After a disastrous aborted release in April, Samsung’s ambitious, expensive and foldable phone is finally available for purchase today. The near $2,000 is being sold at in an AT&T-locked configuration at select AT&T stores, as well as unlocked at Best Buys and Samsung stores. The Fold is only being sold in-person, at least for now, in order that new owners can be carefully guided in the care and feeding of their uncanny and somewhat fragile folding smartphone. Samsung is leaning even further into this with its new Galaxy Fold Premier service which gives Fold owners access to a 24/7 helpline and one out-of-warranty screen replacement at a discounted $149.
But perhaps more importantly, the Galaxy Fold has been updated with a few subtle but essential design changes over the course of its delay that will hopefully make it a bit more durable than its recalled predecessor. They include:
- A new protective lip around the edge of the Fold’s main screen, which ensures that the edges of the non-removable screen protector some reviewers understandably removed on the early models are out of sight and out of mind under this new bit of reinforcement.
- Hinge caps on the ends of the Fold’s signature hinge, designed to prevent infiltration by dust and dirt, which was another significant problem among early reviewers.
- New metal plates that run underneath the foldable screen to reinforce the phone’s structural strength.
Of course we won’t really know how well the Galaxy Fold is holding up until after it’s been in the wild for at least a couple of months, but if you’re willing to spend nearly $2,000 to take a chance, you can make your way to out to a retail location to buy one today.
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