I tried to prevent my screen crease from getting worse, because it was getting pretty bad after 8 months of folding the phone. Before the warranty was up I put in a service request. I tried to go to local options that Samsung's repair ticket request directed me to (Best Buy, You Break We Fix) but was told only Samsung directly could fix Flip/Fold screen issues. So I had to send in my phone and be without it for 5 days (which was notably faster than they'd expected).
Sent it in to get a new factory-set screen protector. They wanted to charge me because of a nick in the screen, one that I don't understand how it happened. Kind of looks like I shut my phone on something, but there's nothing on the opposite end, so honestly, that nick confuses me. They referred to this as microscopic damage, so small they said they couldn't send me a photo of it. Regardless, since the crease from the folding would inevitably happen again in a year, I didn't see a $240 repair cost as worth the benefit and had the phone sent back without repair. Plus $240 was more than the current difference between trading in a perfect phone vs. "cracked" screen. Photos show how my phone was returned. Not only does it look considerably worse than it did beforehand (30+ bubbles in the factory set screen protector and a sticky note left under the screen protector), it also makes a cracking sound when I try to fold it. The Flip and Fold are extremely neat concepts, and honestly, I've loved every other aspect of it - but wait until the screen technology is improved on the physical fold. In following up to see if anything could be done about the worsened state of my screen, it appears all procedures were followed correctly on Samsung's end, and I'd just have to pay the $240 to have it repaired.
I see what I tried to do as Samsung's attempt at a "fair and reasonable solution for customers" and just wanted to warn that they are not flexible in the slightest with that repair, even though they know the crease is their fault, and on top of being without a phone for at least 5 days, it's very possible it could be returned worse than before with zero consolation on Samsung's part. Except for the customer service folks profuse apologies :') I told them that doesn't make it better and honestly, I'd prefer they don't apologize if they have no means of making up for it. But I get it. I'd feel bad if my hands were tied in helping unfairly treated customers too.
The only thing that makes this better? Everyone, every friend, acquaintance, waitress, etc. who sees I have the cool Flip phone likes to check it out and ask about it. My phone looks like ***** now, and all I can do is show it off and encourage people to wait on the technology and tell them my story. Still feels like a loss on my part, but Samsung will be the one who loses out most on unrepaired fold/flip screens and the tech not being good enough to last even a year.
