Samsung announces the Galaxy Fold, a luxury device starting at $1,980

[Shawn Knight]

Forward-looking: Samsung is venturing into uncharted territory with the Galaxy Fold. Smartphone innovation has been down across the industry and as major markets hit saturation levels, consumers are demanding something new. The Galaxy Fold is certainly a break from the norm, but how will buyers respond to that nearly $2,000 price of entry?

All eyes were affixed on Samsung today as the company hosted its latest Unpacked mobile event. Most suspected Samsung would open with the Galaxy S10 but the company surprised onlookers by diving right into its latest innovation, the Galaxy Fold.

The Galaxy Fold features a 4.6-inch HD+ Super AMOLED display (21:9) on the outside but when unfolded, the device transforms into a small tablet boasting a 7.3-inch Dynamic AMOLED Infinity Flex Display with a QXGA+ resolution (4.2:3). It’s powered by an unnamed 7nm, 64-bit processor, 12GB of LPDDR4x RAM and 512GB of local storage (UFS 3.0) and packs a total of six cameras – three on the back, two on the inside and one on the front.

Notably, there's no micro SD card slot.

The rear camera array is comprised of a 16-megapixel f/2.2 ultrawide camera, a 12-megapixel wide-angle shooter with f/1.5 – f/2.4 aperture, dual pixel AF and optical image stabilization and a 12-megapixel telephoto f/2.4 aperture camera, also with OIS.

The dual front-facing system is made up of a 10-megapixel f/2.2 selfie camera and an 8-megapixel RGB depth camera with an aperture of f/1.9.

Samsung’s latest derives power from two separate batteries, one on each side of the fold. Collectively, they afford 4,380mAh of capacity – a sizable amount for a standard phone, but one has to wonder how much mileage to expect out of this new form factor.

The Galaxy Fold ushers in an entirely new form factor for mobile devices. To create it, Samsung had to develop a sophisticated hinge system with multiple interlocking gears that can withstand hundreds of thousands of folds and unfolds. I’m especially interested to see how this feels in practice and more importantly, how the hinge – and the Infinity Flex Display – hold up over time.

Key to any good smartphone is quality software and Samsung looks to be on to something with the Galaxy Fold.

Samsung has developed a unique UX for the Galaxy Fold to take advantage of its multiple use scenarios. Designed for the “ultimate multitasker,” the Fold can run up to three active apps simultaneously on the main display. With App Continuity, you’re able to seamlessly transition between the cover and main display without losing your place.

Samsung tells us the handset will ship running Android 9.0 Pie.

The Samsung Galaxy Fold launches on April 26 starting at a staggering $1,980. Carrier payment plans will soften the blow a bit but still, this is one expensive device. It’ll be offered in both LTE and 5G variants, we’re told, and will be available in black, silver, green and blue color schemes.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/78848-samsung-announces-galaxy-fold-luxury-device-starting-1980.html

 

[netman]

Galaxy Fold....Time travel is much faster now!

 

[gusticles41]

Ahh just what we consumers want - A TWO thousand dollar phone! This is refreshing, because the iPhone Xs is for plebs and I need something better.

 

[netman]

"I’m especially interested to see how this feels in practice and more importantly, how the hinge – and the Infinity Flex Display – hold up over time"

The hing should be spring loaded so it can unfold with a push of a button...

 

[Vulcanproject]

Ahh just what we consumers want - A TWO thousand dollar phone! This is refreshing, because the iPhone Xs is for plebs and I need something better.

Ha, this is nothing. Just you wait until Apple unveil their entry level competitor which can fold itself twice while the higher end model is capable of folding over itself four times. Then they'll charge $1000 per fold.

Alternatively Huawei will come up with a phone you screw up in a ball and throw in the bin: sponsored by the U.S Government.

 

[netman]

The Fold appears to benefit left-handed folks more than right...Oh well!

 

[netman]

Ahh just what we consumers want - A TWO thousand dollar phone! This is refreshing, because the iPhone Xs is for plebs and I need something better.

All new innovation devices are expensive naturally...When others come up with similar hand devices this phone should come down to less than $1500. Consumers may not rush to buy this phone, but I cannot say the same thing about corporations and enterprises...

 

[mattsie]

Ahh just what we consumers want - A TWO thousand dollar phone! This is refreshing, because the iPhone Xs is for plebs and I need something better.

All new innovation devices are expensive naturally...When others come up with similar hand devices this phone should come down to less than $1500. Consumers may not rush to buy this phone, but I cannot say the same thing about corporations and enterprises...

Tho who would buy this phone, since it costs as much as a decent laptop, tablet and a phone all together! I don't need a fold and I get 5-15inch screen realestate! I mean I get it, something new but 2000$ is not an option for a phone however you look at it. Once they figure it out and it replaces laptop work week, then it is worth it! Otherwise it isn't!

 

[wiyosaya]

All new innovation devices are expensive naturally...When others come up with similar hand devices this phone should come down to less than $1500. Consumers may not rush to buy this phone, but I cannot say the same thing about corporations and enterprises...

I would not be so sure that corporations and enterprises will jump all over this. $2k is a large amount for any entity.

 

[netman]

All new innovation devices are expensive naturally...When others come up with similar hand devices this phone should come down to less than $1500. Consumers may not rush to buy this phone, but I cannot say the same thing about corporations and enterprises...

I would not be so sure that corporations and enterprises will jump all over this. $2k is a large amount for any entity.

The enterprises get volume discounts...Besides, they can write it off on their income tax filing....Like Amazon that paid $0 on their 2018 taxes!

 

[Lew Zealand]

This tech has great possibilities but I need rich people to throw some money at it to encourage competition. Wallets out!

 

[Uncle Al]

Looks like now instead of buying 3 generations behind I'll have to buy 10 generations behind so I can get it at a reasonable price ...... LOL

 

[netman]

So the 4G version starting at $1,980 and ending at what?
Now, the 5G version probably starts at $2,200 ?

 

[TheBigT42]

When I see Galaxy Fold I think Ford Galaxie

 

[toooooot]

I am patiently waiting for xiaomi's foldable precious. Maybe not the first gen, but if it proves reliable. Well, we dreamed of foldable screens for years.
Must have for gadget addicts like me.

 

[QuantumPhysics]

This is going to be a TREMENDOUS failure.

Credit Card Defaults will hit a record high.

 

[PEnnn]

"Starting at $1980"...

I remember when the Android crowd was making fun of the IPhone crowd for paying too much for a phone...!!

 

[wiyosaya]

Samsung is the Android community's Apple. And they have out-done Apple in providing an overpriced device. The foldable/flexable screen is a very cool innovation, but for a phone it's a very impracticable usage scenario. Not likely to catch on, especially at $2000 for those specs. No thank you Samsung. Hard pass.

Corporate hubris in both cases, IMO. It seems to be starting to come back to haunt them.

 

[amghwk]

Hahahahaha....

I'm sure the next innovation will be two-folding and later 4-folding phones...

Sure consumer asked for them?

I missed the pure and simple days of Nokia 3310...

 

[Arris]

For me to jump in on foldables(once costs come down) it would have to be more than a 4.6 to 7.3 inch size increase.
I'd want a 6 inch phone that folds out to be a 12-13 inch tablet at very least.

 

[kira setsu]

Ahh just what we consumers want - A TWO thousand dollar phone! This is refreshing, because the iPhone Xs is for plebs and I need something better.

All new innovation devices are expensive naturally...When others come up with similar hand devices this phone should come down to less than $1500. Consumers may not rush to buy this phone, but I cannot say the same thing about corporations and enterprises...

The price wont go down, once apple enters their version the price will only go up.

if anything normal slab phones may finally balance out their own cost though, I gave up a long time ago thinking these companies would take a high road on anything.

 

[wiyosaya]

The price wont go down, once apple enters their version the price will only go up.

if anything normal slab phones may finally balance out their own cost though, I gave up a long time ago thinking these companies would take a high road on anything except price.

Fixed that for you!

 

[Cubi Dorf]

I was exciting about foldable phone until I view the price

 

[HyperPete]

#WHOFREAKINGCARES

 

[lazer]

I am going to take my wife to a pawn shop to see how much I can get so I can afford one of these folding phones.

ooooooH! gatta have!!!

 

[QuantumPhysics]

This isn't a "smartphone". It's a folding tablet.