No. 1 smartphone maker also unveils four Galaxy S10 models, seeking wider swath of consumers
Samsung Electronics Co. unveiled the industry’s first mainstream foldable-screen smartphone on Wednesday, in a radical design change that shakes up the ubiquitous device’s aesthetic—but also sends the industry’s pricing model soaring to new heights.
Called the Galaxy Fold, the new Samsung device delivers on one of the industry’s long-running pursuits: making a tablet-size phone with a glass display that can bend in half, allowing it to be closed like a wallet and fit in a consumer’s hand, pocket or purse.
It features six cameras and the ability to operate three apps simultaneously, and measures 7.3 inches diagonally when opened. It also boasts a second display, on the phone’s outside, where users can check emails and do other tasks.
But it won’t come cheap: Samsung, the world’s largest smartphone maker, said the foldable-screen device will be available on April 26—at a price of $1,980. That is roughly $500 more than the priciest Apple Inc. iPhone stuffed with maximum storage.
Samsung mobile head D.J. Koh said the Galaxy Fold handset answers critics who argue the smartphone industry is beset with stagnant innovation and market saturation. “We are here to prove them wrong,” Mr. Koh said.
