When reports started emerging of foldable phones breaking last week, it showed just how risky and fragile the concept of foldable phones truly are.
Initially, people fretted over the plastic screen’s glare, wondered if the polymer screen would feel less premium, wrung their hands over the central crease where the two screen halves fold and generally knitted their brows about long-term wear and tear.
The turmoil came after four early reviewers of Samsung’s foldable phone posted photos of their bulging, “broken,” “unusable,” “flickering” Folds, causing a ripple of sensation across social media sites like Twitter and Reddit. You might even say that the internet is freaking out.
When you think about breaking phone parts, your mind will no doubt leap to the glass screens and backing on a premium phone. This is why cases exist, after all. But on the Galaxy Fold, glass isn’t the screen. It’s the bodyguard. The Fold uses a horizontal clamshell design where hard glass halves close like a book to protect a tender plastic display inside. Samsung even includes a case in the Galaxy Fold box as extra armor for the glass exterior, in case you drop the phone.
There may be a specific reason that some of the phones came to harm. Two reviewers experienced a total screen failure when they removed a thin plastic film that runs along the Galaxy Fold’s screen. There’s a narrow gap between this film and the bezel-edge of the display, which has led to confusion about the nature of the film.
But the protective film isn’t the only source of Samsung’s early troubles. CNBC’s Todd Haselton experienced screen flickering on the left side of his review device. The Verge’s Dieter Bohn also had issues, with Bohn’s screen forming a bulge beneath the surface.
These reports of a faulty Galaxy Fold are a nightmare situation for Samsung, the first major brand to sell a foldable phone. The Fold, which has a 4.6-inch screen on the outside, a bendable 7.3-inch screen on the inside and a nearly $1,980 price tag, is a major risk for the tech giant.
The Galaxy Fold has a completely different screen setup than any other phone. There’s a 4.6-inch display on the outside that’s covered with Gorilla Glass — that’s the same as other Galaxy phones like the S10 and S10 Plus. But inside, the screen is made of a plastic (polymer) material that Samsung calls its Infinity Flex Display.
Samsung created this with a new process and specific adhesives to withstand the screen’s bending and flexing without breaking. The screen protector layer is meant to remain in place to prevent damage to the display below — that’s the thing that actually makes your “screen” light up. Without the hardness of glass to cover the delicate display, the Fold is more vulnerable, something that’s become vividly apparent.
It isn’t clear if Samsung thoroughly briefed every reviewer who received a phone about the screen protector layer. There was no instruction in my box — no literature at all, in fact — but also no other indication, like a pull tab, that you should remove it.
However, I almost did anyway. As a reviewer, I like to experience the phone as “clean” as possible. That means everything I can peel off is going to come off. I emailed Samsung for more information about this layer on Tuesday. A spokesperson responded, “Galaxy Fold is manufactured with a special protective layer. It is not a screen protector — do not attempt to remove it.”
The company further elaborated its position:
“A few reviewers reported having removed the top layer of the display causing damage to the screen. The main display on the Galaxy Fold features a top protective layer, which is part of the display structure designed to protect the screen from unintended scratches. Removing the protective layer or adding adhesives to the main display may cause damage. We will ensure this information is clearly delivered to our customers.”
Samsung is well aware of the issues, and is working with reviewers to replace broken devices to investigate what went wrong (see the statements above).
In addition, we’ve asked Samsung what it thinks happened, if buyers can feel assured that their Folds won’t break, if Samsung will provide a refund if people cancel their order, and if it will it be clear what future Fold owners should and shouldn’t do to protect their phones.