The Samsung Galaxy Fold's display seems to have problems • Hacker News Board

Re: The Samsung Galaxy Fold's display seems to have problems

#151

Post by jplayer01 » Thu, Apr 18, 2019, 1:16 PM UTC

fatjokes wrote: post #123

gzu wrote: post #28

Not sure if I’m in the minority but I would prefer two separated clamshell screens to one bendy screen. At least until the bendable tech is 100%. Two separate screens would still allow great multitasking when necessary. When not used perhaps it can completely fold behind the device for a traditional smartphone experience.

Ooh. I saw this in SK: https://www.techradar.com/news/lg-dualscreen-first-look-at-l... Honestly I don't know why it exists. You could just buy a case and then buy two phones.

.... this is like saying "why do you need a second monitor for your PC? just buy two PC's"

A two-screen smartphone is something I'd love to have, if bendable screen smartphones end up tanking. Multi-tasking is something that would be so much more convenient (say, writing notes while looking at a certain website, or discussing something with a friend while referencing a website, or ... etc). These are things that I already do with my smartphone, but it's just a huge pain in the ass because of the single screen.

Re: The Samsung Galaxy Fold's display seems to have problems

#152

Post by chrismeller » Thu, Apr 18, 2019, 2:37 PM UTC

okcando wrote: post #137

mschuster91 wrote: post #108

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> For example, compare the times you've tried to input something on a dodgy public touchscreen versus the times you've tried to input something on a public physical keypad—I'll bet there're way more failures on the first than on the second; certainly that's been my experience. Well, anything with glass is prone to vandalism. A metal keyboard is hard to vandalize, a touchscreen needs only a piece of random rock or oth…

Not even clear he's talking about vandalized glass. Sounds like maybe he's referring to those squishy resistive-touch displays found in ATMs and POS terminals and other kiosk-type applications, and early consumer devices. Did those ever work well, even when new?

How much of that is even hardware?

I can’t count the number of times I’ve used some big impressive digital map kind of thing at a mall or airport only to find it completely frozen (software), insanely laggy (potentially both, but likely software if a RPi could run it), and/or infuriating to use because I have to touch very hard exactly on the center of the icon, taking into account what I think the angle of the display is so that I’m hitting it exactly where the screen thinks it is, not where I see it through a layer of glass as being (most definitely software).

All of those complaints have applied to one degree or another to stupid tableside ordering apps that are running on an iPad or my own phone too, so I don’t think the hardware was ever to blame.

Re: The Samsung Galaxy Fold's display seems to have problems

#153

Post by chrismeller » Thu, Apr 18, 2019, 2:40 PM UTC

clairity wrote: post #79

setquk wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The only way this could be worse is if they started exploding, too. Give it a few months. This is like a 1980s plastic lunch box. The moulded hinge always snapped in half after about 3 months regardless of what you did. Cue optimus prime letting your lunch out all over the floor. I think they are failing because it was a fucking stupid idea. Edit: If anything I want NO mechanical components on any handheld device I…

> "Edit: If anything I want NO mechanical components on any handheld device I own because in the last 40 years of my life everything has broken mechanically eventually." your anecdote seems to suffer from cognitive bias. screens are non-mechanical (except in this galaxy fold) and yet they're still the most broken component in a phone.

A rock was kicked up on the interstate the other day and hit my windshield. It now has a delightful spider web pattern, but everything else about the car still operates perfectly.

Breaking the glass (a superficial and expected eventuality) is very different than the screen no longer functioning or responding to input (a mechanical failure).

Re: The Samsung Galaxy Fold's display seems to have problems

#154

Post by ThePadawan » Thu, Apr 18, 2019, 4:20 PM UTC

fyfy18 wrote: post #135

oflannabhra wrote: post #3

Summary: - 4 review units have failed (a day or two in) - 2 failed due to a removal of a "polymer coating" that essentially looks like a screen protector. This is not supposed to be removed, but several reviewers did (or tried) - 1 failed due to supposed ingress into the hinge mechanism. I'm sure failure analysis is currently going on at Samsung - 1 screen failed with no apparent causes.

> failed due to a removal of a "polymer coating" that essentially looks like a screen protector. This is not supposed to be removed, but several reviewers did (or tried) I bought a LG TV a year and a half ago, and last week saw some spots on it that looked like a film coating which had air bubbles in it. At the edge of the screen there is a gap where you can fit a nail, and it does feel as if something can be removed…

I always wondered if the plastic removal instructions on Canon ink cartridges were excessive or genius. There are literally 3 or 4 plastic parts that need removing. They are numbered and bright orange (the rest of the cartridge is black).

And this is a replaceable part!

Re: The Samsung Galaxy Fold's display seems to have problems

#155

Post by aurailious » Thu, Apr 18, 2019, 4:45 PM UTC

BurritoAlPastor wrote: post #126

aurailious wrote: post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Folding screens can certainly enabled more software based design. Its obviously a really exciting new form factor considering how prominent folding screens have been in sci fi. We all really want to have Westworld level tech. Even though we are still a ways away, its awesome to know that its becoming possible.

Westworld-level tech? Technology at a level of... going cartoonishly haywire and wantonly murdering all humans? I’m not sure I follow your point.

I'm talking about their folding screen they use.

Re: The Samsung Galaxy Fold's display seems to have problems

#156

Post by astkaasa » Fri, Apr 19, 2019, 3:11 AM UTC

GhostVII wrote: post #138

astkaasa wrote: post #132

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But there's not another screen when the phone is folded.

There is a second, smaller screen on the back (or front, I suppose) of the phone.

Sorry, my bad. I didn't realize the design can be even more horrible like that.

Re: The Samsung Galaxy Fold's display seems to have problems

#157

Post by ErikHuisman » Fri, Apr 19, 2019, 9:00 AM UTC

ErikHuisman wrote: post #58

drcode wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Samsung said that the units sent out are the same as the final consumer devices, for what it's worth.

The phone is supposed to release 26th.. "Just review" models can't be much different from the final devices. Also, why would Samsung risk giving high profile reviewers inferior "just review" models? I would give them the best QAd devices i'd got. Sounds like a lot of people are wishful thinking this isn't going to be a release disaster. My bet is Samsung will pull the plug and not release it at all (this year).

Oh boy, it looks like they are going through with the release

Re: The Samsung Galaxy Fold's display seems to have problems

#158

Post by tracker1 » Fri, Apr 19, 2019, 10:02 PM UTC

andygates wrote: post #149

tracker1 wrote: post #12

I think the concept of a scroll device, as in RUBY might be a more interesting approach than a true foldable. I do hope they're able to work through this... but given the pricing, seriously doubt I want to be an early adopter for this ride.

A screen between collapsible grips is nice design and it comes round again and again. But has to work one-handed once folded out, and be strong enough unfolded.

It doesn't seem like it'd be THAT different than the fold design, but could be done with less extreme bends... would just need a lock when open option.

The main grip could hold the actual battery, and the screen part would only need to be the screen. It could be like a micro tablet.. when used as a phone, it could be collapsed to something reasonable to hold against your head... open for video/chat etc.

Re: The Samsung Galaxy Fold's display seems to have problems

#159

Post by mcphage » Tue, Apr 23, 2019, 11:33 AM UTC

ErikHuisman wrote: post #157

ErikHuisman wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The phone is supposed to release 26th.. "Just review" models can't be much different from the final devices. Also, why would Samsung risk giving high profile reviewers inferior "just review" models? I would give them the best QAd devices i'd got. Sounds like a lot of people are wishful thinking this isn't going to be a release disaster. My bet is Samsung will pull the plug and not release it at all (this year).

Oh boy, it looks like they are going through with the release

And now, they’re not. It was the right call on their part, even if it should never have gotten to this point.