In an attempt to set the world alight with excitement with Galaxy Fold – world’s first foldable smartphone – Samsung has apparently made a self-goal.
Instead of riding high on the unprecedented launch, all that Samsung has gathered are a bunch of negative reviews regarding Galaxy Fold. Most of the complaints have been about the foldable screens. And, in light of such negative response, Samsung has decided to postpone the launch of the Galaxy Fold, indefinitely!
But is it just the screen that has caused the delay or does Samsung have something else cooking up? Let us look at it in a little more detail.
Samsung Galaxy Fold: Stuck With Major Issue
As mentioned earlier, most of the technical reviewers report a defect in the foldable screen of the smartphone. On folding, there appears to be a bulge in between the screen and the hinge. When asked about it, Samsung clarified that this was caused due to the removal of a protective plastic layer by the users. While the users might mistake them for screen guards, they are actually vital for the smooth folding and functioning of the screen of the Galaxy Fold. In addition to this, the mere fact that issues are coming up after just days of usage means that the device isn’t ready for release yet.
Nevertheless, Samsung has hinted towards the fact that it is going to make a lot of changes so as to strengthen the display enough to meet the standards expected by its customers. But is it the only reason behind the delay?
Galaxy Fold Launch Delay: Official Explanation
While there has not been an official statement regarding the delay, there have been reports suggesting that the delay is due to issues highlighted by the technical reviewers on inspection. Samsung has also previously given the statement that the company will “thoroughly inspect the units in person“. Therefore, it is safe to assume that the delay is due to faulty screen reviews.
Galaxy Fold: A Premium Smartphone Winner?
It can also be possible that the company is actually delaying the launch of the Galaxy Fold intentionally to let the prospective users of the premium smartphone segment get ready for the year biggest invention. In recent years, Samsung has lost its grip over the global premium smartphone market. In fact, according to Counterpoint research, Samsung’s premium market share in 2018 was limited to 22% only. This is in comparison to its competitor, Apple, who enjoyed a lion’s share of the market segment with 51%. The other competitors like Huawei and OnePlus are catching up to the South Korean giant in this segment of smartphones as well.
Therefore, it wouldn’t be going too far on our part to say that Samsung is able to take a feel of the competition in the premium smartphone segment due to its faulty foldable smartphone. Being the first company to sell a smartphone that is foldable as well as expensive, the company was bound to run into problems. But with the ultra-premium segment ($800+) growing the fastest among the premium smartphones and its competitors months away from releasing their respective foldable smartphones, there exists an avenue for Samsung to make a lot of money. But for that, it is highly important that the company fixes the troublesome issues and releases them at the right time.
The delay in the launch of Galaxy Fold is definitely not something Samsung wanted to have during the debut of the world’s most innovative smartphone. But this time the management of the Korean smartphone giant can’t afford to have another incident similar to the debacle of Galaxy Note 7 a few years back.
