Becoming unhinged
Samsung unveils foldable smartphone – for $1,980
SAN FRANCISCO — Samsung’s much-hyped foldable phone is finally here — and it costs $1,980, more than a MacBook Pro.
The South Korean tech giant unveiled the Galaxy Fold here on Wednesday to ring in the 10th anniversary of its Galaxy line of smartphones. It has a tablet-sized 7.3-inch display that can bend to the size of a pocket-sized one with a 4.6-inch screen.
That significant screen display allows for multi-tasking with three apps at once — as shown by Samsung execs using the device to watch YouTube, chat on WhatsApp and browse Google simultaneously.
But it was the near-$2,000 price tag that drew audible gasps and laughs from the audience in the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium. It also spurred jeers on Twitter. “Wouldn’t pay 500$ for this bulky contraption,” one Twitter user said. “No one needs to spend their time on 3 apps. Do one damn thing at a time.”
“My prediction is that the $2000 #SamsungFold will be the biggest flop in phone history,” a second tweet declared.
A 13-inch MacBook Pro with 128 GB storage will cost $1,299, about one-third less than the Galaxy Fold, and is expected in stores on April 26.
Samsung launched the new tablet-phone as manufacturers struggle to add new and exciting features to persuade consumers to drop their old devices. The company also introduced the Galaxy S10 phone and a pair of wireless earbuds that cost $30 less than Apple’s AirPods.
The S10 features an edge-to-edge display with a small cutout in the corner for its two front-facing cameras. The flagship phone also comes with an invisible, first-of-its-kind fingerprint sensor built under the display in contrast to the iPhone’s piece of plastic that covers the display.
The S10 comes in four different models, the standard S10 and S10+, the compact, cheaper S10e and future-focused S10 5G with a mammoth 6.7-inch display geared for the superfast 5G networks that are being developed by wireless carriers.