Tech

Are foldable smartphones the next big thing?

Published

3 years ago

August 11, 2022

Brittany Coles

Samsung has wrapped its latest Galaxy Unpacked event, announcing two foldables, new smartwatches, and an update to its Galaxy Buds Pro line

Tech commentator Trevor Long, who was at the event, and tech expert Greg Nibler unpack the biggest announcements

What’s changed?

Taking a look at the Galaxy Zed Flip 4, Samsung hasn’t changed the overall design – but new features include the ability to see selfie previews on the cover screen and fast charging.

At a slightly higher cost, there’s the Galaxy Zed Fold 4.

This design remains largely the same, but Samsung has made some big changes to the cameras.

What’s probably most interesting about this latest product launch is Samsung’s wearables push.

At the Unpacked event, the tech giant finally unveiled its Galaxy Watch 5 and Galaxy Watch 5 Pro.

After serious battery life complaints, the new devices both boast bigger batteries, faster charging, and increased durability.

What was the actual event like?

Tech commentator Trevor Long joined TICKER NEWS live in New York to detail the experience.

“It was still a bit of a hybrid experience. Because this wasn’t a fully in person thing. So basically, all the gathered media were were in a room together. But there was still just a visual presentation or a short introduction from one of their executives to the same visual presentation is pretty much everyone saw on their live stream,” he says.

“But of course, we then got the opportunity to go and go hands on with all the devices. And it’s fascinating in both London and New York, they’ve set up large experience areas where the general public will be able to come through over the next few weeks and actually touch and feel and experience these devices,

“I think it’s a very smart move from Samsung, because the category is still so new. It’s been around for a few years.”

Are people warming to foldable smart phones?

Tech expert Greg Nibler says there were a lot of issues that came out and some kind of bad publicity with Galaxy fold phones, “but it feels like they’ve worked on that quite a bit”.

“Let’s face it, there’s not a lot of people that have been purchasing these overall so far. But I think just the fact that Samsung keeps on pushing this there, regardless of anything that happens, they are going to keep on making these foldable phones because they believe that this is something that people are going to want.”

Meanwhile, Trevor longs believes foldable phones won’t go mainstream.

However, he is in New York with Samsung Australia and was talking to their executive vice president about the demand.

“And he (Aus VP) said they’re seeing nearly 300% demand. Now that’s not purchasing, but they see interest at a peak, the amount of searches and things that are going on. So it there’s definitely demand there.”

But the VP also told Trevor that there will come a time (he didn’t put a date on it) but there will come a time “when the folding format is the primary format”.

Long also commented on the more refined general design.

“I think people will have trust in the fact that they are durable too.”

When is Apple going to come out with their own foldable device?

“I don’t even think it’s going to be this year, probably next year, maybe sometime Apple will do it,” Long says.

“Apple doesn’t really have something to compare directly. But we’re coming to the watch side. I do think you know, the Galaxy watches certainly made some improvements with this five and the five pro you mentioned the battery life. That’s pretty impressive specs, they said I believe was 40 hours for the watch five and up to 80 hours for the five pro if you’re not using everything on it. That’s, that’s really great..

But is that going to be enough to convince somebody who’s an Apple Watch user to switch out of that ecosystem? Long says “I doubt it.”

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Brittany Coles

Tech

OpenAI launching AI-powered browser to rival Chrome

OpenAI to launch an AI-driven web browser, directly competing with Google Chrome and seeking user data access.

Published

1 day ago

July 10, 2025

Ahron Young

OpenAI to launch an AI-driven web browser, directly competing with Google Chrome and seeking user data access.

In Short:
OpenAI is set to launch an AI-powered web browser to compete with Google Chrome, aiming to transform internet navigation and collect valuable user data. This initiative seeks to leverage OpenAI’s technology and user base, potentially affecting Google’s advertising strategy.

OpenAI is preparing to launch an AI-powered web browser aimed at competing with Google Chrome.

Sources indicate this new browser will be released in the coming weeks and intends to transform how consumers navigate the internet.

The browser could provide OpenAI with access to valuable user data, a significant asset for competing against Google, where Chrome plays a crucial role in advertising revenue.

If the browser gains traction among ChatGPT’s 500 million weekly users, it may impact Google’s advertising strategy. The design aims to maintain user interactions within a ChatGPT-like chat interface, streamlining the browsing experience.

This development is part of OpenAI’s broader initiative to integrate its AI services into daily consumer activities.

Forefront of innovation

OpenAI remains tight-lipped about the project, and the sources requested anonymity. CEO Sam Altman has been at the forefront of innovation since the launch of ChatGPT, while OpenAI seeks new growth opportunities amidst fierce competition, notably from Google and others.

The browser will harness the same open-source technology that underpins Chrome and other browsers, while OpenAI has also brought on board key talent from Google’s original Chrome development team.

In a strategic move, OpenAI opted for developing its browser over creating a plug-in, prioritising control over data collection. Google currently maintains more than two-thirds of the global browser market, posing a significant challenge for OpenAI in this new venture.

Tech

Linda Yaccarino resigns as CEO of Elon Musk’s X

Linda Yaccarino resigns as CEO of X following merger with xAI and internal financial conflicts.

Published

2 days ago

July 10, 2025

Ahron Young

Linda Yaccarino resigns as CEO of X following merger with xAI and internal financial conflicts.

In Short:
Linda Yaccarino has resigned as CEO of X after the merger with xAI, facing challenges in shifting focus to AI and tensions with the new CFO. Despite some revenue recovery and improved advertiser relationships, ongoing content moderation issues and Musk’s heavy involvement in decisions complicate the platform’s operations.

Linda Yaccarino has announced her resignation as CEO of X, following the merger with xAI. Her tenure has faced challenges, particularly after the integration of the chatbot company into X, which shifted focus towards artificial intelligence over traditional social media growth.

Investor interest has increasingly gravitated towards AI potential. Tensions arose between Yaccarino and new CFO Reza Banki, who was hired to address financial issues and originally replaced Yaccarino’s finance head.

Banki reportedly pressured her regarding spending on celebrity content. Yaccarino viewed the return of some advertisers and the revenue changes resulting from the merger as an appropriate time to step down.

Broader platform

In her post about her departure, she expressed gratitude to Elon Musk for the opportunity to lead and transform X into a broader service platform. Musk acknowledged her contributions through a social media post.

Yaccarino, who took over in 2023, dealt with initial advertiser concerns related to content moderation and Musk’s management style. Despite challenges, including threatening brands to encourage them back to the platform, she made strides in rebuilding ad relationships and fostering new advertising opportunities.

Financial improvements have been noted, with X reporting adjusted earnings growth and revenue recovery efforts reflecting progress. However, the platform continues to deal with content moderation issues, especially after recent controversial comments from the chatbot, highlighting ongoing operational challenges.

Tech

Amazon extends Prime Day to week-long sales event

Amazon extends Prime Day to a week, aiming for higher sales and new Prime memberships amid consumer tariff concerns.

Published

3 days ago

July 8, 2025

Ahron Young

Amazon extends Prime Day to a week, aiming for higher sales and new Prime memberships amid consumer tariff concerns.

In Short:
Amazon is extending Prime Day to a full week to boost sales and attract new members, with projections of $12.9 billion in U.S. sales. The longer event allows for more advertising opportunities and themed discount days to entice shoppers amidst declining consumer confidence.

Amazon is extending Prime Day to a full week, aiming to attract more shoppers and gain new Prime members. The promotion, starting Tuesday, is projected to generate $12.9 billion in U.S. sales, a 53% increase from last year.

Previously a one-day event offering significant discounts, Prime Day has expanded, now including themed days like book day and pet day. Sales growth during Prime Day has slowed, remaining in single digits recently, prompting Amazon to innovate with discounts year-round.

Shoppers are expected to look for bargains on electronics and goods potentially affected by tariffs this year, reflecting declining consumer confidence. Brandon Fuhrmann, a third-party seller, expects to see notable sales but cannot predict demand due to the promotion’s length. He anticipates outpacing regular July sales, even toward the end of the week. The longer event increases advertising opportunities, contributing to Amazon’s growing advertising revenue, which exceeds $50 billion annually.

Many sellers plan to invest heavily in advertisements to outperform competitors during this extended period. Ryan Close, CEO of Bartesian, intends to use the event to test Amazon’s advertising tools and attract attention to his products with significant discounts.

Amazon aims to recruit new subscribers for its $139 annual Prime membership, promoting benefits like rapid shipping and streaming services.