UPDATED 22:23 EDT / SEPTEMBER 05 2019

EMERGING TECH

After troubled start, Samsung Galaxy Fold phone finally will go on sale this month

Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.’s Galaxy Fold folding phone is back.

The company announced Thursday that the phone will go on sale in South Korea Sept. 6, with other select countries to follow in the coming weeks.

The troubled phone, first announced in February, was withdrawn from its scheduled release in April when units sent to tech reviewers started breaking after two days of use. The phone has been delayed multiple times since then as Samsung has struggled to fix issues with the phone.

Samsung claims to have addressed issues, as the Fold returns with an upgraded hinge and a new protective film that cannot be peeled off. The latter is the result of confusion as to whether the film was an optional screen protector or not; it wasn’t, but tech reviewers didn’t know that.

According to CNET, the hinge on the revised Fold is sturdier with a sensation of resistance as the device is open and shut. Plastic “plugs” have been added to close air gaps when the phone’s screen is unfolded and the screen itself has been reinforced with a second layer of metal in an apparent attempt to reduce creasing and possible damage.

The color range of the resurrected Galaxy Fold has also been limited. Samsung only offers silver and black options for now.

“During the past several months, Samsung has been refining the Galaxy Fold to ensure it delivers the best possible experience,” the company said in a statement. “Not only [have] we improved the Galaxy Fold’s design and construction, but also took the time to rethink the entire consumer journey.”

That “consumer journey” includes the Galaxy Fold Premier Service, a service that offers direct access to Samsung experts who provide “tailored guidance and support over the phone any time, any day,” including “an optional one-on-one onboarding session to walk you through every innovation packed into the Galaxy Fold.”

Although not mentioned in Samsung materials for western markets, Engadget reported that customers in South Korea will also have access to the Fold Advantage+ program that promises to cover 70% of display repair costs once a year.

There’s no mention of what the Galaxy Fold will sell for in the west, but it’s presumed that Samsung has not changed its pricing. The original starting price was $1,980 and the Fold that has gone on sale in South Korea costs 2,398,000 won ($2,003).

The Fold is expected to go on sale in the U.K., France, Germany and Singapore Sept. 18, with the U.S. to follow Sept. 27.

Image: Samsung

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