Samsung doesn't want us to forget about the Galaxy Fold. It has been such a long journey for the company's first foldable smartphone, and Samsung came so close to actually launching the product this year. Review units were out there in the wild, and the initial reactions were actually pretty positive!

And then they started breaking.

For one reason or another, the Galaxy Fold wasn't holding up as well as reviewers hoped. Or, to be more accurate, as well as Samsung hoped. Considering the failure rate, in particular with the hardware and the plastic screen protector, the company didn't have a choice in the matter. They had to make some changes, because if the Galaxy Fold was failing this frequently in the hands of reviewers, how well could it possibly fare out there in the real world with consumers?

Samsung didn't want to find out. As a result, that initial late-April launch window was abandoned and Samsung delayed the Galaxy Fold until it could figure out how to better reinforce the Galaxy Fold. After all, no one wants to pay for a smartphone that costs around $2,000 only to have it break just a few days, weeks, or even months later.

This phone, despite its foldable design, has to last a long while. In fact, this is probably a smartphone that Samsung doesn't need to upgrade every year -- but probably still will.

Earlier today we heard that Samsung plans on announcing a new release date for the Galaxy Fold, and we'll know more in the coming weeks. Basically, Samsung just wants us not to forget about its first foldable smartphone, stoking the fire as much as it can while it works out the potentially catastrophic kinks. All of these need to be ironed out before Samsung can launch the Galaxy Fold.

Because if these issues crop up again, but this time as a public handset? There might not be any coming back from that. And considering how important foldable phones are, seeing as many see this design as the next "big thing" for smartphones, Samsung as to nail the hardware right out of the gate. There isn't any room for mistakes in this regard.

Software can be tweaked and patched and fixed after launch. A major hardware issue, on the other hand, would set Samsung back way too far. That's why Samsung is hopefully taking its time, because there is literally no reason to rush. Make it right and make it well.

I've already decided I'm waiting on a foldable smartphone, even before the hardware issues with the Galaxy Fold cropped up. But, what about you? If you were planning on buying the Galaxy Fold, are you still planning on giving the foldable smartphone a chance, despite the initial hardware issues? Or will you be waiting for generation 2 or 3 before jumping on board? Let me know!