The Samsung Galaxy Fold is the latest phone release from Samsung and it looks to change the phone industry forever.  The device was unveiled on February 20, 2019, at Samsung’s yearly conference where they release information on their upcoming products.  The fold has been met with a lot of controversy over its tablet look when unfolded. Samsung admits that this is a very ambitious project but if it succeeds then the product will be well worth the risk.  While the concept is especially interesting, the success of the product will depend on its popularity with Samsung users and sales. If the Fold can serve the uses of a standard phone and give users extra features without distracting from the real purpose of a phone, then it can be a big success and change the phone market.  

However, even before the Fold can be successful, it has already experienced significant problems.  The launch of the phone has been delayed due to the phone screen cracking under normal usage. When the phone is folded together with the two screens touch and if repeated to hard and to often the screen could crack as a result.  This brings severe concerns about the phone’s durability and screen quality. These problems were brought to light by initial tests of the review units. These tests are meant to see how the phone will either function or survive in various everyday situations to ensure that the product is ready to be released.  During the This situation has cast a black shadow over the phone’s release especially since the release price was set at 2000 dollars.

This situation with the Galaxy Fold will almost certainly lead to nothing but negative effects for Samsung.  First, this calls into question their manufacturing process and ability to build a durable phone. If a phone faces problems in its design and build, then it can severely hurt a company’s reputation with the general public and the media.  Second, this is not the first time Samsung has been in trouble with one of its product releases. In 2016, Samsung more popular products, the Galaxy Note 7 experiences excess heat being generated from the interior of the phone. This lead to the phone exploding or heating up so much that it can cause a fire.  Months later Samsung canceled the continuation of the Notes market availability. Lastly, this situation will lead to distrust between Samsung users and the media. As a result of Samsung’s misstep with the Fold, they will lose customers, fall in the stocks, and will receive less media exposure on TV. To recap, the Galaxy Fold was an ambitious idea that had high potential, but because of the screen cracks, the product will be held back, and Samsung will reap the consequences.