Samsung’s high-profile Galaxy Fold foldable smartphone that received scathing media reviews for problems with its screen will now debut in June, nearly two months later than originally planned.
In an email on Wednesday, AT&T, one of Samsung’s carrier partners, told customers who pre-ordered the Galaxy Fold that the device would now ship on June 13.
Also, David Cogen, a host of the YouTube show The Unlockr, publicly shared an e-mail he received from AT&T support on Tuesday that said his initial ship date of April 26 had been switched to June. Several people responded to his tweet with screen captures of their own also showing the updated release date.
A person familiar with Samsung’s plans told Coins2Day that the June 13 release date is accurate. Neither Samsung nor AT&T has publicly confirmed the new release date.
The device, which will cost $1,980, was originally to hit store shelves on April 26. But over the past couple of weeks, the phone received several bad reviews including that its foldable screen flickered on and off. Others said that debris could easily slip behind the foldable screen and cause damage. Some reviewers said they mistakenly removed a protective film over the display that rendered the device useless.
Earlier this week, Samsung said that it would delay the Galaxy Fold while it investigated those problems. The company said that its initial findings suggested that a flaw in the hinge that folds the display may allow debris under the screen.
On Wednesday, iFixit, a company that takes apart electronics and reports on how easy they are to repair, published its take on the Galaxy Fold. The company said that a crease in the Galaxy Fold’s screen creates a small gap between the display and the top and bottom edges that allow for particles to get inside.
The iFixit report also cautioned that the Galaxy Fold’s hinge has holes that could let debris get behind the display.
Samsung hasn’t released its final report, and it’s unclear what steps the company may take, if any, to fix the Galaxy Fold. But with seven weeks until the smartphone’s new release, the clock is ticking.