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Samsung Cancels Galaxy Fold Pre-Orders in the U.S., Offers $250 Credit as Compensation

CyberPanda

Banned
Ahead of the upcoming Galaxy Fold launch, Samsung canceled pre-orders for customers who had previously signed on to purchase the device earlier this year.

Samsung this morning sent out emails to pre-order customers letting them know that their existing pre-orders, many of which were placed back in April, have been canceled. Samsung cites a rethinking of the customer experience as the reason why pre-orders were canceled.

Ensuring that you have the best possible experience with this revolutionary new technology is our top priority. We are taking the time to rethink the entire customer experience - from purchase to unboxing, to post-purchase service - so in the meantime, we have, regrettably, decided to cancel your existing pre-order. While not an easy decision to make, we believe this is the right thing to do.
Customers who had pre-orders will need to place orders once again when the Galaxy Fold launches in the United States later in September. Samsung is planning to launch the Galaxy Fold in South Korea on Friday, September 6, but the U.S. rollout is being delayed.

Part of the new ordering process will include Samsung's "Galaxy Fold Premier Service," which offers customers "direct access" to Samsung experts and an optional one-on-one onboarding session that walks users through the Galaxy Fold features.

samsunggalaxyfoldletter.jpg


Pre-order customers who had their orders canceled are receiving a $250 Samsung credit that's redeemable for anything on the Samsung.com website.

Samsung initially delayed the Galaxy Fold after multiple reviewers ran into issues with the device. Some experienced screen failures, while others mistakenly removed a protective screen component that wasn't meant to be removed.

Samsung reengineered the Galaxy Fold to address the problems and improve durability. The top protective layer of the display was extended beyond the bezel so that it looks integrated and not like a screen protector to be removed.

The top and bottom hinge areas were strengthened with protection caps to prevent dust from getting under the display, additional metal layers under the display were included for reinforcement, and the space between the hinge and the body was reduced.

The Galaxy Fold is Samsung's first smartphone with a foldable display, able to convert from a 4.6-inch smartphone when folded to a 7.3-inch phablet when opened up. It features a 7-nanometer processor, 12GB RAM, 512GB storage, six cameras, and an operating system designed for the folding mechanism.

The Galaxy Fold is priced starting at $1,980, and its new September launch date will put it in competition with Apple's 2019 flagship devices, which will be unveiled at a September 10 event next week.

 

CyberPanda

Banned
Samsung Reveals New Launch Dates for Delayed Galaxy Fold

Samsung has announced the Galaxy Fold will go on sale in South Korea on Friday, September 6, over five months after its original scheduled launch date and just days ahead of Apple's annual iPhone event.

According to The Verge, the Galaxy Fold will also be available in France, Germany, and Singapore come September 18. Samsung hasn't revealed an exact date for the UK or US, but the handset is expected to arrive in those countries in the coming weeks. Initially at least, the phone will be available in just a single configuration, offering 512GB of storage, 12GB of memory, and 5G support, with a Montblanc luxury case thrown in.

Samsung will be crossing its fingers and its toes in the hope of a fault-free rollout this time around. The folding smartphone was initially meant to be in the hands of customers in April, but it was delayed following multiple reports from reviewers of broken units after just a few days' use. Many reviewers experienced issues while testing the device, including random bulges appearing on the 7.3-inch display and flickering screens. In many cases, the issues were enough to make the $1,980 device completely unusable.

An independent investigation revealed that the folding phone lacked adequate protection against the ingress of debris between the OLED screen and the chassis bezel. Samsung recalled all Fold devices that were distributed to reviewers and said it was postponing the launch of the hybrid handset while it completed a redesign to resolve the display failures. The South Korean firm said in July that the phone would relaunch in September, but didn't specify a date.

Samsung is already working on its next bendable smartphone, according to a Bloomberg report earlier this week. Projected to launch early next year, it's said to be a flip phone-style 6.7-inch device that can be folded down into a compact-sized square.

Apple's iPhone event takes place on September 10, when the company is expected to launch three new iPhones with more advanced cameras. The line-up includes two OLED models in 5.8 and 6.5 inches and one LCD model that's 6.1 inches. Apple is said to be exploring folding screen technology, but nothing suggests it plans to release a foldable smartphone in the near future.

 

Pagusas

Elden Member
I wonder if the phone looks better now? The canceled release version was the uglies phone I’ve seen in a decade.
 
I'd stick with their Galaxy S flagship phones. This fold model is WAAAYYY to $$$$ and too much problems... Folding this on a daily basis will probably last you 3 months tops.
 
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