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New Samsung Galaxy Fold deal lets you try bonkers foldable phone for 100 days before buying

SAMSUNG has launched a "try before you buy" scheme for its most expensive mobiles to date.

The tech titan said Tuesday that US buyers of its folding phones, which fetch upwards of $1,400, can now take them for a 100-day spin free of charge.

It means that new owners of the Galaxy Z Flip 5G or Galaxy Z Fold2 5G have over three months before they need to commit to a purchase.

Should they change their mind within that timeframe, they're eligible for a full refund. The prior return window was 15 days.

"This new initiative will help consumers try and see if a foldable device is right for them," a spokesperson said.

The new program is available exclusively through Samsung.com in the US and is valid until April 1, 2021.

It's not available to buyers of the Korean firm's other folding phones, the Galaxy Fold and Galaxy Z Flip.

Foldable phones are the next big thing in the smartphone world, with Samsung, Huawei and Motorola all releasing models in recent years.

The devices typically bend using a complex hinge, with screens made of a high-tech plastic to give them enough flexibility to fold in half.

It allows the phones to boast the screen size of a tablet when unfolded while offering the convenience of fitting in your pocket when folded.

Samsung unveil new foldable smart phone the Galaxy Fold

Samsung launched its first foldable phone, the Galaxy Fold, in 2019 and now has four of the pricey gadgets in its arsenal.

The Z Fold2 5G is the follow-up to the Fold, which was marred by a disastrous launch after early devices were found to be defective.

Launched in September 2020, the 5G version bends like a paperback novel and starts at just under $2,000 on Samsung's website.

The Galaxy Z Flip 5G – the other mobile that falls under the new returns offer – bends a little differently.

The foldable gadget had a rocky start to life...

On May 12 2011, South Korea’s Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology annonced that some of its researchers had created a folding smartphone prototype
On May 2 2012, Samsung filed a patent application for its folding smart phone design
In May 2013, Samsung tried to patent its folding phone screen idea
In November 2013, Samsung announced that it would be bringing folding display devices to the market
In spring 2016, Samsung was finally working on what we now refer to as the Galaxy Fold
In October 2018, Samsung finally confirmed that its foldable phone was on the way
On February 20 2019, Samsung launched the Samsung Galaxy Fold with a staggering £1,900 price tag
On April 15 2019, Samsung started letting high profile technology journalists use the phone but by April 17 lots of them were already complaining about the screen breaking or not working
On April 22 2019, Samsung had to announce that it was postponing the Samsung Galaxy Fold's release so that it could address and fix ongoing issues with the folding screen
On September 6, 2019, Samsung started selling the Galaxy Fold in the UK

It folds via a horizontal hinge that allows it to open and close a clamshell – similar to a retro flip phone from the mid-2000s.

The Z Flip was launched in July 2020 and goes for $1,450 on Samsung's website.

Samsung says its extended return window is the first time it's offering this kind of program for mobile devices.

A spokesperson said the move is "part of Samsung’s commitment to making foldable devices more accessible for everyone."

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