Breaking a Galaxy Fold's screen more than once could cost as much as a whole premium phone

Samsung has confirmed that the Galaxy Fold's internal screen comes with a price-tag of US$599 should it need to be repaired. This revelation may seem less of a worry for those who have purchased the near-$2000 flexible phone in the knowledge that the first one they will need has been discounted to $149. However, the OEM's website also states that this only applies to units of the phone bought from its launch date until December 31, 2019. (buy Galaxy Fold now at Amazon)

Therefore, those who buy the groundbreaking phone after this date will be liable for a full repair cost should the Fold's "internal" display become damaged. This levy is a steep increase compared to the $279 a new screen for the Galaxy S10 5G would cost, and puts the newer phone in iPhone territory as far as OEM servicing goes.

Furthermore, it seems that if the second, more standard panel on the front of this phone breaks, Samsung's official repair team will charge $139 for its replacement regardless of any guarantee included with its purchase. In addition, a rear-panel fix for the same phone would cost $99.

Therefore, a wholesale repair for a Galaxy Fold in a truly unfortunate condition could cost as much as $837. For reference, a new Galaxy Note 8 or S9-line unit can be picked up for less than this in the US - in fact, even some S10- or Note 10-series phones would fit into this approximate price range.

Other phones that could go for about the same as a Galaxy Fold screen repair include many older but still perfectly serviceable Pixel or OnePlus flagships, the first-generation Asus ROG Phone and the new Snapdragon 855-powered Nubia Red Magic 3.