GAPgate

Fulcrum29

Fulcrum29

Honorary Master
Joined
Jun 25, 2010
Messages
68,278
Reaction score
31,441
Location
At the arcade
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencet...handset-receive-complaints-build-quality.html

First Apple's 'bendgate', now it's Samsung's GAPgate: Galaxy Note 4 is latest handset to receive complaints about build quality

Apple may still be reeling from last week’s ‘bendgate’ fiasco, but it can take some comfort in the fact its rival Samsung is facing similar issues.

The tech giant’s Note 4 has only been on sale in its native Korea for less than a week, but customers have already started complaining about its build quality.

A photo has emerged that shows a card being placed inside a gap between the phone’s screen, and its outer metal casing - leading the issue to be dubbed ‘gap gate.’

screen-shot-2014-09-30-at-3-07-43-pm.png

Samsung's Galaxy Note 4 went on sale in the firm's native Korea on Friday, but customers have started complaining about the device's build quality. A photo has emerged that shows a card being placed inside a gap (pictured) between the phone’s screen, and its outer metal casing - dubbed 'gap gate'

Samsung unveiled its 5.7-inch Note 4 at IFA last month, and it launched in China and Korea on Friday.

It is expected to launch in more regions later this month, including the UK on the 10 October, and the US by the 23 October.

However, reports about these dates vary.

Following the launch in the firm’s home country, IT Today reported that ‘a small number’ of customers had spotted that the screen looked like it was not properly attached to the casing.

Paper and cards were then placed inside the gap in the device, which retails for 957,000 Korean Won (£555 or $900), to prove how wide it was.

It is unclear how many people have been affected, and whether the issue relates to a batch of phones or is a more wider problem.

But Samsung has dismissed the concerns.

In a statement, the firm said: ‘The reported issue does not impact the functionality or quality of the Galaxy Note 4.

‘We assure our customers that all Galaxy Note 4 units meet our strict manufacturing and quality control standards.’

The Android device has a 5.7-inch display, is powered by a 2.7GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 processor, comes with a 16MP rear camera and 3.7MP front-facing one.

The Samsung complaints follow a week of controversy for rival Apple, after users claimed its iPhone 6 Plus bends when placed in a pocket for too long.

...
Click to expand...

Apparently this is applicable to the shipment received by Korea, limited to 40,000 units, the issue will be solved by the date they launch in the USA, according to Samsung.
 
More on the GAPgate:

http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/samsung-galaxy-note-4-gapgate-problem/

GALAXY NOTE 4’S #GAPGATE PROBLEM IS A ‘MANUFACTURING FEATURE’ (UPDATED)

amsung may soon be embroiled in a production-related controversy all of its own, after mercilessly mocking rival Apple over the iPhone 6 Plus and #BendGate. According to reports from Korea, the Galaxy Note 4 may be suffering from quality control issues, where the phone’s large screen doesn’t quite meet the edge of the body. In some photographed cases, the gap is large enough to fit in two pieces of paper, or a business card.

Updated on 10-01-2014 by Andy Boxall: Proof that Samsung knows about the Note 4’s screen gap can be found in the device’s user manual.

When news of the gap between screen and body first appeared in a report by ITToday, a Korean website, it was said Samsung was aware of the “gap phenomenon.” This has been confirmed in a slightly unusual way. Under the troubleshooting section of the Note 4’s user manual, the following advice appears:

“A small gap appears around the outside of the device. This gap is a necessary manufacturing feature and some minor rocking or vibration of parts may occur. Over time, friction between parts may cause this gap to expand slightly.”

The gap is meant to be there, then, according to Samsung. Exactly why it’s needed isn’t stated, but we could speculate that it may compensate for heat-related expansion in the new metal frame. Whatever the case, not all owners will be happy to accept the gap, particularly if it’s noticeable so soon after purchase. One Galaxy Note 4 owner, who discussed the problems on a Korean Web forum, said he had taken the device back to a Samsung service center for replacement. It’s not clear whether he was given a new phone.

The Galaxy Note 4 was announced during the Berlin IFA 2014 tech show in early September, and was originally scheduled for release sometime in October. However, Samsung pushed the release forward in certain regions, to ensure it could effectively combat the iPhone 6 Plus. The phone went on sale in Korea this week, and the limited, initial stock of around 30,000 phones has already been sold. A rushed release followed by talk of build quality problems isn’t a recipe for consumer confidence.

Only time will tell if this continues to frustrate Note 4 owners. Nonetheless, like the iPhone 6 Plus’ problems, that may not stop it becoming a larger public relations issue, should a few more affected phones slip through the cracks. Samsung is pushing the Galaxy Note 4 very hard, and has released a lengthy 4-minute promo video to bring even more attention to the massive device. You can check it out below, but be warned, it’s highly irritating.

In America, the Galaxy Note 4 will be available to buy on October 17, so let’s hope tales of these early problems don’t continue then.

We’ve contacted Samsung to get their comments on this story, and will update when we receive a response.
Click to expand...

Why make the previous statement, when they only later admitted it being a solution as indicated in the manual? Besides, the issue is alongside the screen and body – the manual is now being used as an excuse, also AT&T did a GAPgate test with their US-designated Note 4 and couldn’t get a business card into the gap, again showing non-relevance to the manual.
 
DrJohnZoidberg said:
Expansion joint? :D
Click to expand...

Samsung should be worried, they need to rightly address this issue. Their growth don't look good over the last two years and this may hamper them, indicating that it resulted in possible bad build quality. According to the manual, this gap will expand… The Note 4 may not have water resistance, but there goes its protection against all contact and ingress.

The question still stands, will it bend?
 
mercurial said:
Much ado about nothing
Click to expand...

Then Samsung had no reason to make a statement about, "Much ado about nothing", and only later to indicate the gap to be a design implementation as noted in the Note 4 manual. The widened gap also have only been reported by a small number who had purchased the device and even though the gap had been present in the previous Note devices, they didn't have a metal chassis similar to the Note 4. According to Samsung this should be a non-issue, but only time will tell.
 
Fulcrum29 said:
Samsung should be worried, they need to rightly address this issue. Their growth don't look good over the last two years and this may hamper them, indicating that it resulted in possible bad build quality. According to the manual, this gap will expand… The Note 4 may not have water resistance, but there goes its protection against all contact and ingress.

The question still stands, will it bend?
Click to expand...
Not to mention even though Samsung are notoriously cheap when it comes to the material they make their phones from they still have to pay to use the android operating system. They also spend more on marketing and advertising than anyone else in the market. So hopefully they will return to their status as a maker of decent tv's and washing machines soon and leave the tech to the smart and innovative people.
 
I can stick a post it between the screen and frame of my S2. Also on my Wife's HTC.

Why is this a problem?
 
lcbxx said:
I can stick a post it between the screen and frame of my S2. Also on my Wife's HTC.

Why is this a problem?
Click to expand...

It is not really a problem, however Samsung made two statements, and there may be a issue where the gap was widened on purchase. The original statement by Samsung, indicated that they were aware and that the issue was only related to the shipment designated to Korea. The device in the video is a European model... Only Samsung will know what is going on.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X