Revised Galaxy Fold Teardown Reveals “Chainmail” Armor And More Protective Measures

The small gap when folding at the hinge area of the screen now has a protective cap on it to keep debris out. The extra protection doesn't prevent the Galaxy Fold from having some gaps to access behind the screen when the smartphone is closed. iFixit figures those gaps are less likely to cause immediate screen damage but will still attract dirt.

One nice thing discovered in the teardown is the screws are all standard Philips units. Lots of glue is used inside the device, with both of the batteries glued to the chassis. The two batteries have slightly different capacities, with one packing 2135 mAh and the other 2245 mAh. The teardown also found that the mainboard has silicone seals around the flex cables to offer a bit of protection. The device isn't water-resistant at all with its screen gaps due to the folding design.

The most interesting aspect of the revised design is the reinforced screen that has an extra metal layer that is said to be "like chainmail armor" between the backing plates and the display. The "Advanced Polymer Protective Layer," which many reviewers thought was a removable screen protector the first time around, has been extended to the edges of the screen, reducing the desire to pull it off.

The final thoughts in the teardown from iFixit include that the screen is so fragile owners will be replacing it at some point. Battery replacements can be done, but are unnecessarily difficult. The glass on the front and back is glued down, making repairs even more difficult. The good news is that many components are modular and can be replaced. A single Philips screwdriver takes care of all the screws. IFixit's first teardown of the Galaxy Fold before the revisions can be found here.