Samsung Galaxy Fold: Specs, Price, Release Date and More

The Samsung Galaxy Fold is more than just a phone. It’s a foldable device that can transform from phone to tablet and back again, giving you a canvas as large as 7.3 inches.This futuristic clamshell can also run three apps on the screen at once. Now, this versatility does not come cheap, as the Galaxy Fold will start at close to $2,000. So what is the Galaxy Fold, who is it for, what are the specs and what can you do with it? Here’s everything you need to know and what to expect, including a possible crease in the screen.

Galaxy Fold release date, price and carriers

The Galaxy Fold has a release date of April 26th with a starting price of $1,980. Samsung says you’ll be able to get the foldable phone from AT&T and T-Mobile. It will also be sold through Best Buy and Samsung Experience Stores.

Pre-orders start tomorrow (April 12). You can sign up at Samsung’s website to be notified about pre-orders.

Don’t expect wide availability with this phone. In an interview with The Verge, Kate Beaumont, director of product, services, and commercial strategy at Samsung UK said, “We’ll have less supply than we would of the S10 at launch… This is a super premium device, and we want to make sure it has a concierge-like service and experience, so it’s not going to be on display in all stores.”

Galaxy Fold Specs: What we know so far

Starting Price	$1,980
OS	Android 9.9 with One UI
CPU	Snapdragon 855
RAM	12GB
Storage	512GB
External display (closed)	4.6 inches (HD+)
Main display	7.3 inches (QXGA+)
Rear cameras	12-MP wide-angle (f/1.5 to f/2.4); 12-MP telephoto (f/2.4); 16-MP ultra-wide (f/2.2)
Front camera (closed)	10-MP selfie (f/2.2)
Front camera (open)	10-MP selfie (f/2.2); 8-MP RGB depth (f/1.9)
Fingerprint sensor	Power button
Colors	Space Silver, Cosmos Black, Martian Green and Astro Blue

Who is the Galaxy Fold for?

Samsung is targeting the Galaxy Fold at early adopters who crave a single device that can double as a phone and tablet–and are willing to pay for that versatility. Traveling executive could potentially use this device instead of an iPad or ultraportable laptop, especially given its multi-tasking capabilities.

What are the sizes of the screens?

The main display on the Galaxy Fold is pretty small at just 4.6 inches. It also has a pretty thick black border around the display. In a released Samsung video, it looks like it could be pretty tough to target smaller icons, such as the ones for toggling between the main camera, telephoto lens and ultra-wide lens.
When unfolded, the Galaxy Fold’s display stretches to 7.3 inches, which is larger than any phone in Samsung’s lineup. For example, the Galaxy S10 Plus has a 6.4-inch screen, while the upcoming Galaxy S10 5G features a 6.7-inch display. This is why Samsung can call the Galaxy Fold both a phone and tablet. The 7.3-inch display is great for watching videos and playing games.

What is App Continuity?

Samsung is touting two key features for the Galaxy Fold. The first is App Continuity, which enables you to use an app in phone app and let you enjoy that app on the larger canvas instantly. So, for instance, if you’re using Google Maps, you can unfold the Galaxy Fold and zoom in on the address you just looked up. Or you could be scrolling through Instagram and then unfold the design when you see a photo you really like.

However, an early Galaxy Fold user says that he has experienced lag when transitioning between the small screen and larger display with apps.
According to the leaker, there’s a delay in apps recognizing the shift from one display to another that, in some cases, can last “a few seconds.”

Running three apps at once

The other key feature of the Galaxy Fold is Multi-Active Window, which allows you to run three applications on the screen at once. So, for example, you can text in one window while looking up restaurant recommendations in Yelp in another and the phone app open for making a reservation. Or you could be watching YouTube in one Window while checking your email in another and scrolling through Facebook in a third window.

How does the Galaxy Fold unfold?

You open the clamshell design just as you would a book or diary. The hinge disappears behind the display as the two halves come together. This design approach is different than the outward “Falcon Wing” folding design of the Huawei Mate X, for which both displays are exposed front and back in closed mode and then come together as you unfold the device.

Samsung says it engineered a sophisticated hinge with multiple interlocking gears, which is housed in a hidden enclosure.

According to a report in ETNews, Samsung is also reportedly trying to sell its foldable phone technology to the likes of Apple and Google for its upcoming phones.

Does the screen have a crease?

Based on a leaked hands-on video of the Galaxy Fold, the phone does appear to have a crease on the screen where the phone folds up. It’s not clear whether the video is showing final hardware, but it does raise concerns about the aesthetics of the design if not the durability. The crease seems to be more noticeable when the display has a dark background.

For what it’s worth, Samsung put out a video of its own, showcasing the durability testing that the Galaxy Fold undergoes. The video doesn’t explicitly address concerns about a visible crease, though it does seem designed to re-assure potential Fold owners that the device will hold up to repeated use.

Galaxy Fold Color options

The Galaxy Fold will come in four colors, including Space Silver, Cosmos Black, Martian Green and Astro Blue. However, the blue color may not be available in all regions.

Lots of cameras

Samsung packs the Galaxy Fold with six cameras. It starts with a triple camera setup on the rear that’s similar to the Galaxy S10 Plus. There’s a main 12-MP wide-angle camera, a 12-MP telephoto camera with 2x optical zoom and a 16-MP ultra-wide camera that’s good for capturing landscapes and panorama shots.

When closed, the front camera on the Galaxy Fold features a 10-MP selfie camera. And, when unfolded, the front right side of the Fold sports both a 10-MP selfie camera and 8-MP RGG depth camera, which will come in handy for taking portraits with bokeh effects.

Key Specs: CPU, RAM and storage

The Galaxy Fold will be powered by Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 855 processor and a whopping 12GB of RAM. You’ll also get 512GB of storage on board, which is a lot but less than the 1TB available on the highest-end configuration of the Galaxy S10 Plus. Also note that the Fold doesn’t have a microSD card slot for expansion.

Battery

The Galaxy Fold has two batteries that combine to offer a robust capacity of 4,380 mAh. That’s more than what you’ll find on the Galaxy S10 Plus, which has a 4,100 mAh battery. On our battery test, the S10 Plus lasted an epic 12 hours and 35 minutes, but it also has a smaller display at 6.4 inches. We’ll have to see how the Galaxy Fold measures up.

Samsung’s foldable phone will also feature Wireless PowerShare, which allows you to charge other phones or gadgets, like the Galaxy Watch or Galaxy Buds, by placing them on the back of the Galaxy Fold.

Will it have 5G?

Samsung says the Galaxy Fold will come in both 4G and 5G versions, but there’s no word on the release date for the 5G Galaxy Fold and how much more it may cost.

More Galaxy Folds on the Way

According a report in Bloomberg, Samsung is working on two other foldable phone designs, including a clamshell and a more direct competitor to the Huawei Mate X with an exterior folding design. A patent shows what Samsung’s foldable clamshell could look like.

Outlook

Given the high price, the Galaxy Fold is definitely a niche device, but it could very well find an audience among early adopters who want to be the first to own a foldable phone. But there’s also going to be competition from the likes of the Huawei Mate X, which has an even bigger screen, as well as foldable phones from Oppo, TCL and others.

We will keep you posted on the Galaxy Fold as we learn more and get closer to its April 26 release date.

Image credits: Samsung