Samsung Wants Galaxy Fold Owners to Be Unrealistically Gentle With It

Our smartphones ride around all day in a pocket or bag, but we’ve taken to making them out of fragile glass. That might not be ideal, but Samsung has gone a step further with the Galaxy Fold. This “luxury” foldable has finally launched, and Samsung is trying to communicate to buyers just how gentle they have to be with the fledgling smartphone. If you’re not sufficiently careful, the Fold could cost a lot to repair.

Samsung announced the Galaxy Fold in early 2019, aiming to launch it in April. However, the first handful of review units failed at a troubling rate. Samsung recalled the phones and put the release on hold so it could explore the issues. Supposedly, Samsung redesigned the hardware to prevent particulates from infiltrating the screen from the edges and addressed possible damage to the display connectors from repeated folding.

When buyers unbox their $2,000 folding phone, they’ll encounter several warnings about how to treat it. There’s a slip of paper that reminds them the Fold is not water- or dust-resistant. They are also cautioned not to press the screen too hard. Because the screen folds, it’s plastic instead of the super-hard glass on most smartphones. And no, you can’t put a screen protector on the Fold, according to the included documentation. When folded, the device uses strong magnets to stay closed. So, Samsung also says you might not want to put it near credit cards or pacemakers.

Let’s say that, despite your best efforts, you damage the Galaxy Fold. The packaging also includes information on the Galaxy Fold “Premiere Service.” In addition to 24/7 phone support, Samsung will offer one screen replacement within the first year of ownership for $149. That’s only valid for people who buy the device before the end of 2019. The cost of additional screen replacements or those outside of the warranty is unclear, but it’s probably going to be a lot more than $149.

The price for flagship smartphones has slowly crept up above $1,000 in the last few years, but the hardware usually costs much less to produce. The Fold may actually cost almost $2,000 to make — there’s less automation because Samsung hasn’t manufactured millions of units, and it incorporates a lot of new technologies. Owners may find that repairing the Fold outside of warranty is prohibitively expensive. It’s not cheap living on the bleeding edge.

Now read:

• The ‘New’ Galaxy Fold Is Still Extremely Fragile
• Samsung’s PlayGalaxy Game Streaming Is Live on the Note 10
• Report: Samsung Working on Clamshell-Style Foldable Phone