Samsung earned plaudits for its super-slim Z Fold 7, but it’s not done yet. Korea’s ET News reports it plans two Folds next year, with one squatter and wider, with a square screen inside. No doubt it’s pure coincidence that the foldable iPhone is rumored to be a similar shape.
A ball-catching robot tennis coach, cuddly AI robots, and a laptop with a rotating screen for optimal doomscrolling.
Last month Google bigged up the replaceable batteries on the Pixel Watch 4 and Pixel Buds 2A. It didn’t talk much about phone repairability, but maybe it should have: iFixit gave the Pixel 10 a provisional 6/10, noting the battery is easier to access than on previous Pixels.
Bad news if you were hoping to Hulk out: Apple is rolling out a software update across the bloc to reduce transmitter power and meet strict radiation standards. It’s an expansion of a change it made in France in 2023, following a new European Commission decision backing the French regulator.
7
Verge Score
Thin is in, but the big battery is the V5’s real magic trick.
The new law takes effect in 2026 and targets smartphone use during class in elementary and middle schools, adding South Korea to a growing list of countries that have imposed similar restrictions on the tech:
Other countries that impose various levels of restriction on smartphone use at school include France, Finland, Italy, the Netherlands and China.
[The New York Times]
We’re still waiting for Samsung’s first trifoldable phone — last we heard it’s due “this year” — but Huawei is ready for round two. It’s announced a September 4th launch for the Mate XTs, a follow-up to the impressive Mate XT, and has already teased a major upgrade: stylus support.
[weibo.com]
7
Verge Score
The most repairable Fairphone yet is also the first I can easily recommend — but only if you live in Europe.
We’re thrilled Google has adopted Qi2 charging in the Pixel 10 series, but were a bit confused by why only the 10 Pro XL got the faster new 25W speeds. Google gave Android Central the answer: it all comes down to cooling, where the larger XL has an edge.
HMD made a phone fit for Tobias Fünke and helicopter parents alike. The Fuse uses “system-level” AI parental controls to block nudity from any app, even the camera, perfect for our new age-gated internet. It’s out in the UK, with other countries to follow, but don’t expect a US launch.
Google’s Pixel 10 Pro Fold is the first foldable with an IP68 rating for dust- and water-resistance, and that might be all some people need to make the jump.
subotai01:
“For someone that has not bought a foldable yet, the IP68 certification is the tipping point. Time to get one.”
Get the day’s best comment and more in my free newsletter, The Verge Daily.
The Made by Google 2025 event starts at 1 p.m. ET, and all the news is out now. I wonder what we’ll learn in an hour.
Dust could spell death for a foldable’s inner screen.
The Pura X arrived this week, and I’m ready to test this unique flip phone form factor, which opens to the side for a wider main display. And yes, those are Android apps on the post-Android HarmonyOS Next.
What do you want to know ahead of my hands-on?
A partnership with Swarovski has produced a crystal-studded take on the Motorola Razr, sold in a bundle alongside a matching set of Swarovskied Moto Buds Loop earbuds. The flip phone features 34 crystals embedded in the faux leather finish, with a larger 35th attached to the hinge. You can register now to buy the $1,000 bundle, but let’s be honest — it’s not as good as the Paris Hilton pink.
