Samsung unveils slimmed-down foldable smartphone
Their low penetration in the mobile phone world is largely due to their thickness, inferior camera quality, and high price. Samsung, the leader since introducing its Galaxy Z Fold in 2019, has recently lost market share to Chinese competitors, particularly Honor and OnePlus, as well as American company Motorola.
'Samsung, who had become a little bit conservative, has found their mojo again, and they have delivered a product which really is a best-in-class folding device,' said Wood. The new offerings - the $2,000 Galaxy Z Fold7 and $1,100 Galaxy Z Flip7 - are the thinnest and lightest in the series to date, about as slim as standard smartphones when folded and nearly half as thin as Samsung's earliest designs.
'This is a reset of Samsung's foldable design to a different era where you really do get a super-premium phone that folds out into a tablet with software experiences designed for that,' said Avi Greengart from Techsponential. 'Especially in the United States, no one has seen anything like this,' he added. The analyst also highlighted improvements in material composition, making it a more solid and potentially more durable device.
Foldable smartphones open in two like a book and rely on OLED technology, which has allowed traditional screen glass to be replaced with a polymer plastic layer that is flexible.
Samsung has also improved the performance of the integrated camera, which now offers 200-megapixel resolution in wide-angle (four times that of the Z Fold6), putting it on par with the best equipment on the market across all phones. The South Korean tech group has also taken advantage of this new product line to integrate more generative artificial intelligence (AI) features.
These are mainly powered through Google's Android operating system and the search engine giant's Gemini suite of AI products and models. Users can now query Google's Gemini about elements captured with the smartphone's camera, for example asking for advice when shopping for clothes or how to repair a bike. 'This is not a radical change with a new multimodal interface that drastically reinvents the consumer experience,' cautioned Thomas Husson, an analyst at Forrester.
The jury is still out on whether the AI tools will spark growth in sales, which has been slowing in recent years as users delay ever more expensive upgrades to their smartphones. — AFP
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Kuwait Times
20 hours ago
- Kuwait Times
Kuwait to host 4 delegations from China as part of development push
State-owned firms to explore partnerships in infrastructure, logistics • Telecom deal in discussion KUWAIT: Kuwait is set to receive four official delegations from major Chinese state-owned companies next month to explore investment opportunities in infrastructure, logistics, and other key development projects, a senior official announced Wednesday. The announcement came during a high-level meeting chaired by His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah at Bayan Palace. The session brought together members of the ministerial committee tasked with following up on agreements and memoranda of understanding (MoUs) between Kuwait and China. 'The official high-level communications with the Chinese government are progressing rapidly,' said Assistant Foreign Minister for Asian Affairs, Ambassador Sameeh Johar Hayat, in a statement published by Kuwait News Agency (KUNA). 'Next month, Kuwait will welcome four official delegations representing major Chinese state-owned enterprises to discuss avenues for cooperation and investment with the Kuwaiti government in areas such as infrastructure, logistics, and other development sectors.' The meeting reviewed the latest developments in implementing a number of MoUs between the two governments, covering strategic sectors like Mubarak Al-Kabeer Port, renewable energy, low-carbon waste recycling, public housing development, wastewater treatment, and free economic zones. Discussions also touched on joint efforts to combat desertification. HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Al-Abdullah underscored Kuwait's commitment to moving forward with large-scale development plans and strengthening its strategic partnership with China. 'What has been achieved in terms of positive economic growth indicators and attracting foreign investments confirms that we are on the right path,' he said, stressing the importance of 'promoting initiative and achievement across all aspects of economic development.' He added that the deepening collaboration with China 'represents an important step toward expanding major development projects in the country and strengthening economic ties between the two nations.' As part of recent collaborative efforts, a high-level technical delegation from Kuwait's Ministry of Public Works was set to travel to China early this week to discuss the launch of a major wastewater treatment initiative, the committee noted during its meeting last week. However, no further details were provided on the visit in this week's press statement. The meeting was attended by senior government officials, including Foreign Minister Abdullah Al-Yahya, Housing Minister Abdullatif Al-Meshari, Electricity and Renewable Energy Minister Dr Sabeeh Al-Mukhaizeem, and Director General of the Kuwait Direct Investment Promotion Authority Sheikh Dr Meshaal Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah. Telecom deal Kuwait's Minister of State for Communications Affairs, Omar Al-Omar, held talks this week with Liu Xiang, the Chargé d'Affaires at the Chinese Embassy in Kuwait, to explore deeper cooperation in the fields of telecommunications and technology. In a press statement issued Thursday, the Ministry of Communications said the meeting reviewed a proposed memorandum of understanding between the two countries and stressed the importance of aligning joint initiatives with Kuwait's national strategic goals. Both sides emphasized the value of strengthening their technical partnership, the ministry noted. The Chinese diplomat praised Kuwait's current presidency of the Digital Cooperation Organization, saying it reflects the country's active role in promoting innovation and shaping digital policy across the region and globally. 'This meeting comes as part of efforts to enhance constructive dialogue between the State of Kuwait and the People's Republic of China toward sustainable and fruitful digital cooperation,' Liu said in the statement. He also invited Minister Al-Omar to attend the upcoming PartNIR Forum—a global event on Fourth Industrial Revolution partnerships—scheduled for September. — Agencies
Arab Times
a day ago
- Arab Times
Kuwait reviews progress on strategic development agreements with China
KUWAIT CITY, July 31: His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah chaired the 21st meeting of the ministerial committee responsible for following up on bilateral agreements and memoranda of understanding (MoUs) between Kuwait and the People's Republic of China. The session was held at Bayan Palace on Thursday. The meeting reviewed the progress of key development initiatives outlined in the Kuwait-China cooperation framework, including the Mubarak Al-Kabeer Port project, expansion of the electric power system, renewable energy development, construction of eco-friendly recycling systems, housing initiatives, and environmental infrastructure for wastewater treatment plants. Discussions also covered free and economic zones, as well as strategies to combat desertification and promote sustainable agriculture. Assistant Foreign Minister for Asian Affairs and committee rapporteur Ambassador Sameeh Johar Hayat delivered a comprehensive briefing on the implementation of MoUs. He highlighted the ongoing high-level communications with Chinese counterparts, underscoring Kuwait's commitment to deepening strategic and economic ties with China. Ambassador Hayat also revealed that four Chinese delegations representing major state-owned enterprises are scheduled to visit Kuwait next month to explore cooperation and investment opportunities in infrastructure, logistics, and other development sectors. His Highness the Prime Minister emphasized the importance of fostering a culture of initiative and achievement in all areas of national development. He noted that positive economic indicators and rising foreign investments signal Kuwait's steady advancement, in line with the national development plan and the vision of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. 'The close and continuous coordination between Kuwait and China reflects a deep-rooted strategic partnership, particularly in accelerating the implementation of major projects that are key to Kuwait's future economic landscape,' said Sheikh Ahmad. The meeting was attended by Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya, Minister of State for Municipal Affairs and Minister of State for Housing Affairs Abdullatif Hamed Al-Mishari, Minister of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy Dr. Subaih Abdulaziz Al-Mukhaizeem, Director General of the Kuwait Direct Investment Promotion Authority Sheikh Dr. Meshaal Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Acting Head of the Prime Minister's Diwan Sheikh Khaled Mohammed Al-Khaled Al-Sabah, and Head of the Fatwa and Legislation Department Counselor Salah Ateeq Al-Majed. Meanwhile, Minister of State for Communications Affairs Omar Al-Omar met with the Chargé d'Affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Kuwait, Liu Shang, to explore ways to deepen cooperation in the communications and technology sectors. In a statement, the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) said the meeting reviewed a proposed memorandum of understanding and highlighted the importance of aligning initiatives with Kuwait's strategic vision to strengthen the technical partnership. Liu expressed appreciation for Kuwait's leadership of the Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO), commending its regional and global role in fostering digital innovation. He invited Minister Al-Omar to participate in the upcoming Partnership for the Industrial Revolution (PartNIR) Forum, scheduled for September, as part of efforts to expand sustainable digital collaboration.
Arab Times
a day ago
- Arab Times
Pakistan and US reach a trade deal to develop oil reserves and reduce tariffs
ISLAMABAD, July 31, (AP):The United States and Pakistan reached a trade agreement expected to allow Washington to help develop Pakistan's largely untapped oil reserves and lower tariffs for the South Asian country, officials from both nations said Thursday. Officials did not specify where the exploration would take place, but most of Pakistan's reserves are believed to be in the insurgency-hit southwestern province of Balochistan, where separatists say the province's natural resources are being exploited by the central government in Islamabad. "We have just concluded a deal with the country of Pakistan, whereby Pakistan and the United States will work together on developing their massive oil reserves,' U.S. President Donald Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. "We are in the process of choosing the oil company that will lead this partnership,' Trump added. "Who knows, maybe they'll be selling oil to India someday!' Total U.S. trade with Pakistan was an estimated $7.3 billion in 2024, according to the Office of the United States Representative, which said on its website that U.S. exports to Pakistan in 2024 were $2.1 billion, up 4.4% ($90.9 million) from 2023. U.S. imports from Pakistan totaled $5.1 billion in 2024, up 4.9% ($238.7 million) from 2023, it said. There was no immediate comment from the Baloch nationalists and separatist groups. Balochistan has long been the center of violence mostly blamed on groups including the outlawed Balochistan Liberation Army, or BLA, which the U.S. designated a terrorist organization in 2019. Separatists in Balochistan have opposed the extraction of resources by Pakistani and foreign firms and have targeted Pakistani security forces and Chinese nationals working on multibillion-dollar projects related to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. Oil reserves are also thought to exist in the southern Sindh, eastern Punjab and northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces. Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif welcomed the "long-awaited' deal and thanked Trump for playing a key role in finalizing it. Pakistan had been pursuing a trade agreement since May, when Trump mediated a ceasefire between Pakistan and India following an escalation triggered by Indian airstrikes on Pakistani territory in response to the killing of 26 tourists in Indian-controlled Kashmir. Pakistan's Finance Ministry said in a statement early Thursday the agreement aims to boost bilateral trade, expand market access, attract investment and foster cooperation in areas of mutual interest. The breakthrough came during a meeting in Washington between Pakistani Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and senior U.S. officials, including Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer. The deal includes a reduction in reciprocal tariffs, particularly on Pakistani exports to the U.S., the statement from the ministry said. "The agreement enhances Pakistan's access to the U.S. market and vice versa,' it said. The agreement is also expected to spur increased U.S. investment in Pakistan's infrastructure and development projects, it added.
