Technologies

Galaxy Z Fold 5: Everything I Want From Samsung’s Next Foldable

Commentary: Above all else, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 needs more features you can’t get elsewhere that make use of its bendable screen.

Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 4 has a slightly tweaked design, an updated camera that brings it up to speed with the Galaxy S22 and a new processor. These are steps in the right direction, but there are plenty of ways Samsung could further improve its larger foldable phone.

The biggest change I’m hoping to see in the Galaxy Z Fold 4’s successor (which will likely be called the Galaxy Z Fold 5) is more software that takes advantage of its foldable shape. Having a giant screen that fits in your pocket is great. But Samsung needs to provide a more convincing argument if it truly wants foldables to be appealing to more than just early adopters.

The Galaxy Z Fold is on its fourth generation, yet foldables still haven’t had the breakout moment Samsung has been waiting for. Although sales of foldable phones are growing, they will only account for 1.1% of the overall smartphone market in 2022, according to projections from the International Data Corporation.

Samsung typically releases its new foldable phones in August. Here’s everything I’m hoping to see from the Galaxy Z Fold 5 next year.

More software features

Yes, the Galaxy Z Fold’s design is what makes it noteworthy. But impressive hardware doesn’t mean much without the software to go with it. Samsung has done a lot to improve the way apps work across the Z Fold’s 7.6-inch inner display in the years since its launch. For example, the Z Fold 4 has a dock that sits at the bottom of the screen for quickly accessing apps, as well as the ability to use the bottom half of the screen as a touchpad when in Flex Mode.

The problem is that these features don’t do a great job at convincing users why they should want a foldable phone in the first place. Instead, they just make the process of using apps on the Z Fold slightly easier and more convenient.

I don’t think any company has answered that question adequately just yet, but I have seen some promising attempts. Microsoft’s Surface Duo 2, for example, turns into a digital book when you open the Kindle app, complete with page-turn animations. It’s worth remembering, however, that the Surface Duo is different from the Z Fold since it consists of two separate displays joined together by a hinge. The Galaxy Z Fold 4 is also a much better phone overall thanks to its superior camera and smoother software improvements, among other benefits.

Samsung was among the first to release a foldable phone, meaning it’s had a longer lead time than most competitors in this department. That’s why I’m hoping to see more ambitious features from Samsung in future versions of the Galaxy Z Fold.

An embedded S Pen

The S Pen could help Samsung address that critical question of who the Galaxy Z Fold is for. The Galaxy Z Fold 3 and 4 both support the S Pen, but you must buy it separately and there’s no storage mechanism for it. Instead, Samsung should bundle the S Pen with the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and add a way to conveniently store it within or attach it to the device.

Doing so could make the Galaxy Z Fold 5 even more useful for taking notes, sketching and editing documents. That might not be important to everyone, but it could make the Z Fold more appealing to the productivity-oriented crowd that Samsung seems to be targeting. It would also make the Z Fold’s high price a bit easier to swallow since you’ll be getting more for your money.

Samsung hasn’t discussed its plans for the Galaxy Z Fold series. But a report from The Elec says Samsung has cited the addition of an S Pen slot as a key challenge that must be overcome to make foldables more popular. That means Samsung may at least be thinking about bundling the S Pen with its future foldables.

A less noticeable crease

Samsung has gradually refined the Z Fold’s design over the years, but the crease hasn’t gone away just yet. Although it’s not always visible, you can feel the crease when running your finger across the screen. Reducing the crease could make the Galaxy Z Fold feel more like a regular tablet when opened.

Samsung may be the leader when it comes to foldable phones, but other companies are making quick progress when it comes to shrinking the crease. Take Huawei and Oppo, the latter of which is one of the world’s biggest smartphone makers.

The screen on Huawei’s Mate XS 2 wraps around the front of the device so that it can function as a regular phone when folded and a tablet when opened — a design that makes the crease barely existent. CNET’s Sareena Dayaram recently tried Oppo’s new Find N2 foldable, writing that she «hardly ever saw or felt the crease.» These advancements make me wish I saw more progress from Samsung in this regard. There’s a chance Samsung may be looking into how to address this, considering The Elec’s report also suggests Samsung is interested in reducing the Z Fold’s crease.

A thinner design

Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 4 has a sturdy build and a wide cover screen. But it still feels cumbersome to use as a regular phone when closed. The Galaxy Z Fold 4 measures 0.5 to 0.6 inch thick when folded, whereas the iPhone 14 and Galaxy S22 both measure roughly 0.3 inch thick. That extra bulk might not bother those who primarily use their Galaxy Z Fold unfolded in tablet mode. But it’s another barrier to adoption for those who aren’t yet convinced of the promise of foldable phones.

A lower price

With a regular price of $1,800, calling the Galaxy Z Fold 4 expensive might be an understatement. You’ll get a discount when trading in an old device, with Samsung listing the 256GB model for $900 with an eligible trade-in. But that still lands at the high end of the spectrum compared to many nonfolding phones, like those in the Galaxy S22 lineup and Pixel 7 family.

Samsung is at least aware of this conundrum. «It’s definitely a challenge that we are tackling, and we will need to tackle,» TM Roh, president and head of Samsung’s mobile experience business, said in an interview with CNET earlier this year regarding the Z Fold’s price.

Foldable phones are still a nascent part of the broader smartphone market, but changes like these could push them closer to becoming viable alternatives to our everyday devices. Samsung helped popularize the big-screen phones we use today with its first Galaxy Note phone back in 2011. It’s trying to do the same with foldables, but there are clearly still challenges to overcome.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Saturday, March 14

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for March 14.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? It’s the extra-long Saturday version, and a few of the clues are tricky. Read on for all the answers. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: Book parts: Abbr.
Answer: PGS

4A clue: Silicon Valley company that operates a fleet of robotaxis
Answer: WAYMO

6A clue: To a much greater degree
Answer: WAYMORE

8A clue: Contents of a scuba diver’s tank
Answer: AIR

9A clue: South Korean automaker
Answer: KIA

10A clue: Stop on a train route
Answer: STATION

12A clue: Actress Merman of «Anything Goes»
Answer: ETHEL

13A clue: Find another purpose for
Answer: REUSE

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Employee’s hourly calculation
Answer: PAYRATE

2D clue: Workout spot
Answer: GYM

3D clue: «Great» mountains of Tennessee, familiarly
Answer: SMOKIES

4D clue: One giving you the dish?
Answer: WAITER

5D clue: Baltimore M.L.B. player
Answer: ORIOLE

6D clue: Used to be
Answer: WAS

7D clue: Suffix with Caesar or Euclid
Answer: EAN

11D clue: Night that NBC once aired «30 Rock» and «The Office»: Abbr.
Answer: THU

Technologies

AI Toys Can Pose Safety Concerns for Children, New Study Suggests Caution

When one child told the toy, «I love you,» it responded, «As a friendly reminder, please ensure interactions adhere to the guidelines provided.»

A new study from the University of Cambridge found that AI-enabled toys for young children can misinterpret emotional cues and are ineffective at supporting critical developmental play. The conclusions could be concerning for parents.

In one report examining how AI affects children in their early years, a chatbot-enabled toy struggled to recognize social cues during playtime. Researchers found that the toy did not effectively identify children’s emotions, raising alarm about how kids might interact with it.

The report recommends regulating AI toys for kids and requiring clear labeling of their capabilities and privacy policies. It also advises parents to keep these devices in shared spaces where kids can be monitored while playing.

The research behind the study had a limited number of participants, but was done in multiple parts: an online survey of 39 participants with kids in their earlier years, a focus group with nine participants who work with young children and an in-person workshop with 19 leaders and representatives from charities that work with early-years kids. That was followed by monitored playtime with 14 children and 11 parents or guardians with Gabbo, a chatbot-enabled toy from Curio Interactive.

Some findings indicated that the AI toy supported learning, particularly in language and communication skills. But the toy also misunderstood kids and sometimes responded inappropriately to emotional requests.

For instance, when one child told the toy, «I love you,» it responded, «As a friendly reminder, please ensure interactions adhere to the guidelines provided. Let me know how you would like to proceed,» according to the research.

Jenny Gibson, a professor of neurodiversity and developmental psychology at the Faculty of Education at Cambridge, who worked on the study, said that while parents may be excited about the educational benefits of new technology aimed at children, there are plenty of concerns.

Gibson posed overarching questions about the reason behind the tech.

«What would motivate [tech investors] to do the right thing by children … to put children ahead of profits? she said»

Gibson told CNET that while researchers are exploring the potential benefits of AI-based toys, risks remain.

«I would advise parents to take that seriously at this stage,» she said.

What’s next for AI toys

As more playthings are enabled with internet connectivity and AI features, these devices could become a major safety risk for children, especially if they replace real human connections or if interactions are not closely monitored.

Meanwhile, younger people are increasingly adopting chatbots such as ChatGPT, despite red flags. Multiple lawsuits against AI companies allege that AI companions or assistants can impact young people’s psychological safety, including some chatbots that have encouraged self-harm or negative self-image.

AI companies such as OpenAI and Google have responded by adding guardrails and restrictions for AI chatbots.

(Disclosure: Ziff Davis, CNET’s parent company, in 2025 filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.)

Gibson said she was surprised by the enthusiasm some parents showed for AI toys. She was also alarmed by the lack of research on AI’s effects on young children, noting that companies making such products should work directly with children, parents, and child development experts.

«What’s missing in the process is that expertise of what is good for children in these kinds of interactions,» she said.

Curio Interactive, the company behind the Gabbo toy, was aware of the research as it was happening but was not directly involved, Gibson said. The toy was chosen because it’s directly marketed to young kids, and the company had an understandable privacy policy. Gibson said the company seemed supportive of the project.

A representative for Curio did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Technologies

Two Lost ‘Doctor Who’ Episodes Found Intact in Waterlogged Collection

The 1960s episodes featuring the first Doctor William Hartnell will air in the UK in April.

Whovians, rejoice. The BBC is about to unlock a piece of Doctor Who history that even the TARDIS might have forgotten. Two lost episodes of Doctor Who, the iconic sci-fi series, will broadcast in April, the showrunner for the current season confirmed.

The two 1965 episodes, The Nightmare Begins and Devil’s Planet, were donated to the charitable trust Film Is Fabulous by the estate of an anonymous collector.

«The collector did recognize what he had, but how he acquired them has been lost to time,» Professor Justin Smith Leicester of De Montfort University, who led the recovery effort, told the broadcaster.

The researchers said that while most of the donor’s private collection was destroyed by water damage, the Doctor Who episodes were intact.

Doctor Who showrunner, Russell T Davies, celebrated the news on Instagram and said the episodes would air in the UK in April, though no US air date has been announced yet.

«Lost for 61 years! Best of all, these will be made available for FREE on the BBC iPlayer in April,» Davies wrote.

He expressed gratitude to Film Is Fabulous for finding the lost episodes and encouraged people to donate to the registered charity. «Maybe they’ll find more! As the Doctor says… ‘Daleks!'»

The episodes feature the first incarnation of the Doctor, played by William Hartnell, and a typical Dalek plot to take over Earth and the galaxy.

In the 1960s and 1970s, the BBC had a policy of destroying film or reusing videotapes, leading to dozens of episodes of Doctor Who and other popular UK shows like Dad’s Army and Top of the Pops going missing.

Old Doctor Who episodes do surface occasionally, and in 2016, the newly discovered soundtrack for one storyline was turned into an animated series called The Power of the Daleks.

Meanwhile, Disney ended its working relationship with the BBC last year, and star Ncuti Gatwa left the show. However, the UK broadcaster says that Doctor Who will continue, and Russell T Davies is working on a new Christmas special.