Technologies

Why You Won’t Be Buying a Rollable Phone Anytime Soon

Shapeshifting concepts from Motorola and Samsung likely won’t turn into real products for quite some time.

Imagine if your phone or tablet could change the size of its screen depending on what you’re doing? That’s the future Motorola and Samsung envision, as both companies showcased concept devices capable of extending or shrinking their displays with the press of a button.

Motorola flaunted its concept at Mobile World Congress this week, while Samsung exhibited a slew of shapeshifting prototypes at CES in January. Such concepts prove phone makers are thinking about the next evolution of personal devices beyond today’s static touchscreens. They’re even looking beyond foldable phones, which have only been widely available for a little more than three years.

But as eye-catching as these concepts are, it’ll likely be a long time before you’re carrying one around. High prices, engineering and durability challenges and a lack of compelling use cases will likely mean these concepts won’t turn into real products anytime soon. And if they do, there are still good reasons why you should wait before buying one.

Rollable phones are eye-catching

Motorola's rollable phone concept — Motorola’s rollable phone in small (left) and large form (right).

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

Conceptual devices with expandable screens have surfaced before, but they’ve garnered attention again this week at Mobile World Congress thanks to Motorola and its parent company Lenovo.

Motorola showcased its prototype palm-sized phone that extends with the double press of a button. And even better, the screen automatically unfurls when using certain apps like YouTube, according to my colleague Andrew Lanxon, who got to see the device at the conference. The phone may also switch between small and large mode depending on what you’re doing within an app. For example, the phone may stay tiny when you’re scrolling through your inbox, but it could automatically expand as you compose an email, Lanxon writes.

When the device is in its compact form, the display wraps around the bottom of the device to provide a secondary screen on the back of the phone. I can’t think of many other reasons to use this extra screen other than as a viewfinder for taking selfies with the rear camera, as Lanxon did during his demo. Regardless, it’s intriguing to see how Motorola is thinking about putting that technology to use.

Take a look at the phone in action.

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

Even though phones with rollable screens are in their infancy, they could present some notable advantages over today’s foldables, according to Ross Young, CEO and co-founder of Display Supply Chain Consultants. The crease may be smaller since it would be located at the edge of the device rather than in the center, he said via email. Rollable phones will also likely be thinner than current devices like the Galaxy Z Fold 4, which resembles two phones stacked on top of one another when folded.

But those benefits will probably result in additional engineering challenges. The motors and sliding mechanisms likely require more power consumption, says Young.

«Some brands told us there is a lot of work still to be done,» he said.

It’s not the first time Motorola has shown a concept like this; the phone maker also showcased the tech at Lenovo’s Tech World conference last year. But its arrival at MWC underscores Motorola’s ambitions in this area.

Motorola isn’t the only company interested in making phones with screens that can roll, slide and expand. Nearly two months ago, Samsung exhibited its own vision for what futuristic phones and tablets could look like. The star of the show was the Flex Hybrid concept, which looks like a notebook when closed but can switch between 10.5-inch and 12.4-inch screen sizes when opened.

Samsung showcased its display concepts at CES 2023.

David Katzmaier/CNET

LG also made a splash with the rollable phone concept it teased at CES 2021, although the company shut down its mobile phone business shortly thereafter. Chinese tech giant Oppo has developed a rollable phone concept with a 6.7-inch screen that transforms into a 7.4-inch tablet-sized display.

At the same time, foldable phones — which are generally considered to be the precursor for future rollable devices — still only account for a sliver of the overall smartphone market. Foldable phones are estimated to have accounted for just 1.1% of smartphone shipments in 2022 and are expected to make up 2.8% in 2026, according to International Data Corporation. But that hasn’t stopped phone makers from looking ahead.

«They’ve got to keep innovating to differentiate,» said Brad Akyuz, executive director and mobile analyst at NPD Group. «That’s the only way they can just get ahead of the competition.»

But don’t count on buying one anytime soon

The word «concept» is crucial; these devices aren’t products. Instead, they’re proofs of concept meant to illustrate the direction these companies may take when developing future smartphones. That means we don’t know when rollable phones from Motorola, Samsung or other device makers will launch, if ever.

The foldable phone market could serve as a blueprint. Samsung demonstrated flexible display technology as far back as 2013, but it didn’t release its first phone that could fold in half until 2019.

Whether a rollable phone arrives in the near term or not, analysts believe it’ll take several years for the devices to become a regular fixture in the tech world. Akyuz pegs that at around three to four years, while Bill Menezes, a director for market researcher Gartner covering the telecoms industry, estimates three to six years.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 — Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 4 (left) alongside an iPhone (right)

James Martin/CNET

There are a variety of reasons why, all of which mirror the challenges that the foldable phone industry is going through. Prices need to be affordable, and phones must be durable enough to withstand everyday use without concern.

They should also offer compelling features that significantly improve the way you use your mobile device to make them worthwhile. Even though today’s foldables have different designs that make our phones more compact when closed, the overall experience is the same as that of using a standard phone. Samsung is trying to address this with a feature called Flex Mode, which divides compatible apps across the top and bottom portions of the display when folded halfway. But this feels more like an optimization than a brand new way to use your phone.

«A foldable phone really isn’t that much different than a flat phone concept,» said Menezes. «Once you open it, you’re still scrolling through to get to different applications, or different screens or tabs.»

Even if a company like Motorola or Samsung does release a rollable phone in the near future, you probably shouldn’t buy it. First-generation products can be expensive, damage-prone and not as polished as later iterations.

Take the Galaxy Fold from 2019, for example, which Samsung postponed launching after a small number of reviewers reported issues with the display. That phone was also priced at $1,980, while the much-improved Galaxy Z Fold 4, which just launched in August, starts at $1,800. Samsung’s smaller foldable, the Galaxy Z Flip, has also matured; the first version had a tiny screen that barely felt useful and lacked 5G.

Samsung's 2019 Galaxy Fold — Samsung’s 2019 Galaxy Fold

Andrew Hoyle/CNET

Now, more than three years after the Galaxy Fold’s launch, demand for foldable devices is starting to accelerate. Even though IDC’s report suggests foldables only account for a fraction of the smartphone market, shipments are estimated to have grown by 66.6% in 2022 compared to 2021. NPD Group’s Connected Intelligence Mobility Survey also suggests interest is growing. While 51% of survey respondents said they were not likely at all to buy a foldable phone in 2019, only 36% said the same in 2022, according to data from the survey shared with CNET.

«I think this is the future, I don’t think we can deny that,» Akyuz said. «But as we’ve seen with the foldable category, it’s just going to take some time to get there.»

Technologies

Grammarly Pushes Beyond Proofreading With AI-Powered Writing Guidance

Grammarly dropped agents to spot plagiarism, cite sources and maybe even boost your GPA.

Grammarly is expanding beyond its grammar-checking roots. The company has announced the launch of several specialized AI «agents» and a new writing tool called Grammarly Docs, designed to help students and professionals with everything from drafting essays to polishing workplace emails.

It’s another example of generative AI expanding beyond general-purpose chatbots like ChatGPT and Gemini into more specialized domains. Other examples of gen AI in educational circles include Google’s NotebookLM and OpenAI’s new study mode for ChatGPT.

AI agents are digital helpers that go beyond traditional chatbots to understand context and assist in reaching your goals. Grammarly’s AI agents assist by offering feedback, predicting reactions, finding sources and more to increase efficiency in workflows.

Read also: Grammarly AI: This Free AI Tool Will Easily Fix Your Grammar

What’s available now for Grammarly AI

The update introduces nine agents that move Grammarly into a more collaborative role. Instead of just correcting grammar or suggesting phrasing, the agents are intended to actively work alongside users. One predicts how a professor or manager might respond to a draft. Another offers an estimated grade based on an uploaded rubric. Others handle citation generation, proofreading, paraphrasing, plagiarism checks and AI detection. The tools are built directly into Docs, a «distraction-free» writing environment where all the agents can be summoned in context, according to the company.

As students head back to classrooms and colleges, Grammarly is looking to position itself as a study companion and writing coach rather than merely a browser extension. The company cites research showing that while only a small share of students feel confident using AI in professional settings (18%), most employers expect AI literacy from job candidates. By emphasizing skill-building and responsible use, Grammarly says it wants to bridge that gap rather than simply automate assignments.

«The launch of our new agents and AI writing surface marks a turning point in how we build products that anticipate user needs,» Luke Behnke, Grammarly’s vice president of product management, said in the company’s press release. «We’re moving beyond simple suggestions to intelligent agents that understand context and actively help users achieve their communication goals.»

For professionals, Grammarly is marketing the tools as a way to tailor communication for different audiences. The Reader Reactions agent, for example, can highlight whether an email comes across as too vague or too blunt. And the Expert Review tool provides industry-specific feedback without requiring specialized prompts.

The launch also marks the debut of Docs as a standalone writing hub. Until now, Grammarly has functioned mostly as a browser extension layered on top of other apps, like Chrome or Google Docs. Grammarly Docs signals a push to keep users inside the platform’s own environment, though the company says it will expand agent functionality to the more than half a million apps and sites where its tools already appear.

The new features are rolling out immediately for free and premium subscribers, though plagiarism and AI detection remain locked behind the paid plan. Enterprise and education customers will also gain access later this year.

Early reactions to Grammarly’s AI agents

Early reactions suggest strong interest from students and educators alike as the company shifts from a grammar checker to a productivity platform. Educators have noted the potential benefits and risks of tools like the AI Grader. Some users on social media welcomed the update as a way to cut through the anxiety of essay writing, while others questioned whether it might make students too dependent on machine feedback.

The launch comes just months after Grammarly raised $1 billion to fuel its AI pivot and acquired the email startup Superhuman. Together, those moves point to an ambitious strategy for the company: one that seeks to transform Grammarly from a background utility into a full-fledged productivity suite powered by AI.

Technologies

Today’s Wordle Hints, Answer and Help for Aug. 20, #1523

Here are hints and the answer for today’s Wordle No. 1,523 for Wednesday, Aug. 20.

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

Today’s Wordle puzzle is a fun word. Two letters repeat, so don’t forget once you find a correct letter, you can reuse it in another spot. If you need a new starter word, check out our list of which letters show up the most in English words. If you need hints and the answer, read on.

Today’s Wordle hints

Before we show you today’s Wordle answer, we’ll give you some hints. If you don’t want a spoiler, look away now.

Wordle hint No. 1: Repeats

Today’s Wordle answer has two separate repeated letters.

Wordle hint No. 2: Vowels

Today’s Wordle answer has one vowel, and it’s one of the repeated letters, so you’ll see it twice.

Wordle hint No. 3: Start letter.

Today’s Wordle answer begins with L.

Wordle hint No. 4: Animal kingdom

Today’s Wordle answer is an animal.

Wordle hint No. 5: Second meaning

Today’s Wordle answer is a domesticated pack animal of the camel family.

TODAY’S WORDLE ANSWER

Today’s Wordle answer is LLAMA.

Yesterday’s Wordle answer

Yesterday’s Wordle answer, No. 1,522 for Aug. 19, was ROWDY.

Recent Wordle answers

Aug. 15, No. 1,518: LEVEL

Aug. 16 No. 1,519: MATTE

Aug. 17, No. 1,520: LOUSY

Aug. 18, No. 1,521: ISSUE

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections Hints, Answers and Help for Aug. 20, #801

Here are some hints and the answers for the NYT Connections puzzle No. 801 for Wednesday, Aug. 20.

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

Today’s NYT Connections puzzle is a real headache. The NYT puzzle writers are really pulling some obscure connections out of the air, and I did not do well today at all. Need some help? Read on for clues and today’s Connections answers.

The Times now has a Connections Bot, like the one for Wordle. Go there after you play to receive a numeric score and to have the program analyze your answers. Players who are registered with the Times Games section can now nerd out by following their progress, including number of puzzles completed, win rate, number of times they nabbed a perfect score and their win streak.

Read more: Hints, Tips and Strategies to Help You Win at NYT Connections Every Time

Hints for today’s Connections groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group, to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Ebony and ivory.

Green group hint: They go together.

Blue group hint: Spinning.

Purple group hint: There’s a bend in these.