Technologies

Google’s Pixel Fold Can Save Foldable Phones From Obscurity

Commentary: Foldable phones are fine, but Google’s folding Pixel could make them great. Here’s how.

Back in 2021 I wrote that foldable phones were disappointing, offering little in the way of genuine innovation when it comes to how we use our phones on a daily basis. They’re perfectly fine. But once you get over the novelty of a screen that bends, they’re really just the same as any other Android phone, which is a problem. With less common sizes and aspect ratios being used, apps and games don’t natively run properly. Also, the audience is small, and developers don’t have the motivation to put in the time, effort and cost to develop their apps for odd shapes and sizes.

But Google might change that soon enough, with a rumored foldable Pixel phone that could appear at Google I/O in May. The company is in a unique spot to address software concerns while creating compelling phone hardware that doesn’t break the bank.

To be clear, I do like foldable phones. I particularly like the larger «book fold» models like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Honor Magic Vs, which transform from a regular-sized phone into an almost tablet-sized device, providing more screen space for videos, games and documents. I remember when I got the first-generation Galaxy Fold and felt genuinely excited at seeing the screen bend in the middle. And I remember the various strangers who would stop and ask to see it when I used it in public — with one bartender so entranced that he returned the favor with a free beer. Score.

But the software is still where folding phones lag behind. Android is designed primarily for regular candybar smartphones, which are commonly around 6 inches to 6.8 inches in size and have standard aspect ratios like 16:9. In other words, phones like the Galaxy S23 Ultra or Pixel 7 Pro take full advantage of Android, and app developers design their apps for these same form factors. Why? Because they’re the most commonly used sizes, and therefore their apps will be optimized for the widest number of devices.

Android 12L and 13 address some of the sizing issues, but not all apps are optimized and either leave too much blank screen space or must stretch awkwardly to fit the screen. The Galaxy Z Fold 4, for example, has a tall and narrow 23.1:9 aspect ratio on the outside and a more square 21.6:18 aspect for the inner display — two nonstandard sizes that developers need to account for. And that’s just one device.

Huawei Mate X foldable phone — Huawei’s outward-folding Mate X was one of the earlier folding phones we saw.

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

It’s the same Android fragmentation issue that has plagued the platform since the beginning: Too many different devices means it’s difficult for developers to create for. Apple’s strategy of having fewer display sizes and almost identical aspect ratios has meant it’s typically been the easier platform for developers to work on. But Google has worked hard over the years to make Android an easier field on which to play, and it could do the same for foldables.

So could a folding Pixel phone be just another device for developers to struggle with? Perhaps not. If Google is committed to folding screen technology in its product lineup, then it’s safe to assume that we will see some key updates in Android that are specifically tailored to folding phones and different form factors. I’d like to see software that does a better job of automatically resizing apps, dual-screening when using a large display like the Z Fold 4’s or building more tricks into default apps that take advantage of inner and outer displays.

yt-z-flip-3-review-1 — The tall and narrow dimensions of the Galaxy Z Flip present another dilemma for developers.

Patrick Holland/CNET

Moreover, Google will likely work more closely with its key developer partners like Samsung, helping them not only optimize their existing apps for folding devices, but also create entirely new ones that can only be done with phones of this type. These partnerships will be crucial to helping Google create a compelling first-generation foldable, especially since non-folding Pixel phones account for just over 2% of smartphone market share in the US, according to analytics firm StatCounter. By comparison, Samsung has almost 30% share in the US.

Pixel phones tend to offer an excellent Android experience packaged in good hardware that costs hundreds less than flagship iPhone or Galaxy S phones. Google partnerships will be key to getting a Pixel foldable off the ground at an affordable price. A cheaper price is essential to getting a larger audience that would incentivize developers to create more fold-centric apps.

Of course, there are a lot of «ifs» and «coulds,» and we don’t know for sure if Google will launch a foldable. We also don’t know whether Google has a strategy in place to encourage adoption by working with software developers. Google will also have to rely on more than just its recognizable name to catapult the category into the big leagues. Let’s not forget that Microsoft’s Surface Duo 2 isn’t exactly ubiquitous, and neither is Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold.

But I’m remaining hopeful, if only because I need to be. Standard smartphones have become increasingly dull and repetitive. For someone who writes about phones for a living, that’s a problem. Foldables present an opportunity to do things in a different and more exciting way, but it will be up to Google whether or not the category flourishes.

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Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for April 8, #562

Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for April 8 No. 562.

Looking for the most recent regular 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 and Strands puzzles.

Today’s Connections: Sports Edition is a tough one. If you’re struggling with today’s puzzle but still want to solve it, read on for hints and the answers.

Connections: Sports Edition is published by The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by The Times. It doesn’t appear in the NYT Games app, but it does in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can play it for free online.

Read more: NYT Connections: Sports Edition Puzzle Comes Out of Beta

Hints for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

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

Yellow group hint: Working out.

Green group hint: Cover your face.

Blue group hint: NFL players.

Purple group hint: Leap.

Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Yellow group: Exercises in singular form.

Green group: Sporting jobs that require masks.

Blue group: Hall of Fame defensive ends.

Purple group: ____ jump.

Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words

What are today’s Connections: Sports Edition answers?

The yellow words in today’s Connections

The theme is exercises in singular form. The four answers are crunch, plank, situp and squat.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is sporting jobs that require masks. The four answers are catcher, fencer, football player and goaltender.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is Hall of Fame defensive ends. The four answers are Dent, Peppers, Strahan and Youngblood.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is ____ jump. The four answers are broad, high, long and triple.

Technologies

The $135M Google Data Settlement Site Is Live — See If You’re Eligible

Use the settlement website to select your preferred payment method, and you may end up $100 richer.

You can now file a claim in the $135 million Google data settlement. The case centers on claims that Android devices transmitted user data without consent. Specifically, the class action lawsuit Taylor v. Google LLC contends that Google’s Android devices passively transferred cellular data to Google without user permission, even when the devices were idle. While not admitting fault, Google reached a preliminary settlement in January, agreeing to pay $135 million to about 100 million US Android phone users.

The official settlement website for the lawsuit is now live. The final approval hearing won’t occur until June 23, when the court will consider whether Google’s settlement is fair and listen to objections. After that, the court will decide whether to approve the $135 million settlement.

In the meantime, if you qualify and want to be paid as part of the settlement, you can select your preferred payment method on the official website. There, you can find information on speaking at the June 23 court hearing and on how to exclude yourself or write to the court to object by May 29.

As part of the settlement, Google will update its Google Play terms of service to clarify that certain data transfers do occur passively even when you’re not using your Android device, and that cellular data may be relied upon when not connected to Wi-Fi. This can’t always be disabled, but users will be asked to consent to it when setting up their device.

Google will also fully stop collecting data when its «allow background data usage» option is toggled off.

Who can be part of the settlement?

In order to join the Taylor v. Google LLC settlement, you must meet four qualifications:

Be a living, individual human being in the US.
Have used an Android mobile device with a cellular data plan.
Have used the aforementioned device at any time from Nov. 12, 2017, to the date when the settlement receives final approval.
You’re not a class member in the Csupo v. Google LLC lawsuit, which is similar but specifically for California residents.

The final approval hearing is on June 23, so you can add your payment method until then. The hearing’s date and time may change, and any updates will be posted on the settlement website.

If you choose to do nothing, you will still be issued a settlement payment, but you may not receive it if you don’t select a payment method.

How much will I get paid?

It’s not currently known exactly how much each settlement class member will receive, but the cap is $100. Payments will be distributed after final court approval and after any appeals are resolved.

After all administrative, tax and attorney costs are paid, the settlement administrator will attempt to pay each member an equal amount. If any funds remain after payments are sent, and it’s economically feasible, they will be redistributed to members who were previously and successfully paid. If it’s not economically feasible, the funds will go to an organization approved by the court.

Technologies

Samsung’s Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 Might Come in 5G and 4G Cellular Models

If the rumor proves true, the 5G Galaxy Watch Ultra would rival the 5G-enabled $799 Apple Watch Ultra 3 that debuted last fall.

Samsung’s next high-end Galaxy Watch could support faster 5G speeds, but if this leak is true, it will depend on where you live. The rumored Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 might come in 5G and 4G cellular models, with availability for each smartwatch depending on the country.

According to the Dutch website Galaxy Club (and spotted by SamMobile), Samsung’s servers may have revealed a series of model numbers that point to 5G, 4G and Wi-Fi-enabled editions of the next Galaxy Watch Ultra, which would succeed the original model that debuted in 2024.

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

The Galaxy Club website speculates that the 5G edition would be sold in the US and Korean markets, while the 4G edition would sell in the rest of the world. In the US, a 5G version of the Galaxy Watch Ultra would rival the 5G-enabled $799 Apple Watch Ultra 3, which debuted last fall. The 4G edition would have broader compatibility worldwide, since the earlier network is far more established.

It will likely be a few months until we hear anything official about the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2. Samsung typically unveils its new watches in the summer alongside its Galaxy Z Fold and Z Flip foldable phones. Last year, Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Watch 8 and the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic, but otherwise left the prior 2024 Ultra in the lineup for those looking for a larger 47mm smartwatch.