My Galaxy Z Fold 4 nightmare and why I'm skipping the Galaxy Z Fold 5

[AC News]

The Galaxy Z Fold 5 isn't much of an upgrade over the Fold 4, but I was still going to get one anyways. That is until I experienced trying to get my Fold 4 repaired.

My Galaxy Z Fold 4 nightmare and why I'm skipping the Galaxy Z Fold 5 : Read more

 

[Joshua Luther1]

That's horrible. I wonder if there are similar horror stories with people getting their iPhones repaired. Or Google phones fixed. I guess this is the stuff you have to expect if you want to be on the bleeding edge of technology.

 

[Scorch]

Mine does this about once or twice a week, the VOL Down+Power hard reset fixes it but it's a short term solution. I bought mine refurbished through Amazon, so I have another 5 weeks return window and even though I love the phone, I'm sending it back and getting a Pixel Fold, that unit has a much better form factor.

 

[Nodnerb]

This was my experience with Samsung as a whole as well. I had the exact same experience with my galaxy watch 4 when their own update was bricking watches. I had my watch 4, still under warranty, brick after restarting it. Samsung acknowledged the problem with their OTA update publicly and I followed their instruction for those with bricked watches. Spent hours on the phone and on chat with Samsung. Finally they told me to take it to a local repair shop(in canada). So of course I did, and the shop told me they don't touch samsung watches and that no one would except samsung......who are of course the ones who sent me there. Samsung even gave me the address. So after trying again for hours trying to get some traction from samsung or what to do next I just cut my losses and moved on. Many many frustrating hours were wasted and I realized they don't have any intention of honoring their warranty or helping me in any way.
I was furious, and quite honestly shocked that a company can do this type of thing.
I had their product, still under warranty, that was turned into a brick by their own software update, that they admit to, and they send me on a wild goose chase leading no where. With nothing left to do, I literally had no recourse other than to just swear off samsung products. It has actually been a relief.
This is not the first samsung I have ever had fail on me under warranty either. I've had 4 samsung products fail on me over the years, only 1 ever got fixed.

I have not bought a single samsung product for myself or as a gift since, and never will. They are literally dead to me and don't even exist as a consideration when buying any product. I will never EVER buy a tv, fridge, monitor, watch, phone etc. etc. if it has the samsung name on it. I've even gone as far as looking at products that have the least parts that may have been sourced from samsung.
I wish the world would do the same and abolish this horrendous company!

 

[parksanim]

Sooner or later the author will figure out he has to ship his special order color phone to Samsung for a repair, as it is the option he has avoided.

 

[Duffin]

This is the EXACT experience I had with my Fold 3. I started to get the dreaded peeling of the inner screen protector right at the top where the screen folds. One day, a huge air bubble ran right down the left of the middle of the screen. I didn't open it after that point and immediately looked into repair options. I too went to ubreakifix. I had a BLACK Fold 3. I went in just to get the screen protector replaced. That's all I needed and they said they were out, but like you, said they'd order me one. Two weeks pass with me calling every few days. I finally had enough. There was no way I was going to just use the outer screen and I also didn't want to risk taking the screen protector off. There's so many mixed responses as to whether that voids your warranty or not. I ended up trading it in for an S23 Ultra instead and I'm honestly way happier for it. Folding phones are fun and all, but I hate the case options for them. I hate that the S Pen isn't in the phone. I hate how careful I felt I had to be. Hell, I babied that phone and the inner protector STILL started peeling. Samsung, in particular, really needs to get a handle on this. Screen protectors and screen replacements shouldn't be back ordered at the ONE official repair partner you have.

And before someone says it, yes I know I could have probably sent it in for Samsung to repair, but how can I do that? Not everyone has replacement phones laying around and I need mine for work. I couldn't be without a phone for however long it would take Samsung to fix it.

 

[Duffin]

Sooner or later the author will figure out he has to ship his special order color phone to Samsung for a repair, as it is the option he has avoided.

Why, exactly, should he have to? Why can't the "authorized repair partner" order it and get it within a few days?
Also I had a black Fold 3 and they were still out of screen protectors.

 

[parksanim]

Why, exactly, should he have to? Why can't the "authorized repair partner" order it and get it within a few days?
Also I had a black Fold 3 and they were still out of screen protectors.

I agree, Samsung dropped the ball. But the writer also dropped the ball and is being a bit obstinate. It was a special order phone in a special color. If he would have stuck with something more normal at the time, and not a special model of a cutting edge phone that .05% of Samsung owners actually own, furthermore in a color that another small percentage own, he likely would have had no troubles getting it repaired at any of those stores. But that doesn't take these "authorized centers" off of the hook, even soon after COVID when parts delivery was scarce.

Look, I feel for the guy, but he literally bought a high-end Lamborghini from an online dealership -- and at a time when most businesses had issues getting parts. And he never bothered to send it in for repairs, as was an option.

i live in Korea and work around Samsung management (not in phone division) almost every day. They all have Fold 4's given to them for free by the company. Soon they will all have Fold 5's. I also have Samsung stores all over the place, so I have confidence in being able to fix something the same day that I need it fixed. So I'm spoiled. But even with all this, I don't have any interest in buying one of these folding phones because of the demonstrated screen issues people have had. I'm surrounded by hundreds of Korean univ students (mostly Flips) who have these things and I see the screens crack and break in the middle at the fold, the edges come up, and enough things wrong with them in 2 to 3 years that I don't want one until I see a few more years of non-breakage.

Resale is a pittance on these things because of the 2 to 3 year screen breakage. Samsung is offering ridiculous trade-in deals (in some countries, you can trade a Fold 4 to a Fold 5 and pay just $100, as Marcus the YouTuber talks about). They are desperate to lock people into this new form factor (and I would argue they WANT to sell phones with a shorter shelf life, as they last too long, these days).

 

[mustang7757]

Been happy with my Fold 4 and decided not to get the Fold 5

 

[parksanim]

Been happy with my Fold 4 and decided not to get the Fold 5

In all seriousness, the trades direct from Samsung are so good going from 4 to 5 in many places, it would be foolish not to. MLB said the trade made it $100 to update a Fold 4 to a 5. And university students can get a further discount on top of that.

 

[mustang7757]

In all seriousness, the trades direct from Samsung are so good going from 4 to 5 in many places, it would be foolish not to. MLB said the trade made it $100 to update a Fold 4 to a 5. And university students can get a further discount on top of that.

I could trade in my Fold 4 for the 5 at 719.00 but just don't feel the need to . They have good trade in and if was around 400-500 I might of bite just for it being at that price but I'm good, I currently using my pixel 7 pro/Google Fold/s23u/Fold 4 and iphone 14 pro max , I think that's enough to keep me in place lol

 

[fuzzylumpkin]

In all seriousness, the trades direct from Samsung are so good going from 4 to 5 in many places, it would be foolish not to. MLB said the trade made it $100 to update a Fold 4 to a 5. And university students can get a further discount on top of that.

Yeah, but that's not everywhere. The trade-in prices in the UK are an absolute joke compared to the US.

 

[Duffin]

I agree, Samsung dropped the ball. But the writer also dropped the ball and is being a bit obstinate. It was a special order phone in a special color. If he would have stuck with something more normal at the time, and not a special model of a cutting edge phone that .05% of Samsung owners actually own, furthermore in a color that another small percentage own, he likely would have had no troubles getting it repaired at any of those stores. But that doesn't take these "authorized centers" off of the hook, even soon after COVID when parts delivery was scarce.

Look, I feel for the guy, but he literally bought a high-end Lamborghini from an online dealership -- and at a time when most businesses had issues getting parts. And he never bothered to send it in for repairs, as was an option.

i live in Korea and work around Samsung management (not in phone division) almost every day. They all have Fold 4's given to them for free by the company. Soon they will all have Fold 5's. I also have Samsung stores all over the place, so I have confidence in being able to fix something the same day that I need it fixed. So I'm spoiled. But even with all this, I don't have any interest in buying one of these folding phones because of the demonstrated screen issues people have had. I'm surrounded by hundreds of Korean univ students (mostly Flips) who have these things and I see the screens crack and break in the middle at the fold, the edges come up, and enough things wrong with them in 2 to 3 years that I don't want one until I see a few more years of non-breakage.

Resale is a pittance on these things because of the 2 to 3 year screen breakage. Samsung is offering ridiculous trade-in deals (in some countries, you can trade a Fold 4 to a Fold 5 and pay just $100, as Marcus the YouTuber talks about). They are desperate to lock people into this new form factor (and I would argue they WANT to sell phones with a shorter shelf life, as they last too long, these days).

Man, you gotta love blaming a customer for buying a product. No, I'm sorry, the writer did not "drop the ball." He bought a product offered by a company. If the company cant manage to get it fixed with the repair company they advertise, that's 100% on them.

As I said, I too had the exact same issue and I did not buy a "special model". It was the same black one they sell in every phone store.

 

[Scorch]

Man, you gotta love blaming a customer for buying a product. No, I'm sorry, the writer did not "drop the ball." He bought a product offered by a company. If the company cant manage to get it fixed with the repair company they advertise, that's 100% on them.

As I said, I too had the exact same issue and I did not buy a "special model". It was the same black one they sell in every phone store.

100% agree. I put up with the black screen for a few days but that is unacceptable for a phone that costs so much. Be patient, send it to the official Samsung repair center, don't muck around with misc shops.

 

[Duffin]

100% agree. I put up with the black screen for a few days but that is unacceptable for a phone that costs so much. Be patient, send it to the official Samsung repair center, don't muck around with misc shops.

Personally, I can't "be patient." I literally need my phone for MFA logins. I can't be potentially weeks without a phone.

 

[Scorch]

What are MFA logins and why can't you use a plain phone as a backup for 3 weeks?

 

[finbaar]

This is sad for the author. But Samsung make shite products and hate their customers. What else do we expect to happen?

 

[Stanley Kubrick]

Did not read the entire article = too sad. Did not read every comment = too long and sad!
I have a Samsung refrigerator = so far so good! I had a Tab S6, now the S7+, and waiting on the Tab S9+. I hate Samsung phones. Had a few and they all were junk to me. HATE BIXBY! I use ADB App control (a GUI app) and strip everything useless to me from the tablets. Leaves them running great! But I doubt I will ever buy another Samsung phone!
On top of that I will NEVER buy ANY foldable phone from any OEM - period! They are way too expensive and fragile. I believe they will slowly die out due to excessively high price compared to functionality.
I feel bad for those who are having such bad customer service. All phone companies have service flaws. But the basic glass slab is still the most reliable. YMMV

 

[rinkeedink]

This is the same thing that basically happened to me and also Google botched my pixel Fold return.

My ZF4 inner screen protector is peeling off, which Samsung does the first one for free as a courtesy and my phone is still in warranty. I have grey-green too. First I made an appt while I was out of town at local best buy bc it was on the Samsung webstite and was the closest. After waiting in line also, I was told they dont do Samsung fixes either...which is BS to be directed there by Samsung and have tell me to take a hike! Then I also made appt at closest ubreakifix. Fortunately, the tech working was cool and told me my best bet was to mail in to Samsung bc there were no parts available anywhere. After several emails that with Samsung trying to get a mail in label where they tried to get me to go through Samsung plus care that is not applicable with a warranty problem, I called Samsung. After the first call was dropped after holding for 15 minutes, I got through and finally got them to email me a mailing label to send in the phone via UPS which I am doing today. I also have a GS23U as my alternate phone thank god. On the phone the both times they offered me a tradein for a ZF5 which I declined.

The whole thing is a botched customer service universe where Samsung doesnt really care to have a good system in place and wants to just pawn off the issues to service vendors or sell you a new phone to start the cycle over. You have to be really determined to get what you are promised for warranty or service, and not having parts available is unacceptable.

GOOGLE: As a side note, I preordered the Pixel Fold and received while I was out of town for a month. I had housesitter mail it to me but I didnt get it in time to really test and use, so I returned it to Google in very short 2 week return window. Google sent me an RMA for the free pixel watch that came with it, that appartently didnt include the Pixel Fold. I mailed it all back to google in the same delivery box with the RMA and now google says they have not received the Pixel Fold. Round and round with their customer service via chat texts and they mailed me an RMA for the Fold I already returned...yet to be resolved.

 

[JackG058]

That's horrible. I wonder if there are similar horror stories with people getting their iPhones repaired. Or Google phones fixed. I guess this is the stuff you have to expect if you want to be on the bleeding edge of technology.

I've had both Android and iPhones. My single experience with phone repair from an Apple standpoint was the iPhone 7. I had a failure on mine, took it to the Apple store, and the tech walked back out with a brand new phone as a replacement. I'm fortunate enough that there is an Apple store in my area. My Android phones were always taken care of when I had Sprint as a cellular provider. They did the work in store, and did a good job typically. Never ran into a parts issue.