Technologies
iOS 17 Proves Apple Doesn’t Need a Foldable Phone… Yet
Commentary: Apple’s iOS 17 update is the latest sign that the company is evolving the way it thinks about the iPhone’s screen.

Smartphones have more or less looked identical to one another for the past decade, but companies like Samsung, Motorola and Google are changing that with screens that bend and fold. Almost every major smartphone maker has released a foldable phone or is planning to, with Apple being the main exception.
Android phone makers clearly see the future of the smartphone as devices that can fold in half to more easily fit in your pocket or fold open to double as a tablet. But Apple is taking a decidedly different approach. Rather than using new hardware designs to expand the way we use our mobile devices, the iPhone maker is using its software to bring new use cases to its devices. Instead of physically changing the shape of the iPhone’s screen to fit more apps or provide a bigger display for watching shows, it’s morphing the software in ways that let you use your phone differently.
Apple’s iOS 17 update, which launched in beta on Wednesday and officially arrives this fall, is the latest example of the company’s efforts in this regard. The software introduces a feature called StandBy mode, which essentially turns your mobile device into a miniature smart display like the Echo Show or Google Nest Hub.
Though Apple’s StandBy mode and foldable phones may seem unrelated, they do share an important connection. They both represent efforts to evolve the way our phones present information, aligning with the bigger role mobile devices have come to play in our lives over the past 15 years.
StandBy mode works by providing a full-screen view of apps like the clock, your music player or your calendar when your iPhone is charging and positioned in landscape mode. It makes your iPhone function more like a smart display by providing the option to dedicate the entire screen to a specific app or feature, making it easier to see from a distance. By doing this, StandBy mode gives your iPhone a new role, enabling it to function as a bedside clock or a miniature Amazon Echo Show type of device.

Siri is optimized for StandBy view, which makes sense given that voice control will likely be a big part of the experience since your phone will be resting on a table or propped up on a stand rather than in your hand. Apple’s Live Activities feature also works in this mode, so you should be able to see tidbits like your Uber ETA without reaching for your phone.
Your iPhone can also surface contextual information by rotating a collection of widgets based on factors such as the time or your location, a feature Apple calls Smart Stacks. Though it isn’t specific to StandBy, it’s easy to see how Smart Stacks can be especially helpful in this mode. Instead of having your phone turn into a black slab when you aren’t using it, you can have it pull up things like the weather or your next meeting as needed.
Companies like Samsung, Motorola, Google, Oppo and Huawei have been using foldable designs rather than software alone to give our phones new roles. While Apple’s StandBy mode lets your phone function as a smart display, phones like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Oppo Find N2 can double as a tablet when opened. Motorola’s new Razr Plus flip phone can also serve as a tiny smart display thanks to its bendable design and useful cover screen. When I reviewed that device, I propped the Razr Plus open like a tent with the cover screen facing outward, enabling me to see the time and which song was playing without reaching for my phone.

StandBy may be the most prominent example of how Apple is changing the way we use our phones in iOS 17, but it isn’t the only one. The update will also bring interactive widgets to your iPhone, meaning you’ll be able to perform tasks like checking off reminders and controlling your smart lights with just a tap from the home screen. The current version of the iPhone’s widgets launch the corresponding app when tapped rather than allowing you to take an action.
Older features like the Dynamic Island and always-on display, both of which debuted on the iPhone 14 Pro series last year, are also part of Apple’s efforts to upgrade the way we use our phones by changing the way software is presented on screen. The Dynamic Island, for example, lets you multitask more easily by showing sports scores or music that’s currently playing near the top of the screen, preventing you from jumping between apps as often. The always-on display lets you view the time and other information without reaching for your phone.
Features like StandBy and the Dynamic Island won’t make your phone feel as radically different as a foldable screen would. But they still show that Apple is trying to make your iPhone feel more useful by updating the way apps and other features behave on screen. That could be particularly important for Apple, considering it’ll likely be quite some time before we see a foldable iPhone.
Some analysts predict that a foldable iPhone may not arrive until at least 2025. That’s according to estimates from Ross Young, analyst and CEO of Display Supply Chain Consultants (via 9to5Mac), and Ming-Chi Kuo, an analyst for TF International Securities who’s known for his Apple product predictions. Samsung, meanwhile, is about to launch the fifth generation of its Galaxy Z Fold and Galaxy Z Flip devices.
Apple’s absence from the foldable phone space comes as no surprise. The company typically waits until technology matures so it can release a more compelling product before entering a new device category. This approach has been effective with smartwatches and tablets, so it seems plausible that Apple would pursue a similar strategy with foldables. (That’s if Apple is indeed working on a foldable phone, of course).
Though foldable phones have progressed tremendously and grown more popular in the past four years since the first Galaxy Fold arrived, they still face important challenges. The Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Google Pixel Fold each cost roughly $1,800, making them a luxury purchase for many consumers. Early reports of broken screens on the Pixel Fold also show that durability is still a concern with foldable phones. Perhaps Apple is investigating ways to solve issues like durability and high prices behind the scenes before introducing its own foldable, but there’s no way to know for sure until Apple makes an announcement.

In the meantime, Apple will likely keep finding new ways to make the iPhone feel fresh and relevant through software updates like these. The company usually releases new iPhone models every fall, which bring upgrades to everything from the camera to the processor to the display. But it’s the software that makes those hardware leaps feel useful and innovative.
In fact, makers of foldable phones may be able to learn a thing or two from Apple’s approach. While having a giant screen that can fold down to the size of a phone can be useful, companies like Samsung and Google still have some work to do when it comes to finding interesting new ways to put those flexible screens to use with fresh software.
Technologies
What’s the Deal With Schedule I, the Drug-Dealing Game at the Top of Steam Charts?
This surprisingly deep game is far more than just spliffs and giggles.

Picture this: You’ve just rolled into a dusty desert town and you’re living at your uncle’s ranch. After he’s busted by the cops for selling, shall we say, illicit substances, you’re forced to flee. You hit the road in your RV, heading to a town called Hyland Point to lay low and start over, but the local cartel has other plans. After your RV is blown up in a hit, you end up stuck in a sleazy motel room, broke and on the run. Welcome to Schedule I. It might become your new favorite video game.
According to SteamDB, the game pulled in 116,408 concurrent players within 24 hours of its release on March 24. The next day? 142,000. By March 30, it hit a peak of 414,166. That puts Schedule I in the top five most-played games on Steam, right up there with the usual heavyweights like Dota 2. It even hit number one on the global top-sellers list. Not bad for a debut title.
What is Schedule I about?
Schedule I is a new indie game about building a drug empire from the ground up, and it’s exploded in popularity since hitting Steam’s Early Access on March 24. It throws players into the seedy underbelly of the drug trade as seen through a wacky cartoon lens. It’s easy to write it off as just another zany «meme» game, but play it for a bit and you’ll see Schedule I offers something truly special beneath the grime of the illegal drug trade.
You start small, dealing out of that dingy motel room in Hyland Point. Over time, you scale up-more drugs, more customers, more heat. You can grow cannabis, cook meth and manage your entire operation from production to street sales. You’ll need to hide your stash, watch out for cops and eventually build a full-blown empire.
But it’s not just about making a drop behind a building or meeting your client after a series of shady texts. You can mix your wares, too. What do you get when you mix a can of «Cuke» and marijuana? Well, it might get your customers into trouble, but it’ll carry a cool name or one that you decide to give it. And some crazy traits that can get people hooked and coming back.
The cartoony visuals go a long way toward making the game feel seedy and shady and more like a lark. Characters look like they came out of an adult animated series — big eyes, weird proportions, goofy expressions. That aesthetic softens the edge of what’s otherwise a pretty dark theme. Still, there’s plenty of details: setting up lighting rigs for plant growth, tweaking formulas in makeshift drug labs and even laundering your profits.
Schedule I really shines in co-op mode. Up to four players can jump in together, each handling a part of the business — maybe one’s cooking while another sells and a third keeps lookout. It’s chaotic, messy and hilarious, especially when a deal goes south or the cops show up midbatch. You never quite know what’s going to happen next, and that’s part of the charm.
What makes Schedule I stand out?
Schedule I has lots of little absurd touches, too. You can knock out a rival dealer and stuff them in a recycling bin for pocket change, or get chased five blocks for carrying an extra gram. These interactions give the world personality and make it fun to explore, not just optimize. From Peggy, who wants to score something to take the edge off, to Peter, who’s hankering for something «toxic,» you’ll grow to love serving your weird customer base and risking arrest by not returning home ahead of police curfew.
Streamers have latched on quickly to Schedule I. The co-op chaos and unpredictable street encounters make it perfect for Twitch and YouTube, and once the first few big creators went live, word spread fast. Steam reviews from customers hit 99% «Overwhelmingly Positive» on launch day.
The developer, TVGS (short for Tyler’s Video Game Studio), is a solo dev based in Sydney. This is its first major release, but despite all the long hours and late nights, the developers have been active with players, promising monthly updates and tweaks based on community feedback. The game roadmap even includes new drug types, expanded systems and more tools for empire-building.
For a game with no publisher, no real marketing push, and a questionable premise for some gamers, Schedule I has pulled off one of the most impressive indie launches in years. It’s fun, it’s different, and if the updates keep rolling (get it?), it’s probably just getting started.
Technologies
Visible’s New $45 Plan Brings 4K Streaming, More Global Pass Days
The Verizon-owned service adds a new mid-tier plan that might save you money too.

Visible is making its prepaid wireless service more attractive by adding a new higher-tier plan and reducing the price of its previous top offering. The $45 Visible Plus Pro plan adds 4K video streaming, a bank of up to 24 Global Pass days for international travel and includes smartwatch service for the same price as the prior Visible Plus plan, which is now $35 per month with a few tweaks of its own.
The Pro plan offers unlimited data on the Verizon 5G Ultra Wideband network — the same access (on compatible devices) that the Visible Plus plan uses. The base $25 Visible plan is still limited to Verizon’s 5G and 4G LTE networks, but as with all plans, there are no caps on the amount of data you use.
To set the Pro plan apart, Visible has added faster 15Mbps mobile hotspot speeds for sharing the data connection with nearby devices, compared with 10Mbps speeds for the Visible Plus plan. Since people are viewing more content on phones, the video quality on the new plan is now up to 4K UHD versus 1080p on Visible Plus and just 480p quality on the Visible plan.
The Visible Plus plan used to include a smartwatch service, but that benefit did not transition into the new $35 plan. Since adding that service will cost $10 a month, anyone using Visible Plus with a smartwatch may as well switch to the $45 Pro plan and pay the same cost. The $10 charge applies when using the base Visible plan with a smartwatch.
Visible Plus still has unlimited talk and text to Mexico and Canada, plus data while roaming in those countries. The Pro plan adds up to 500 minutes per month of calls to more than 85 countries and unlimited calls to Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, Guam and Saipan.
For traveling, the Pro plan includes two days of Global Pass access per month for using your phone in regions like Europe. The Plus plan includes one Global Pass day per month. Up to 12 unused days can be banked at a time. If you pay the annual rate of $450 instead of monthly, you get 24 free Global Pass days per year.
If you’ve been on the Visible Plus plan, it’s working well, and you aren’t using the plan with a smartwatch, you’ll see a price cut and a boost in services. The cost has been knocked down to $35 per month, with many of the same features that were previously offered for $10 more. Premium data, which was capped at 50GB per month, is now unlimited. Video streaming quality is now increased to to 1080p HD resolution, up from 720p HD.
Read more: Looking for a prepaid phone? Here are some cheap picks for cheaper plans.
Technologies
Best Senior Phone Plans of 2025
Over 55 years old? Save money on your phone bill with special plans from T-Mobile, AT&T or even small carriers like Mint.
What to consider
Check that you’re actually saving money
Are you getting a better deal than a carrier’s standard plans and offers? Most seniors-only plans don’t provide substantial differences, so make sure it’s worth pursuing.
Ensure availability
Some are restricted to certain states or limited in other ways, so it’s worth checking the fine print to determine whether you’re arbitrarily shut out from an otherwise appealing senior plan.
Check the coverage area
See if users around you are happy with their carrier and plan. Online forums, social media and even asking around the neighborhood can be helpful to determine whether you’re about to sign up for disappointing speeds and service. If you’re converting to a senior plan with your existing carrier, check to see if competitors offer better service, here’s our guide to switching carriers.
Everyone with a smartphone needs a plan, and there are plenty of options that vary by data and price. Older friends and family may have different priorities, and with discounts, multi-line deals and extras, there’s a lot to consider when choosing the best phone plan for seniors. Some of these offer more data per month while others add mobile hotspot data as well as bundled extras like subscriptions to streaming services. Below we’ve rounded up the best plans for seniors and pointed out where they differ from their standard plan counterparts.
What is the best phone plan for older adults?
T-Mobile’s Essentials Choice 55 plan is a discounted version of the carrier’s Essentials plan suited for customers over 55 years old and is notably more affordable. Despite the value, Essentials Choice 55 still has 5G connectivity and 50GB of data, which is a generous allotment for a no-frills service without the extra bells and whistles of pricier plans.
Other carriers also offer discounted plans for people age 55 and older. These options can be combined with other deals and can be helpful for those on fixed incomes. Plans typically have some or all of the same features as standard plans from the same carrier. For the most part, subscribers shouldn’t expect much difference in service, but some of these plans may be missing fun perks like bundled streaming services.
Best senior phone plans of 2025
All the basics at a more affordable price
Pros
- The most affordable option among the three carriers
- 5G connectivity and 50GB of high-speed data in the US
- An affordable plan for seniors who just want to use their phone for basic apps and tasks without watching much video
Cons
- The plan only allows a maximum of two lines
- The 480p video quality is very low
- The 3G tethering speed is too slow for much more than checking email
- The plan lacks bundled extras like streaming service subscriptions
For one or two people who just want to stay connected at reasonable speeds but don’t need a lot of extra features (or don’t want to pay too much), T-Mobile offers a significantly cheaper plan for older adults than competitors with Essentials Choice 55. This plan includes 5G access and is $45 per month for one line or $60 per month total for two lines when signed up for autopay. It’s the best value for one or two people, though they won’t be able to expand to three or four lines.
The tradeoff is in the fine print, with Essentials Choice 55 customers getting lower speeds when they use over 50GB of data in a month or when T-Mobile’s network is congested from extensive customer activity, suggesting these customers are less prioritized than others. Video quality also «typically» streams at 480p, and tethering maxes out at 3G speeds (or 2G speeds in Mexico and Canada). The plan does give users access to T-Mobile’s Scam Shield, an app service that can auto-block suspected scam calls and let you change your number once a year if the calls get overwhelming. On the other hand, its mobile hotspot data is limited to T-Mobile’s older, slower 3G network.
For people with big data needs
Pros
- Cheaper than regular plans if not using autopay
- Has the same bundled perks as the standard Go5G Plus and Go5G Next plans
- New phone upgrade every two years (Go5G Plus 55) or every year (Go5G Next 55)
- Able to add up to four lines
Cons
- Same price as standard T-Mobile Go5G plans if using autopay
- More expensive than the Essentials 55 plan
T-Mobile also offers discounted versions of many of its regular plans for customers over 55 years old. For those who want a bit more functionality, data and some extras like getting a new phone every couple of years, T-Mobile’s slightly discounted Go5G Plus 55 is worth checking out.
Its Go5G Plus 55 plan is $75 per month for one line or $110 per month for two lines (expandable to $165 per month for three lines or $220 per month for four lines) with autopay enabled. Note that current discounts make this plan cost the same as a standard Go5G Plus plan if using autopay, but it’s less than the regular plan if you don’t plan on using autopay. The plan includes the same perks as T-Mobile’s standard plans, like up to 4K streaming, 50GB of 4G LTE hotspot data and 15GB of high-speed data (depending on the area, it may only be 4G LTE rather than 5G speeds) in Mexico and Canada. Plus, it includes subscriptions to Apple TV Plus and Netflix.
This plan also allows subscribers to upgrade their phone every two years, the same marquee perk that the standard Go5G Plus plan launched with. The only caveat is that plan owners will need to pay off 50% of their existing phone by the time they upgrade, but that shouldn’t be too much of a problem for most subscribers. Subscribers can also get the same discounts on devices that T-Mobile offers new customers switching from other carriers.
The Go5G Next 55 plan is pricier at $85 per month for one line or $130 per month for two lines (also expandable up to four lines) and identical except for one thing: Subscribers can upgrade their phones using new customer device offers every year instead of every two years.
Note that T-Mobile also offers Go5G 55 plan, which is cheaper than the above plans but offers less mobile hotspot data, fewer streaming services and doesn’t include two-year phone upgrades. If you can live without the phone upgrades and want to save a few bucks every month, opt for the Go5G 55 plan, which is $60 per month for one line or $90 for two lines, has 15GB of hotspot data per month and offers Netflix with ads.
T-Mobile also still offers its Magenta 55+ line, which starts at $50 per month for one line and goes up to $140 per month for four lines, offers up to 100GB of monthly data for the account and includes 6 months of Apple TV Plus as well as Netflix with ads, but only has 5GB of hotspot data. The catch is that you can’t find this within T-Mobile’s plan comparisons — you’ll need to call them directly to sign up for this or the slightly pricier Magenta MAX 55+ plan. On T-Mobile’s main cell phone plans page, click on «Learn more about Magenta and Magenta MAX plans» and find those options in the pop-up window.
Plus, only the customer who signed up for these plans needs to be 55 years old or older; anyone on additional lines needn’t fit that criteria.
Best prepaid plan for older people
Pros
- Very affordable
- Ideal for limited budgets
Cons
- Discount diminishes if not buying a year in advance
- Data cap is limited (other carriers offer as much as 50GB)
- No bundled extras
- Hotspot usage counts against the main data cap
Mint Mobile’s Mint 55 Plus plan is a modest but affordable plan that can be as cheap as $15 per month per line if signing up for 12 months in advance, $20 a month for six months or $25 per month for three months (customers must sign up for a minimum of three months). New customers can try the network for three months at a rate of $15 a month.
The tradeoff is that the Mint 55 Plus plan only offers 5GB of data per month, and mobile hotspot usage draws from that cap. Mint runs on T-Mobile’s 5G network, providing similar 5G and 4G LTE service and availability as native T-Mobile customers. The plan doesn’t offer any bundled extras like streaming service subscriptions, but it does provide access to the «MINTech Advisor» for on-call tech support in getting started with the plan, transferring phone numbers to the service and troubleshooting issues.
Currently, you can’t sign up for Mint 55 Plus online. You’ll need to call Mint’s hotline at 833-655-1768 to sign up over a call.
For people over 55 in Florida
Pros
- Discounted plans for residents of Florida
Cons
- Not available to US residents in the other states or territories
- No bundled extra features
Verizon has discounted plans for people aged 55 years and older, but they come with a huge caveat: They’re available only to those living in Florida. If you meet this requirement, you can get discounted plans that are pretty similar to the standard Verizon plans.
Verizon offers its 55 Plus Unlimited plan with one line for $62 per month or $84 for two lines when signed up for autopay. New customers switching to Verizon may have an easier time signing up; if you’re already a Verizon customer, you’ll need to talk to customer support to get your plan changed to Unlimited 55. The plan includes 5G Ultra Wideband service with unlimited low-speed (600Kbps) mobile hotspot access but lacks the bundled extras like streaming services you can add to conventional Verizon plans.
For seniors in Florida who don’t want Verizon
Pros
- Discounted plans for residents of Florida
Cons
- Not available to US residents in the other states or territories
- No bundled extra features
Verizon isn’t the only major US carrier with a special plan aimed at older adults living in Florida. AT&T has its Unlimited 55 Plus plan for slightly cheaper ($60 for one line or $80 for two lines). The plan includes 5G access as well as voice and data connectivity in Canada and Mexico. Current AT&T customers will need to visit an AT&T store to verify that they qualify for the plan. AT&T offers additional discounts for AARP members in Florida.
Factors to consider when choosing a plan
Check that you’re actually saving money: Are you getting a better deal than a carrier’s standard plans and offers? Most seniors-only plans don’t provide substantial differences, so make sure it’s worth pursuing.
Ensure availability: Some are restricted to certain states or limited in other ways, so it’s worth checking the fine print to determine whether you’re arbitrarily shut out from an otherwise appealing plan.
Check the coverage area: See if users around you are happy with their carrier and plan. Online forums, social media and even asking around the neighborhood can be helpful to determine whether you’re about to sign up for disappointing speeds and service. If you’re converting to a senior plan with your existing carrier, check to see if competitors offer better service. For that, here’s our guide to switching carriers.
How we test
Picking a wireless plan and carrier comes down to what matters most. What works for you or your older family member’s needs may be very different from those of your friends or neighbors.
We prioritize affordability and availability in our list, but those may not be the most important factors for you. If not, we recommend checking out our more general guides for plans, like our best cellphone plans and best family phone plans.
Value for older customers aside, every carrier differs in service. Even geographically, some areas have better AT&T coverage while others work better with Verizon or T-Mobile’s networks. Our recommendations are based on years of covering and evaluating the wireless carriers, their offerings and their performance.
Senior phone plans FAQs
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