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Imagine if two AIs could chat with each other in a language no human could understand. Right. Now go hide under the covers.

If you've called customer service in the last year or so, you've probably chatted with an AI. In fact, the earliest demonstrations of powerful large language models showed off how such AIs could easily fool human callers. There are now so many AI chatbots out there handling customer service that two of them are bound to dial each other up, and now, if they do, they can do it in their own special, sonic language.

Developers at the ElevenLabs 2025 Hackathon recently demonstrated GibberLink. Here's how it works, according to a demonstration they provided on YouTube.

Two AI agents from ElevenLabs (we've called them the best speech synthesis startup) call each other about a hotel booking. When they realize they are both AI assistants, they switch to a higher-speed audio communication called GGWave. According to a post on Reddit, GGWave is "a communication protocol that enables data transmission via sound waves."

In the video, the audio tones that replace spoken words sound a bit like old-school modem handshake protocols.

It's hard to say if GGWave and Gibberlink are any faster than speech, but the developers claim the GGWave is cheaper because it no longer relies on the GPU to interpret the speech and can instead rely on the less resource-intensive CPU.

The group shared their code on GitHub in case anyone wants to try building this communication protocol for their own chatting AI chatbots.

Since these were ElevenLabs AI Agents, there's no indication that GibberLink would work with ChatGPT or Google Gemini, though I'm sure some will soon try similar GGWave efforts with these and other generative AI chatbots.

What are they saying?!

A pair of Artificial intelligence Assistants "speaking" their unintelligible language sounds like a recipe for disaster. Who knows what these chatbots might get up to? After they're done booking that hotel room, what if they decide to empty the user's bank account and then use the funds to buy another computer to add a third GGWave "voice" to the mix?

Ultimately, this is a cool tech demonstration that doesn't have much purpose beyond proving it can be done. It has, though, succeeded in making people a little nervous.

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• Code found in a recent Google Messages beta hints at a new Message Details menu
• The new UI will include recipient names and profile pictures, as well as read receipts in group chats
• We're not sure if the new menu will actually be released

If you’ve ever sent a message in a group chat hoping a certain person sees it, or just wanted to be really sure that a direct message had been received, then the next Google Messages update will be a welcome one.

Code found in an upcoming version of Google Messages enables a new UI for the Message Details menu, that goes far deeper than the basic overview found in the current build of Google’s first-party messaging app.

That’s according to Android Authority, which uncovered the new menu layout in a recent Google Messages beta teardown – though there’s no certainty that these features will make it to full release just yet.

The new Details UI adds the ability to see a recipients’ display name and profile picture, and check which individual users have read a message sent to a group chat. The new menu also allows you to see the original message when viewing a reply, and contact recipients directly from the new menu.

Presently, a long press on a sent message opens a small pop-up menu, detailing the time and date at which a message was sent and received, its priority status, and the phone numbers of the sender and recipient.

Crucially, the current Message Details menu doesn’t state whether the recipient actually read the message, only that it was successfully delivered to their phone.

This isn’t so much of an issue in direct messages, where you can rely on read receipts, but in group chats it can be harder to gauge what proportion of the chat’s members have read your latest message – read receipts typically only trigger when the entire chat has done so.

Google Messages is one of the world’s most popular messaging apps, and is the default messaging app on some of the best Android phones, from the Google Pixel 9 series to the Samsung Galaxy S25 lineup.

As we’ve previously reported, Google has been keenly updating Google Messages, recently adding new chat deletion features and the ability to message yourself over RCS. What do you think of these new message detail tools? Are they useful, or do we risk knowing too much? Let us know in the comments below.

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• Nvidia unveils upgraded BlueField-3 DPUs
• New editions allow flexible storage server configurations
• BlueField-3 DPU offloads CPU tasks, and reduces latency for storage-heavy environments

Nvidia has revealed a new iteration of its BlueField-3 Data Processing Unit (DPU), that is not just a regular SuperNIC, but a self-hosted model mainly for storage.

The new offering greatly increases memory bandwidth compared to its predecessors, as while the BlueField-2 DPU utilized a single-channel design, resulting in lower memory bandwidth than the first generation, the BlueField-3 boasts dual 64-bit DDR5-5600 memory interfaces.

This upgrade translates to 80GB of bandwidth, enabling faster data processing and efficiency, particularly for applications which rely on high-speed data access.

Self-hosted solutions for storage applications

The special version, classified as B3220SH, also it introduces advanced capabilities for direct hardware connections. With its ability to expose PCIe roots, this model enables direct integration with NVMe SSDs and GPUs, bypassing the need for an external CPU.

This capability allows for greater flexibility in configuring storage solutions without relying on traditional x86 or Arm CPUs, enabling a more streamlined architecture for storage servers. The integration of a PCIe switch further enhances this model's functionality by allowing multiple devices to be connected seamlessly. This architecture not only simplifies data flow, it also reduces latency and improves the overall performance in storage-intensive applications.

The versatility of the BlueField-3 extends beyond storage, as its architecture supports various applications across sectors such as high-performance computing (HPC) and artificial intelligence (AI). The new model can offload tasks from CPUs, it frees up valuable processing resources for revenue-generating workloads.

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Two-minute review

The Echo Show 15 is back, with some moderate hardware upgrades and quality-of-life improvements that make for a slightly more rounded offering. The original Echo Show 15 sat a little on the periphery of Amazon’s smart display range, with the more popular Echo Show 8, Echo Show 5 and the more snazzy Echo Show 10 taking center stage. So, does the new Echo Show 15 (2024) earn a place alongside its siblings on our list of the best smart displays you can buy today?

The first Echo Show 15 found itself on the sidelines following a slightly lackluster launch and early performance – at least that was the case until Amazon released a Fire TV update. Despite its weak sound and underwhelming display, that upgrade made the Echo Show 15 a far more interesting proposition as a smart display for kitchens, offices and other rooms where even a small TV might be too obtrusive.

The 15-inch smart display has always suffered from a bit of an identity crisis, having been designed to cater to the relatively small niche market of “small TV-shaped smart hubs” by offering app support for various streaming services in addition to the standard array of music streaming platforms supported by the best smart speakers, as well as some basic smart home controls.

(Image credit: Future)

However, following the release of the Echo Hub in early 2024, which arrived rocking a new user interface and features specifically designed for smart-home control, I had high hopes that some improved smart-home… well, smarts, from the Echo Hub’s user interface would make an appearance in the second-generation Echo Show 15 as well as the all-new Echo Show 21.

Sadly, that’s not the case. Instead, the Echo Show 15 once again serves the dual purpose of being an entertainment and smart-home hub, this time made complete with built-in Fire TV at launch, widgets, and an Alexa Voice remote and a few added hardware upgrades. It also totes an improved camera, display and audio, as well as connectivity supporting Matter, Thread and Zigbee, all in response to customer feedback from the first generation and to ensure that the hardware meets current smart home and entertainment needs.

By and large, Amazon has addressed the bare minimum upgrades needed to make the Echo Show 15 a more attractive option; unfortunately, not enough has changed for me to recommend the device as a must-have smart display. Especially with the release of the all-new Echo Show 21, the Echo Show 15 doesn't even have "being the biggest Amazon Echo Show" going for it anymore. It is, however, a nice-to-have screen that might fill a relatively small gap in your smart-home ecosystem, and is plenty capable for what it is.

(Image credit: Future) Echo Show 15 (2024): Design

• Simple picture frame design
• Super easy setup
• Includes Fire TV remote

Echo Show 15 (2024): Specs

Screen size: 15.6 inches

Dimensions: 15.8 x 9.9 x 1.4 inches / 40 x 25 x 3.5cm

Resolution: 1080p resolution

Connecivity: Matter, Wi-Fi, Thread, Zigbee, Bluetooth

Voice assistant: Alexa

Camera: 13MP

Weight: 4.85lbs / 2.2kg

The design of the Echo Show 15 (2024) is suitably unassuming for a device that’s intended to be functional rather than being a centerpiece, retaining the simple, picture frame-esque form of the original model. The main frame is black, with a white matte surrounding the 15.6-inch screen.

It’s wall-mountable out of the box, with a super easy sub-five-minute setup – or, if you owned the original model, you can switch it straight out as it uses the exact same frame – and it’s also compatible with standardized VESA mounts, which are widely available. It can be set up in either a horizontal or vertical orientation, but you’d need to re-fit the included bracket to do change the orientation. It’s a nice option, though I’d imagine most users would opt for horizontal to use its screen for TV and film, and you can opt to buy a third-party rotating wall mount if you regularly want to switch between the two.

A variety of stands are also available, including the official stand made by Sanus (sold separately for $33 / £34; it’s not yet sold in Australia) which allows you to use the Echo Show 15 in tabletop mode. Whichever way you set it up, the main thing to consider other than visibility is the camera field of view – this has seen a significant upgrade in the newer model, but if you want to make use of Vision ID and video calls you’ll need to make sure the camera is unobstructed and has a good view of the room.

(Image credit: Future)

Along the top edge are the manual controls: a physical switch for the camera’s privacy shutter, as well as volume and mute buttons. At 15.8 x 9.9 x 1.4 inches / 40 x 25 x 3.5cm, its footprint is considerable, and that only increases if you opt to use the tilt stand, which adds a further 7.5 inches / 19cm to its depth. Along the top edge (in horizontal orientation), the camera is seated centrally in the white matte instead of in the top-left corner per its predecessor.

Also included is the Alexa Voice Remote, which can be used to control the new Fire TV interface – this is just a standard Alexa remote, which you’ll be familiar with if you own one of Amazon’s Fire TV sticks.

(Image credit: Future) Echo Show 15 (2024): Performance

• Bright and vivid screen
• Improved audio and camera specs...
• ... however audio quality is still lacking

Thanks to some moderate hardware upgrades, performance is the area where the Echo Show 15 (2024) stands above the first-generation device, although unfortunately not by enough to make it a meaningful upgrade if you already have the original Show 15.

Let’s start with the display. It’s bright and clear, and the 1080p resolution is perfectly passable for a screen of this size, and is well-suited to streaming, web browsing and reading from any distance. However, the lack of HDR is something we had a complaint about in the original model, and, unfortunately, Amazon didn’t deign to upgrade the display specs for the second generation to boost contrast and color saturation. Still, black levels are plenty good enough, and given that this isn’t the kind of screen I’d expect users to have their eyes glued to, it’s a forgivable omission.

Audio specs saw a significant upgrade in the second-generation Echo Show 15, with the newer model housing dual 2-inch woofers in addition to two 0.6-inch tweeters, versus the original model’s two 1.6-inch full drivers.

Does this change have a noticeable impact? Absolutely – the new Echo Show 15 is certainly louder than the first-generation model, and the bass is more pronounced. However, it suffers from issues that seem common to many of Amazon’s speakers: a lack of detail in the highs, muddy bass that’s lacking in dynamics, and boosted mid frequencies which mostly serve to create considerable distortion at high volumes.

(Image credit: Future)

Listening to Fleetwood Mac’s The Chain, there’s a whole lot of bass – enough to overpower the already-subdued vocals – but the audio lacks the drive and meat needed to compliment the track. Complex and textured tracks like Radiohead’s 15 Step are all too easily muddied, with the Echo Show 15 lacking the fidelity and stereo separation to handle the mix. The scratchy electric guitar strums and bass sit right up front alongside Thom Yorke’s mournful vocals for much of the track, which would be fine were it not for the fact that the rest of the track feels muddy and directionless, with dull highs and flat percussion letting down the Echo Show 15.

While its handling of music might not be the most balanced, I will say that the Echo Show 15 is well suited to the spoken word, and in this regard it’s again leaning into its role as a small smart TV rather than a smart display. Still, I’d have hoped to see a little more improvement and bang for your buck in this second-generation model, and a little more range.

Also upgraded in this new model is the now-13MP wide-angle camera, which is primed for improved Alexa video calls, using Amazon’s Drop In feature, as well as for calls using Zoom or Skype. It’s a notable step up from the previous model’s 5MP camera, especially thanks to the new auto framing and 3.3x zoom, and as with all camera-equipped Echo devices the Echo Show 15 doubles as an in-home security camera that you can check in on when you’re away.

(Image credit: Future) Echo Show 15 (2024): Software

• Quick and clear Alexa responses
• Fire TV support out-of-the-box
• Customizable widgets make smart home control quicker

Alexa’s responses are zippy, offering all the usual Alexa Skills and commands we’ve come to expect from Amazon’s smart speaker and displays thanks to its Octa-core AZ2 system-on-chip. Much like other available Echo Show devices, by default the Echo Show 15 displays a customizable widget control center, framed by a rotation of content from default images to your own photos, news, and content suggestions.

In a similar vein, the screen UI is pretty clean and runs smoothly, benefitting from years of Echo Show software development despite using the same hardware as the original Echo Show 15. By comparison, the Echo Hub’s newer, smart home-first interface was a little on the buggy side, but I would still have much preferred to have the option to switch to a more smart home-device-oriented alternative.

The included Alexa Voice Remote is a nice touch that serves to drive home the fact that this screen is well suited for streaming, but a slight niggle I have is that it can only control the Fire TV interface and music. Especially during the evening, when I don’t want to quarrel loudly with Alexa, I prize manual control features that don’t involve me standing; I’d love if the remote was configured to control the entire UI, inclusive of smart-home devices to this end.

Any excuse to re-re-re-watch Studio Ghibli's Spirited Away... (Image credit: Future)

However, the remote is handy for Fire TV navigation, especially given that the display doesn’t always play ball with touch controls. The Echo Show 15 comes pre-loaded with many of the best streaming services and support for a wide range of platforms, but Amazon again misses a trick hereby not leaning further into its smart TV functionality and incorporating Miracast/WiDi support for screen mirroring.

Widgets are great, but once again they’re underutilized in Amazon’s smart display interface. With woefully few customization options to reshape, resize, configure or create your own widgets, this feature still feels half-baked. Amazon’s first-party widgets are naturally the most useful, and there are a decent amount to choose from, but it’s not the magic bullet the Echo Show 15 very much needs for its smart-home offering.

However, I really appreciate the option to customize widgets and interfaces based on user profiles, meaning whole families and households alike can benefit from the assistive tech on board the Echo Show 15. During my testing, I switched out with my partner several times in an hour, and Vision ID correctly identified each time who had just walked in, showing them their personalized content suggestions.

(Image credit: Future) Echo Show 15 (2024): Price and availability

• Release date: December 2024
• Price: $299 / £299 / AU$549

The Echo Show 15 is available from Amazon in the US, UK and Australia for $299 / £299 / AU$549 respectively. That’s a small price increase over the original model, and while you do now get an included remote and slightly better specs, I’m very much ‘whelmed’ by Amazon’s efforts here, in terms of value for money.

That’s especially true of the stand situation; it would have been perfectly reasonable, given the volume of customers who don’t have the option or desire to wall-mount their screens, to include a small, stable kickstand. Instead, you have to opt for either the official Sanus stand (sold separately for $33 / £34. It’s not yet sold in Australia) or for one of the many alternative – and often pricey - VESA mounts.

(Image credit: Future) Should I buy the Echo Show 15? Buy it if...

You want a small, smart TV

If you fit into the relatively small niche of people who want a smart entertainment hub that also houses Alexa, this is the screen for you.

You mostly want to stream video

Between its moderate audio and display specs and the included Fire TV remote, the Echo Show is well suited to streaming TV shows and movies.

Don't buy it if...

You want to upgrade your original Echo Show 15

Unless you’re really desperate, not enough has changed nor improved from the original model to justify this upgrade.

You want a smart-home-first display

The Echo Show 15 leans more towards entertainment than it does granular, accessible smart-home control.

Amazon Echo Show 15: also consider

If you're not sure the Amazon Echo Show 15 is the right smart hub for you, here are further options to consider:

Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd gen)

The latest generation model boasts better audio, faster performance and added support for Matter, Thread and Zigbee. The only big thing that holds it back is its uptick in price.

Read our full Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) review

Amazon Echo Show 21

The new 21-inch Amazon Echo Show offers much the same as the new Echo Show 15, but in a bigger frame.

Read our full Echo Show 21 review

(Image credit: Future) How I tested the Echo Show 15 (2024)

• I used the Echo Show 15 as my primary smart home hub for one month
• I tested its display, audio, and camera specs with real-world testing
• I used all of its various smart-home control features

To put the Echo Show 15 through its paces I tested all of its significant feature and hardware upgrades against the first-generation model, other Echo displays and speakers in my home, and Google Nest devices.

I watched and listened to a variety of media to test the range and performance of the smart display, as well as trying out all of the various features and unique selling points. I incorporated the Echo Show 15 into my wider smart home ecosystem, which is also populated with smart security cameras, lights and appliances, and used it to control my home.

I’ve been testing smart-home devices for three years and using them personally for even longer, during which time I’ve learned everything there is to know about what makes a good smart display or speaker. I use Alexa and other smart assistants every day to run my home.

• Tesla's Vice President of Vehicle Engineering lets slip about update
• Recent Model 3 and Model Y refresh likely to influence upgrades
• Could Plaid+ variant make a return to Model S?

Tesla can be credited with spearheading the electric vehicle revolution, which is now arguably in full swing, but it can also be criticized for resting on its laurels when it comes to introducing new products and refreshing old ones.

Both the Model S and Model X have waited four years for an update, with even the previous 2021 tweaks proving underwhelming. Instead, Musk’s company has been relying on Over the Air (OTA) updates in order to add new software features to keep things interesting.

However, Lars Moravy, Vice President of Vehicle Engineering, revealed on the Ride the Lightning podcast (via Electrek) recently that both the Model X and Model S would receive “some love” later this year, stopping short of divulging full information on what that might entail.

We all know that Tesla operates outside of the automotive norms, shunning the legacy product life cycles that tend to see models refreshed or updated two or three years after launch, before a replacement model is announced a couple of years thereafter.

To compound matters, this traditional life cycle has been sped up in the era of battery packs and electric motors, such is the rate of advancement in battery technology, range and performance.

As a result, Tesla is not only facing much stiffer competition from fellow manufacturers, many of whom are now offering an entire range of electrified passenger cars and even vans, but also the threat of more predictable facelift and update cycles, which helps keep the PR and marketing output in full effect.

The recently refreshed Model Y proves that change is very much welcome when it comes to Tesla’s largely aging line-up. If we do witness much-needed updates to Model S and Model X this year, here are the 5 things we’d like to see.

1. Sharper styling from Model Y and Model 3

(Image credit: Tesla UK)

Tesla’s treatment of the front and rear bumpers, as well as the full-width rear light bar, on the recently refreshed Model Y have made a night-and-day difference to the way the vehicle looks.

It is generally sleeker, more purposeful and, simply put, cuts a more modern shape on today’s roads, which are now filled with exciting EV designs from the likes of Kia, Lucid, Rivian, Renault, Peugeot and many more.

Although the Model S still looks pretty good today, it would benefit from refreshed exterior styling, while the Model X, complete with its Falcon-Wing doors, could harness the various innovations in mass production to adopt an altogether more forward-thinking approach to design.

Something that will keep pace with the rapidly advancing automotive design trends that look set to remain for the foreseeable future.

2. Improved suspension and refinement

(Image credit: Tesla UK)

Often the butt of auto industry jokes and jibes, Tesla’s models have long suffered from relatively poor quality control, a fidgety ride and a general lack of refinement that the likes of Mercedes-Benz and BMW are famed for.

Again, the recently updated Model Y and Model 3 have made huge improvements when it comes to the quietness of the cabin, the vehicle’s body control and general handling dynamics thanks to the chassis and suspension innovations made during Cybertruck development.

3. Better interior quality and more tech

(Image credit: Tesla)

Small things, such as ambient lighting and heated seats throughout, helped to lift the interior quality of the recently refreshed Model Y. Alongside this, Tesla also added a second screen to the rear (as it did with Model 3), so passengers can enjoy entertainment on the move.

This refresh could also benefit from ditching the yoke-style steering wheel found in Model S and Model X, and replacing it with something more traditional, complete with proper indicator stalks, rather than cumbersome buttons.

As with all of Tesla’s recent model line-up, the Model S and Model X will greatly benefit from the latest Hardware 4 (HW4) set ups, which allows the vehicles to effectively park themselves, be remotely summoned and offer advanced levels of autonomous driving features.

4. Exciting Plaid models

(Image credit: Tesla)

The Tesla Model S Plaid already holds a number of coveted lap records, including being one of the fastest production electric cars to lap Germany’s infamous Nurburgring, but that hasn’t stopped punters wanting more.

The rumor mill has been working overtime of late, with talk of a Plaid+ variant returning to the Model S, which would see acceleration and top speeds lifted, as well as improvements introduced to handling.

5. Faster charging and better battery range

(Image credit: Tesla)

Although Tesla did improve the electric range in the refreshed Model Y, the figures weren’t exactly mind-blowing. The official EPA-rated range crept up from 311 miles for the outgoing model to 320 miles.

In addition to this, Tesla has 800V electrical architecture in its armory, meaning it could offer versions of the Model S and Model X with fast-charging capabilities, greatly reducing the amount of time sat at Tesla’s admittedly brilliant Supercharger network.

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• Moana 2 arrives on Disney+ on March 12
• The sequel was a huge box-office success, taking $1.05 billion
• The first Moana is Disney+'s most-streamed movie

Moana 2 is setting course for Disney+, and you'll be able to watch it from the comfort of your living room when it arrives on March 12. Fans have been eagerly anticipating Moana 2's arrival, considering the original Moana is the most-streamed movie of the past five years, and the return of the beloved Disney character was met with lots of hype. Its box-office takings alone are huge, with it earning $1.05 billion against its $150 million budget.

Interestingly, Moana 2 falls short of earning a place on our best Disney Plus movies rankings because it didn't receive a 70% Rotten Tomatoes score. The movie stands at 61%, which is still fresh but not high enough to join some of our favorite titles. Still, it's been a massive hit around the world, so you can be the judge of what you think! In my Moana 2 review, I praised the movie but did miss a certain familiar face.

What is Moana 2 about?

Set three years after the first movie, Moana reunites with the demigod Maui and assembles a wayfinding crew to find the lost island of Motufetu, where she hopes to break its curse and free its people. So, unsurprisingly, she hasn't said goodbye to her ocean adventures, and she's as determined as ever. There are both familiar and new faces here, and it's a welcome return to the beautiful island location.

The movie was originally intended to be a TV series for Disney+, but it seems the decision to swap it for a movie has been a huge success for the company.

The Moana adventures don't stop there, either, as there are plans for a live-action remake of the first movie, which will see Dwayne Johnson reprise his role as Maui, while Catherine Laga'aia will portray the titular character, taking over from Auliʻi Cravalho.

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(Image credit: Brian Mann)

• New renders for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 tip a slimmer design
• The next-gen foldable could also have larger displays
• Meanwhile, the Galaxy Flip 7 is tipped to get a powerful Snapdragon chip

The rumored Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 could sport a tweaked design that makes it slimmer, potentially measuring 4.5mm thick when unfolded.

This rumor comes courtesy of tipster OnLeaks working with Android Headlines to produce renders of the Galaxy Z Fold 7 based on what seems to be insider information. If this information is on point, then that's a decent trimming down of thickness in smartphone terms, given the Galaxy Z Fold 6 when unfolded measured 5.6mm. It would also put the Fold 7 a mere 0.3mm thicker than the world's thinnest foldable phone, which is currently the Oppo Find N5 measuring 4.35mm when unfolded.

Aside from looking a little slimmer, and perhaps having sharper corners to the display and maybe slightly narrower bezels, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 looks much like the foldable phone that came before it and not dramatically different from the Galaxy Z Fold 5; such is Samsung’s current approach to iterating on phone designs.

However, what’s not easily noticed in the renders is that the main display will apparently hit 8.2 inches when unfolded, which is a decent size bump, phone-screen-wise, over the 7.6-inch display of the Fold 6. The cover display is also tipped to measure 6.5 inches, which is a little bigger than the 6.3-inch display on the Fold 6.

Overall, the Fold 7’s dimensions are tipped to be 158.4 x 143.1 x 4.5mm, which paves the way for the cover display to get its size boost by being wider than the one on the Fold 6. That could be a blessing or a curse, depending on how well you fared with the cover display on older Fold phones. On the early models it was too narrow to comfortably use, but one could argue that going wider than the Fold 6’s cover display could make it harder to navigate for people with small hands.

Personally, I’m all for more screen space, as it makes sense for foldable phones and helps them pull double duty as a compact tablet, which in my experience helps make them better for productivity on the move.

Aside from these tweaks, we’re expecting the Galaxy Z Fold to follow in the Galaxy S25’s footsteps and get a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chipset, with its main cameras getting a bump to 200 megapixels, up from 50MP. But the biggest upgrades are likely to be on the software side, with AI-centric tools and features sure to be given the limelight by Samsung.

Flipping the power on

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 is tipped to get a neat power boost over the Flip 6. (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

In another foldable rumor, Korean-language website The Bell reports that yields on Samsung’s Exynos 2500 chip were lower than needed for the Galaxy S25 range, which is why we saw the Snapdragon chipset across all the phones in all regions.

That low yield is apparently still in effect, and so it’s predicted that the rumored Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 will get a Qualcomm chip instead, leaving the Samsung Z Flip FE to use the Exynos 2500; this would make sense, as that phone is tipped to be a cheaper take on the Galaxy Z Flip.

Giving the Galaxy Z Flip 7 a Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chip will see it sport flagship-grade power, which would be welcome for powering AI features but also means the price of the flip-style foldable is unlikely to go down compared to last year.

The Bell also reports that Samsung may look to put a new Exynos 2600 chip in Galaxy S26 phones, which are sure to arrive next year as part of Samsung’s yearly flagship refresh. Given that Samsung often puts Exynos chips in its standard and Plus S-series models in markets outside the US and China, I wouldn't be surprised to see this happen with the Galaxy S26. I’d prefer that Samsung adopt Snapdragon chips across the board given the power they offer.

Either way, we can expect to see new foldables from Samsung around June or July time. Head to the comments to let me know if you’re excited about these phones, or what you’d like to see Samsung do in the foldables realm.

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(Image credit: Kassidy Arena)

Staff and observers worry that the agency may not be prepared for emerging threats including bird flu and insect-borne diseases.

(Image credit: Smith Collection/Gado/CDC)