iFixit has posted a teardown of the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Fold. The foldable smartphone was set to release this week; however, Samsung temporarily pulled the plug after numerous reviewers encountered issues with their review units.
This is, without question, an ambitious first-generation device—the idea of having both a smartphone and a tablet in your pocket at all times is pretty exciting! That said, a number of early reviewers had some durability issues with their review units, ultimately leading to a launch postponement. Are these temporary setbacks? Or are we headed for a full-blown AirPower-style product cancellation?
Highlights:
● To achieve the fold, the thin bezel that surrounds (and protects) the screen leaves a gap where the two halves meet.
● This 7 mm gap doesn't seem like a huge deal, but it leaves the display exposed—so should something accidentally enter, it's curtains for the screen.
● When closed, the screen is protected—but the spine is flanked by massive gaps that our opening picks hop right into.
● Two batteries: 8.22 and 8.65 Wh, or 2135 mAh and 2245 mAh.
● Each half of the display is adhered to a thin metal support plate, which in turn is adhered to the phone's frame. This leaves the center spine free of adhesive for a wider-radius fold.
● One thing we didn't find was any hinge ingress protection—those large gaps around the spine let dirt right in, possibly getting trapped between hinge and display.
Repairability Score: 2 out of 10
● A single Phillips driver takes care of all the screws.
● Many components are modular and can be replaced independently.
● The mechanics involved in the fold are likely to wear over time, causing stress to hinges and display, necessitating eventual replacement.
● The lack of protection and fragility of the main display mean you'll almost certainly be replacing the screen before long—a pricey repair.
● Battery replacements are possible, but unnecessarily difficult—solvents help, but risk damage to the display supports.
● Glued-down glass both front and back means greater risk of breakage, and makes repairs difficult to start.
Hit the link below to check out the full teardown!
Read More
This is, without question, an ambitious first-generation device—the idea of having both a smartphone and a tablet in your pocket at all times is pretty exciting! That said, a number of early reviewers had some durability issues with their review units, ultimately leading to a launch postponement. Are these temporary setbacks? Or are we headed for a full-blown AirPower-style product cancellation?
Highlights:
● To achieve the fold, the thin bezel that surrounds (and protects) the screen leaves a gap where the two halves meet.
● This 7 mm gap doesn't seem like a huge deal, but it leaves the display exposed—so should something accidentally enter, it's curtains for the screen.
● When closed, the screen is protected—but the spine is flanked by massive gaps that our opening picks hop right into.
● Two batteries: 8.22 and 8.65 Wh, or 2135 mAh and 2245 mAh.
● Each half of the display is adhered to a thin metal support plate, which in turn is adhered to the phone's frame. This leaves the center spine free of adhesive for a wider-radius fold.
● One thing we didn't find was any hinge ingress protection—those large gaps around the spine let dirt right in, possibly getting trapped between hinge and display.
Repairability Score: 2 out of 10
● A single Phillips driver takes care of all the screws.
● Many components are modular and can be replaced independently.
● The mechanics involved in the fold are likely to wear over time, causing stress to hinges and display, necessitating eventual replacement.
● The lack of protection and fragility of the main display mean you'll almost certainly be replacing the screen before long—a pricey repair.
● Battery replacements are possible, but unnecessarily difficult—solvents help, but risk damage to the display supports.
● Glued-down glass both front and back means greater risk of breakage, and makes repairs difficult to start.
Hit the link below to check out the full teardown!
Read More