Samsung to launch Galaxy Fold in S.Korea on Sept. 6 priced $2,000

SK Telecom Co

05/09/2019 03:00

SEOUL, Sept 5 (Reuters) - Samsung Electronics Co Ltd
 005930.KS  on Thursday said its first foldable smartphone, the
Galaxy Fold, will be available in South Korea from Sept. 6 with
fifth-generation (5G) mobile connectivity.
    The world's largest smartphone vendor said the device would
be priced 2.398 million won ($1,977.47).
    The highly anticipated handset was originally due to hit the
U.S. market in April but the launch was delayed by screen
defects detected in samples.
    The firm said it would offer 5G and LTE-enabled versions of
the Galaxy Fold in select countries including Britain, France,
Germany and the United States. It did not provide release dates.
    Samsung has promised to usher in a new age of foldables as
part of its effort to showcase innovation in a saturated
smartphone market.
    The company announced in July it would be ready to sell the
Galaxy Fold in September after making changes including
strengthening hinges, which early reviewers had found to be
problematic.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL4N24Q0F7
    Samsung will provide a program for Fold users in which the
company covers 70% of cost of a display screen repair once
within a year, according to its statement.
    "Consumers have responded positively to larger screens, and
the Galaxy Fold's revolutionary form factor offers a bigger,
more immersive screen without sacrificing portability," said DJ
Koh, chief executive of IT & Mobile Communications Division at
Samsung Electronics.
    Last month, Chinese rival Huawei Technologies Co Ltd
 HWT.UL  delayed the planned September launch of its own first
foldable phone, its second postponement this year, as it battles
a U.S. trade blacklist that threatens the tech giant's access to
crucial U.S. technologies such as Alphabet Inc's  GOOGL.O 
Android operating system.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL4N2552P8
    SK Telecom Co Ltd  017670.KS , South Korea's biggest mobile
carrier by subscribers, also on Thursday said it expected Galaxy
Fold sales to boost its number of 5G subscribers, offering
discounts and insurance plans for the high-priced folding phone.
($1 = 1,212.6600 won)

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Samsung Elec's delayed Galaxy Fold now ready for Sept launch   
 urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL4N24Q0F7
BRIEF-Huawei Says No Update From U.S. Yet On Android   
 urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL4N2552P8
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 (Reporting by Ju-min Park; Editing by Christopher Cushing)
 ((ju-min.park@thomsonreuters.com; +82 2 3704 5650; Reuters
Messaging: ju-min.park.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))