Samsung’s Galaxy FoldCNBC’s Elizabeth SchulzeSamsung’s Galaxy Fold launches in the United States on Friday. It’s available unlocked from select Samsung and Best Buy Stores and also from AT&T. The phone was supposed to be released back in April but was delayed while Samsung made fixes to the first version, which broke easily.It’s tough to recommend buying the Galaxy Fold, even after Samsung made improvements to keep it from breaking. The Fold now comes with plenty of warnings telling you to treat the device gently. But luxury product or not, you should expect to be able to use a phone like a phone, and a lot of Samsung’s warnings include things many people end up doing to their phones on a daily basis. In fact, one early reviewer’s device has already been damaged.TechCrunch found this week that its new Galaxy Fold review unit broke after just a day, with damaged pixels under the primary folding display after what seems to be normal use. The site says it thinks it may have pushed the screen too hard, causing damage to it. Samsung has a reminder when you first turn on the Galaxy Fold that warns not to do this, which seems silly. You should be able to use normal force on any screen.CNBC has the updated Galaxy Fold too, and it comes with a lot of paperwork and on-screen warnings that Samsung hopes will will make it harder for consumers to accidentally damage the phone. And you should pay attention, since it still seems like it can be broken a little too easily.Here’s a picture:The new warning screen on the Samsung Galaxy Fold.Todd Haselton | CNBCIt says: “Avoid pressing hard on the screen. Tap lightly to keep it safe.” It suggests keeping the phone away from magnets, getting any water or dust near it, which means even things like loose dust in your pocket could get into the hinge and cause damage, despite new protectors to help prevent that from happening as easily as before. You can’t even use a screen protector.There’s a new piece of plastic on the screen with warnings, too. You can peel this one off:”Do not press the screen with a hard or soft object, such as a pen or fingernail or apply excessive pressure,” it says.I like the new warnings telling people to be gentle, but I also feel like you should be comfortable using a $1,980 phone without fear that normal use is going to break it. If you have problems, Samsung has a new concierge service that can help you replace the screen once for $149. After that, the rest is on you. And you might have to wait a few days for the phone to be repaired if Samsung or one of its partners can’t do it same day.Samsung has made it clear in briefings with the press that you need to be super careful with the Galaxy Fold and treat it like delicately. But I have a new iPhone 11 Pro Max that costs almost $1,500 fully loaded and don’t have to worry about pressing the screen too hard, dropping it in water or using it normally. It doesn’t fold, so maybe it’s not the future of phones, but that’s a trade-off I’m willing to make for now.Samsung’s Galaxy FoldCNBC’s Elizabeth SchulzeThe Galaxy Fold is a nice phone. I get that you might want one to be the first with a folding screen. It’s fun to have something that works like a regular device and then opens up to a 7-inch tablet. I wish there was a way to prop it up, though. I had to hold it on the plane, for example, instead of using a stand like I do with an iPhone or iPad. I also like that Samsung is pushing forward with folding screens, which one day may be the future.But until they’re stronger, I don’t recommend you buy it.
