Following Samsung and Best Buy, it’s time for AT&T to cancel Galaxy Fold preorders, as the foldable phone is still vaporware after its release was canceled due to terrible design flaws. The carrier has notified customers who had preordered the phone and offered them a $100 bonus for their troubles.
AT&T said in an email first shared by Tom’s Guide that any funds held from customers will be released, while any money charged will be refunded. The $100 bonus will be delivered as an AT&T Promotion Card that should be shipped through the mail within the next 60 days. AT&T added that customers will be able to reorder the phone once Samsung announces the new release date. If that ever happens, of course.
The Galaxy Fold was supposed to hit stores nearly two months ago when Samsung ran into unexpected issues with the handset. Early reviewers identified two different ways to damage the screen. One of them was caused by user error — sort of — as some people removed a film with exposed edges from the display, mistakenly thinking it was a standard screen protector. It wasn’t. The other issue was the large gaps near the hinges in the center of the phone. Dirt and debris would work its way into those gaps after just a few days and break the phone’s screen.
Samsung was quick to postpone the release and recall all review models so it could investigate and fix the problems. It still seems determined to launch the phone, which turned out to be an unexpected source of embarrassment for a company that wants to be at the forefront of mobile innovation.
An announcement could follow in the coming weeks, at which point Samsung should reveal the phone’s new release date. The price, $1980 in the US, isn’t likely to change.
