Samsung Galaxy Fold launching this Friday in South Korea, more countries this month

In late July, Samsung said the Galaxy Fold was “ready to launch” after a series of design changes. The first Android Foldable will be available to purchase in “select countries” this month, with South Korea kicking it off on Friday.

Samsung will first launch the Galaxy Fold in its home country of South Korea on September 6th. “Select countries” named today include France, Germany, Singapore, United Kingdom, and the United States, though no carriers were specified. Other regions will also see a “5G-ready option.” In the US, the Galaxy Fold still costs $1,980 and will be available in Cosmos Black or Space Silver.

The company touts “exclusive access to specialized customer care services” for the Galaxy Fold. This includes “one-on-one access to Samsung experts” and a “24/7 support hub” available online and over the phone. More details for each market are coming.

The device is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 855, 12GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage. The inner display measures 7.3-inches at 1536 × 2152, while the exterior is a tall and narrow 4.6-inch display at 720 x 1680 (21:9). The dual battery arrangement sees a 4380mAh capacity for LTE models and 4235mAh for 5G

There are a total of six cameras, with the rear consisting of a 16MP ultra wide, 12MP wide-angle, and 12MP telephoto. A 10MP selfie camera is present on both the cover and front, while a 8MP RGB depth lens joins the latter side.

Announced alongside the Galaxy S10 in February, the Galaxy Fold was originally set to launch in April. While still in reviewers’ hands, the device faced catastrophic failures centered around the display and “external particles” getting under the screen.

To address this, Samsung redesigned the “top protective layer” to extend underneath the Galaxy Fold’s bezel. Mistaken as a part of the packaging, it was removed by many reviewers and contributed to the screen slowly forming black spots and ceasing to function over time.

Meanwhile, protection caps were added to ensure that dirt and other small objects do not enter the hinge and cause the display to bulge. The space between the hinge and body of the Galaxy Fold was also reduced.