The first batch of Google Pixel Fold reviews are in and though most of them praise the device’s outer screen, cameras, and capability to fold flat, the common consensus is that its $1,800 price tag isn’t justified. One reviewer’s display died after only four days of use.
Ars Technica’s Ron Amadeo says their Pixel Fold’s inner OLED screen stopped working after just four days. They didn’t treat the device roughly but have a theory for why this happened.
The whole saga took a little over an hour it seems. The bottom 10 pixels died first and then the left portion of the screen became unresponsive to touch inputs. An hour later, a white gradient emerged and started expanding upwards across the screen.
The Pixel Fold has a 7.6-inch inner screen with Ultra Thin Glass and a non-removable plastic layer on top. This protective layer has been placed to protect the screen.
Amadeo notes that the plastic layer doesn’t extend all the way to the bezels, leaving a little exposed area between it and the raised bezels. Dust apparently got trapped in that little exposed area and when the phone was folded, that little debris punctured the OLED.
Amadeo didn’t feel anything when this happened and had to use a magnifying glass to get to the root of the problem. He noticed a very small nick mark near where the screen first started having issues.
Of course, it could be that the journalist got unlucky but it appears that Google made a mistake by designing the bezels the way it did. The problem is not that the plastic layer doesn’t cover the entire screen, as this is something that other companies that make foldable phones also do.
The problem lies with the height of the bezel. Most foldable phones have slightly raised bezels to ensure there is a small gap between the two halves of the screen. This is done to prevent any trapped debris from getting crushed between the screens.
The Pixel Fold’s bezels are the same height as the protector, meaning the left and right parts of the screens almost touch when the phone is folded.
While it’s kind of shocking to see that the Pixel Fold’s screen stopped working so soon, let’s not forget that this has only happened with only one user so far. But other reviews aren’t exactly confidence inspiring. One The Verge writer found a tiny scratch on the screen’s pre-installed protector after only a few days of use and another saw a chip in the bezel.
Android Police says that the unprotected space between the protector and bezel attracts a lot of dust and cleaning it is no easy feat.
Google has already cautioned users that flexible screens are softer than traditional phone displays and has said that they must ensure that contact is avoided with sand, crumbs, and sharp objects.
Whether this is a widespread issue will become known in a few days as the Pixel Fold will be released tomorrow, 27 June.