Experts examined Samsung's folding phone and found some clues to what caused it to break
Experts at iFixit tear apart Samsung's folding phone.
The team discovers a few weak points above and below the screen where debris can get in. Samsung has said that "substances" inside the display caused it to break for early users.
There are a few other clues as to why the phone broke so easily, and why Samsung needed to recall it.
The experts at iFixit recently tore apart Samsung's foldable phone and may have discovered at least one area where the phone was prone to damage.
The teardown follows Samsung's decision earlier this week to delay the launch of the Galaxy Fold indefinitely past its original April 26 launch date.
The Galaxy Fold was given to reviewers last week, but some of the units broke , including CNBC's, after just a couple of days of use. iFixit says a small area at the top and bottom of the screen leaves the Galaxy Fold prone to damage.
"Unlike the dull slabs of glass we're used to, this smartphone/tablet hybrid has lots of potential entry points — and not the good kind," iFixit said. "To achieve the fold, the thin bezel that surrounds (and protects) the screen leaves a gap where the two halves meet. This 7 mm gap doesn't seem like a huge deal, but it leaves the display exposed —so should something accidentally enter, it's curtains for the screen. (Oops.)"
The findings align with Samsung's explanation for its delay earlier this week. After Samsung inspected broken review units, the company said that damage "could be associated with impact on the top and bottom exposed areas of the hinge. There was also an instance where substances found inside the device affected the display performance."
You can get a better look at what the experts mean in the image above.
"When closed, the screen is protected — but the spine is flanked by massive gaps that our opening picks hop right into," iFixit continued. "These gaps are less likely to cause immediate screen damage, but will definitely attract dirt."
The site said most phones don't have this many ways for debris to get into the phone, so that's one area where manufacturers will need to improve how these types of screens open and close.
iFixit discovered these seemingly serious flaws in just a few days, while Samsung says it spent more than 8 years building the product.
Samsung said it's working to strengthen those areas of the phone, which is why it has delayed the launch. Samsung said it will provide an update on the release of the Galaxy Fold in the coming weeks.
Read more on iFixit .
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