The Razr is one of the brand’s most iconic mobile phones and was first launched by Motorola in 2004. It became one of the most popular flip phones of the 2000s.

Motorola revived the Razr brand in a new foldable form in 2020, becoming one of the first smartphone makers to launch a device with a bendable screen.

The Razr retains its folding feature. But instead of a hinge, like the original device, the screen can bend, allowing the phone to fold.

Lenovo CEO Yuanqing Yang told CNBC Wednesday in an interview at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, that reception to the Razr “is good” and that Motorola will launch the next version of the foldable phone “very soon.”

“I think it’s much better,” Yang said of the yet unlaunched device.

He provided very few details but said that improvements would focus on the hinge and the applications on the device. Smartphone makers from Samsung to Honor that have launched foldable phones have focused on the hinge to make sure it is robust and also does not produce a line in the screen of the device. Yang said this is where the next generation of Razr phone would see improvements. Over the last few weeks, a number of players have launched foldable smartphones for the global market including Chinese vendors Honor and Oppo.

Foldable devices accounted for only 1.1% of total smartphone shipments in 2022, according to research firm IDC, and are only expected to increase to 2.8% in 2026. But they are seen by electronics makers as a way to push in to the higher end of the smartphone market.

Yang said that the prices of foldables are quite high at the moment but will reduce in the future which could make the market bigger.

“When the technology becomes mature, then the price could go down then you can drive higher volume,” the Lenovo CEO said.

Motorola is known for experimenting with different shapes of smartphones. At MWC, the company showed off a so-called “rollable” smartphone where the display rolls up.

The Find N2 Flip marks Oppo’s push to make a dent in the premium segment of the smartphone market and in the nascent foldable phone category.

The Find N2 Flip, which was launched Wednesday, folds in the middle like a traditional flip phone and boasts two screens. The main continuous 6.8-inch display is visible when the device is open and can connect to next-generation 5G mobile networks. There is a second display on the outside of the phone when the device is folded, which Oppo touts as the “largest cover screen of its kind.”

The company said the phone can withstand more than 400,000 folds and unfolds at standard room temperature, which it equates to opening and closing the device around 100 times a day for more than 10 years.

The foldable phone category, which was pioneered by Samsung, is still in the early stages. Shipments of foldables accounted for only 1.1% of total smartphone shipments in 2022, according to IDC, and are expected to increase to just 2.8% in 2026.

“I think there’s this kind of tricky thing with foldables: they’re all lovely, everyone is excited by them, but do we really know how big the market is?” Ben Wood, chief of research at CCS Insight, told CNBC via phone.

“I’m positive about the foldable iPad in 2024 and expect this new model will boost shipments and improve the product mix,” Kuo wrote on Twitter.

Kuo’s prediction aligns with a report from analyst firm CCS Insight, which wrote in October that Apple would launch a foldable iPad before it launches a foldable iPhone.

Several other manufacturers, including Lenovo and Samsung, make laptops or phones with full-size foldable displays. Apple has so far shied away from taking advantage of OLED technology in the same way. Rival Samsung has released multiple foldable phones, but Apple has maintained the rectangular shape of the iPhone since its launch.

“Right now it doesn’t make sense for Apple to make a foldable iPhone. We think they will shun that trend and probably dip a toe in the water with a foldable iPad,” Ben Wood, chief of research at CCS Insight, told CNBC in a 2022 interview.

In 2021, Kuo had predicted the release of a foldable iPhone in 2024, the same year he now predicts a foldable iPad to launch instead.

Kuo said he expects a foldable iPad to feature a carbon fiber kickstand sourced from Chinese manufacturer Anjie Technology.

A representative for Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Kuo is one of the most prolific and respected Apple analysts. The analyst has predicted multiple details on the iPhone SE 3, the 2021 MacBook Pro, and numerous iPad releases that have been substantiated at launch. Most recently, Kuo predicted a delayed launch for Apple’s highly anticipated mixed reality headset.

ShrimpApplePro clarified that the next-generation “Pro” iPhone models will still have flat displays, since only the bezels are to be curved. According to a source speaking to the leaker, this combination of slimmer bezels and curved edges could result in a look similar to the Apple Watch Series 7 and Series 8.

The curved front glass will purportedly also be present on the ‌iPhone 15‌ and ‌iPhone 15‌ Plus’s design, but these devices will not have thinner bezels compared to their iPhone 14 predecessors. ShrimpApplePro added that the ‌iPhone 15‌ lineup will feature the same display sizes as last year’s ‌iPhone 14‌ lineup.

Last year, the leaker was among the first to say that the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro models will have a titanium frame with curved rear edges. ShrimpApplePro has developed a good track record for revealing accurate information about Apple’s plans, so their claims are worth taking seriously.

How to install iOS 16.3

iOS 16.3 and iPadOS 16.3 are available to all iPhone and iPad models starting today. You can update by heading to the Settings app, choosing General, and then choosing Software Update. If you don’t see the update right away, be sure to keep checking as it can sometimes take a few minutes to hit every iPhone and iPad. The updates are expected to be available to everyone within the hour.

Once you begin the installation process, your iPhone or iPad will download the update, then prompt you to reboot your device to finish the process. Keep in mind your device will be unusable while it reboots to install the update.

Apple is also rolling out iOS 15.7.3 for older iPhones that do not support iOS 16, as well as iOS 12.5.7 for devices that do not support iOS 13 or newer.

What’s new in iOS 16.3?

Here are the new features in iOS 16.3:

• New Unity wallpaper honors Black history and culture in celebration of Black History Month
• Security Keys for Apple ID allow users to strengthen the security of their account by requiring a physical security key as part of the two factor authentication sign in process on new devices
• Support for HomePod (2nd generation)
• Emergency SOS calls now require holding the side button with the up or down volume button and then releasing in order to prevent inadvertent emergency calls

The update also includes some bug fixes and improvements for iPhone users:

• Fixes an issue in Freeform where some drawing strokes created with Apple Pencil or your finger may not appear on shared boards
• Addresses an issue where the wallpaper may appear black on the Lock Screen
• Fixes an issue where horizontal lines may temporarily appear while waking up iPhone 14 Pro Max
• Fixes an issue where the Home Lock Screen widget does not accurately display Home app status
• Addresses an issue where Siri may not respond properly to music requests
• Resolves issues where Siri requests in CarPlay may not be understood correctly

The way Apple’s products seamlessly connect to one another has helped it become the world’s second-largest smartphone maker and the top seller of smartwatches and wireless earbuds. The launch of Media Notifications is Google’s latest attempt to show that products don’t have to be made by the same company to work together. Google has been moving towards this goal for years by introducing features like Phone Hub, Nearby Share and Fast Pair. Additions like these have become all the more important now that Android and iOS have staked a larger presence in our cars, our ears and on our wrists.

“This is an ongoing investment,” Erik Kay, Google’s vice president of engineering for Android, said to CNET exclusively ahead of CES. “We get to the point where pretty much any feature that shows up on the phone or shows up on a watch is going to inherently be a multi-device feature over time.”

Spotify and YouTube Music will be among the first apps to be compatible with Media Notifications. Google is also working with Spotify to make it possible to manage playback between Spotify Connect devices in Android 13’s new media player — another move to improve consistency across Android devices.

Google has not yet said when either of these updates will launch, nor has it said which products Media Notifications will be compatible with. But since the goal is to make moving between devices easier, Google says users likely won’t have to do any legwork in the settings menu to enable Media Notifications. Prompts should just appear automatically as you move closer to a compatible device.

“That all happens naturally through little nudges and prompts in the user interface,” Kay said when describing how Media Notifications will work.

Media Notifications won’t require ultra wideband, a connectivity protocol that’s made its way into new premium smartphones over the past three to four years, because it relies on signals from various sources like Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. But it will likely work more accurately if you’re using a UWB-enabled device, according to Kay. Since UWB can provide precise proximity calculations, its presence in phones improves tasks like sharing files and content between devices and digital car key functionality. It’s also the same technology Apple uses to point you in the right direction of a lost AirTag.

“UWB is something we’re pretty excited about,” said Kay. “But it is one of these things that’s going to take a long time for it to really get ubiquitous in the market.”

Google’s announcements come after Apple has been gradually adding new connectivity features to its ecosystem of iPhones, iPads, AirPods, Apple Watches and Macs. Apple brought the ability to swap FaceTime calls between your iPhone, iPad and Mac in its most recent operating system updates, for example. The ability to transfer audio from your iPhone to the HomePod Mini based on proximity was also a standout feature when Apple introduced its miniature speaker in 2021.

But unlike Apple, Google isn’t using features like Media Notifications to push its first party hardware. Instead, Google wants to make swapping between Android devices feel consistent and easy whether you’re using products from Google, Samsung, JBL or any of its other partners.

It’s a goal that Google must balance alongside promoting its own Pixel devices, which only account for a sliver of the global smartphone market. You may be wondering why Google doesn’t just keep features like Media Notifications exclusive to its Pixel phones, Pixel earbuds and Nest smart home devices to make its devices stand out within the Android landscape. If Google wants to emulate Apple’s ecosystem approach, that would certainly be one way to do so.

The answer is simple: Improvements like these are only useful if they’re available everywhere.

“Every feature you build is a network effect feature, so it depends on there being a wide variety of devices to support the feature,” Kay said. “So if you build something [and] try to make it exclusive to one device, or one partner, or even our first party things, it’s not going to be as successful because there’s not as many devices for it to work with.”

As smartwatches and wireless earbuds have grown more popular, phone makers like Apple and Samsung have increasingly focused on these ancillary products as complementary selling points for their smartphones. Global shipments of smartwatches grew 13% year-over-year in 2022, according to Counterpoint Research, while Canalys reports that true wireless earbuds were the only personal audio category to show growth in the third quarter of 2022. Google is the latest smartphone maker to jump on that bandwagon and launched its first smartwatch, the Pixel Watch, in October, Google plans to introduce a new Pixel tablet next year.

Making watches, earbuds and smart home devices work together more seamlessly isn’t just about convenience. Some experts believe that accessories like these will play a big role in the smartphone’s future as annual phone upgrades feel incremental.

“The next quest for the smartphone is to figure out what it will connect to next,” Runar Bjørhovde, an analyst with market research firm Canalys, said in a previous interview for a separate story. “Because the smartphone has not necessarily reached its potential yet, but as a standalone device I think the smartphone is getting closer and closer to the edge.”

Young has previously mentioned new OLED ‌iPad Pro‌ models planned for 2024, but this is the first time that we’ve heard about updated 11.1 and 13-inch display sizes. With larger 11.1 and 13-inch screen sizes planned for the OLED ‌iPad Pro‌ models, we could see slimmed down bezels rather than an overall change in the size of the device.

At the current time, Apple sells a 12.9-inch mini-LED ‌iPad Pro‌ and an 11-inch ‌iPad Pro‌ with a traditional LCD display, as mini-LED has continued to be reserved for the higher-end ‌iPad Pro‌ model. With the 2024 update, Apple could return to feature parity between the two ‌iPad Pro‌ models.

Apple refreshed the 11 and 12.9-inch ‌iPad Pro‌ models in October 2022, adding the M2 chip, so it would not be a surprise not to see another update until 2024. It is not yet clear if there is an intermediate update coming ahead of the transition to OLED, but Apple does not have plans to release a mini-LED 11-inch ‌iPad Pro‌, and will instead move directly to OLED for the smaller tablet.

Other sources like The Elec and DigiTimes have confirmed that Apple is developing OLED panels for larger devices like iPads and MacBook models, and the technology is expected to be ready in 2024.

Young previously said that Apple would introduce a 14.1-inch ‌iPad Pro‌ in 2023, but he walked that back today and said that such a device is no longer in the works. That said, larger iPads are still a future possibility, as The Information believes Apple is designing a 16-inch iPad and Bloomberg has confirmed Apple’s interest in bigger iPads.

Interestingly, Google plans to launch foldable devices as well, including a clamshell foldable and a side-by-side foldable, which will go directly against the Galaxy Z Flip and the Galaxy Z Fold series. It means that Samsung will not only have to compete with Google on the non-foldable smartphone front but also in the foldable smartphone realm in the coming years.

Google is planning to launch two smartphones in April/May 2023. One of them will be the Pixel 7A, which is codenamed ‘Lynx.’ This phone, as you might have guessed, will be a more affordable alternative to the Pixel 7. According to the report, the Pixel 7A will have the same price as the Pixel 6A: $449.

The second device will be the Pixel Fold, a side-by-side foldable smartphone similar to the Galaxy Z Fold 4. This device is codenamed ‘Felix,’ and according to the report, will be priced at $1,799, which will put it in direct competition with the Galaxy Z Fold lineup. Unfortunately, details about its specs are scarce at the moment.

Pixel 8 series is coming in H2 2023

Around the fall of 2023, Google plans to launch the Pixel 8 lineup. Similar to this year’s Pixels, the Pixel 8 will have two devices, the Pixel 8, which is codenamed ‘Shiba,’ and the Pixel 8 Pro, which is codenamed ‘Husky.’

While the Pixel 8 Pro will have a similar screen size and dimensions as the Pixel 7 Pro, Google will reportedly shrink the screen size and overall form factor of the Pixel 8, which means that it could go directly against the Galaxy S23. Both the Pixel 8 series phones are said to feature a chipset codenamed ‘Puma,’ and you can expect Google to market this SoC as Tensor G3.

Google may or may not launch Pixel 8A in H1 2024

In the first half of 2024, we could see the launch of Pixel 8A, which is codenamed ‘Akita.’ However, Google might launch this smartphone only if it sees good success with the Pixel 7A. Else, the company may scrap the plan to launch the device.

Seemingly, Google is also thinking of launching Pixel A-series smartphones once every two years rather than launching one every year. If the brand does launch the Pixel 8A, it will reportedly be priced at $499, which will be $50 costlier thane its predecessor.

Pixel 9 series could arrive in H2 2024 with three phones

The Pixel 9 series will reportedly arrive in the fall of 2024, and interestingly, it will have three phones, and this lineup would look like Apple’s iPhone series.

There will be the Pixel 9, which will be similar to the iPhone 14. Then there will be the Pixel 9 Pro—codenamed ‘Caiman’— like the iPhone 14 Pro. The third device—codenamed ‘Komodo’—will be in the league of the iPhone 14 Pro Max. All three phones would come with the ‘Redondo’ chipset, and Google will most likely call it the Tensor G4.

Along with it, Google could also launch a successor to the Pixel Fold. Reportedly, it would get specific about the second-gen foldable only after seeing consumer response for the ‘Felix.’

Galaxy Z Flip rival from Google could come in 2025

Google’s 2025 lineup of smartphones could heavily be influenced by the success or failure of its 2023 and 2024 devices. But what’s more important is that Google is planning to launch a clamshell foldable smartphone in 2025, which could go directly against the Galaxy Z Flip series.

Google’s flip-style phone will most likely launch alongside the Pixel 10 lineup, which will have three devices. The first one would be the Pixel 10, which will be the base variant in the lineup. There will be two Pixel 10 Pro models, one with a smaller screen size and the other with a larger screen size.

That being said, Google might also drop its plan to launch a clamshell Pixel phone, and in that case, the company could launch four non-foldable pixel phones, which would include the Pixel 10 in small and large sizes and the Pixel 10 Pro in small and large size. This strategy, once again, would be similar to Apple’s.

So, it looks like Google’s smartphones launching in 2023, 2024, and 2025 will be heavily influenced by Apple’s and Samsung’s current lineup of flagship devices. More importantly, Google is going to compete with Samsung on many fronts in the near future, and if Samsung wants to be ahead in the race, it definitely has to up its game.

Matter, the smart home standard that promises to unify us all, continues its slow and steady release across platforms. Google is the next to announce compatibility for its Nest devices and Android phones.

Now you can use existing gadgets like the Nest Mini speaker, the Nest Hub Max smart display, and the Nest Wifi Pro mesh router as a base of sorts for connecting Matter smart devices. These are no longer called “hubs” but “border routers,” since they serve as indicators of the perimeter of your smart home.

Android is also getting its long-promised pairing abilities. You’ll be able to use Fast Pair to get a connected gadget on the network using the Google Home app, which is in its own little makeover stage right now. The Matter standard was officially launched in October. Though there are only a few Matter-compatible devices on the market right now—things like sensors, smart locks, and smart bulbs—we expect a torrent of compatible devices to be revealed early next year.

Google states that it’s “enabling more Nest devices with Matter” in the new year so they can act as border routers in a Matter-connected home. The company is also working on adding iOS support through the Google Home app for those opting to stay within the Google app ecosystem (Apple lets you connect to Matter devices through iOS’s Home app). And it’s partnered with Samsung, its biggest ally in smartphones, to build a “smoother” Multi-Admin experience for 2023—something that will make it easy to flip between Samsung’s SmartThings and the Google Home app.

The smart home has been pretty stagnant for the last year, partly because companies and consumers have been waiting for this new standard to pan out. We’re still not quite there, even with the big brands already supporting Matter. But we’re expecting to see all the new devices that sync up next month at CES 2023.

Apple today introduced three advanced security features focused on protecting against threats to user data in the cloud, representing the next step in its ongoing effort to provide users with even stronger ways to protect their data. With iMessage Contact Key Verification, users can verify they are communicating only with whom they intend. With Security Keys for Apple ID, users have the choice to require a physical security key to sign in to their Apple ID account. And with Advanced Data Protection for iCloud, which uses end-to-end encryption to provide Apple’s highest level of cloud data security, users have the choice to further protect important iCloud data, including iCloud Backup, Photos, Notes, and more.
As threats to user data become increasingly sophisticated and complex, these new features join a suite of other protections that make Apple products the most secure on the market: from the security built directly into our custom chips with best-in-class device encryption and data protections, to features like Lockdown Mode, which offers an extreme, optional level of security for users such as journalists, human rights activists, and diplomats. Apple is committed to strengthening both device and cloud security, and to adding new protections over time.

“At Apple, we are unwavering in our commitment to provide our users with the best data security in the world. We constantly identify and mitigate emerging threats to their personal data on device and in the cloud,” said Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering. “Our security teams work tirelessly to keep users’ data safe, and with iMessage Contact Key Verification, Security Keys, and Advanced Data Protection for iCloud, users will have three powerful new tools to further protect their most sensitive data and communications.”

iMessage Contact Key Verification

Apple pioneered the use of end-to-end encryption in consumer communication services with the launch of iMessage, so that messages could only be read by the sender and recipients. FaceTime has also used encryption since launch to keep conversations private and secure. Now with iMessage Contact Key Verification, users who face extraordinary digital threats — such as journalists, human rights activists, and members of government — can choose to further verify that they are messaging only with the people they intend. The vast majority of users will never be targeted by highly sophisticated cyberattacks, but the feature provides an important additional layer of security for those who might be. Conversations between users who have enabled iMessage Contact Key Verification receive automatic alerts if an exceptionally advanced adversary, such as a state-sponsored attacker, were ever to succeed breaching cloud servers and inserting their own device to eavesdrop on these encrypted communications. And for even higher security, iMessage Contact Key Verification users can compare a Contact Verification Code in person, on FaceTime, or through another secure call.

Security Keys

Advanced Data Protection for iCloud

For years, Apple has offered industry-leading data security on its devices with Data Protection, the sophisticated file encryption system built into iPhone, iPad, and Mac. “Apple makes the most secure mobile devices on the market. And now, we are building on that powerful foundation,” said Ivan Krstić, Apple’s head of Security Engineering and Architecture. “Advanced Data Protection is Apple’s highest level of cloud data security, giving users the choice to protect the vast majority of their most sensitive iCloud data with end-to-end encryption so that it can only be decrypted on their trusted devices.” For users who opt in, Advanced Data Protection keeps most iCloud data protected even in the case of a data breach in the cloud.

iCloud already protects 14 sensitive data categories using end-to-end encryption by default, including passwords in iCloud Keychain and Health data. For users who enable Advanced Data Protection, the total number of data categories protected using end-to-end encryption rises to 23, including iCloud Backup, Notes, and Photos. The only major iCloud data categories that are not covered are iCloud Mail, Contacts, and Calendar because of the need to interoperate with the global email, contacts, and calendar systems.

Enhanced security for users’ data in the cloud is more urgently needed than ever before, as demonstrated in a new summary of data breach research, “The Rising Threat to Consumer Data in the Cloud,” published today. Experts say the total number of data breaches more than tripled between 2013 and 2021, exposing 1.1 billion personal records across the globe in 2021 alone. Increasingly, companies across the technology industry are addressing this growing threat by implementing end-to-end encryption in their offerings.