Disaster start for Samsung’s revolutionary Galaxy Fold

If you were to look at the planning from Samsung from Product Announcement to launch for their revolutionary Galaxy Fold device it didn’t have the speed hump in it that has just appeared.

With the US and major global launch date set for the end of next week, Samsung began the “seeding” process this week – issuing key influencers, analysts and journalists with a Galaxy Fold device to test.

It looked great in their launch video:

These are some of the biggest names in tech – particularly on YouTube and it was a smart move by Samsung to begin the hype with them.

But it turned bad today when some of the recipients (some in this video some not) reported issues.

For a couple it was user error – peeling off what looked like a screen protector, but turns out to be an integral part of the screen:

And you can’t blame them if this is how it starts to look after a bit of use:

The bigger issue is actual screen defects.

That’s from the Tech editor at CNBC – a big deal. And there are others.

Samsung have released a statement saying “A limited number of early Galaxy Fold samples were provided to media for review. We have received a few reports regarding the main display on the samples provided. We will thoroughly inspect these units in person to determine the cause of the matter.

“Separately, a few reviewers reported having removed the top layer of the display causing damage to the screen. The main display on the Galaxy Fold features a top protective layer, which is part of the display structure designed to protect the screen from unintended scratches. Removing the protective layer or adding adhesives to the main display may cause damage. We will ensure this information is clearly delivered to our customers.”

Make no bones about it, this is a disaster for Samsung. It’s an expensive phone, and for a new technology the early reviews and impressions are critical.

EFTM can confirm that Australian pricing and availability was set to be announced within weeks, chances of that happening now seem unlikely.

Here’s hoping it’s an early production issue and not a fundamental issue with the technology. All eyes now on Huawei for their Mate X?