What you need to know
- Folding phones, due to their extra moving parts, sometimes suffer from issues that traditional smartphones are immune from.
- Specifically, some Samsung Galaxy Z Fold users have reported their smartphones being unable to unfold completely flat.
- One Reddit user managed to solve the problem by dismantling his Galaxy Z Fold 4 and removing debris from the hinge by hand.
One Reddit user thinks they've proven why their foldable phone won't open fully flat, and it appears to have something to do with debris finding its way into the moving part of the hinge. (via 9to5Google).
In the post, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 user described having an increasingly difficult time opening their smartphone completely flat. After failed attempts to get Samsung to repair or replace the Galaxy Z Fold 4, the user decided to take matters into their own hands. Taking apart the device revealed a collection of lint, thread, and other debris were trapped inside the hinge — preventing it from opening.
Managed to Open Fold 4 Flat - Evidence Against Samsung's Warranty Denial from r/GalaxyFold
After putting the device back together, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 unit in question was able to open completely flat again. While this is just one unit, it does seem to confirm something that was already suspected — dust and debris are enemies to folding phones and can cause issues later on.
Notably, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Fold 5 are rated as IPX8 certified, which means they are water — but not dust — resistant. This means that it's certainly possible, maybe even plausible, that dust and debris could end up in the foldables over time.
Foldable phones have plenty of appeal, whether they offer a bigger screen or a smaller form factor than a traditional smartphone. However, they also come with their own set of compromises, which are highlighted by a high cost of entry and durability concerns. While Samsung was the first company to truly bring foldables mainstream, it too has experienced durability issues with the Galaxy Z Fold lineup. Early versions suffered from display problems, and later ones have struggled to open completely flat after months or years of use.
The issue of folding phones not opening flat became an important topic around the launch of the Google Pixel Fold, which some claim is not able to unfold flat. One of our units at Android Central indeed seems to be limited to 178-179 degrees rather than the full 180 degrees.
Luckily, Samsung and other OEMs appear to be making solid progress on their foldable hardware. Samsung, for example, debuted a new hinge mechanism on the Galaxy Z Fold 5, although it remains to be seen whether that device succumbs to some of the same issues as its predecessors. Meanwhile, the Motorola Razr Plus has both water and dust resistance.
