The invitation came from Samsung Global. San Francisco again. February. Cool air, clear mornings, the city steady before the crowds wake.

Samsung chose the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium for its Unpacked event on February 20, 2019. A deliberate choice. Big room, civic weight, no attempt to feel underground. This was a statement launch.

On stage, Samsung introduced the Galaxy Fold. A device that closed like a phone and opened into a tablet. A 4.6-inch cover display. A 7.3-inch inner screen. Six cameras. Three apps running at once. A price that made people pause. $1,980. Not apologetic. Not defensive.

The ambition was clear. Smartphones had plateaued. Samsung was not interested in incremental change. This was about opening a new category, even if it meant taking the risk publicly.

Holding the Fold for the first time felt unfamiliar. Not fragile, but different. The hinge had weight. The screen asked for care. It was not trying to be invisible. It wanted you to notice the transition from one state to another. Phone to tablet. Closed to open. Private to expansive.

Context mattered. This launch came with pressure. The initial release, scheduled for April 26, would later be delayed after early reviewer issues exposed durability challenges. Samsung paused, reworked, reinforced, and returned later that year. Watching the launch live, you could already sense the tension. Bold innovation always arrives with friction.

What made the experience more personal was the access. Meeting DJ Koh in person during the Galaxy Fold launch was a quiet highlight of the week. In a brief but direct exchange, he spoke with clarity about risk, responsibility, and the need to push hardware forward. Before parting, he invited me to continue the conversation in Korea, a gesture that carried both trust and intention, and one that stayed with me long after the event ended.

That week also marked my first in-person meeting with Adam Mosseri, who had been appointed CEO of Instagram not long before. Instagram was already shaping culture at scale, and meeting Mosseri in that moment made the overlap between hardware and platforms feel immediate. Devices change behavior. Platforms amplify it. The two were clearly converging.

Around the event, VIP influencers from all over the world moved through the city. Carefully selected. Carefully staged. I spent time especially with the Italian ones. Familiar language. Shared references. A reminder that even in global launches, local culture still matters.

Between meetings and events, I kept one ritual to myself. Breakfast at Golden Coffee, a small Chinese-run spot I have visited since my early stays in San Francisco. No branding. No spectacle. Just strong coffee, simple food, and regulars who do not care about launches or foldable screens. That contrast mattered.

Samsung Unpacked 2019 was not just about a device. It was about willingness. To risk. To fail publicly. To push hardware forward when the market felt tired.

Some innovations arrive perfect. Others arrive honest. The Fold arrived honest.