In news that’s likely to prompt more speculation about the future of the Samsung Galaxy Fold smartphone, US big box retailer Best Buy has cancelled all pre-orders.
The retailer is taking the action after Samsung failed to provide a new release date for the foldable handset, after postponing the rollout due to high-profile display issues. In an email to customers, Best Buy was careful to praise the groundbreaking nature of the handset and said such advancements often lead to ‘unforeseen hiccups’.
Best Buy says “with breakthrough designs and technology come many hurdles and the possibility to face a plethora of unforeseen hiccups. These hurdles have led Samsung to postpone the release of the Galaxy Fold, and Samsung has not provided a new release date. Because we put our customers first and want to ensure they are taken care of in the best possible manner, Best Buy has decided to cancel all current pre-orders for the Samsung Galaxy Fold.”
Related: Samsung Galaxy Fold problems
The company says it will keep interested parties notified of Samsung’s plans and will drop them a line when the manufacturer makes any announcement about the future plans. It’s also giving those pre-order customers a $100 gift card in the way of compensation.
The cancellation is likely to affect a significant number of customers. Best Buy didn’t say how many devices it pre-sold, but the full allocation of handsets sold out across the United States very quickly when Samsung placed them up for pre-order.
Samsung is reportedly in the process of making a number of improvements to the Galaxy Fold hardware after a disastrous launch, which saw early review units recalled following a number of display breakages.
Firstly, the company is now tucking the display’s protective layer into the body of the phone itself to guard against people trying to peel it off, believing it to be a screen protector, as some early reviewers did.
Some of the reviewers that obtained early versions of the device also experienced display damage attributed to debris making its way inside the phone from a small gap positioned at the top and bottom parts of the hinge. Samsung is said to be reducing that gap.
It remains to be seen whether the pre-release issues have dampened the appetite for the ground-breaking foldable phone. Today’s report will do nothing to quell speculation the device may never arrive in its current form.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
