The Galaxy Fold’s screen should last 7 years – we did the math
Worried about the durability of Samsung’s Galaxy Fold? You’re not alone.
Amid reports claiming that early review samples have broken less than two days after being unboxed, you may justifiably be reticent to invest the £1799 required to nab Samsung’s first foldable.
But according to our mathematical genius – if Samsung’s claims the issue is to do with silly journos’ taking a crucial part of the phone that looks oddly like a screen protector off is the cause are to be believed – then the display should survive around seven years’ use.
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Follow us down the rabbit hole here.
Samsung quotes the Galaxy Fold as being capable of surviving at least 200,000 folds. Put that into context with regular British smartphone use.
The latest research from UK telecoms regulator Ofcom suggests the average British smartphone users checks their phone every 12 minutes.
This adds up to around five times an hour. Taking out the average eight hours most people sleep every night, this adds up to 80 times a day, which in turn equates to 29,200 times a year.
Do the maths and that equates to roughly seven years of use, if you’re someone who’d unfold the Galaxy Fold every time you use it.
If true, the screen will be the last thing you need to worry about. The battery and performance will die well before the display.
This of course doesn’t consider accidental drops, bumps, scrapes and aquatic adventures, but it’s still an impressive figure, on paper.
We’re also not convinced Samsung’s screen protector removal claims are that much assurance – how rugged can the screen be if the only thing keeping it from borking is a thin polycarbonate sheet?
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Personally we’d feel a lot better if the phone had the special folding glass Corning – the company behind Gorilla Glass – has reportedly been working on. But hey ho, there are the stats. Whoop. Go Samsung.
We’re not going to actually fold the Galaxy Fold 200,000 times to put Samsung’s claim to the test, but we’ll be sure to update you with our real-world findings using the phone when we get it in for review. Until then, be sure to check out our hands-on Samsung Galaxy Fold review for our opening impressions after an hour with the phone.
Still planning on getting a Galaxy Fold? Let us know on Twitter @TrustedReviews?
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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.
