Galaxy Fold's fine print: Here are the perks a $2,000 phone gets you
Everything we know about Samsung's premier service for its luxury-class foldable phone.
The redesigned Galaxy Fold comes with a dedicated customer service team. We mean really dedicated.
Samsung said that in revamping the Galaxy Fold, which was delayed due to screen design woes affecting its 7.3-inch interior screen, the company took the feedback of early reviewers to heart. That might be so: CNET even predicted one of those changes, a customer service department dedicated solely to Galaxy Fold owners. Calling it the Galaxy Fold Premier Service, Samsung is making this special 24/7 team available to people who buy the brand's inaugural foldable phone, which costs $1,980.
How rarefied is it? In one case, you can arrange for Samsung to send a customer service agent right to you. Of course, there are caveats galore, so keep reading for all the details. (And here are five things we already love and hate about the new Galaxy Fold design.)
The Galaxy Fold is finally launching in the US on Sept. 27, roughly five months (154 days, to be precise) after Samsung was supposed to sell it on April 26. Samsung postponed the launch after reviewers reported its foldable phone suffered three different types of damage to its delicate plastic screen (there's also a 4.6-inch screen protected by glass on the outside). Since then, Samsung redesigned the Fold and drastically scaled back its launch plans, partners (no more T-Mobile ) and even its best two color options (Martian Green and Astro Blue, with the ability to customize a gold or silver hinge).
US buyers won't be able to get the 5G version of the Fold, despite two other Samsung 5G phones on sale in the market, the Galaxy S10 5G and Galaxy Note 10 5G.
Foldable phones are heralded as the next revolution in phone design. A foldable display promises to double your usable screen size while still keeping the device small enough to carry around. But the hinge and bendable plastic screen (foldable glass doesn't yet exist) have proven problematic for Samsung and other phone-makers, many of whom have announced their intentions to make a foldable device without having launched it yet. Even rival Huawei , a brand thirsty to top Samsung in every way, has yet to sell its foldable Mate X.
With the Fold still the first major foldable phone to sell anywhere in the world, Samsung hopes its dedicated customer service can drive home to buyers that the Fold is a luxury device.
What is Galaxy Fold Premier Service?
Galaxy Fold Premier Service is the name of Samsung's 24-hour, seven-days-a-week customer support service for Galaxy Fold owners in the US.
The Galaxy Fold literature that comes in the box says that "the unprecedented design of the Galaxy Fold may require some additional support in the beginning." Galaxy Fold owners will get access to to these customer service reps as long as they have the foldable phone.
The goal is to help you get started with the Fold, particularly with more complex features like multitasking using three on-screen windows, and help troubleshoot any issues that may arise.
The Galaxy Fold looks mostly the same, but fixes a few dealbreaker design issues.
Does it apply to every Fold everywhere?
No. The Galaxy Premier Service is for US buyers (here's the UK's version). Samsung says that AT&T , Best Buy and Samsung Experience Stores will all honor GalaxyPremier Service.
(At the bottom of the literature that comes in the box is some fine print: "Not sponsored or administered by AT&T" -- that just means it's Samsung's service.)
Since the Galaxy Fold is only sold in-person in select AT&T stores, Best Buy and Samsung experience stores (there are only three in the US), and online with AT&T and Best Buy (but not Samsung.com), this is potentially quite a big caveat. We're hoping to clarify this as soon as possible.
A plastic "T" at the crease helps keep out dust and debris.
3 ways to get customer support if something goes wrong with the Fold
If you need to reach the Galaxy Fold Premier Service team, you can:
- Call a dedicated phone number (1-888-970-FOLD).
- Use the Samsung Member App to talk over video chat.
- Call to schedule an in-person meeting where Samsung sends someone to you.
Samsung promises more details at the Premier Service site on Sept. 27, when the site goes live.
How many customer support representatives are there?
Samsung didn't say how many people comprise this dedicated nationwide team, but did say that the Fold will sell in hundreds of locations.
Will Samsung fix or replace a damaged Galaxy Fold?
Samsung says that the Fold has the same warranty as other Galaxy devices, but with one exception. You can cash in an out-of-warranty screen replacement once.
There are three catches:
- It has to be within one year of buying the Fold.
- You'll have had to buy the device before Dec. 31, 2019.
- It'll cost you $149, plus taxes.
The UK version of the concierge service indicates that you'll also have had to register your Fold within 30 days.
If you get stuck, you can call for help three ways.
What happens if the Fold is damaged again?
It isn't clear what happens if the Fold sustains more damage a second time, and right now it also isn't clear what is and isn't covered under warranty.
What do I need to do to care for the device?
Samsung does include device care warnings to avoid applying "excessive" pressure to the screen, folding other objects inside the display and trying to bend the hinge in ways it doesn't want to bend.
You're also not supposed to expose it to liquid or dust particles, nor attach adhesives or stickers to the 7.3-inch plastic screen. Since the two sides of the phone close together with magnets, you're also advised to avoid credit cards and medical devices that it could demagnetize.
A 4.6-inch "cover" display is what you use when the Fold is closed.
Are there any goodies in the box?
Samsung bundles the Galaxy Fold with a free par of Galaxy Buds wireless headphones (worth $130) and a two-part case for each side of the foldable phone, along with the usual charger, literature and tools such as the SIM-card ejector.
What else do I need to know?
Apparently, the Galaxy Fold has an affinity for some people's beard hairs -- at least as far as CNET reviewer Andrew Hoyle's facial decoration is concerned.
We're still early on in our review process of the updated Galaxy Fold, but we'll sift through the warranty and more for other details and tidbits we can find on Samsung's new concierge service for Fold owners. In the meantime, here's everything that's changed in the Galaxy Fold design.
Originally posted earlier this morning. Updated with new information from Samsung.