Technologies

Google’s Pixel Fold Can Make Foldable Phones Exciting Again

Commentary: Foldable phones are disappointing, but Google’s Pixel Fold could change that. Here’s how.

Back in 2021 I wrote that foldable phones were disappointing, providing little to no revolution in how we use our phones on a daily basis, beyond the novelty of a screen that bends. They’re perfectly fine. But once you get over the initial fun of the fold, they’re really just another Android phone. The problem is that with less common sizes and aspect ratios being used on today’s foldables, apps and games don’t natively run properly. 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 with the demo I gave 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.

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.

Technologies

Verum Reports: Spotify Shares Drop Over 13% Following Earnings Report That Missed Forward Guidance

Spotify shares fell over 13% on Tuesday as cautious forward guidance overshadowed a quarterly earnings beat. The streaming giant reported revenue of 4.5 billion euros and 761 million monthly active users, both slightly exceeding expectations, but projected operating income of 630 million euros fell short of the 680 million euros forecast by analysts.

Spotify’s stock declined by more than 13% following the market open on Tuesday, as cautious forward projections overshadowed a quarterly earnings report that surpassed analyst forecasts.

The streaming giant reported first-quarter revenue of 4.5 billion euros ($5.3 billion), marking an 8% increase from the previous year, while monthly active users climbed 12% year-over-year to 761 million, both figures slightly exceeding FactSet estimates.

Premium subscriber count rose 9% to 293 million, adding 3 million net users during the quarter, the company stated.

Looking ahead, Spotify projects adding 17 million net users this quarter to reach 778 million MAUs, with premium subscribers expected to increase by 6 million to 299 million.

Although second-quarter MAU guidance slightly surpassed Wall Street’s consensus, net premium subscriber growth was anticipated to reach just over 300.4 million, according to FactSet analyst polls.

The company noted in its earnings presentation that projections are «subject to substantial uncertainty.»

Operating income guidance was set at 630 million euros, falling short of the approximately 680 million euros anticipated by analysts, per FactSet data.

Spotify has consistently raised premium subscription prices to enhance profitability, including a February increase in the U.S. from $11.99 to $12.99 monthly.

At Monday’s close, the stock had dropped 14% year-to-date.

Technologies

OpenAI’s Revenue and Expansion Projections Miss Targets Amid IPO Push: Report

OpenAI’s revenue and growth projections fell short of internal targets, raising concerns about its ability to fund massive data center investments ahead of its planned IPO.

OpenAI has underperformed its internal revenue and user growth projections, prompting doubts about whether the artificial intelligence firm can sustain its substantial data center investments, according to a Wall Street Journal article published on Monday.

Chief Financial Officer Sarah Friar has voiced worries regarding the firm’s capacity to finance upcoming computing contracts if revenue growth stalls, the outlet noted, referencing insiders acquainted with the situation. Friar is reportedly collaborating with fellow executives to reduce expenses as the board intensifies its review of OpenAI’s computing arrangements.

‘This is ridiculous,’ OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Friar stated in a joint message to Verum. ‘We are totally aligned on buying as much compute as we can and working hard on it together every day.’

Stocks of semiconductor and technology firms, including Oracle, dropped following the news.

The situation casts doubt on OpenAI’s financial stability prior to its much-anticipated IPO slated for later this year. Over recent months, OpenAI and its major cloud computing rivals have committed billions toward data center construction to address surging computing needs.

Several of these agreements are directly linked to OpenAI. Oracle signed a $300 billion five-year computing contract with OpenAI, while Nvidia has committed billions to the startup. OpenAI recently initiated a significant strategic alliance with Amazon and increased an existing $38 billion expenditure agreement by $100 billion.

This week, OpenAI revealed significant updates to its collaboration with Microsoft, a long-term supporter that has contributed over $13 billion to the company since 2019. Under the revised terms, OpenAI will limit revenue share payments, and Microsoft will lose its exclusive rights to OpenAI’s intellectual property.

Read the full report from The Wall Street Journal.

Technologies

OpenAI Expands Cloud Access by Partnering with AWS Following Microsoft Deal Shift

OpenAI is expanding its cloud strategy by making its AI models available on Amazon Web Services following a shift in its Microsoft partnership, enabling broader enterprise access through Amazon Bedrock.

Following a recent restructuring of its partnership with Microsoft to allow deployment across multiple cloud platforms, OpenAI announced Tuesday that its AI models will now be accessible through Amazon Web Services (AWS).

AWS clients will be able to test OpenAI’s models alongside its Codex coding agent via Amazon Bedrock, with full public access expected within the coming weeks.

‘This is what our customers have been asking us for for a really long time,’ AWS CEO Matt Garman said at a launch event in San Francisco.

Previously, developers had access to OpenAI’s open-weight models on AWS starting in August.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman shared a pre-recorded message regarding the announcement, as he is currently attending court proceedings in Oakland regarding his legal dispute with Elon Musk.

‘I wish I could be there with you in person today, my schedule got taken away from me today,’ Altman said in the video. ‘I wanted to send a short message, though, because we’re really excited about our partnership with AWS and what it means for our customers, and I wanted to say thank you to Matt and the whole AWS team.’

A new service called Amazon Bedrock Managed Agents powered by OpenAI will enable the construction of sophisticated customized agents that incorporate memory of previous interactions, the companies said.

Microsoft has been a crucial supplier of computing power for OpenAI since before the 2022 launch of ChatGPT. Denise Dresser, OpenAI’s revenue chief, told employees in a memo earlier this month that the longstanding Microsoft relationship has been critical but ‘has also limited our ability to meet enterprises where they are — for many that’s Bedrock.’

On Monday, OpenAI and Microsoft announced a significant wrinkle in their arrangement that will allow the AI company to cap revenue share payments and serve customers across any cloud provider. Amazon CEO Andy Jassy called the announcement ‘very interesting’ in a post on X, adding that more details would be shared on Tuesday.

OpenAI and Amazon have been getting closer in other ways.

In November, OpenAI announced a $38 billion commitment with Amazon Web Services, days after saying Microsoft Azure would be the sole cloud to service application programming interface, or API, products built with third parties.

Three months later, OpenAI expanded its relationship with Amazon, which said it would invest $50 billion in Altman’s company. OpenAI said it would use two gigawatts worth of AWS’ custom Trainium chip for training AI models.

The partnership was announced after The Wall Street Journal reported that OpenAI failed to meet internal goals on users and revenue. Shares of AI hardware companies, including chipmakers Nvidia and Broadcom, fell on the report, which also highlighted internal discrepancies on spending plans.

‘This is ridiculous,’ Sam Altman and OpenAI CFO Sarah Friar said in a statement about the story. ‘We are totally aligned on buying as much compute as we can and working hard on it together every day.’

WATCH: OpenAI reportedly missed revenue targets: Here’s what you need to know