MacRumors

ChatGPT's search engine feature can now be accessed by anyone, OpenAI announced on Wednesday. Previously, users needed an account to use ChatGPT search, but the sign-in requirement has now been removed.

chatgpt search engine
ChatGPT Search is available on the ChatGPT website and in the desktop and mobile apps. Searches can be initiated based on what you ask or by clicking on the web search icon in the ChatGPT interface.

With ChatGPT Search, you can ask a question using conversational language and get web information, along with more details through follow-up questions. ChatGPT maintains context, so the entire conversation can be used to get a tailored answer to a query.

OpenAI has partnered with news and data providers to offer up-to-date information for categories like weather, stocks, sports, news, and maps. Searches with ChatGPT include links to sources, while a sources button below the response provides a sidebar with all of the references used.

A recent ChatGPT search update gives it a more traditional search engine feel, displaying a map, images of local attractions, and brief descriptions for each result. If you're fed up with Google's algorithms, it could be worth a try.

Tag: ChatGPT

macOS stealers are becoming an increasingly common type of malware on the Mac, according to the 2025 State of Malware report that Malwarebytes shared this week.

macos stealer market share
Most Mac malware has historically been VSearch adware or the Genieo browser hijacker, but more malicious malware is on the rise, and 2024 saw a new wave of information stealing malware hit the Mac.

Stealers are designed to locate credit card information, authentication cookies, cryptocurrency, passwords, and other valuable data that criminals can use to make money.

Malicious apps that steal information are typically installed when a Mac user searches for a legitimate software product and then uses a malicious Google or Bing search ad to download an infested replica version of the software they sought. Attackers are able to deliver targeted ads for malicious software based on location, operating system, software, and search terms.

Atomic Stealer (AMOS), an information stealer that surfaced in 2023, is used regularly, and a version of AMOS referred to as Poseidon has becoming increasingly popular with criminals. Poseidon is advertised as being able to steal cryptocurrency from more than 160 wallets as well as passwords from web browsers and select password managers. Poseidon downloads have masqueraded as legitimate Mac apps like the Arc Browser, tricking unsuspecting Mac users into installing the malware.

Malwarebytes warns that macOS stealers like Poseidon allow criminals to access sensitive resources, steal credentials, and create convincing social engineering attacks.

To avoid this kind of attack, it is important to verify where software is being downloaded from, ensuring that it comes from a legitimate developer and not an imitation website.

Disney+ lost 700,000 subscribers worldwide in recent months, according to Disney's earnings results for the first quarter of 2025.

disney
Disney said it now has 124.6 million Disney+ subscribers, a decrease of 0.7 million compared to its subscriber numbers in the fourth quarter of 2024. The drop in subscribers comes after Disney+ prices increased in the fall. Disney+ with Ads went from $7.99 to $9.99, while Disney+ Ad-Free went from $13.99 to $15.99.

Disney also began cracking down on Disney+ password sharing in September, introducing a "Paid Sharing" plan in the United States, Canada, and parts of Europe. The system restricts account usage to members of a single household, ending support for use across multiple households unless the primary subscriber pays an additional fee.

Q1 2025 marked the first quarter where Disney+ lost subscribers since the service launched, but Disney CEO Bob Iger said during an earnings call discussing the results that the subscriber churn was not as bad as expected.

For the second quarter of 2025, Disney expects Disney+ subscriptions to see another decline. While Disney+ subscriptions were down, Hulu gained 1.6 million subscribers, during the quarter, reaching 53.6 million total paid subscribers.

Disney's overall revenue grew 4.8 percent during the quarter, largely thanks to Moana 2, which earned more than $1 billion in theaters.

Sonos is laying off 200 employees in an effort to streamline its product teams, reports Bloomberg. The layoffs come as Sonos continues to recover from a failed app redesign last May that alienated longtime customers.

sonos logo
Following widespread criticism over the app's buggy interface and missing features, Sonos temporarily suspended development on hardware products and focused all of its effort on app improvements. It took months for the company to add functionality that had been removed with the revamp, and revenue declined 16 percent in the fourth fiscal quarter of 2024.

Then Sonos CEO Patrick Spence penned an apology and outlined the steps Sonos was taking to fix the app in July, but he ultimately stepped down earlier this year. Spence was replaced with interim CEO Tom Conrad, who founded music service Pandora and has been a longtime Sonos board member.

Conrad told employees that Sonos has been "mired in too many layers that have made collaboration and decision-making harder than it needs to be," which is why the company is restructuring. Going forward, Sonos will have a simpler organization with groups for hardware, software, design, quality, and operations, rather than separate groups for different product categories.

Tag: Sonos

Amazon today sent out invites for an AI-focused event that will be held on February 26, and according to Reuters, the company plans to introduce its next-generation Alexa generative AI service.

echo show
Since Amazon introduced Alexa in 2014, it has become one of the most widely available voice assistants, but it has been falling behind with the proliferation of generative AI products like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini.

Revamping Alexa into a generative AI service will mark the biggest change Amazon has made to the product since its launch. Alexa will be able to hold complex, context-aware conversations with users, and will be able to handle multi-faceted requests.

Amazon is using AI models from Anthropic's Claude rather than relying solely on its in-house AI technology, as early versions of Amazon AI had trouble responding in a timely manner. Amazon initially planned to roll out the updated version of Alexa last year, but ended up pushing the debut back.

It is important for Amazon to get changes to Alexa right, because there are more than 100 million active Alexa users and over 500 million Alexa-enabled devices have been sold. Amazon is aiming to convert some of those Alexa users into paying customers, with plans to eventually charge a subscription fee for the new Alexa. At launch, Amazon will test the new Alexa with a small number of users and won't charge for it.

The new version of Amazon Alexa will come just ahead of when we are expecting Apple to begin testing a new iteration of Siri that's equipped with new Apple Intelligence capabilities. Apple says that ‌Siri‌ is going to be updated with on-screen awareness, personal context, and the ability to do more in and with apps, all of which are expected to allow ‌Siri‌ to do more for iPhone, iPad, and Mac users.

Next year, rumors suggest Apple will roll out an updated version of ‌Siri‌ trained using large language models, so ‌Siri‌ will be able to better compete with ChatGPT and chatbots.

Tags: Alexa, Amazon

Malware that includes code for reading the contents of screenshots has been found in suspicious App Store apps for the first time, according to a report from Kaspersky.

iOS App Store General Feature Desaturated
Dubbed "SparkCat," the malware includes OCR capabilities for sussing out sensitive information that an iPhone user has taken a screenshot of. The apps that Kaspersky discovered are aimed at locating recovery phrases for crypto wallets, which would allow attackers to steal bitcoin and other cryptocurrency.

The apps include a malicious module that uses an OCR plug-in created with Google's ML Kit library to recognize text found inside images on an ‌iPhone‌. When a relevant image of a crypto wallet is located, it is sent to a server accessed by the attacker.

According to Kaspersky, SparkCat has been active since around March 2024. Similar malware was discovered in 2023 that targeted Android and PC devices, but it has now spread to iOS. Kaspersky located several ‌App Store‌ apps with OCR spyware, including ComeCome, WeTink, and AnyGPT, but it is not clear if the infection was a "deliberate action by the developers" or the "result of a supply chain attack."

The infected apps ask for permission to access a user's photos after being downloaded, and if granted permission, use the OCR functionality to sort through images looking for relevant text. Several of the apps are still in the ‌App Store‌, and seem to be targeting iOS users in Europe and Asia.

While the apps are aimed at stealing crypto information, Kaspersky says that the malware is flexible enough that it could also be used to access other data captured in screenshots, like passwords. Android apps are impacted as well, including apps from the Google Play Store, but iOS users often expect their devices to be malware resistant.

Apple checks over every app in the ‌App Store‌, and a malicious app marks a failure of Apple's app review process. In this case, there does not appear to be an obvious indication of a trojan in the app, and the permissions that it requests appear to be needed for core functionality.

Kaspersky suggests that users should avoid storing screenshots with sensitive information like crypto wallet recovery phases in their Photo Library to stay safe from this kind of attack.

A full list of iOS frameworks that are infected is available on the Kaspersky website, along with more information about the malware.

Google today announced updates to Gemini, the company's AI product that competes with OpenAI's ChatGPT, DeepSeek, and Apple Intelligence.

gemini flash
Starting today, Gemini app users can access Google's 2.0 Flash Thinking Experimental model, which is trained to break down prompts into a series of steps to improve its reasoning capabilities. The new model shows its reasoning process, giving users insight into why it responds the way that it does.

There is a version of 2.0 Flash Thinking that is able to interact with apps that include YouTube, Search, and Google Maps, with Google working to determine how the new reasoning capabilities can help users do more with Google apps.

An experimental version of Gemini 2.0 Pro is also now available, and Google says it is the best model yet for coding performance and answering complex prompts. Gemini 2.0 Pro is available in Google AI Studio, Vertex AI, and the Gemini app for Gemini Advanced subscribers.

A Gemini 2.0 Flash-Lite model is available for Google AI Studio as well, and Google says that it is the most cost-efficient model to date.

Gemini 2.0 Flash Thinking Experimental and 2.0 Pro Experimental are rolling out to the Gemini web and mobile app. They can be selected in the Gemini dropdown menu when interacting with the AI.

Tags: Gemini, Google

Apple hasn't refreshed the Apple TV since 2022, but rumors suggest that we're finally going to get an update in 2025. We don't have a full picture of what to expect yet, but we have some hints on what's coming.

Updated A-Series Chip

The current ‌Apple TV‌ 4K uses the A15 Bionic chip that was in the iPhone 13 lineup, and it's time for an update. Apple doesn't design chips specifically for the ‌Apple TV‌, and it instead uses chips from the ‌iPhone‌.

If Apple wants to bring Apple Intelligence features to the ‌Apple TV‌, the next-generation model will have the A17 Pro or better along with at least 8GB RAM.

‌Apple Intelligence‌ makes sense for the ‌Apple TV‌ given that part of ‌Apple Intelligence‌ is a new, smarter version of Siri. ‌Siri‌ has always been a specific focus on the ‌Apple TV‌, with Apple encouraging users to ask ‌Siri‌ to find content to watch.

The A17 Pro would also allow for higher-quality console-style games because it supports hardware-accelerated ray tracing. The ‌iPhone‌ and iPad can support console games like Resident Evil 4 and Death Stranding, and those games are also likely to be playable on the next ‌Apple TV‌.

Wi-Fi 6E

Apple is expected to use a custom Bluetooth and Wi-Fi chip for the ‌‌Apple TV‌‌ 4K. The chip will support Wi-Fi 6E, which will allow the ‌‌Apple TV‌‌ to connect to faster 6GHz networks when available.

Right now, Apple offers both a Wi-Fi only ‌‌Apple TV‌‌ 4K and a Wi-Fi + Ethernet model, and that could continue with the next-generation model. We could also see the next ‌‌Apple TV‌‌ adopt Bluetooth 5.3.

The ‌‌Apple TV‌‌ is expected to continue to offer Thread integration and support for Matter when used as a home hub for smart home products. Wi-Fi 6E could theoretically improve connectivity for smart home products because the 6GHz band typically has reduced signal interference and more bandwidth.

Design

It's looking like Apple has no plans to redesign the ‌Apple TV‌. We're not expecting form factor updates, and the next-generation ‌Apple TV‌ will continue to feature the same slimmed-down black plastic body that the current model uses.

Pricing

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has been saying that Apple might debut a cheaper ‌Apple TV‌, and that under $100 would be the "sweet spot." Apple may lower prices on the new model, but it's more likely that the current version will stick around and be sold at a discount.

The current ‌Apple TV‌ starts at $129 for 64GB of storage.

Launch Date

We're expecting the ‌Apple TV‌ to see a refresh sometime in late 2025, likely in September or October.

Related Roundup: Apple TV
Buyer's Guide: Apple TV (Don't Buy)

Apple this week added parts and tools for all M4 Macs to its self-service repair store in the U.S. and many European countries. This includes parts for MacBook Pro, iMac, and Mac mini models with M4, M4 Pro, and/or M4 Max chips.

m3 mbp space black
Since launching in 2022, Apple's self-service repair program has given customers access to the same genuine Apple parts, tools, and manuals used by the Genius Bar at Apple Stores and at Apple Authorized Service Providers, allowing for do-it-yourself repairs. Repair manuals for M4 Macs are available on Apple's website.

Depending on the model, repair parts that can be ordered for M4 Macs include displays, logic boards, speakers, trackpads, top cases with a keyboard and battery, SSD modules, USB-C ports, fans, Wi-Fi antennas, and more.

The self-service repair store also offers parts for various iPhone models and the Studio Display, as well as replacement batteries for the Beats Pill speaker. Apple says the program is "intended for individuals who are experienced with the complexities of repairing electronic devices," and the repair manuals include important safety information.

Related Roundups: iMac, MacBook Pro, Mac mini
Related Forums: iMac, MacBook Pro, Mac mini

Amazon today has up to $175 off a collection of Apple's M4 iMac computers, and it's matching a few all-time low prices on multiple models. The cheapest M4 iMac available is the 8-core/16GB RAM/256GB 24-inch iMac at $1,149.99 with an on-page coupon, down from $1,299.00.

Apple iMac M4 hero featureNote: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

You'll also find the 512GB models on sale, and each configuration has multiple colors available at these discounts. For the steepest markdown, Amazon has the 10-core/24GB RAM/512GB 24-inch iMac for $1,724.00 in Blue, down from $1,899.00.

Note: You won't see the deal price until checkout.

Some of these deals will require you to clip an on-page coupon in order to see the final deal price at checkout. This is mainly regarding the entry-level 8-core/256GB iMac, but a few color options from the other configurations will also require a coupon to be clipped.

If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.


Deals Newsletter

Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find in 2025? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!

Related Roundup: Apple Deals

Apple's latest macOS Sequoia 15.3 update appears to have resolved a bug that prevented popular backup utility SuperDuper from creating bootable backups, according to developer Dave Nanian.

superduper macos
The fix addresses an issue introduced in macOS 15.2 that caused SuperDuper to fail during the final stages of creating bootable backups due to a "Resource Busy" error when attempting to copy system preboot or recovery files.

Apple requires third-party apps to use Apple's own replication tools rather than directly copying the operating system. When these tools malfunctioned in macOS 15.2, it directly impacted SuperDuper's ability to create bootable backups.

"macOS 15.3 is now out, and with it, a fix for the broken replicator," Nanian wrote on his Shirt Pocket Watch blog. "As such, macOS copying will work again with 'Erase, then copy' backups."

However, Nanian cautions that while the specific replicator bug has been fixed, this doesn't guarantee that booting from backup copies will work in all situations. This is largely due to changes that Apple has made in macOS and recent Mac hardware in the name of enhanced security.

For example, Apple Silicon Macs require that the internal SSD remains functional for external booting to work, meaning a Mac with a failed internal drive won't boot from a SuperDuper backup, even if the backup itself is perfectly intact.

Apple has begun mass production of its next-generation M5 chip, according to South Korean media, with the processor expected to arrive in devices potentially as soon as this year.

apple silicon mac lineup 2024 feature purple m5
ET News reports that Apple began packaging the M5 chip last month. Packaging is the final step in semiconductor manufacturing after fabrication, and involves the process of protecting the chip and enabling electrical connections with other devices or components.

Apple outsources to TSMC the front-end manufacturing phase of fabricating the chips on silicon wafers. Now that fabrication is underway, the packaging is being handled by OSAT (Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test) companies including Taiwan's ASE Group, America's Amkor, and China's JCET. According to the report, ASE was the first to begin mass production, while Amkor and JCET are expected to follow sequentially.

The initial production run is said to be for the base M5 model, rather than Apple's more advanced M5 Pro, M5 Max, and M5 Ultra processors. The OSAT companies mentioned above are said to be currently investing in additional facilities to support the mass production of the high-end models.

The M5 series is expected to feature an enhanced ARM architecture and is reportedly being manufactured using TSMC's advanced 3-nanometer process technology. Apple's decision to forgo TSMC's more advanced 2nm process for the M5 chip is believed to be due to cost considerations. However, the high-end versions of the M5 will still feature significant advancements over their M4 equivalents, mainly through the adoption of TSMC's System on Integrated Chip (SoIC) technology.

This 3D chip-stacking approach vertically stacks the chips, which enhances thermal management and reduces electrical leakage compared to traditional 2D designs. Apple is said to have expanded its cooperation with TSMC on the next-generation hybrid SoIC package, which also combines thermoplastic carbon fiber composite molding technology.

The first device to be equipped with the M5 chip is expected to be a new iPad Pro, which will enter mass production in late 2025, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

Assuming Apple maintains its typical upgrade cycle for its custom silicon, here are the devices we're expecting to benefit in chronological order:

  • iPad Pro: M5 chips could debut in the devices in late 2025 or early-to-mid 2026.
  • MacBook Pro: Models featuring M5 series chips are anticipated in late 2025.
  • MacBook Air: M5 variants will likely arrive in early 2026.
  • Apple Vision Pro: An updated version of the headset incorporating the M5 chip is expected between the fall of 2025 and spring of 2026.

References to what are believed to be Apple's M5 chip have already been discovered in official Apple code. According to one report, thanks to its dual-use SoIC design, Apple also plans to deploy the M5 chip within its AI server infrastructure to bolster AI capabilities across both consumer devices and cloud services.

Threads is rolling out the ability for users to share custom feeds they've made, the social media platform announced on Tuesday.

instagram threads app
"Shared feeds are a new way for you to connect with people around similar interests and find profiles and conversations that are relevant to you," said the Meta-owned company in a newsroom post.

The change means that users will be able to explore public feeds under a new Feeds tab on profiles, and pin feeds they like for quick access to their favorite people and topics.

Before custom feeds can be shared, they must be made public. This can be done by tapping and holding a feed, selecting "Edit feeds," and then toggling on the switch next to "Public feed."

Once that's done, you can share the custom feed in the following way: Tap and hold the feed you've created at the top of the Threads app, then tap "Edit feeds." Next, tap "View feed," and then either use the quote icon to post a preview of the feed, or use the "Share feed" button to send the feed as a link or direct message.

01 Creating Shared Feed Caoursel 2
Threads first rolled out custom feeds in November. Note that the ability to share custom feeds is still in the process of rolling out, so you may not see it immediately, depending on your location.

Tag: Threads

OpenAI has announced a couple of new ChatGPT features for WhatsApp users, adding support for voice messages and image-based interactions when communicated with the chat bot via the Meta-owned chat platform.

Whatsapp Feature
Users can now send voice messages or upload images directly in their WhatsApp conversations with the AI assistant, said OpenAI in a post on Twitter (X), although ChatGPT will continue to respond exclusively to WhatsApp users through text.

To access ChatGPT on WhatsApp, you'll need to add the number 1-800-CHAT-GPT (1-800-242-8478) to your contacts. The service then functions similarly to the web-based ChatGPT, but with the convenience of the WhatsApp interface.

The expansion builds upon the initial WhatsApp integration launched in December 2024, which was limited to text-based interactions. OpenAI also plans to introduce account linking functionality that will allow users to connect their existing ChatGPT accounts — whether Free, Plus, or Pro — where they can keep tabs on their chat history and get more usage out of the service in Meta's app.


Any US phone number can contact ChatGPT and get 15 minutes of response time for free without an OpenAI account, but downloading the app and creating an account allows for additional call time.

Apple could be facing a potential Chinese antitrust investigation into its App Store policies and developer fees, reports Bloomberg.

App Store Blue Banner Chinese Flag Feature
China's State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) is said to have been critically examining Apple's practices and holding discussions with the company since last year, specifically about its 30% commission on in-app purchases and restrictions on external payment services, according to the outlet's sources.

Chinese regulators are said to be particularly focused on whether Apple's fees for local developers are unreasonably high. They're also examining if the company's prohibition of third-party app stores and payment methods stifles competition and negatively impacts Chinese consumers. "If Apple resists making changes, the government may launch a formal investigation," Bloomberg's sources said.

The conversations are said to stem from long-running disputes between Apple and developers such as Tencent and ByteDance. A report in August said Apple had been putting pressure on them to make significant changes to two of China's most popular apps in order to remove loopholes that circumvent Apple's typical 30% commission.

The regulatory scrutiny comes at a time of escalating tensions between the United States and China. Just this week, SAMR announced a formal investigation into Google's practices moments after new US tariffs on Chinese goods took effect.

Apple's position in China is particularly delicate. The country serves as the primary manufacturing base for iPhones and is Apple's largest market outside the United States. It's also having to compete with increasingly confident local rivals like Huawei, with Apple reporting an 11% decline in revenue from China over the holiday quarter.

Apple is no stranger to regulatory scrutiny and has already had to implement a series of changes to avoid fines and other penalties elsewhere, including revamping its store practices in the European Union to comply with the Digital Markets Act.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Sonos is developing a high-end streaming set-top box that's expected to launch this year, reports The Verge. While any set-top box will compete with the Apple TV, Sonos plans to price its upcoming device at $200 to $400, which would make it notably more expensive than the ‌Apple TV‌.

sonos logo
According to The Verge, the hardware is a nondescript black box that's slightly thicker than a deck of cards, with an included remote control. It'll run a version of Android, but Sonos has developed a "beautiful" interface.

The set-top box will offer content from Netflix, Max, Disney Plus, and other streaming services in a unified software experience that supports universal search. Sonos is said to be aiming to reduce the fragmentation of the streaming ecosystem, and the set-top box will be equipped with Sonos Voice Control. Apple has tried to do something similar, and Siri is able to provide content suggestions from a range of services.

Sonos' set-top box will double as an HDMI switch and it has HDMI ports with passthrough functionality. Users will be able to plug in gaming consoles, soundbars, and other devices. The device solves a latency problem that has long annoyed Sonos, and it will prevent TVs from experiencing audio sync delays with Sonos-branded soundbars.

For Sonos users who have Sonos speakers but not a soundbar, the set-top box will allow for the configuration of a surround sound system with Sonos devices. It will also support Wi-Fi 7 and offer gigabit ethernet.

Sonos struggled in 2024 after a disastrous app launch that ultimately led to Sonos CEO Patrick Spence stepping down, so the company needs a win in 2025 to restore its reputation. Sonos did not have much luck with its Sonos Ace headphones that came out around the time the app was refreshed, but the Arc Ultra Soundbar that launched late last year received better reviews.

Tag: Sonos

Nomad today announced the launch of a unique cable that isn't quite like anything else on the market. The Universal Cable for Apple Watch includes a built-in Apple Watch fast charging puck along with two USB-C connectors.

nomad apple watch cable
Priced at $100, the 1.5 meter cable is able to charge an Apple Watch and another device like an iPhone or iPad at the same time. It is a 100W USB-C PD cable, so it provides a small amount of power (8W) for the Apple Watch with the rest (92W) distributed to the other device that's plugged in. 100W is enough to charge even Apple's 16-inch MacBook Pro, as long as you have an appropriate power adapter.

The Apple Watch end of the cable can be plugged in at a power adapter or it can be used for device charging, so there are two layout options to choose from. Apple's most recent AirPods can charge from an Apple Watch charger, which adds more versatility. Note that transfer speeds are limited to USB 2 because the cable is designed for charging rather than data transfer.

The cable has a double-braided Kevlar outer weave and it uses electroplated metal connectors for durability. There's also an integrated silicone cable tie to keep the cable neat even when traveling.

The Universal Cable for Apple Watch can be purchased from the Nomad website for $100.

Samsung has been making foldable smartphones since 2019, but we have yet to see a foldable iPhone from Apple. Rumors suggest that Apple's first folding ‌iPhone‌ could come out in 2026 or 2027, but by then, Samsung will be even further ahead in foldable device development.

huawei tri fold smartphoneHuawei's tri-fold Mate XT Ultimate

Right now, Samsung has the Galaxy Fold and the Galaxy Flip, which fold in different ways. The Galaxy Fold is larger and unfolds horizontally like a book, while the Flip has a vertical fold. According to rumors, Samsung is working on yet another foldable, this one with a tri-fold design.

Samsung's tri-fold device has been rumored for quite some time, and Samsung even teased it as a "multi-fold" device at its Unpacked event, but more information about the device came out this week. As noted by GSMArena, it's looking like Samsung could call it the Galaxy G Fold, which would make it a new product line distinct from the current Z Fold models.

The tri-fold smartphone is expected to fold out into a 10-inch screen, which would make it significantly better than the current Z Fold6 flagship foldable smartphone from Samsung. The Z Fold6 is 7.6 inches when it's opened up, while the Z Flip6 is 6.7 inches unfolded.

Samsung won't have the first tri-fold smartphone on the market, because Huawei has already released the Mate XT Ultimate. You can't get Huawei's device in the United States, though, and it costs $2,800, so Samsung will be first to a tri-fold smartphone in markets outside of China.

Samsung typically announces new foldable smartphones around July, and it's looking like we could see the tri-fold smartphone unveiled this year ahead of a launch in early 2026.

If Samsung's tri-fold smartphone launches in early 2026, it will beat any Apple foldable to market, since the earliest we expect to see an Apple foldable is 2026.

As of 2024, Apple was supposedly working on a foldable ‌iPhone‌ with a design similar to the Galaxy Z Flip, which means a vertical fold. Such a device would likely be similar in size to the iPhone 16 Pro Max, but with an option to fold it in half to make for a more compact size.