The Galaxy Fold is finally out in stores in the US, which means brave souls can now dish out $2,000 to own the first widely available smartphone in the world with a foldable screen. We’ve told you time and again not to buy the handset because you’re probably going to destroy it… and because it’s a piece of junk. Specifically, the Galaxy Fold has a terrible design and the fragile display of the handset can break even if you’re super careful. The hinge is also problematic as it might collect dust and debris, which also means that water can get into the phone with relative ease. If you still think you have what it takes to buy the Galaxy Fold as it is right now rather than wait for a next-gen version that’s less of a piece of junk, then you should watch the following durability test video that shows not only how the phone handles impact with concrete, but also what happens after tens of thousands of folds.
SquareTrade always tests the latest and greatest flagship smartphones, including the new iPhone 11 models, of which the 11 Pro was the first handset to ever survive the tumble test. Now, the company has put the Galaxy Fold through two separate durability challenges.
First, the company folded and unfolded the screen with the help of a robot, looking for any issues that might develop with the display. The company discovered that after about 120,000 folds, which would account for three years of use, the Fold might exhibit problems, including stuck pixels and some hinge deterioration. That’s not a bad performance for the Fold, although one might hope that a $2,000 smartphone would last more than three years. Samsung says the Fold should be good for about 200,000 folds, or about five years of use, which would be a much more appropriate amount of time for such an expensive phone.
The second test is a regular drop test against hard concrete from a reasonable height. SquareTrade concluded that no matter how you drop this thing, neither the primary or secondary screens will survive the impact, even when the phone is covered by a protective case. Because the foldable display is made of a special polymer, even drops from lower heights can be problematic. The outer screen layer scratches easily and can be pierced by sharp objects, as a different durability test showed.
Samsung will replace the screen for free, as long as the limited warranty covers the repair. If you drop the phone, however, it’s unlikely that the warranty will apply. You also get one $149 screen replacement, after which you’ll have to pay $599 for each incident.
SquareTrade’s full video follows below.
