Samsung Launches Galaxy Fold In Korea, U.S. To Follow

The device will be hitting the market after Samsung addressed flaws that were uncovered in the initial design earlier this year.

While it hasn't reached North America just yet, Samsung's foldable smartphone is at last hitting the market, starting with Korea, the company disclosed on Thursday.

The Samsung Galaxy Fold—the industry's first mainstream foldable smartphone—is debuting first in the company's home country on Sept. 6. The Galaxy Fold will next be coming to countries including the U.S., though a specific U.S. launch date was not released by Samsung on Thursday.

[Related: 5 Things To Know About Samsung's Galaxy Fold]

Samsung had already disclosed a September launch time frame for the Galaxy Fold, which has been delayed in order to fix issues that were uncovered about the initial version of the device. The company originally planned to debut the Galaxy Fold in April.

In a news release, Samsung CEO DJ Koh called the Galaxy Fold's form factor "revolutionary," saying that it "offers a bigger, more immersive screen without sacrificing portability."

When opened, the Galaxy Fold offers 7.3 inches of display space, using Samsung's Infinity Flex Display technology. When closed, the Galaxy Fold has a 4.6-inch display on its top cover, which can be used to access apps as normal.

The foldable display makes use of a sophisticated hinge system that allows users to open and close the Galaxy Fold smoothly, according to Samsung.

The device has a starting price of $1,980. It will be available in two colors--Cosmos Black and Space Silver. Along with the U.S., the Galaxy Fold will next be rolling out in "select" countries including France, Germany, Singapore and the U.K.

A 5G-capable version of the Fold will also be available in select countries, Samsung said.

The postponed release had come in the wake of failed displays on review units for the Galaxy Fold.

Reviewers for several media outlets reported display failures on tryout units. Some of the problems apparently stemmed from the accidental removal of the top layer of the display, which the reviewers believed to be a screen protector. Not all reviewers reported issues with the Galaxy Fold display.

In a previous news release, Samsung outlined a number of design improvements to the Galaxy Fold. The top protective layer of the device's Infinity Flex Display "has been extended beyond the bezel, making it apparent that it is an integral part of the display structure and not meant to be removed," Samsung said.

The reworked Galaxy Fold also features enhanced reinforcements to protect against intrusion from particles, the company said. Those include a stronger material around the top and bottom of the hinge, added metal layers under the display and a reduced space between the hinge and body of the device.

Samsung said it "has taken the time to fully evaluate the product design, make necessary improvements and run rigorous tests to validate the changes we made."