Tech News Weekly 395: Galaxy Unpacked: Folds & Flips – Detailed Summary

Release Date: July 10, 2025

Hosts: Micah Sargent & Dan Morin
Guest: Joe Supan (CNET)

1. Apple Rumors: A18 Pro MacBook & iPhone 17 Air

The episode kicks off with Dan Morin delving into the latest Apple rumors. He discusses the intriguing possibility of Apple releasing a MacBook powered by the A18 Pro chip, typically reserved for iPhones.

• Dan Morin explains, “The A18 Pro is an iPhone chip, and integrating it into a MacBook could be a strategic move for Apple to reduce production costs while leveraging their scalable iPhone chip manufacturing” (02:08).

Key Points:

• Cost Efficiency: Utilizing the widely produced A18 Pro could lower manufacturing costs compared to the older M1 chips.
• Market Targeting: A more affordable MacBook variant could attract budget-conscious consumers and educational institutions.
• Performance Trade-offs: Potential limitations might include the absence of Thunderbolt ports and reduced graphics performance, yet maintaining competitive power levels.

Micah Sargent probes into Apple's strategy of introducing lower-powered products without compromising the brand's premium image. Dan Morin draws parallels with Apple's iPhone SE series, suggesting that Apple might emphasize value rather than raw performance to appeal to a broader market (07:31).

2. Samsung Galaxy Unpacked: Foldable Phones and Smartwatches

Following the Apple discussion, the hosts transition to Samsung's recent Galaxy Unpacked event. Micah Sargent provides a comprehensive overview of the announcements, focusing on Samsung's advancements in foldable technology and smartwatches.

Highlighted Announcements:

• Galaxy Z Fold 7:

  • Design Enhancements: Thinner and lighter at 8.9mm, weighing 215 grams.
  • Display & Durability: An 8-inch screen with a new flex hinge and titanium frame, eliminating the S Pen to achieve slimness.
  • Performance Upgrades: Powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip and a larger battery.
  • Camera System: Features a 200-megapixel main sensor with updated selfie cameras (16:00).

• Galaxy Z Flip 7:

  • Display Improvements: Thinner bezels and an edge-to-edge flex window with 2,600 nits brightness.
  • AI Integration: Introduces Galaxy AI features like Now Bar and Now Brief for real-time information updates.
  • Pricing: Starts at $1,100, with a more affordable Flip 7 FE option at $900 (23:56).

• Galaxy Watch 8 & Watch 8 Classic:

  • New Features: Thinner design, brighter AMOLED display at 3,000 nits, and an antioxidant measurer for health insights.
  • Classic Edition: Reintroduces the rotating bezel available exclusively in the 46mm size.

Discussion Highlights:

• Dan Morin expresses skepticism about the practicality of features like antioxidant measurement, questioning their reliability and user engagement (24:56).
• Micah Sargent and Dan Morin debate the utility of foldable phones, contemplating their durability and the actual user benefits versus added thickness when folded (26:11).

3. Ethical Concerns with AI: Obituary Impersonation

The episode features an in-depth interview with Joe Supan from CNET, who discusses the troubling phenomenon of AI bots generating fake obituaries using scraped personal data.

Key Insights:

• Incident Overview: Joe shares a personal story where his sister's obituary was replicated by AI bots on multiple platforms within hours of her passing, containing inaccuracies and insensitive information (33:16).

  "The pages would really allude to a tragic cause of death or something. So I can imagine for many families it's like, wait, that's not what happened." – Joe Supan (36:24)

• Ethical Implications: The misuse of personal data raises significant ethical concerns, including emotional distress and the spread of misinformation.

• Lack of Regulation: Joe points out the difficulty in pursuing legal action against these websites due to the limited rights of deceased individuals concerning defamation and copyright (40:14).

• Platform Responsibility: Both Google and Facebook acknowledge the issue and are taking steps to remove fraudulent obituaries, but the problem persists due to the transient nature of these malicious sites (42:06).

Conclusion: The discussion underscores the urgent need for better safeguards against AI misuse, especially in sensitive areas like personal obituaries.

4. AI Browser Wars: Perplexity's Comet vs. OpenAI's Chromium-Based Browser

The final segment explores the emerging competition in the AI-enhanced browser market, focusing on Perplexity's Comet and the rumored OpenAI browser.

Perplexity's Comet:

• AI Integration: Replaces the traditional address bar with an AI chat interface, allowing users to interact with the web more intuitively.

• Features: Users can summarize articles, draft emails, manage calendars, and navigate sites using AI assistance.

  "Comet replaces the traditional address bar with an AI chat box that is powered by Perplexity's assistant." – Micah Sargent (46:46)

• Operating System Ambition: Perplexity's CEO envisions Comet as a browser that functions more like an operating system, integrating deeply with user data (51:50).

OpenAI's Chromium-Based Browser:

• AI Agents: Designed to deploy AI agents that perform tasks such as booking travel, filling forms, and summarizing content.

• Development Team: OpenAI has recruited engineers from Google Chrome to enhance the browser's integration and performance.

  "The browser will leverage OpenAI's agent-like AI model and perform those features on behalf of the user." – Micah Sargent (51:50)

Discussion Highlights:

• Data Privacy Concerns: Both browsers aim to collect richer behavioral data by integrating AI more deeply into the browsing experience, raising questions about user privacy and data usage.
• Market Impact: These AI-first browsers could challenge established players like Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and Apple Safari by offering more personalized and interactive browsing experiences.

Conclusion: The AI browser race represents a significant shift in how users interact with the web, blending traditional browsing with advanced AI functionalities to create more seamless and intelligent user experiences.

Final Thoughts

Throughout the episode, the hosts and guest provide insightful analyses into the evolving technology landscape, from hardware innovations and market strategies to the ethical dilemmas posed by AI advancements. Notably, the discussions emphasize the delicate balance between technological progress and the responsibility to protect user data and well-being.

Notable Quotes:

• Dan Morin: “Apple might want to phase out those M1 chips... an A18 Pro powered MacBook might produce some cost savings.” (02:08)
• Joe Supan: “It's a wild west situation... the responsibility really lies with the platforms that people are finding them on.” (42:06)
• Micah Sargent: “These AI-first browsers are a fundamental shift where you don't just have the tab that has the AI system in it but instead working as the viewport into the vast Internet.” (53:55)

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