Last week, a Reddit user took to the platform to complain about a Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra leak that showcased three phones with different colorways, of which one was in a striking bright orange popsicle color.

The user posted that they were “so done with this orange color tbh…,” which then resulted in a slew of commenters agreeing and saying “that color has to be a joke,” or that Samsung is “totally Apple’s copycat. What a shame.”

Okay, let’s get it out of the way: yes, the color is nearly identical to the recently launched iPhone 17 Pro in Cosmic Orange. But I want to point out that Samsung did have an orange colorway called Titanium Orange on the Galaxy S24 Ultra, and Google had the Oh So Orange colorway for its Pixel 4. Both of these phones launched much earlier than the iPhone 17 Pro color.

Dummies of Galaxy S26 Ultra leaked online. Guys, I'm so done with this orange colour tbh… from r/samsunggalaxy

I’m about to get really granular here. Google announced the Pixel 5 in the Sorta Sage colorway on October 15, 2020, while Apple announced the iPhone 12 in the Green color, which is extremely similar to Sorta Sage, but it was announced on October 23, 2020.

But who cares? Just because one company does it and another does something similar doesn’t mean it’s a sell-out company. One poster wrote, “Samsung’s target audience is Apple users. It’s not surprising. So much of what they have done over the past few years has been to convince iPhone folks to switch over.”

This statement shouldn’t really be surprising to anyone. While Apple remains ahead of Samsung in overall market share in North America, we’ve recently seen a dip in performance.

Per data from Canalys, Apple’s market share in Q2 of 2025 saw a dip from 56% to 49%, while Samsung’s surged from 23% to 31%. Granted, this could be due to developments in Samsung’s foldable phone category, where Apple hasn’t made any moves.

The nature of the market

What irks me the most about this Reddit post is that if the tables were turned and Apple stole something from Samsung, the Android fanboys would be all over Apple, claiming the company only steals ideas. Or they might chastise the company for trying to do what Android has already done without giving credit where it’s due.

What they fail to understand is that this is how companies compete with each other. The only way they’re going to change market share is by looking at what another company is doing right.

If the past complaint from iPhone users was that it was hard to switch to an Android phone, then Samsung or Google needs to figure out how to change this. And they’ve done that. They’ve made it easy for iPhone users to switch over because that’s the name of the game: who can get the highest market share and have the most popular device out there.

More recently, we’ve also seen Android OS emulate many similarities to iOS (even OnePlus's new Oxygen OS 16 preview looks a lot like Apple's iOS, especially with the multitasking and icon colors). And like another Reddit user wrote: “Get ready for a liquid glass-like animation,” I couldn’t agree more. I won’t be surprised when we start to see this on the next Samsung or Pixel device.

Originality has left the chat

Unfortunately, this is the new reality. Gone are the days when there was only one smartphone of its kind in town, and other companies had the opportunity to create something new and different. We’re at a point where the saturation of devices in the market is so high that it’s really hard to be different every single year.

Of course, some companies have managed to redefine themselves and the way they have improved on phone technologies, like Motorola or Xiaomi. But the reality is that they’re not as big as Samsung or Apple. And to try to get more people on board with these brands is hard.

Expanding to other form factors, such as foldables or thin phones like the Samsung S25 Edge or iPhone Air, has been an area to create new competitive markets. But even then, developing on those ideas will die at some point because companies have reached a point of not being able to create more on top of what they’ve already done, and so it’s on to the next project.

That said, the colors really do matter!

I’ll leave you with one last point to mull over. While originality is at the cost of creating more products to compete, I will say originality with color shouldn’t be something you should be concerned with.

One of my favorite phone colors was the iPhone 11 Pro in Midnight Green. At the same time, I have been a die-hard fan of the more recently released Google Pixel 10 Pro in Moonstone. I would have killed for a beautiful forest green variant of the device.

Companies are thoughtful; they carefully consider what the public wants and what appeals to the eyes of users. So if Samsung does end up releasing the S26 Ultra in that gorgeous orange color, there’s a very strong reason it decided to do so.

Google’s lineup of phones is becoming bloated, and I think the company should have merged the Pixel 9 and 9a into one phone and changed specs and pricing options.

The 9a launched on March 19, coming with a new design and ditching the usual pill-shaped aluminum camera bar for a flat rear panel. Priced at $499, the phone comes with AI features, including Gemini Live, Add Me, Magic Editor, the Tensor G4 chip, and seven years of OS and security updates.

So, with all of these great features at a fantastic price, why should anyone bother buying the Pixel 9 (starting at $799) when it seems the 9a has similar, if not better, features and is $300 cheaper?

Like my colleague, Andrew Myrick, wrote last year, it’s time for Google to rethink its lineup of devices and streamline its offerings.

And it turns out I'm not the only one who thinks Google needs to revamp its Pixel lineup. So does Android Authority in their recent article. That said, I don't know if I agree that Google should take the iPhone route with its lineup.

Google thinks I am wrong and here’s why

I asked Google if there were really enough consumers to justify releasing a Pixel 9 and a 9a, and I was told there was.

“When we look at our devices, the goal is really to deliver the core Pixel experience and deliver on that incredible camera, the incredible Google AI, and then access to the latest version of Android. [Pixel] 9 is leveling off of those experiences. So there’s a significant boost in image quality, based on the sensors we use in 9, and the capabilities of that camera are quite better than what we have in the A series.”

“Similarly, from a charging perspective, we find that the 9 serves a user that may be looking for that faster charging experience. And then finally, the display on our 9 devices tends to be of a higher quality than what’s on our A series,” said Shenaz Zack Mistry, senior director of product management for Pixel.

Google says that there is a user that might want a little more and that from their “portfolio perspective…we have just as many users on that premium tier as we do in our entry tier. So we do believe there’s users in both of those categories.”

Too close to differentiate; here’s what I think Google should have done

The Pixel 9 launched in September 2024, giving consumers at least six months with a phone that has very similar features to the new 9a.

Per this Pixel 9a vs. Pixel 9 comparison chart, you can see that there are several features that the 9a has that are similar to or even better than the 9, but the phone launches much later than the 9. This means consumers will have to wait for a cheaper phone with Pro-like features and specs.

Senior editor Andrew Myrick made a point when the Pixel launched its 9 series that the company has too many Pixel phones, saying that it might be “a bit overwhelming to some.” Making a similar argument that the A series is priced much lower than the regular base Pixel.

So, I think Google should have merged the 9 and 9a and offered a much better phone at a reasonable price point somewhere between the two, which would allow Google to still get a great ROI.

The Pixel 9 is able to perform well because of the higher RAM, and as a result, Gemini features work seamlessly and on-device, a lacking feature in the 9a. I think the blended phone should have a higher RAM to offer the features the 9a isn’t able to do so, but at the same time, it should still offer the other compromises that keep the phone from performing at a Pro level and, therefore, keeping the price down.

I personally do not think that many people care about wireless charging, so maintaining wireless charging at the 9a level, in my opinion, is fine and, as a result, does not require more expensive components to increase the cost of the overall phone.

The blended phone would have the 9a battery size and the same camera features as the 9, but if Google wanted to save on some cost, then using cheaper sensors might be smart, for example.

Since the processor is the same for both phones, you know the blended phone will still be of top quality.

The most important thing here is the price of the phone. This merged phone would cost around $600 or $650; the perfect in-between while still keeping it fairly affordable. In fact, if Google needs an example of how to make an affordable flagship-like phone, it only needs to look at the OnePlus 13R, which offers incredible value and specs for the price.

Google will eventually need to make the 10 different enough for consumers

I know that my reality of what I want from Google may not happen. However, I do think that Google needs to figure out its strategy between the two phones.

Jitesh Ubrani, research manager for IDC's Worldwide Mobile Device Trackers, agrees.

He said in 2024, Pixel shipments grew 5.9%, and in the year prior grew 55.4%. I’m going to guess the increase in sales in 2023 was because of the launch of the Pixel 8 series, which included Google’s suite of AI features for the first time in a lineup of phones.

Urbani notes that the share of the Pixel A series has generally been shrinking for the past few years and accounted for 32.1% (almost a third) in 2024. Meanwhile, the share of base Pixel has only trended down slightly while the Pro and Fold versions have gained a share, he said.

That said, Ubrani notes that while the A series market share is shrinking, there still is a need for the A series because it represents a significant share of Pixels in markets. Assuming the A series continues to shrink in share, Ubrani says that then, in the next few iterations, it may make sense to discontinue it.

“However, it’s important to realize that the A series doesn’t just bring in a different customer due to the significantly lower price point, it also provides a healthy bump to overall Pixel brand marketing during the year when there’s usually a bit of a slump in the middle of the year,” he said.

So, if we were to continue with the trajectory of a base Pixel model and one that is part of the A series, then I think Google really needs to figure out a way to differentiate the base model.

We know from some recent leaks that the Pixel 10 will have a few more upgrades that make it stand out a little more than it has in the past. The biggest potential change is a triple-camera setup.

And if Google choses to include that third camera, then it has to make sure that a third camera isn’t also happening in a future Pixel 10a, otherwise, we’ll be back to square one of what is the point of having these two phones.

While Oura has been around for many years, it can be clearly noted that 2024 was its year of spearheading the smart ring movement. We saw many companies launch a version of what they think a smart ring should be, and of course, the Android giant Samsung even launched the Galaxy Ring.

I had the opportunity to sit down with the CEO of the Oura Ring, Tom Hale, to speak about the company, what it’s accomplished, and what the future holds, particularly for health and wellness tracking.

Hale told me it’s refreshing to see competition because it means that “you’re on to something that’s important and valuable.”

Presently, there are two companies leading the smart ring market, with Oura in the lead. An IDC report on smart rings indicated that Ultrahuman is the second largest brand and that in the full year of 2023, global ring sales totaled 880,000 “with Oura representing 80% and Ultrahuman in second with 12%.” By 2028, IDC forecasts that 3.2 million units will be sold equating to a year-over-year growth of 29.5%.

Samsung launched the Galaxy Ring last summer, and IDC indicated that at the time of publication (October 2024), the early reception was of moderate interest. But that being said, many of the larger players within the wearables space are watching Samsung Ring sales.

“[These companies] are exploring the possibility of producing their own smart rings. So should the Galaxy Ring prove to be a success, we will likely see many other players jumping into the market,” the report read.

Smart rings are for health, not fitness

I’ve been using the Oura Ring for almost two and a half years now. I started with the Gen 3 and then now I’m using the Oura Ring 4. The ring has completely changed the way I think about my health and body, and, more importantly, I’ve noticed that I am able to change and correct my path by doing things based on my stats.

After using the rings for some time, I think what most people fail to recognize is that a smart ring is a passive device that monitors your health. Yes it has features to track your fitness, but it’s more for monitoring health features like your heart rate, readiness, how you manage your stress, and women’s health.

Hale expressed that the ultimate vision for the Oura Ring is that it is a health tool for people.

“Our vision of the future of smart rings is bigger and bolder and badder than just the ring. I think about going beyond the ring,” he said.

Oura recently partnered with Dexcom, a glucose biosensing company, to help people improve their metabolic health. The plan is that Dexcom will help “the integration of Dexcom glucose data with vital sign, sleep, stress, heart health and activity data from Oura Ring…to provide users with a more complete picture of overall health.”

Hale expressed that Oura wants to help people understand more about their health across a wider range of metrics, and understanding glucose is the next step.

“[It’s] not just going to be one set of data. [It’s] going to be a set of data that is the most complete picture of your health,” he said.

To me, this is what a smart ring should be. Right now, when I check my Oura app to see my data, I can see and track the kinds of things that have triggered my stress or what has caused me not to have the greatest sleep. I can also track my ovulation, menstrual cycle, heart rate, and body temperature.

And now, with the launch of the new Symptom Radar feature, my ring can warn me about early signs of strain on my body, such as when I may start feeling under the weather or if I need to take extra rest when major changes take place in my regular data.

Understanding your data is not a game

What I appreciate the most about the Oura Ring is how it is a passive device. You wear it, it tracks your data and you get to monitor it at your own leisure. There aren’t any major notifications; there aren’t haptics and nothing to make you feel guilty.

This is why I think smart rings, in general, are not meant to be treated like an Apple Watch or a Pixel Watch but something to be used in tandem with these devices. One of the main purposes of a smartwatch is to help track your fitness and help you stay motivated. The Apple Watch, for example, will ping you to encourage you to close your movement rings for the day.

But while the gamification of a smartwatch makes sense, it’s not always the most de-stressing component of a wearable. One of the reasons why I stopped wearing an Apple watch was because of this. I was constantly being bombarded with notifications, and it really stressed me out to the point where my anxiety was at its highest. I think one of the reasons why I love the Oura Ring is that it’s incredibly passive and I can go in and check my stats at my own leisure.

Yes, I do get some notifications from Oura. For example, it'll ping me when it thinks I should start getting ready for bed for optimal sleep and when it thinks I’ve been sitting for too long and suggests stretching my legs. However, I do not find these notifications bothersome or stressful because Oura isn't focused on turning health and wellness into a game, and this is something I think the Oura Ring does much better than smartwatches.

In fact, Hale stated clearly that the future of Oura isn’t going to be about that gamification of your data and that the company will focus on features like Symptom Radar that help users become more in tune with their bodies and overall wellness.

“You’ll see us continuing to push innovations, but we always push innovations in the name of health, not in the name of gamification or getting you to engage more frequently…[we want you to] think about where your body is going and to give your body a voice.”

Google and Samsung had very different years in 2024. Google soared to the top, managing to have one of its largest lineup of devices launch in the fall and a successful year with expanding Gemini. On the other hand, Samsung had a bumpy road with a successful S24 and A series launch and getting on track with Galaxy AI, but it struggled with its series 6 foldable lineup.

It isn’t unheard of for companies to have a good or a bad year; that’s how the tech space works. There are ebbs and flows to success, and it doesn’t mean that a company is permanently bad or will always be seen as good.

I spoke to three industry research analysts who told me about why either company did well and areas of improvement for 2025.

Google needs to keep innovating

As I said earlier, Google had a great year. The company became a strong competitor to OpenAI’s ChatGPT by launching Gemini in more countries and, by the end of the year, launched Gemini 2.0 Experimental Advance for Gemini Advance subscribers.

It successfully rolled out stable Android 15 and even launched the Android 16 developer preview much earlier than usual. In the fall, Google launched its Pixel 9 series along with other products, and in the time I’ve been covering technology, it was the biggest launch of products I’ve ever seen Google do.

However, Neil Shah, vice president of research at Counterpoint Research, says it’s hard to tell whether the launch of Gemini AI on its Pixel 9 series of phones has helped with sales.

“[The] Gemini AI effect has yet to be seen fully to boost Google Pixel sales, however, it is definitely one of the key hooks in coming years for Google Pixel to bring flagship Gen AI experiences on the Pixel hardware,” he notes.

I would agree; I don’t think we’re at a point yet where people are buying a phone because of its AI capabilities. I don’t think there are enough features or average enough use case scenarios where people are using AI daily, and I believe people don’t know enough about AI.

That being said, one of my favorite features, and in my opinion, the best feature Google came out with this year, was Circle to Search. It is hands down the most innovative feature and one that I actively use on a daily basis. But apart from that, I really haven’t been using many of Gemini’s features on a day-to-day basis.

Jitesh Ubrani, research manager for IDC's Worldwide Mobile Device Trackers, agrees and adds that Google needs to focus on innovating Gemini for more general features.

“Google’s constant iteration and use of user feedback along with improvements in distribution and pricing along with increased marketing spend have helped the company gain share in the past few years. Having differentiating features such as great photography, call screening, Magic Eraser, and other AI features have helped along the way,” he says.

Ubrani adds that in 2025, he’d also like to see Google expand Gemini across all platforms and devices, not just smartphones. This is something that I hope Google prioritizes next year.

This year, Google also launched one of the biggest suites of products that I’ve ever seen a company do in a long time. More importantly, it launched the Pixel 9 series with Gemini integrated into it.

I think the Pixel 9 series is one of Google's best phone launches. While I had no issues with the phone, there can always be improvements, according to Anshel Sag, principal analyst for Moor Insights & Strategy.

“Google needs to improve the Pixel battery life, by moving to advanced nodes and using the best processors. The same goes for Wi-Fi connectivity and 5G, I was really disappointed how much of a downgrade the Pixel was on connectivity from my S24 Ultra,” he said.

And Google is likely planning to address this issue with rumors indicating that the Pixel 10 lineup will have the Tensor G5. Google has also allegedly finished its design and sent it along for manufacturing at TSMC, ending the era of Samsung-produced designs. TSMC tends to manufacture better chipsets than Samsung. For reference, Qualcomm used Samsung to produce the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, a processor that was infamous for overheating and heavy throttling.

So, for all we know, the issue surrounding a slower battery might be resolved, making the Pixel 10 lineup an even more premium device.

I know Google will have a smooth 2025, but I just hope that when it comes to AI, it is really able to push the average consumer and help them understand how to use AI safely and efficiently daily.

2025 will be the rise of success for Samsung

It is widely known that Samsung bears the hat of having the best Android phones and is constantly the leader in the Android space. However, this past year, the company faced several challenges despite starting the year strong by launching its S24 series of phones.

But while the S24 was a great series, it didn’t really help improve the downward trajectory of Samsung’s sales. In April 2024, Samsung initiated a six-day workweek for executives to create "a sense of crisis" among the company's leadership team.

Where Samsung began to really struggle was after launching its Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Z Fold 6, which in many tech circles was more of an iterative update to what it launched last year. The phones weren’t super exciting and weren’t as innovative as they have been in previous years.

Samsung noticed this to the point where, for the first time, Samsung Electronics' DS Division, Jeon Young-hyun, issued a rare apology for the company's failure to innovate. He acknowledged that outsiders are viewing the company's current situation as a "crisis" and vowed to make changes and improvements that will benefit investors, customers, and employees alike.

It came to a point where other companies were even mocking the release of the Z Fold 6 and how thick it was, like Honor engraving a tiny "world's smallest apology" on the hinge of a special-edition Magic V3.

IDC also confirmed that Samsung had lost smartphone market share as of Q2 2024 compared to the same quarter in 2023. The research firm also stated that while Samsung moved over 53 million smartphone units in the second quarter, its market share dipped to 18.4 percent, down from 20% in the same period last year. This comes at a time when other China-based brands like Xiaomi and Vivo have been innovating and expanding their market share.

Ubrani says, “Samsung has rested on their laurels for far too long, and it’s starting to catch up to them. Most Chinese smartphone brands have outengineered and out innovated them in recent years when it comes to things like foldables, battery life, gaming performance, cameras, etc."

For the longest time, Samsung has focused on competition with Apple when globally they’re competing with many more brands. To be successful, Samsung needs to realize that there’s more than just Apple. Samsung should leverage their scale to iterate faster and continue to invest in marketing like they used to do so during the pre-pandemic era.”

Shah also notes that the launch of the S and A series helped keep Samsung afloat, but if it wants to get its numbers back up, it needs to focus on innovating its foldables.

“The foldables performance has been disappointing, which [offset] the good traction for S and A series this year,” he said. “Samsung will have to protect its foldable leadership position as players such as Google, OnePlus and others are coming up with better form-factors. Designs and camera performance.”

I think Samsung is fine; it is not the type of company to fail, and it knows when to fix itself; case in point, the public apology. However, I do think that Samsung needs to stay focused on itself and not constantly look at what other companies are doing. Yes, to stay in the game, you need to see what others are doing, but looking too much will distract you.

Sag agrees, adding that Samsung needs to stop looking at what Apple is doing to innovate because its customers don’t care about Apple.

“Samsung needs to lean into what makes Android fun and exciting, people are not really switching between Android and iOS (Razr+ excepted). Samsung needs to figure out how to execute Galaxy AI in a more meaningful manner and get back its reputation as the carrier of the Android banner,” he said.

I would wholeheartedly agree that Samsung needs to remind its users why it’s the best innovator and why it was the first to introduce foldables and excite its users again.

I’ve been covering technology for many years, and 2024 has been a fascinating year for both Google and Samsung. I expect a lot from both companies in 2025, and I can’t wait to see how they innovate more.

A while ago, I saw a video on TikTok from an influencer that absolutely sent my brain into a spiral.

SamDoll, who is the influencer, went on a rant about how she bought the Oura Ring Gen 3 and absolutely hated it. Her rant was infuriating and actually really upset me because not only was she speaking without much knowledge about the actual ring, but she also has the capability of influencing her nearly one million followers.

While she did make some accurate points in her video, I genuinely did not agree with what she was saying for the most part. It made me realize how important it is that I reiterate to you, our valued readers, how important it is to not get sucked into what regular, everyday influencers say about tech products.

More importantly, as you spend your hard-earned money on products this Black Friday and Cyber Monday weekend, then you should be looking to read reviews from trusted sites like Android Central. If you are keen on listening to what influencers say, then you should follow tech influencers who take particular interest in providing the best information that is relevant to help you understand products.

On that note, the Oura Ring Gen 3 is the wearable that pretty much kicked off the smart ring craze, and its best style is currently up to $100 off depending on the color you want, making it a good alternative if you want a great smart ring without breaking the bank.

Why being accurate when you make rants is important

One of the main points that SamDoll makes in her video is how the ring keeps telling her a lot of information that she doesn’t understand, and she also claims that the ring isn’t doing the job right.

In one example, she complains about how she felt like she had a horrible night’s sleep, but when she woke up, the ring indicated her Readiness Score (but she inaccurately calls it recovery) was at 80 percent.

What SamDoll didn’t include in this portion of the video is what the Oura Ring Readiness score is and what it is based on:

“Your Readiness Score reflects how balanced your recovery and activity are. It looks at your sleep quality, body signals, and activity levels to show how prepared you are to take on the day,” according to the Oura website. It is not just based on how well you sleep. Even if you had poor sleep, your body throughout the day could have recovered well.

When you do not express to your nearly one million followers what the ring actually is collecting and how it contributes to the overall score, you’re providing inaccurate information because they’re not getting the whole picture.

It deters a user from wanting to buy something because they trust what you are saying. That is why it is important to ensure you, our valuable reader, are going to trusted sources who take a lot of time to test products to give you the information you need.

Jitesh Ubrani, research manager for IDC's worldwide device trackers, reiterated the importance of experience.

“Advice from experts is simply more valuable and enlightening and consumers should focus on that. However, the reality is that anyone with a loud enough voice can make or break a product, so it’s in companies’ best interest to also collaborate with influencers outside of tech,” he said.

The Oura Ring is not for fitness, it is for your health

SamDoll, later in her video, expresses her distaste for how the ring doesn’t automatically detect her workout, and when she plugged her workout into the ring app, it didn’t provide her with accurate information on how many calories she burned.

In the initial stages of the Oura Ring, which, in my experience, is the gold standard of smart rings, it took a while for the ring to actually detect and accurately provide workout information.

That since has changed and is incredibly accurate. Android Central’s managing editor, Derrek Lee, has noted how the ring is great at detecting common activities like walking and running. He had expressed to me about a time when he went out with friends dancing, and the ring, later on, indicated that he had some activity and labeled it as dancing, something it has accurately deduced on more than one occasion.

While he often manually tracks workouts with the ring, it will sometimes automatically detect more ambiguous activities like high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and yoga.

But that being said, I don’t actually think the Oura Ring is for fitness; rather, it’s meant to be an overall health tracker and monitor. I think the purpose of the ring is to help you understand your body, and as such, I actually think it would be better paired with another wearable like an Android smartwatch if your desire is to monitor fitness.

Ubrani agrees, adding that a smart ring is a “replacement for the health-related aspects of smartwatches.”

The biggest problem with the Oura Ring

While SamDoll made a lot of claims in her video that I did not agree with—and there were more than what I detail in this article—I did agree with her on one major point.

She expressed how the Oura Ring is already an expensive device (starting at US$299), which it is. But to top it off, if you really want the best experience with the ring, you need to pay an additional $5.99 before tax per month for the subscription service. Granted, the subscription service does come with a lot of features like the following:

• Detailed sleep analysis
• 24/7 heart rate tracking (Daytime, Nighttime, Activity)
• Integration with third-party health and wellness apps like Strava
• Advanced temperature monitoring
• Blood Oxygen Sensing (SpO2)
• Cardiovascular Age
• Cardio Capacity (VO2 Max)
• Cycle Insights
• Daytime Stress
• Dynamic activity goals with Automatic Activity Detection
• Oura Labs
• Pregnancy Insights
• Resilience
• Weekly, monthly, quarterly, yearly, and anniversary reports

But that’s a lot of money, especially when no other company that produces a smart ring requires an additional paid subscription to enjoy the ring (even Amazfit got rid of its subscription for the Helio Ring). Basically, all the most useful Oura Ring features are hidden behind a paywall.

I strongly urge Oura to rethink this idea, as it can also be a deterrent for users who may consider buying a smart ring. That said, Oura explains that it does this because it uses the money to invest in its features and its technology. This is why we see the ring constantly getting new features, even years after the Gen 3 launched.

Oura is the gold standard for smart rings

Oura has been around for many years, and we do know that the company strives to do more to help people with their health, which it has proven with the newer and excellent Oura Ring 4.

Like me, Ubrani also agrees that the ring is the gold standard for smart rings only because the company has done a “great job in offering a very polished and well-rounded experience for users, which in turn has set a high bar for competition.”

Oura has been able to do this only because they had a massive lead up in the market, also providing them much more time to refine the experience of the ring.

But more importantly, I think, in general, if you’re going to buy something during Black Friday or Cyber Monday, try to do more homework than just relying on one creator.

I’ve been using an iPhone for over 12 years and recently switched to a Pixel 9 Pro. I finally feel like Google has figured it out, and here’s why I think switching to an Android device has never been so easy, seamless, and exciting.

Now, I know you’re going to try to chastise me and say, “How come the EIC of Android Central uses an iPhone as her primary device?” I’ve heard it all before, and if you want to read about my thoughts on that, you can do so here.

As a journalist and the EIC of any tech publication, it’s essential to know about all phones. That means understanding both operating systems and what both sides of the argument have to offer.

Up until Google’s Pixel 9 series of devices, I’ve always felt that Google lacked... something. It just never clicked for me. I felt like the phones weren’t ready for me to switch over to. Frankly, none of the other Android brands have ever appealed to me to switch over permanently. I think it also was that perhaps Apple didn’t make it easy to switch over to.

This all changed when Google launched its new devices with a new processor, better cameras, and more seamless AI integration. It also helped that the iPhone 16 did not excite me when it was announced. That said, I have yet to test out my iPhone 16, so perhaps that opinion might change.

Should you really care about blue and green bubbles?

One of the major considerations I had before switching was asking how much I really care about blue bubbles, and the answer to that is not at all. The only person I actually used iMessage with was my husband, and it would usually be to remind him to get something from the grocery store.

I typically use every other messaging platform other than iMessage, so when thinking about this topic, it really wasn't a major issue.

That being said, you should think deeply about why it matters if you’re on iMessage or not. Is it an ego thing? Do you think you’ll be shunned and, in turn, have your pride hurt? For those of you who use iMessage, does it matter to you if someone else doesn’t? Because if that’s the case, I think it’s time to consider an alternative thought process.

All About Cookies, an informational website that provides tips, advice, and recommendations to help you with online privacy and digital security, published a really interesting survey of 1,000 people and their thoughts on blue vs. green bubbles.

Seventy-eight percent of iPhone users said they did not think less of people if they had a green bubble when they texted them. Furthermore, 42% of iPhone users rely on other third-party apps like WhatsApp. Not to mention, now that iPhones support RCS, messaging with Android users has never been better.

A robust smart home ecosystem

While the blue bubble was something I thought about, one of the main considerations I had in switching over was Google’s robust smart home ecosystem.

My home currently has the Google Wifi AC1200 Mesh Wi-Fi System. I also have the Google Nest Doorbell and the Nest Thermostat, and we have a bunch of Nest speakers around the house.

While my iPhone 15 did have easy access to Google Home, it just made sense for me to switch to a Pixel for that seamless connectivity.

I think Google got it right with its smart home products and newer phones, which is a pretty stark contrast to Apple’s pretty barebones selection of first-party smart home devices. Google’s products look like a cohesive collection of devices. You can have them all the same color or mix and match. But everything looks beautiful, and it was just exciting to have everything be Google in my home.

I was basically halfway there, and my smart home setup pushed me to fill the gap by switching over.

The iPhone 15 is a gateway phone

Of course, the iPhone is a completely different phone from the Pixel. However, I noticed that I did not struggle as much with switching to an Android device for several reasons.

I think the first main thing I will note is that, to me, Google’s Pixel is the iPhone of the Android ecosystem. It’s the phone that has the least amount of bloatware, comes with the entire Google Workspace suite (which I already used), and is simple to use.

More importantly, because the iPhone now has USB-C, it was way easier not to worry about buying new cables; everything in my home was already USB-C. Android Central's managing editor Derrek Lee pointed this out when the iPhone 15 first launched, noting how it was a smart move that could make it easier to get Android users to switch. I just took that and went in the opposite direction.

While some people might complain that MagSafe isn’t on a Pixel, I never used it on my iPhone and never found it that exciting, so, like iMessage, it’s just another thing I won’t miss.

Google sets the standard for phones with AI

Google got it right with its new Gemini features on the Pixel 9 series, many of which are already available on the Pixel 8 series. Google has had two years to enhance Gemini, while Apple is still developing Apple AI. In fact, the iPhone 16 didn’t even come with any of the announced Apple Intelligence features at launch.

I’m not going to sit here and rag on Apple because I will always be a big Apple fan. I still use a MacBook, and I plan on using an iPhone 16, especially to test out its AI features.

I also plan to go a little bit more indepth with some of the app features I have enjoyed and camera features on the Pixel later on. But I have to say, using my Pixel has been one of the best experiences I have had and I have truly been enjoying it.

And if you're considering doing the same, you should definitely try it out.

I was very excited when Google launched the original Pixel Tablet last year. I was hoping that the tablet would answer one of Google’s biggest issues: a cohesive and unified smart home strategy. 

Many people had high hopes for the tablet being the device that integrated all of Google’s smart home products into one cohesive and versatile unit. However, the device functions more or less like a regular tablet with a dock and some smart home features tacked on. To top it off, the experience doesn’t lead it to be the Nest Hub replacement many had hoped for. 

So when Google didn’t announce a new tablet iteration during its Pixel event, I wondered if it was either because the company was taking its time by trying to combine its smart home strategy with its new Gemini efforts or if the tablet was maybe just a one-off effort.

Focusing on Gemini and flagship phones 

It’s evident that Google wanted to focus on its Android software and the integration of Gemini with its latest lineup of Pixel 9 devices. Before even announcing its devices, Rick Osterloh, senior vice president of platforms & devices at Google, began his presentation by explaining how the company has integrated Gemini into its operating system. 

Osterloh announced that Gemini Live will let users engage in a “mobile conversational experience” to discuss “whatever’s on your mind.” The company also detailed how users can now overlay Gemini’s UI on top of any app and that this new feature will work for videos on YouTube, which lets users ask questions about what they’re watching. 

It’s obvious that Google cares a lot more about its software than its hardware. In fact, I’d argue that Google’s hardware has been chiefly designed and created as a base point for its hardware and for other Android-based companies to model off of.

And here’s why I think the company didn’t launch a Pixel Tablet 2: Right now, it doesn’t really care about a large-screen tablet and wants to focus on perfecting its Gemini strategy. By solidifying this, it will then be able to reinvent its smart home strategy around the experience, which should be integrated with Gemini, something we’ve already started seeing with Google Home.

Gerrit Schneemann, senior analyst at Counterpoint Research, added that launching Gemini Live and integrating it with its new Nest Thermostat was key and, in my opinion, likely the first thing the company needed to do to kick off this strategy. However, he adds that instead of a mobile hub, perhaps having a dedicated smart home device to combine all of Google’s smart home devices is necessary; an app could be enough. 

“Especially with Gemini Live, voice becomes an even more prominent part of the user experience. And again, having a duplicate mobile screen in the home along with smartphones, doesn’t seem to add much to the value proposition,” he said. “A tablet that moves around maybe amongst users as well could easily not be where it is needed most (kitchen, side table, etc.) because someone removed it.”

Do we even need a Pixel Tablet? 

Schneemann makes a very valid point: Why would someone want to keep moving their main hub around? And the more I think about it, the more I ask myself: Does Google even need a tablet to double as a dedicated point of service for all of your smart home devices?

At the time of writing this article, all of my smart home devices are on Google. We have a thermostat, Nest Wi-Fi system, doorbell, and speakers. Everyone in my household uses the dedicated Google Home app to control everything. 

For some reason, when I got the Pixel Tablet last year, I pictured myself using it similarly to how I used the Nest Hub Max, but in almost a more futuristic way. At the end of the night, I pictured myself taking the tablet to the bedroom, shutting things down, fixing the temperature of the home, and settling into bed. That was far from the case. 

Instead, the tablet replaced our Nest Hub Max and was barely touched. I used it as a speaker occasionally while I cooked. However, I didn’t think the connection to the tablet was that great, and every time I tried to set a timer, it never worked. It came to a point where I was considering switching back to the Hub Max.

In his comparison piece, Tshaka Armstrong also points out similar limitations to the Pixel Tablet’s Hub mode that seemingly fall short of the five-year-old Nest Hub Max. He also notes that his family isn’t big on tablets and that the Pixel Tablet will often be used to watch the occasional show in bed, although even this comes secondary to just using an actual TV. 

However, that’s not to say there aren’t some who find the Pixel Tablet genuinely helpful. As noted by Armstrong, “the [Nest Hub] Max is going to be a stationary device, while you’re going to get so much more flexibility, and ultimately usability, out of the Pixel Tablet,” even if it takes time for Google to improve the experience.

 The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is the new Tablet 

I would argue this further by adding that perhaps Google may not even continue launching tablets because it has designed the Pixel 9 Pro Fold device to act more like the tablet you need. 

Schneemann notes that with the larger 8-inch internal display, the company is basically reaching tablet size. 

“Of course, this is a super-premium device with limited global availability. It’s even less likely to be a dedicated [smart home] device. But it shows that Google is thinking about the larger screen form factor — just hasn’t found the right positioning for its tablets after years of underdevelopment in the platform.” 

There's also another side of that argument: is there even a market for tablets right now? 

Jitesh Ubrani, research manager for IDC's Worldwide Device Trackers, says that the current model of the Tablet isn’t a bestseller and “demand for traditional tablets ahs been wanning for some time.”

“While it would be great to align the launch of a new tablet with their other devices, tablets are often one of the least used compute devices for consumers and their refresh cycle has been growing, making them a lower priority for both consumers and device makers.”

It’s time for a Nest revamp 

So, while a tablet may not be exactly necessary, I still think Google needs to develop a much more unified smart home strategy, and we definitely need new Nest hardware.

Of course, I asked our senior editor and resident tablet expert—as well as smart home aficionado—Andrew Myrick, his thoughts. He told me that it was odd to see Google announce an unprecedented number of devices within a two-week span and even more confusing that it’s been years since the Nest Hub has been refreshed. 

He thinks this either means that we are in store for an overhauled Nest lineup sometime in the near future and that the company is “likely using the Pixel Tablet and dock design as the centerpiece.”

“Or Google is abandoning the Tablet again, and we’ll only see remedial improvements to its smart home speakers,” he said. However, like my own assumption, Myrick also believes that none of this will happen until Google has further advanced Gemini. 

I love Google’s smart home devices. They’ve never failed me and have brought a lot of seamless integration into my home. However, I would love a better strategy here, one that is a bit more elevated, includes more of Gemini, and maybe has a single point-of-service hardware device akin to the Nest Hub Max, but with the kind of upgrades we’d expect in 2024.

A recent report from The Information dropped in late July, indicating that Apple could release a foldable device as early as 2026. We’ve known about a potential Apple foldable as early as 2021, with a more definitive rumor circulating last year. But even if the company releases one within the next couple of years, would people be interested in buying an Apple-made foldable?

I decided to speak with Victor Hoyos, a 32-year-old long-time iPhone user who recently switched over to the Motorola Razr Plus 2024, and ask whether he would switch back to Apple if it made a foldable. 

“I’m not going to move,” Hoyos told me in an interview. 

He believes that Apple is at a point of maturity with its iPhone and is now trying to shift gears to have another wow-factor moment with its Apple Vision Pro VR headset.  

“They know that their iPhone is mature enough, [and] their market is just not going to grow. And you can see it in their phones. They’re just very iterative,” he said, adding that he also thinks if Apple were to make a foldable, it would likely be in book form rather than a flip phone, and Apple would slap a $2,500 price tag on it.

Hoyos recently posted on Reddit asking other long-time Apple users about their experience switching to an Android-based phone and whether it was hard. Though relearning a new device and operating system was a challenge, he still said it was “very exciting.” 

“It was pure nostalgia for me. I heard the word Razr and…it was the same level of awe and excitement for technology that I haven’t felt in years,” Hoyos said. “I think the last time I felt that excited was probably the iPhone 5s.

Hoyos isn’t the only person who feels this way about his iPhone. I also spoke with Shepherd Howe, a 16-year-old high school student who switched to an Android in 2020 despite living in an Apple-centric household. 

In an interview, Howe said one of the main reasons for switching over was that he felt Android phones looked cooler. While he still has his iPhone, he felt that over time, his iPhone’s performance fell short of that of his Android device. 

Like Hoyos, Howe also doesn’t think he’d switch back if Apple made a foldable device. 

“I don’t think I would switch even though it would be cool to have a folding phone that was an iPhone,” he said. “But my final answer would be no.”

Apple will still win if it launches a foldable 

Despite Hoyos and Howe both strongly stating they would not switch back to Apple if it created a foldable, there is still a large market of people who would still choose Apple.

Alex Mar is one of those people. In an interview with Derrek Lee, Android Central's managing editor, Mar, who is in his early 30s and lives in the Seattle area, said he switched to a Galaxy Z Flip 5 for reasons similar to Hoyos. He said it brought a nostalgic feeling, something that companies like Motorola have focused heavily on when marketing their flip phones.

He also revealed that he had a little bit of “iPhone fatigue.” However, after several months with the Flip, Mar eventually decided to switch back to his iPhone, ultimately because of the Apple ecosystem. 

“In the United States, most people have iPhones here. If It were another country where everyone uses WhatsApp, WeChat, or they just use [a] regular [messaging service], I would have stuck with Android,” he said. 

More importantly, Mar said he would “absolutely get an iPhone flip phone.”

Counterpoint Research data from 2022 suggested that while 46% of people would buy a Samsung foldable phone, 39% would pick a potential Apple foldable over other foldables that are in the market. 

“Foldables have performed better in controlling the shift from Android to iOS,” said Hanish Bhatia, associate director of North American research at Counterpoint Research. “However, we don’t expect foldables to become the dominant form factor anytime soon in the U.S.” 

Despite the unavailability of an Apple foldable, the data shows “a lot of excitement among consumers for a foldable iPhone,” said Jeff Fieldhack, research director of North America at Counterpoint Research.

I myself have been a foldable hater for a while now, although not because I don’t think the form factor is cool; it's mostly because I simply can’t stand the display crease. 

But when Lee wrote his Motorola Razr Plus 2024 review, I somehow became convinced that Android manufacturers have almost figured it out. As he writes, “the crease looks and feels even less noticeable than on the Razr Plus 2023, which is saying something.”

If Apple were to create a foldable phone, the crease would definitely be something the company would seriously need to work on perfecting. 

Apple isn’t late to the game; it’s being strategic 

However, give credit where it’s due. While most people might think Apple is silly for not having a foldable in the market yet, there is a very smart reason why. The company wants to avoid putting out a shoddy and lackluster product. Maybe the new iPhones are iterative in nature, but I know that if Apple were to release a foldable, it’d be a quality phone. 

Jiitesh Ubrani, research manager for IDC's worldwide device tracker, agrees, indicating that “Apple often isn’t the first to the game, but it does tend to offer some of the best and well-thought solutions.”

Neil Shah, vice president of research at Counterpoint Research, also added that Apple (and likely other manufacturers) consider many components before releasing a product. 

“It’s a question of getting the product definition, positioning, durability, and experience right,” he said. “There are multiple factors, which Apple needs to consider before jumping into foldables to maintain the standardization and scale at a global level from silicon to software to devices.”

So, is Apple too late to the game, particularly when companies like Samsung are now in their 6th generation of foldable phones?

“Foldables, even in 2026, will only account for less than 3% of the global smartphone volumes (this is assuming only Android foldables exist). However, a folding iPhone would be a great way for Apple to further increase average selling prices and address an ultra-premium segment of the market that is currently being served by Android brands,” he said. 

In the scenario where Apple decides to have a foldable device, it will likely be a premium phone and “not something that the average consumer would afford initially unless Apple continues to offer great trade-in programs or financing options like they currently do.”

Take the Apple Vision Pro, for example. There are plenty of consumer VR headsets in the industry that do not cost an arm and leg, but Apple decided to launch a $3,500 headset for its first iteration of a new device in this category, priced well beyond what an average consumer might pay.

However, Hoyos, Howe, and Mar all make interesting points. While I am incredibly bored with the Apple ecosystem and its lack of ingenuity with newer phones, I am intrigued by Apple potentially releasing a foldable. 

Still, I haven’t been excited about an iPhone for a while now, and I’ve asked myself the same question: would I switch if Apple released a foldable?

No. 

Meanwhile, I have been very excited about the Android foldable ecosystem. So perhaps it’s time for me to officially switch over to Android-based devices permanently. I’ll leave that story for another time. 

It’s the early 2000s, and you’re in high school, holding your new Motorola Razr V3. It’s hot pink, and besides the fact that Paris Hilton was sporting the same device, you’re gushing to your friends about the cool new ringtones and selfies you’re about to take. Your phone rings, and when you’re done talking to your mom, you flip the phone shut with a satisfying snap. 

Imagine that same concept, except it’s now 2024, and the only thing I can think about is Motorola’s incredibly strategic marketing approach for the Motorola Razr Plus 2024. It has convinced me that the company knows exactly how to grab the heartstrings of nostalgic millennials like me while also creating a vintage feel and interest for an up-and-coming form factor for those in their early 20s. 

I would even argue that because of this strong marketing and the actual changes the company has made to the phone, it could potentially be the best flip phone of the year and one of the best-selling foldable devices. 

More recently, I’ve closely been watching multiple ads pop up for the phone on my TikTok feed, with similar ads cross-promoted on Instagram Reels.

What caught my attention was how nostalgic and down-to-earth so many of these ads were. They still had high production value, but most ads showcased times we spent hanging out with friends. One ad (below) showed someone doing a Get Ready With Me video, talking about going to a Y2K-themed party and taking their Razr Plus phone with them.

While many of these ads showcased millennials talking about the phone, many also targeted Gen Z.

It’s not every day that you come across a phone brand that was once incredibly popular, fell short of proper direction and strategy, and now is one that threatens some top-performing companies. 

A familiar face, form factor, and “saving vintage” 

Right off the bat, let’s talk about Paris Hilton. Whether you are a fan or not, she’s an icon, and Motorola was brilliant in using her as the face of the brand.

The company decided to make 2024 feel like 2006 again when it released a hot pink version of the phone. More importantly, having Hilton be the person who shows off the smartphone version of the original Razr—now “that’s hot.” 

Jitesh Ubrani, research manager for IDC's worldwide device tracker, agrees that Hilton “helped popularize the Razr back in the late 2000s, and having her reprise that role is a nice throwback.”

Of course, Motorola isn’t the only company to use a celebrity as the face of its brand. Samsung has done so, too, by using Sydney Sweeney during the launch of the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Z Flip 6. However, in the case of Sweeny, she captures a very specific younger audience, and perhaps it doesn’t go beyond that. 

Meanwhile, Anshel Sag, a senior analyst at Moor Insights & Strategy, says that using Hilton “allows Motorola to reach a fairly broad audience that looks to a popular pop-culture figure that is multi-generational.”

We know foldable phones are not a new concept and were introduced many years ago, but the resurgence of clamshell flip phones is an indication of companies taking something older and refreshing it. Where Motorola has gone beyond Samsung is readjusting its marketing to also fit a younger demographic who might feel the foldable form factor to be “vintage,” and cool.

Like with any product, we’re noticing younger generations interested in products that were once popular, and as Vogue nicely put it, “Paris is saving vintage” 20 years later.

“I have so many memories of my Razr. Taking selfies with my friends, using it like a fashion accessory—I would clip it on my low-rise jeans and show it off, it’d always have crystals on it. I also loved prank calling people on it or using it like a prop and walking through crowds pretending to be talking on it,” Hilton tells Vogue. 

The Razr Plus 2024 not only looks vintage AND nostalgic at the same time, it plays into both those emotions. But beyond that, its camera has a photobooth feature and also sports a 2x telephoto camera for portrait images instead of an ultrawide sensor, which many would find strange, especially for a flip phone. 

Ubrani thinks that this fits well with Gen Z and their needs “as they tend to prioritize selfies over landscapes,” which ironically was also something I loved to prioritize in my early 20s. 

Apart from that, the new phone has a larger more functional cover screen, bigger main display with a higher refresh rate, and faster charging speeds than the Flip. The company also uses vegan leather instead of glass on the back to help it stand out even more against phones with traditional glass backs.

The phone is unique enough that even iPhone users have been taking an interest in it. As one user named CarelessPangolin2890 writes in a Reddit post, “I’m an iPhone user deep in the ecosystem, but the Razr+ 2024 is really calling me!” 

Another user, Unwitched, writes “I’m on the same boat! My boyfriend and I are both iPhone users, since the 1st generation for me and the 4th or 5th for him, and we decided we wanted to switch to this phone when we saw a commercial for it a few months ago. 

“[To be honest] we’re just taking the plunge and going for it. I haven’t been excited for the latest iPhone for several years now and I’ve grown bored.”

It wasn’t an easy road, and here’s why I’m rooting for the underdog 

The fact is that Motorola took a while to develop its new and improved foldable strategy, particularly after taking some time off from the U.S. to essentially find itself.

Motorola has always been a pioneer in creating fun and colorful phones in a time when blocks and colorlessness were the norm. It was on stage with the likes of Nokia, LG, Samsung, and Blackberry, but unlike its peers, Motorola wanted to be different and really stand out and did so by releasing the thinnest flip phone at the time.

But it’s experienced many ups and downs, going from being a popular brand to one that struggled to compete seriously in the smartphone market with seemingly no clear strategy, particularly regarding foldable phones.

Android Central’s Managing Editor, Derrek Lee, wrote a scathing article in 2021 about how the company had not met expectations in a very competitive landscape. 

He wrote, “While I respect Motorola’s hustle to make a phone for everyone, I can’t help being disappointed every time the company announces a new smartphone for the U.S. market.,” adding that at the time, Motorola just seemed like it was “doing the bare minimum when it comes to the mobile industry.”

The company showed off its 2021 lineup, and “absolutely none of the devices look remotely interesting.” 

But perhaps it was losing LG in the smartphone market and putting the spotlight on Motorola that forced the company to take a hard look in the mirror and step it up.

Ubrani says this “helped the brand succeed with a younger audience who doesn’t want the same brand as their parents or other older folks. Motorola went from a pioneer mobile phone maker to a dominant one to an underdog to potentially a leader of the counterculture as Gen Z picks up the brand.” 

Sag agrees, adding that “the Razr series is the tip of that spear, and they seem to be doing the best there in terms of marketing.”

And all of this literally happened in the span of a couple of decades.

This brings us back to my main point about how the Razr Plus 2024, very clearly, could be the best flip phone of the year. 

In his review, Lee writes that the phone has exceeded all of his expectations, that the company “seemed to address just about everything that [he] didn’t like about last year’s Razr Plus while adding some upgrades [he] didn’t expect.”

The result is a phone that we believe “sets a new standard for flip phones.”

“Of course, no one is perfect, and the Razr Plus 2024 has its quirks. But Samsung should really be taking notes for the Galaxy Z Flip lineup because Motorola is really doing something special with its 2024 Razr lineup,” Lee writes.

Samsung “should certainly feel threatened” 

How awkward was it then that the day after, Lee writes in his Samsung Z Flip 6 hands-on that the phone is a “losing battle,” further pointing out that “this feels familiar, but not in a good way.”

“The Galaxy Z Flip 6 reminds me a lot of the Motorola Razr Plus 2024…but somehow, it might be a worse version of what Motorola has managed to pull off surprisingly well.” 

It also didn’t help Samsung’s case when early reported numbers indicated the company achieved 910,000 foldable units pre-ordered in South Korea, much smaller than its record-shattering number in 2023. It also reported that pre-orders dropped by 10%. Meanwhile, Motorola has seen its foldable market share grow as Samsung's shrinks amid stiff competition.

Ubrani believes now is a time when Samsung “should certainly feel threatened.” 

This is partly because the company’s dominance amongst foldables has been eroded by Chinese vendors in Asia/Europe and companies like Motorola in the U.S. 

Though Ubrani does add that “while we don’t have data on this, there’s the possibility that Samsung’s scale has allowed it to maintain higher profits compared to Motorola, and if that’s the case, then the situation may not be as dire for Samsung as we think.”

Regardless of all of this, what brings my focus back to Motorola every year is that it listens to its audience. It understands what they want and is trying to have a cohesive brand that is creative in a world where there’s a lot of foldable competition. 

I don’t think I will be a fan of foldable phones until companies are able to figure out a better material for the screen that minimizes the crease to the point where it’s non-existent. But I can strongly say that the Motorola Razr Plus 2024 is a phone I’m closely monitoring and thinking about; maybe it might be the phone that will make me love foldables.