Samsung Electronics Co.’s (OTC:SSNLF) much hyped new foldable cell phone may be a bust.
Some test models of the latest Samsung phone suffered defects after only days of use, casting a shadow over next week’s introduction of a $1,980 U.S. device meant to rejuvenate a flagging market and revitalize the Asian technology company.
Several publications, including Bloomberg News, outlined a bevy of problems with test versions of the unique cell phone, which folds inward like a notebook. Bloomberg’s reviewers experienced issues after a plastic protective layer was removed on Monday. By Tuesday night, a small tear had developed at the top of the hinge, where the gadget opens. Then the display failed to operate properly.
The Korean company suffered a black eye with a previous major cell phone launch in 2016, when it was forced to recall the Galaxy Note 7 after consumers reported issues with batteries that burst into flames. The world’s largest smartphone maker is counting on ground-breaking gadgets to propel growth and excite consumers as demand for mobile devices flattens.
Pre-orders began Monday for a marquee device expected to usher in a wave of smartphones that can unfurl into tablets. The "Galaxy Fold’s" 7.3-inch screen teased how users can juggle three apps at once and view video with more clarity. But the reported defects may now scuttle the upcoming launch of the new device.
Samsung, which spent eight years on the Galaxy Fold, is also developing a clamshell-like foldable phone and another that folds outward. The company envisions smartphones with rolling and stretchable displays. Samsung’s shares fell 3.1% in early trading Monday, outpacing a 1.4% fall in the country’s benchmark index.
