$2,000 Phone - Galaxy Fold
 

It's beautiful. I'm getting one if it has 5G capabilities.

https://www.samsung.com/global/galaxy/galaxy-fold/

https://www.theverge.com/2019/2/20/1...e-announcement

Samsung first teased its foldable phone back in November, and at the company’s Galaxy Unpacked event today, it’s further detailing its foldable plans. Samsung’s foldable now has a name, the Samsung Galaxy Fold, and the company is revealing more about what this unique smartphone can do. Samsung is planning to launch the Galaxy Fold on April 26th, starting at $1,980, through AT&T and T-Mobile in the US, with a free pair of Samsung’s new wireless earbuds. There will be both an LTE and 5G version of the Galaxy Fold, and Samsung is even planning on launching the device in Europe on May 3rd, starting at 2,000 euros.

Samsung is using a new 7.3-inch Infinity Flex Display that allows the phone itself to have a tablet-sized screen that can be folded to fit into a pocket. The main display is QXGA+ resolution (4.2:3), and when it’s folded, a smaller 4.6-inch HD+ (12:9) display is used for the phone mode. Samsung is using 512GB of Universal Flash Storage 3.0 (eUFS) for fast speeds, alongside a Qualcomm 7nm octa-core processor and 12GB of RAM. Samsung has even built two batteries for its Galaxy Fold, that are separated by the fold but combined in the Android operating system to represent a total of 4,380 mAh.

Samsung has built a sturdy backbone to the device, with a hinge system that has multiple interlocking gears. All of these gears are hidden at the rear of the device, and allow the Galaxy Fold to transform from tablet to phone modes. Samsung says it’s able to fold at least 200,000 times, which works out to over 5 years if you fold it 100 times a day. At the rear of the device there’s also a triple-camera system that will be used for both tablet and phone modes. There’s a 16-megapixel ultra-wide camera, alongside 12-megapixel wide-angle and telephoto cameras at the rear, and a 10-megapixel cover camera for selfies. Samsung is also creating four different colors for the Galaxy Fold, but it’s the main tablet display that’s key here.

Samsung is allowing the Galaxy Fold to run three apps at once on this Android device, and it’s using an app continuity system to adjust these apps when you move between tablet and phone modes. Apps like WhatsApp, Microsoft Office, and YouTube have all been optimized for the new display and modes, and Samsung has been working with Google to ensure Android 9 Pie fully supports this display.

Samsung demonstrated a variety of apps running in this mode, and the switching from phone to tablet and vice versa. It looks rather smooth in the software right now, but it’s fair to say that the Galaxy Fold looks far better when it’s folded out than being used as a traditional phone. The phone display is clearly designed to be used with one hand, but it’s flanked by large bezels that aren’t found on the tablet mode. We’ll need to get a closer look at the Galaxy Fold to find out exactly how this impacts the device usability, though.

Samsung isn’t the only smartphone maker creating a foldable device, but it’s certainly one of the first to make it widely available. Xiaomi teased its own folding phone recently, that looked like the best concept we’ve seen so far. Huawei is also reportedly planning to release a foldable handset this year, and Lenovo has started to tease its own prototype. LG has also been developing flexible OLED displays and TVs that roll up into a box. If all these manufacturers progress toward shipping a device like Samsung, then expect to see a lot of foldable phones in 2019 and beyond.

If it’s 5G? Where you gonna get 5G service anytime soon? Instead of early adapting why not wait until the second generation and let the price drop and 5G become available?

Good question - I just heard within the next year carriers will start coming out with it. I'm going to switch to Verizon from Sprint. I'm tired of shitty data.

I read Apple is going to have a similar product.

That's ridiculous.

No way in hell would I ever pay $2k for a phone/tablet. You'd have to really twist my arm to pay even a 1/4th of that amount

Plus I don't like having a damn brick in my pants.

Fuuuuuuuuck that sounds cool.

If it's just slightly thicker than the Note9 I'mma be pissed

I feel sorry for your wife.

dick jokes are always funny.

I have an S8+ and I HATE fiddling with it when its not in the my charging case. Its too thin and slippery for me to hold onto and type comfortably.

I don't think I'll ever understand early adopters. Just wait a year or two for the form factor to become mainstream and get it for less than half the price or better.

Silly gimmick at this point. 3-5 years from now, it will be common and actually structurally solid enough to be capable of lasting over time.

I'm curious how many people really need a screen that big for a phone.

My understanding is you fold it in half to use as a phone. Open it up to use it as a tablet.

I would buy one as soon as available but apparently its not going to be released for Verizon.

:cuss:

Hah, yep.
Would love to see dude holding the tablet-size up to his ear as a phone though. Be like the guy with the 3 foot long boom box on his shoulder back in the day.

Have you used one? Or even held one? You have no clue how structurally solid it is or how long it will last.

Huawei has one if you don't mind a little chinese spyware peaking into your life.
Lenovo, Xiaomi, and Motorola are said to be developing their own along with Apple(they got a patent for a folding device in 2014).

A few years from now the tech and hardware will be refined and the price will be where it needs to be IF this style catches on and doesn't become just another fad.

https://www.barrons.com/articles/fol...rk-51551488400

It's a known issue with the technology, dumbass. There's already foldable devices out there, and they're pretty flawed. The tech just isn't quite there yet. I mean, they even state there's a limit to how many times it can be folded.

Here's the fold on the Flexpai fold phone:

https://i.imgur.com/ijh4xoY.png

ROFL

The phone pictured is nothing like the Samsung phone.

"Samsung says it’s able to fold at least 200,000 times, which works out to over 5 years if you fold it 100 times a day."

I'd say that's unlike anything out, and 5 years is more than adequate usage.

You've never seen nor handled one, you're just talking out of your ass about something you have no clue about. Par for the course for you though.

Once the reviews start coming out, we'll revisit this thread for a chuckle at your expense.

Considering the specs of this phone and the fact the S10 is already $1000 I dont see this as that bad of a deal. I use my cel phone more than any other device I own. It makes sense Id pay a premium for it

I don't know how many need a screen that big. But I would sure like it. What's left of my hair is grey and my eyes are bad. I have to make everything bigger which means I don't get much text/map on the screen.

I don't use the phone walking around much. Usually I'm sitting at a table/desk so I would mostly use it folded out.

I would like a phone that when folded just comfortably fits in the front pocket of standard pants for guys. So I would like it even bigger than the Galaxy Fold.

But I don't use my phone enough to justify blowing 2 grand on it.

Plus I don't like having a damn brick in my pants.

I don't like having a damn brick in my pants either. I would rather have it in Billay's mom.

:)

I buy cell phones for about $100 and use them for 5+ years. Buying a phablet for $2k that the manufacturer says should last for 5 years is ****ing stupid.

You use your car every day - you wouldn't expect to pay $100 for it would you?

I use my phone even way more than my car.

I use my socks every day. I wouldn't pay $2,000 for them.

Yeah socks have alot of complex uses like a phone. I'm pretty amazed cell phones have stayed as affordable as they have. There is a huge market for high end cell phones. Affluent people with money to spend, why wouldn't they want to spend a ton of money on the best of the best devices? They don't have to be adopted by the masses to be profitable and useful.

Sucks for you

Nobody in this site should be calling me cheap ever again. Even I don't settle for a $100 phone.

ROFL

When my last phone broke, I went to the store and said, "Just give me your cheapest phone". My theory was that they pretty much all do the same thing now.

And I kind of feel like I was right. The only things that I miss about the more expensive phone were the fingerprint security and the higher photo quality. The keyboard is a little less sensitive too, which isn't great, but everything else is exactly the same.

You like your Jitterbug, eh?

Yeah, well, I use the every loving ****ing shit out of my phone. Data service in BFE was game changer for my operation.

I pay for a phone that works. It's worth the money.

That being said, I don't drop that kind of dough on a gimmicky tablet. I am pragmatic enough to buy an $800 phone and a $200 tablet and deal with the shortage of convenience.

ESPECIALLY with a goddamned Android tablet.

Anybody interested in a phone that flips along the OTHER axis?

While Samsung is headlining with their phone-to-tablet foldable, Apple and Google appear to be developing prototypes that, unfolded, have the form factor of today's large smart phone but fold in half for pocket storage, similar to a wallet. It's essentially a flip phone but with screen on both sides instead of keys like in the old days.

I'm sure Samsung is working on one too, I just haven't seen it.

Personally, I'm not interested in a double-wide but I'd definitely be interested in something with a large screen that could be smaller when stowed away.

So how much confidence does this give?

They went so far as to put it inside a display case that was surrounded by mirrors in order to prevent anybody from taking a clear picture of it. Let alone hold it. And this $2k phone is supposed to be released next month...

That’s remarkable.

If it’s truly not ready not pushing the rollout is intergalactically stupid.

Meh. I'm really not all that attached to my phone. A simple smart phone is actually more than I need.

Nah. But my LG Stylo 3 is more than adequate for what I do.

No way! So, you're saying that it might not actually be worth $2,000?

Meh. As long as it doesn't blow up we're moving in the right direction.

ROFL

You won't get better data from Sprint, especially not 5G. They're pretty far behind right now.

FYI, there's a lot of buzz right now about these foldable screens needing to be heated and there's some speculation that this particular Samsung phone has a heated screen. Apparently, extreme cold is bad for the screens? LOL.

Seriously though, how reliable are these screens going to be with so many one-off, proprietary requirements?

So from it looks like.....I can basically have a phone that's the size of two phones in my pocket now....for twice the cost.

Yeah....**** no.

Check my post from yesterday.

Would you be interested in a phone that folds in half instead?

Honestly? Probably not at this point. I don't see what benefits it would give me other than saving space. And even then you're only saving space one way. Taking my current phone and folding it in half is just going to make a bulkier product for my front pocket.

I don't even get the fascination with going back to "foldable phones". What benefits am I getting out of it?

Of course, it depends on design but the idea is that you could get a screen the size of an S10+ or XS Max in a phone that won't actually stick out of your pocket when you stow it. If the design is thin enough, the folded phone would be a bit smaller than a deck of cards.

I know guys at my office that have wallets a lot thicker than a full size deck of cards, but think a foldable phone would be too thick. Whatever.

I have a iphone 6+. I could stack three of them together and it would fit just fine in my front pocket.

I don't have any interest in paying $2000 for a fragile phone, but if the technology gets more robust and affordable, I would be very interested in it.

I can understand if you walk around with your phone trying to use it one handed, you don't want it too thick and heavy, but I rarely do that. I'm almost always sitting down when I use the phone so I would use it in tablet mode. A bigger screen would be nicer than having to dig out reading glasses.

Looks like these things are only going to be available on AT&T and T-Mobile. I have Sprint. I called Sprint today and complained about their service - also asking how much it would cost to terminate my current plan. They told me that as of April 1st they are going to be merging with T-mobile. Basically sounding like it was a done deal. The news says otherwise and that it's still an approval process.

I was wondering if anybody in the know has any idea if T-Mobile's service will become available for existing Sprint phone customers. Like will I be able to use my current phone S8+ on the T-Mobile network once the Merger is completed? T-Mobile's data coverage & availability is much better than Sprint.

The rankings for coverage availability & data speed are pretty much like this:
1) Verizon
2) T-Mobile (nipping at their heels)
3) AT&T (a little further behind)
4) Sprint (way behind)

If you want coverage and reliability, it's Verizon and T-Mobile. Everybody else is pretty far behind in terms of 4G coverage, let alone anything new.

Who the **** would pay that for a phone?

Old eyes man.

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Boner.

I have a boner.

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Wow. That's an awesome looking phone. I'm anxious to see how the rest of the phone is. Cameras, battery life, drop tests etc. At $2k there's no way I'm buying it. Maybe eventually that will become the norm for phone design and you'll be able to get that style for a decent price.

And of course, that design will be poo poo-ed until Apple makes a folding phone, then it'll be a must have.

Know when to hold em know when to fold em. Know when to walk away know when to run. You run here btw LMAO ROFL

The S10+ is like $1100 isn't it? Only $800 more. I'll justify it. IDK. I use my phone more than my car. Having a screen that big is going to be awesome. And I'm going to switch from ****ing Sprint to Verizon and T-Mobile. Life is too short to have shitty service.

throw a stylus on that bad boy and you got me hooked.

Love my Note9 but will probably have it until 2020. If the world doesn't end by that point I'll hope the Fold has improved and then make the switch.

2K? LMAO Yeah............no.

I thought I read the Fold wasn't going to be available on Verizon? If something has changed I'll be getting it asap. And I agree, my phone is by far the most used item I own, business and personal. $2k for something I use that much is reasonable to me.

Review units of Samsung's folding phone are breaking, and it's a potential fiasco tha
 

Could mean trouble

Pulls 2k phone out of pocket.

Check texts.

Drops on concrete.

****.

Yeah, they'd better just delay that one. Saw one where the left side just flickered between a blank white and what should be there.

Sammy will figure it out. Even at 0.4% failure rate, that is not acceptable, but still rare. They won't just leave you stuck with a messed up phone.

After the exploding Note 7 fiasco, I'm not so sure.

The protective cases for this thing are going to be interesting to see.

They didn't leave me hanging with the Note 7. They replaced the phone and gave me free money. It was just annoying more than anything.

lol dumb

The new 3D TV/Curved display gimmick.

3d gimmick. Curved TV not gimmick.

My Samsung Galaxy Fold screen broke after just a day
Yikes
By Dieter Bohn@backlon Apr 17, 2019, 1:52pm EDT
https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/8jFf...377_0022.0.jpg

Look closely at the picture above, and you can see a small bulge right on the crease of my Galaxy Fold review unit. It’s just enough to slightly distort the screen, and I can feel it under my finger. There’s something pressing up against the screen at the hinge, right there in the crease. My best guess is that it’s a piece of debris, something harder than lint for sure. It’s possible that it’s something else, though, like the hinge itself on a defective unit pressing up on the screen.

It’s a distressing thing to discover just two days after receiving my review unit. More distressing is that the bulge eventually pressed sharply enough into the screen to break it. You can see the telltale lines of a broken OLED converging on the spot where the bulge is.

Whatever happened, it certainly wasn’t because I have treated this phone badly. I’ve done normal phone stuff, like opening and closing the hinge and putting it in my pocket. We did stick a tiny piece of molding clay on the back of the phone yesterday to prop it up for a video shoot, which is something we do in every phone video shoot. So perhaps a tiny piece of that snuck into a gap on the back of the hinge and then around or through its cogs until it lodged in between the screen and the hinge. It’d be sort of like Charlie Chaplin getting caught in the gears in Modern Times.

(cont'd.)

https://www.theverge.com/2019/4/17/1...flexible-bulge

Bunch of $2000 paperweights.

I’ve read that a lot of these are breaking.

4. Which is still too many. But 4 of them have broken so far. 2 of them were broken by people peeling what they thought was a removable screen protector off. It wasn't removable. So 2 of them have broken. Still too many when you consider how few are out there right now.

Just because you have one in your living room doesnt mean curved TV's arent a gimmick.

I've compared them with flat panels, numerous tests have compared them with flat panels, and there's no discernible difference in viewing experience. Now take that curved TV and watch it from a non centered angle and tell me all about how it improves the experience.

There's a reason why Samsung and LG dropped curved displays from their flagships and the LG Director of New Product Development said, "Since the appeal of curved is purely aesthetic and it does nothing to enhance the picture quality, we prefer to focus on flat form factor for the TV itself."

Gimmick.

I'm a little worried about the longevity of the screen, not due to the folding of it, but that lint, debris, crumbs, skin oil could possibly get beneath the non-removable screen protector. To be able to have a fold able screen it has to be plastic, more malleable, but also more delicate.

Won't likely be a deal breaker to me because Sammy won't leave people out to dry. I doubt they even intend to make money on this phone.

Wut?

https://www.theverge.com/2019/4/17/1...flexible-bulge

LOL.... and it's supposed to be released in 3 days...

Samsung retrieving all Galaxy Fold samples after defect reports: source

SEOUL (Reuters) - Samsung Electronics Co Ltd is retrieving all Galaxy Fold samples distributed to reviewers to investigate reports of broken screens, a day after it postponed the phone’s launch, a person with direct knowledge of the matter said on Tuesday.

The retrieval comes as the world’s biggest smartphone maker met with embarrassment ahead of the foldable device’s U.S. release on April 26, with a handful of technology journalists reporting breaks, bulges and blinking screens after a day’s use.

The South Korean tech giant postponed the handset’s launch for an unspecified period of time while it investigated the matter. It said initial findings showed the issues could be associated with impact on exposed areas of the hinges.

A representative declined to comment further on Tuesday.

Yeah, apparently it tends to develop a crack where the screen folds.

Who could have seen that coming? LMAO