promise you that Apple is actively developing folding phones, but they won't release them until they are at least half ready.

 

[iSRS]

At least they're trying to innovate, unlike Apple shoving down the same stuff down our throats for the past few years and making us pay premium.

From your statement, it appears you have an intimate knowledge of what Apple is working on and trying but not yet releasing (like the Galaxy Fold) or just plain said no to. That must be cool. Too bad they aren’t trying to innovate. This makes me sad. /s

Was it worth to rush and put out this ****** unfinished product just to say "we were first.." i don't think so.

Somebody at the top must be preparing a powerpoint to explain his decision but it will not be enough lol..

Yes, because people like @Dharma-P will say things like

At least they're trying to innovate, unlike Apple

 

[44267547]

A folding display in a form factor like that requires a lot of innovation.

Sure, Samsung deserves some credit for releasing a folding display, but what did that earn them with the quality control issues it’s having? I’d say it actually put them a further step back, given now they have to revamp the product. It’s not a good look charging $2000 for something that was initially flawed to begin with, regardless of innovation/who released it first.

 

[GadgetBen]

Guaranteed that Samsung are not the first to innovate with this product, Apple will have done this behind closed doors (where it belongs for now). Samsung constantly release products that are not finished (or not as good as they could be) just to appear to be the innovator.

Smart consumers know this and smart consumers will always wait for the technology to be perfected. It's no longer about being first, it's about having it made right.

In 2019 the focus is shifting more towards privacy and security. Something that an android phone simply cannot compete with Apple on given the openness and greater vulnerability of its fragmented software platform.

 

[dazzer21-2]

...but they won't release them until they are at least half ready.

Isn't that what Samsung have just done? We don't want to see this stuff until it's COMPLETELY ready!

 

[michelb76]

And how well are the other folding phones selling?

 

[Snoozealarm]

At least they're trying to innovate, unlike Apple shoving down the same stuff down our throats for the past few years and making us pay premium.

Trying only gets you a participation trophy. Apple tries to innovate, too...they just wait until they get it right before they release it, rather than soil themselves publicly.

 

[Bonte]

At least they're trying to innovate, unlike Apple shoving down the same stuff down our throats for the past few years and making us pay premium.

Imagine this to be an Apple product, they really can't afford a snafu in this magnitude. Yes to innovation. No to recklessy announcing a flawed design to the market just to be first.

 

[keysofanxiety]

A folding display in a form factor like that requires a lot of innovation.

If it doesn’t work and isn’t intuitive, it’s not innovative. It’s just something different that will be yet another footnote failure in tech history.

 

[TwoBytes]

Good on Samsung for not sending out a half baked product.
Bad on Samsung as what the hell were those internal testers doing not to spot this obvious mistake and big gaping holes in the screen!?

 

[DarthVader!]

Innovation =/= something different to anything else on the market.

If it doesn’t work and isn’t intuitive, it’s not innovative. It’s just something different that will be yet another footnote failure in tech history.

tell that to Schiller and the touchbar. While the execution failed, I think Samsung swung for the fences, something that Apple has not done in a long time.

 

[keysofanxiety]

Te

tell that to Schiller and the touchbar. While the execution failed, I think Samsung swung for the fences, something that Apple has not done in a long time.

"At least they tried something different" is a terrible argument.

 

[SPUY767]

At least they're trying to innovate, unlike Apple shoving down the same stuff down our throats for the past few years and making us pay premium.

Posting this weak bait trying to get the most internet points.

 

[Rogifan]

tell that to Schiller and the touchbar. While the execution failed, I think Samsung swung for the fences, something that Apple has not done in a long time.

How did they swing for the fences when Huawei and others have also shown off folding phones? And if Apple has a folding phone prototype in their labs that they haven’t shown to the public have they also swung for the fences we just don’t know about it?

 

[AnthonyHarris]

tell that to Schiller and the touchbar. While the execution failed, I think Samsung swung for the fences, something that Apple has not done in a long time.

But the Touch Bar actually works, and people use it. It isn't the most useful thing Apple have ever done, but if we are going to use the same justification you throw out there for Samsung *At least they were trying.*