Technologies

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 Rumors: Everything to Know Before Galaxy Unpacked

Samsung’s next foldable phone could have a new hinge. We’ll find out on Wednesday.

Samsung’s next Unpacked event is just days away on July 26. That means we might see a new foldable phone — or two — from the company. Rumors indicate Samsung’s next foldable, expected to be called the Galaxy Z Fold 5, will be a minor update to the Galaxy Z Fold 4. The potential announcement comes on the heels of Google introducing its first foldable phone, the Pixel Fold, in June. The Pixel Fold’s form-factor and price position it as Samsung’s largest rival to the Galaxy Z Fold 4.
Among the biggest changes expected to the Galaxy Fold 5 is a redesigned hinge that should reduce the device’s thickness. But, of course, we won’t know for certain until Samsung makes an announcement. Rumors also point to routine changes like a thinner build suggest Samsung is still fine-tuning the Galaxy Z Fold’s design.
Each year, Samsung has implemented modest but useful changes to the Z Fold’s physique that make it more palatable. With the Galaxy Z Fold 4, for example, Samsung increased the cover display’s width, a small change that makes it feel a bit more like a regular phone when closed. But the Z Fold 4 is still notably girthy when folded compared to a standard phone, showing there’s still work to be done.

Read more: Preorder/reserve new Galaxy phones now

Here’s what we know about the Galaxy Z Fold 5 so far based on rumors and historical Samsung product launches.

Galaxy Z Fold 5 release date

Samsung’s next Unpacked event will be held on July 26, which means we can expect new products to arrive shortly thereafter. Samsung typically releases new foldable phones in the August time frame, while it typically announces new Galaxy S phones around February.

The Galaxy Z Fold 4, for example, was announced on Aug. 10 and went on sale Aug. 26. Before that, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 hit store shelves on Aug. 27 in 2021. With that in mind, it seems likely that the July event will focus on the Z Fold and Z Flip.

Reportedly leaked Samsung marketing images that surfaced on Twitter and were first published by well-known leaker Evan Blass also suggested that foldables will be announced at the event. However, that leak didn’t show the Z Fold 5 specifically.

Galaxy Z Fold 5 price

Samsung’s tablet-style foldable doesn’t come cheap. The Galaxy Z Fold 4 starts at $1,800 without a trade-in. That’s certainly cheaper than Samsung’s original Galaxy Fold, but it’s still considerably more expensive than your average phone. It’s also the same price as Google’s recently announced Pixel Fold.

We haven’t heard much about the Galaxy Z Fold 5’s price when it comes to leaks and rumors. But TM Roh, president and head of Samsung’s mobile experience division, acknowledged when speaking with CNET last August that pricing is a challenge.

“It’s definitely a challenge that we are tackling, and we will need to tackle,” he said.

Galaxy Z Fold 5 design

If the rumors turn out to be true, Samsung may make some design refinements to the Galaxy Z Fold 5. Korean news outlets The Elec and ET News, as well as prolific leaker Ice Universe, have reported that Samsung will implement a new water drop-shaped hinge for the Galaxy Z Fold 5. This could result in a less noticeable crease and a slimmer profile when closed, similar to the Oppo Find N, which has this hinge style. The biggest benefit would be that the phone folds completely shut with no gaps, making it feel more sleek when being used as a normal phone.

That would be a much-appreciated improvement, considering one of the Galaxy Z Fold 4’s biggest drawbacks is that it still feels chunky when folded. Competitors like Oppo and Huawei have also done a better job at hiding the crease, as my colleagues Sareena Dayaram and Eli Blumenthal have written, so this new hinge could help Samsung catch up.

Someone using an S Pen to draw on a Galaxy Z Fold 4

Galaxy Z Fold 5 S Pen

Samsung’s book-style foldable has supported the S Pen since the Galaxy Z Fold 3, so it seems likely that the Galaxy Z Fold 5 will as well. The question, however, is whether you’ll be able to store it within the device as you can with the Galaxy S23 Ultra.

ET News reported that the Galaxy Z Fold 5 will not include a storage slot for the S Pen. There’s less room for S Pen storage since the hinge structure has changed, the report said citing a person close to the issue.

However, a previous report from The Elec said Samsung cited adding a designated slot for the S Pen as a challenge that it believes needs to be overcome to further popularize foldable phones. This suggested that Samsung was indeed considering adding an S Pen holster to its next foldable.

Embedding the S Pen in the Galaxy Z Fold 5 could make it more useful as a productivity device, further defining who that product is truly for. But doing so while reducing the device’s thickness is certainly a challenge. One solution could be to create a magnetic mechanism for attaching the pen to the Z Fold 5, similar to the way the Apple Pencil attaches to the iPad.

Galaxy Z Fold 4's main screen showing the CNET website

Galaxy Z Fold 5 storage and other specs

The Galaxy Z Fold 5 will likely have some specifications in common with the Galaxy S23 lineup. The phone may be available in 256GB, 512GB and 1TB storage options, just like the Galaxy S23 Ultra, according to Sam Mobile.

It’ll also likely run on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, according to The Elec, just like the Galaxy S23 family. Samsung optimized the version of the chip that’s inside its latest flagship phones, so it’s possible it will do the same for its next foldables.

We haven’t heard many rumors about the camera yet, but The Elec reports it could have a 12-megapixel selfie camera and a triple-lens rear camera with a 50-megapixel main camera. The Galaxy Z Fold 4 also has a 50-megapixel main camera, so it sounds like we won’t be seeing too much of an upgrade there. But if it does have the new Samsung-optimized edition of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, we may see some of the behind-the-scenes improvements to image processing that arrived on the Galaxy S23.

The 12-megapixel front camera would also represent an upgrade from the 10-megapixel selfie camera on Galaxy Z Fold 4’s cover screen, provided that The Elec’s information is correct.

Overall, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 seems like it could be a modest improvement over the Galaxy Z Fold 4. But if the rumors turn out to be true, it’ll represent another step toward addressing some of the aesthetic compromises that come with foldable phones, like screen creases and thick designs when shut.

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Technologies

Six Flags shares decline following deadly roller coaster incident

One person died and several others were injured in an incident involving the Goliath roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia, according to reports.

Shares of Six Flags Entertainment declined more than 16% Tuesday following a deadly roller coaster incident at one of its amusement parks in Georgia.

One person died and several others were injured Monday in an incident at Six Flags Over Georgia, according to a statement from Georgia’s Cobb County Board of Commissioners. The board’s chairwoman, Lisa N. Cupid, said that county authorities are working with Six Flags and other partners in the investigation.

According to reports citing local police, the incident occurred on the Atlanta-area park’s 200-foot-tall Goliath roller coaster shortly before 4 p.m. Monday. Riders were later seen being evacuated from the roller coaster after it stopped near the top of the ride, according to the report.

Witnesses told a local news station that they saw a man fall from the roller coaster and strike the ride several times.

In a statement to ABC News, a Six Flags spokesperson said it is cooperating fully with the investigation and had temporarily closed similar attractions across its parks.

Six Flags did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comment.

Tuesday’s decline is on pace to be the stock’s worst day since August and puts shares at their lowest level since December 2009. Shares have now fallen by more than 50% over the past year.

Technologies

French supermarket fridges get hacked, heating to 122°F and sparking fires

Hackers targeted hundreds of French supermarkets in a large-scale cyberattack, causing refrigerators to overheat, spoiling food, and sparking fires.

Hackers targeted hundreds of French supermarkets in a cyberattack that reportedly caused refrigerators and freezers to overheat, spoiling food and sparking fires.

Fridges at French supermarket chains Carrefour, Monoprix, the Les Mousquetaires-owned Intermarché, and Coopérative U, among others, all saw fridges heat up to as much as 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit) overnight, Reuters reported Monday.

Coopérative U’s CEO, Dominique Schelcher, confirmed that cyberattacks had affected “refrigeration production facilities of several stores.”

“Attacking equipment that is essential to the preservation of fresh products and the food supply of the French people is extremely serious and unprecedented. It is unacceptable,” Schelcher said in a LinkedIn post.

CNBC has reached out to Carrefour, Monoprix, Intermarché, Coopérative U and E Leclerc for comment but did not immediately hear back.

Felix Aime, a senior cyberthreat intelligence analyst at Sekoia Threat Detection and Research, said the attack affected several European countries, including Spain, Portugal, Poland, Germany and Belgium, according to the Reuters article.

“I strongly condemn the cyberattack targeting food products at @intermarche @CooperativeU @Leclerc,” European Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Christophe Hansen said in a post on X on Monday.

“Food security requires more attention at all levels. Because the weaponization of food has become a reality.”

AI enhancing cyberattacks

Les Mousquetaires said it was expecting the damages, which affected around 180 stores, to reach “several million euros in losses,” in an email to CNBC.

It said some fresh and frozen food displays have been out of service after the cyberattack affected one of its service providers responsible for managing refrigeration systems inside some stores.

“Intermarché and Netto have taken all necessary precautions to remove and dispose of any affected products as quickly as possible, to ensure consumer safety,” the Les Mousquetaires spokesperson said. “In some stores, the overheating of equipment resulted in smoke, but no fires have been reported.”

They’re now awaiting findings from a court-appointed bailiff and insurance experts to get more precise figures on damages.

Stop & Shop parent Ahold Delhaize

This comes amid a broader wave of cyberattacks and cybercrimes, which experts are warning are being enhanced by artificial intelligence. British online fashion retailer Asos experienced a cybersecurity breach last week which revealed some customers’ personal information.

Meanwhile, a small power plant in the U.K. was shut down for four days in July after a cyberattack which was suspected to be linked to Iran.

Interpol’s global chief information security officer, Bjorn R. Watne, recently told CNBC that AI can be used to target multiple victims at once, and is increasing the scale and speed of cyberattacks. “It’s an evolution and not a revolution.”

Correction: Bjorn R. Watne is global chief information security officer at Interpol. An earlier version misspelled his name.

Technologies

Apple releases HomeView smart home hub with screen as showcase for Siri AI

The iPhone maker also announced the new Apple TV 4K and HomePod Mini.

Apple on Tuesday announced a new home hub called HomeView.

Apple said the device with a 7-inch screen was designed to be mounted on a wall or placed on a table. It’s designed for multiple people in a household, and will recognize the user by their face to display pertinent information. It starts at $299 and ships on Nov. 13.

Tuesday’s launch event is the second under new CEO John Ternus, who took over from Tim Cook in September. Last month, Apple announced new models of its most important product, the iPhone, including a foldable model called the Duo that retails for nearly $2,000.

Apple also announced new Apple TV and HomePod hardware on Tuesday. The new Apple TV 4K costs $299 and has a redesigned remote that can play a sound if it is lost. Apple’s HomePod Mini speaker comes in new colors and costs $149, a slight increase over its previous $129 price.

The products announced Tuesday are less critical for Apple than the iPhone, and investors remain focused on iPhone sales, but the accessories were positioned on Tuesday as a showcase for the company’s new Siri abilities released last month.

Apple said that HomeView features Siri AI, which can answer a broad range of questions. Users will be able to converse with Siri, and their conversations will continue on their iPhone or iPad. It has a built-in speaker for playing music.

“It recognizes your face to shift from a household screen to your own experience, fills the room with incredible sound, keeps you connected to the people who matter most with FaceTime, and makes it easy to control your smart home,” Apple’s chief marketer Greg Joswiak said in a statement.

Apple said that HomeView will show information from the Messages, Photos, Calendar, and Reminders apps based on who is using the device, powered by Apple Intelligence. It can also be used to make FaceTime calls and as a digital photo frame. It’s equipped with an Apple A18 chip. It supports up to six users.

But while Apple has dabbled in home products and platforms in the past, Tuesday’s announcement shows Apple is making its home products a higher priority under Ternus.

Apple said on Tuesday that its new products, including HomeView, can be used as a smart home hub, coordinating notifications and actions in the home and working with a range of products, including new locks, doorbells, and cameras from LG Electronics and Schneider Electric.

Apple’s integration with the smart home is not just about sales but also helps further lock customers into its own ecosystem. People who use multiple Apple products and connections are less likely to switch to an Android phone.

HomeView can also become a smart home dashboard, Apple said. It can be used to view camera feeds, adjust the thermostat, or lock connected doors around the house.

Apple said that setting up a new smart home device takes one tap from the user’s iPhone.

Tuesday’s launch shows Apple’s confidence as it launches new product categories. But the broader consumer electronics industry has been dealing with price increases and demand deterioration related to component shortages in memory and storage. It also comes as new boss Ternus has reportedly pushed the company to release products faster.

Apple’s new Apple TV 4K got a price hike from $199 to $299, and comes after a similar price increase earlier this year, after Cook said that memory costs for Apple were unsustainable.