Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

Samsung’s Galaxy Fold to launch in the ‘coming weeks,’ include Premier Service

IFA 2024
This story is part of our coverage of IFA Berlin 2024

 

Update: Digital Trends took the new Galaxy Fold for a spin — and found the Fold still feels fabulous. Read our full hands-on with the Galaxy Fold here.

Recommended Videos

Samsung is re-launching its Galaxy Fold foldable smartphone, the company announced Thursday morning — and including “Premier Service” for people planning on buying the cutting-edge (folding-edge?) device. The service gives owners of the nearly-$2,000 phone access to Samsung’s experts, who will provide 24/7 guidance and support.

That service includes an onboarding session where these experts walk new customers through the features of device. Sadly, we still don’t have word on an official U.S. release date other than the fact that the phone is launching in the “coming weeks,” at the end of September. It’s a different story in South Korea, though, where the Galaxy Fold will be available starting September 6. The following countries are set to get it soon after: France, Germany, Singapore, the U.K., the U.S., and “more.”

We didn't just change the shape of the phone.
We changed the shape of tomorrow.

Introducing the Samsung Galaxy Fold.#GalaxyFold
Discover it now on https://t.co/DiQbEBKh4H pic.twitter.com/xMVn8f28f1

— Samsung Mobile (@SamsungMobile) September 5, 2019

The landmark foldable phone was initially set to launch on April 25, but tech journalists reviewing the device ahead of its sale date found issues with the hardware (we ran into no issues with the product in our time testing it, as you’ll find in our review). Samsung recalled the units it sent out and postponed the launch until it could sort out the problems. It was a serious blow to the company, which was understandably hyping up the launch of its first-ever foldable smartphone — technology it has been working on for close to a decade.

“It was embarrassing,” D.J. Koh, Samsung’s president and CEO, said in July. “I pushed it through before it was ready.”

Samsung then said it fixed the problems with the Galaxy Fold in July, and that sales would officially kick off in September. The fixes to the revised Galaxy Fold include an extended protective layer on the main display so that people don’t mistakenly remove it, a strengthened hinge, and “reinforcements to better protect the device from external particles.”

It’s not unsurprising to see hardware problems for a new product category, but it does call into question the life span and reliability of the foldable phone’s components. It doesn’t help that the Fold has a starting price of $1,980.

Huawei has yet to release its Mate X foldable competitor, which costs even more at $2,600. But more foldable smartphones are expected to be on the way in 2020, with companies like Motorola, Google, TCL, and even Apple filing patents for foldable designs.

At the moment, foldable phones aren’t for the average person — they’re simply too expensive. As the technology matures and more products come to market, prices will drop; TCL already said it wants to make foldable hardware that’s more accessible. It’s a similar story with 5G phones, and by the way, there’s a 5G version of the Galaxy Fold that’s even more expensive. Right now, 5G smartphones are pricey, but brands like HMD Global, which makes Nokia phones, and OnePlus are attempting to bring the cost down.

The Galaxy Fold will come in cosmos black and space silver in the U.S. Expect its release at the end of the month. You can preregister now to put your name down and get alerts. The Premier Service comes included for those that purchase the phone.

Julian Chokkattu
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Julian is the mobile and wearables editor at Digital Trends, covering smartphones, fitness trackers, smartwatches, and more…
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7: Everything we know so far
Leaked render of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 showing its front and rear profiles.

It feels like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 was only released yesterday, but Samsung's most advanced smartphone ever was actually revealed almost a year ago now. And that means another uber-premium Samsung foldable is on the horizon. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 hasn't been officially revealed yet, but we have plenty of leaks to dig into. Here's everything you need to know about this upcoming new foldable, when you might be able to expect it, and what it might include.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7: Design and display
The Galaxy Z Fold 6. Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Samsung has been receiving some justifiable criticism recently for allowing its foldables to stagnate, especially following some new designs from Chinese phone companies. It doesn't look as if we'll be getting any huge changes with the Galaxy Z Fold 7, but Samsung is definitely making some alterations that will freshen up the Z Fold range.

Read more
Samsung may bring Now Brief to more Galaxy smartphones
Now brief on the Samsung Galaxy S25.

Samsung’s popular new AI tool, Now Brief, might soon make its way beyond the Galaxy S25 to older models like the Galaxy S24. While Samsung hasn’t officially confirmed this yet, recent software clues suggest the company could roll out the handy AI assistant to a wider range of Galaxy devices.

X user MEMETCAN88 (via Android Authority) discovered that Now Brief was accessible on a Galaxy S24 phone by way of the activity launcher when using the One UI 7 beta. Further, additional users (via SamMobile) were able to access it with phones like the Galaxy S23, Galaxy S10, Galaxy Z Fold 6, and Galaxy Z Flip 6.

Read more
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge specs continue to leak as launch nears
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge cameras

Samsung is preparing to launch another flagship model, the Galaxy S25 Edge. This slim phone was originally teased at the launch of the Galaxy S25 in January, with rumors pointing to an April 16 launch date for the new device.

So far we’ve seen a range of specs for the phone, but thanks to a reliable leaker, it looks like we’re closer to some of the details. According to UniverseIce, posting on Weibo, the Galaxy S25 Edge will come with a titanium alloy frame.

Read more