Samsung responds to reports of its $2,000 folding Galaxy phone breaking, saying it's investigating and will clearly warn people not to remove the screen's protective layer
- Samsung is investigating the issues with its Galaxy Fold review units that some reviewers experienced after just two days with the foldable smartphone.
- In its first response, Samsung talked about a protective layer on the Galaxy Fold's display that's not meant to be removed, which some reviewers say they removed without knowing it was meant to stay on the device.
- The packaging for the review units doesn't contain a warning about removing the protective layer, but it sounds like the retail packaging will include it - Samsung says it will make sure the warning is "clearly delivered to customers."
- Still, some issues that reviewers experienced don't seem related to the protective layer, so questions still remain.
Samsung responded to issues that some reviewers experienced with the Galaxy Fold's foldable smartphone display on Wednesday night, saying it will "thoroughly inspect these units in person to determine the cause of the matter."
The issues that some reviewers experienced included malfunctioning displays, and at least one case where a small bump emerged beneath the display that seems to have eventually broke the device.
Some of the reviewers reported that they had removed a protective film from the Galaxy Fold's display, which Samsung says "is part of the display structure designed to protect the screen from unintended scratches." The protective display layer isn't meant to be removed.
Business Insider hasn't removed the protective layer from its Galaxy Fold review unit, and we haven't experienced any issues with the display. Our review unit packaging doesn't contain a warning about removing the protective display layer, and it's unclear if the Galaxy Fold's retail packaging comes with the warning. A T-Mobile content director posted an image of a warning label over the wrap surrounding the Galaxy Fold smartphone, which suggests that retail versions of the phone will contain a warning.
A warning about removing the protective layer is also found in the Galaxy Fold's instructions manual on page six, which is arguably not clear enough for consumers if the protective layer is such an important part of the Galaxy Fold.
In its statement, Samsung said that it will ensure that the warning about removing the protective layer will be "clearly delivered to our customers."
With that said, one reviewer for CNBC noted that he experienced display issues on the Galaxy Fold even with the protective layer still on the device:
And another reviewer from The Verge experienced a small bulge underneath the display, which eventually broke the display itself. This issue doesn't seem to be related to the protective layer that Samsung says not to remove.
Either way, we'll have to wait and see what Samsung says about the issues, and how the rollout for the Galaxy Fold will be affected. So far, the Galaxy Fold is still on track to be sold on April 26.
Read about our first impressions of the Galaxy Fold here.