Elon Musk says the service formerly known as Twitter is getting rid of the option to block other users, except in DMs. There, you’ll still be able to block unsolicited messages from anyone sending malicious, offensive missives, which is for some, the majority of their DMs.

But Musk said it "makes no sense" to block other users instead of muting them. Outside DMs, the mute option will still be available. There is a wrinkle here, noted on Musk’s own tweets. If the company did nix the ability to block users, it would violate policies for both Apple’s App Store and Google Play Store. (A web app, however, would be unaffected.)

In the spring, X killed off the platform's free API, which broke many third-party apps. Just one year earlier, Twitter (as it was known at the time) started recommending third-party apps to help mitigate harassment on the platform. Many of these, like Block Party, stopped working after those API changes.

– Mat Smith

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Fans are adapting Twin Peaks into a PS1-style adventure game

And there's a demo.

Blue Rose Team

A small French developer called Blue Rose Team has been prepping Twin Peaks: Into the Night for a while now, and it just dropped a demo of the fan-made game. The graphics are retro and decidedly PS1 flavored, which makes sense given how the show premiered in 1990. The gameplay looks to be full of exploration, complete with conversations with the town’s many oddball residents, but there’s a survival horror element reminiscent of the original Resident Evil titles. The scariest, most sinister threat, though, may be copyright law. However, the creators have announced the game will be free when/if it launches.

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Lamborghini’s new all-electric concept car was inspired by spaceships

The Lanzador will influence models moving forward.

Lamborghini

After teasing the announcement a few days ago, Lamborghini revealed a new EV concept vehicle at Monterey Car Week. The all-electric Lamborghini Lanzador boasts all kinds of high-tech bells and whistles, with a design inspired by spaceships, but it won’t actually ever hit retail. Instead, as is often the case with high-end concept cars, it’ll inspire and inform future Lamborghini rides. The driver and passenger sit low to the ground, as if in a jet, with a center console between them. The company says the interior is “unexpectedly roomy,” despite a roof height of around 1.5 meters.

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Microsoft retracts AI-written article advising tourists to visit a food bank on an empty stomach

‘Headed to Ottawa? Here’s what you shouldn’t miss!’

Microsoft reportedly published — and retracted — an AI-generated article that recommended people visit a Canadian food bank as a tourist attraction. The article recommended catching a baseball game, honoring fallen soldiers at a war museum and… swinging by the Ottawa Food Bank.

It’s a bleak mistake. Paris Marx first called out the story on X (formerly Twitter). “People who come to us have jobs and families to support, as well as expenses to pay,” the AI-written section about the food bank section read. “Life is already difficult enough. Consider going into it on an empty stomach.” The article was pulled when Microsoft was asked for comment. The article’s author was merely Microsoft Travel, suggesting real people may not have been involved in its creation. We hope not.

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While Motorola’s pricier Razr+ beat Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 5 to the punch with its expansive external display, the Razr (named the Razr 40 in other regions like the UK) was pitched as a more budget-friendly foldable. For now, pricing and availability in the US haven’t been confirmed, but in the UK it’s priced at £800 (roughly $1,025) while the Razr+ retails at £1,050 in the UK and $999 in the US.

The new Razr is cheaper, but it’s also more limited. In screen terms, it's comparable with foldable phones from a few years ago. But it has a bigger battery and seemingly better cameras. As the fanfare from Samsung’s Unpacked reveal dies down (and we get to grips with the Z Flip 5), the Moto Razr begs the question: What do you really get from a cheaper foldable phone?

Design and displays

Let’s start with some Razr family resemblances. Both the Razr and Razr+ have the same body and internal flexible 6.9-inch display, and there is no more Razr ‘chin’ on either device. No corners have been cut on the foldable screen, with a crisp 413 pixels per inch and up to 1,400 nits of brightness. This is a flagship display. Internally, at least.

However, the cheaper Razr has a much smaller 1.5-inch external panel, which puts it somewhere between Samsung’s original Z Flip and the Z Flip 3. You know it will feel constrictive when it’s smaller than the first two Samsung flip smartphones. This is all exacerbated by the fact that its own sibling the Razr+ has a 3.6-inch external screen. 

The Razr’s panel takes up about 20 percent of the lower front of the device, with a 64-megapixel and 8MP camera duo to its right. It has an IP52 rating, which is better than nothing, but won’t protect against more than a weak splash or light rain.

I do like the Razr’s vegan, faux leather texture, so much so that despite my fear of breaking or damaging foldable devices, I risked using the phone without the hard shell case that came in the box. I particularly liked the grey-green sage colorway, too. Like the Razr+, Moto’s middleweight phone folds completely closed, with no gaps when looking at it from the side.

Photo by Mat Smith / Engadget

The small external screen is limited to basic phone functions. You can swipe sideways through your calendar, weather forecasts, while a drag up from the clock will show all your notifications. Swiping down gets to quick toggles for things like WiFi and Bluetooth. It’s functional, but a little dated. This is what we got with the very first flip smartphones; I need a little more. Even compared to last year’s Z Flip 4 — likely to be discounted to a similar price as this Razr now that its successor is here – Samsung’s device offers more to do and see on its external screen.

The Razr’s second screen is most helpful when you’re using exterior cameras for selfies. Double pressing the power button quick-launches the camera app, and you can tap to capture images with a timer, swipe up and down to switch between the ultra-wide and standard lenses and swipe sideways to swap between video, photo and portrait modes. You can even summon a cartoon character to distract children when taking photos, in both unfolded and folded modes.

The Razr’s 2,640 x 1,080 screen can refresh at up to 144Hz, a little shy of the Razr+'s 160Hz. That said, if you’re coming from smartphones with refresh rates of 90Hz or less, you’re still going to sense the improved smoothness. The panel is bright, responsive — it’s a smartphone screen. Anyone serving in the Crease Police, yes it’s there, but compared to older foldables, running your finger over it doesn’t feel like it's testing the screen’s durability. Foldable hinges (and the screens covering them) continue to get better but if you’re looking for visible hints of a folding display, they’re still there.

Performance and software

With a Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 chip, the Razr shows its midrange hand a little. It’s not a flagship processor, but this is not a flagship foldable. I noticed the Razr lagged a little when I was trying to edit a lengthy video file, but it eventually managed to complete the task.

A pleasant surprise with this Razr was its 4,200mAh battery. This is much larger than the 3,800mAh battery in the Razr+ and the Galaxy Z Flip 4’s 3,700 mAh cell. In our video rundown test, it lasted just beyond 18 hours, a good three hours longer than the Razr+ and better than last year’s Z Flip 4.

Photo by Mat Smith / Engadget

The Razr can also fast-charge at 30W with the included adapter included (outside of the US at least). I was able to get the Razr to reach 100 percent in under an hour. There’s also support for slower 5W wireless charging, but alas, no reverse charging, if you were hoping to top up any wireless earbuds.

I’ve already noted the limited utility of the Razr’s external display, but software-wise it’s just not good enough. Customization options only extend to different fonts and colorways for the clock. It’s especially jarring given that we know Motorola is capable of more, thanks to the Razr+.

Cameras

One of the big spec differences between Motorola’s duo of foldables this year are the cameras. While the Razr+ has a pair of 12MP cameras like the Galaxy Z Flip series, the standard Razr has a 13MP wide-angle lens alongside a 64MP primary lens with optical image stabilization. Ah, so this will be where the Razr shines, right? Sadly, no.

In almost every shot I took, the Razr didn’t reach the standards of the Razr+ or even last year’s Galaxy Flip 4. Motorola's claims of ultra-fast and accurate laser auto-focus don’t really bear out in reality, especially with video. The Razr twitches and struggles to keep consistent focus. I struggled to see many images where the 64MP sensor outperformed the pricier devices, either. I wasn’t getting notably more detail, in fact I was getting less. Turns out, unless you activate high-res capture mode (which is hidden away in the furthest reaches of the camera’s menu), the primary 64MP sensor is aggressively pixel-binned, stripping away detail without improving overall image quality all that much.

Wrap-up

Photo by Mat Smith / Engadget

Are foldables going to be the new smartphone normal? Doubtful. Motorola’s bid for a cheaper (if not that much cheaper) flip phone tries to broaden their appeal, but sadly misses the mark. Its external display simply lacks enough utility in 2023. And I’m not sure who is willing to spend this much money on a phone that's already two years behind the curve.

However, Motorola has yet to announce pricing or a launch date in the US. If the Razr were to cost $800 or lower, which would be closer to a Galaxy S23 or iPhone 14, it could find an audience. But for most people intrigued by a foldable flip-phone, they would be better served hunting down a discounted Galaxy Z Flip 4.

Microsoft is dipping into the world of self-repair by offering replacement parts for Xbox gamepads, along with downloadable instructions and tutorial videos. The service will cover both the standard Xbox Wireless Controller models and the (pricey) Xbox Elite Series 2 Controller.

They’re not cheap, though. Prices range from $24 for button sets to $60 for a circuit board and motor assembly unit. But that’s still cheaper than replacing the gamepad entirely. I can’t expect every company to take Nintendo’s approach: It’ll repair Joy-Cons for free if they suffer from Joy-Con drift.

– Mat Smith

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TweetDeck's new name is XPro

The rebrand continues.

TweetDeck is showing signs it’ll not escape Twitter/X's massive rebranding unscathed. TweetDeck’s landing page, while logged out, now has XPro branding in the upper left corner of the website. That's pretty much it at the moment – the page still shows the iconic Twitter bird logo, and it still calls TweetDeck a "powerful, real-time tool for people who live on Twitter." And, yes, its URL is still on Twitter.com.

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Google wants to 'supercharge' its voice assistant with AI

The company is already working on new technology for mobile devices.

Google wants to revamp its Assistant, and that will include generative AI-powered technology, according to an internal email obtained by Axios. Google Assistant's VP Peeyush Ranjan and product director, Duke Dukellis, explained their rationale to staffers, stating: "As a team, we need to focus on delivering high-quality, critical product experiences for our users. We've also seen the profound potential of generative AI to transform people's lives and see a huge opportunity to explore what a supercharged Assistant, powered by the latest LLM technology, would look like."

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'Unpacking' comes to Android and iOS on August 24th

Relaxing with boxes.

Humble bundle

Humble Games and Witch Beam have confirmed that Unpacking is coming to iOS and Android on August 24th. You can pre-order the iOS version for $10 today. This has been a long time in coming given the game first arrived on consoles and PCs in 2021, but it’s also delightful.

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German semiconductor maker Infineon Technologies announced it’s making printed circuit boards (PCBs) that dissolve in water. Sourced from UK startup Jiva Materials, the plant-based Soluboard could provide a new way for the tech industry to reduce electronic waste.

Jiva’s biodegradable PCB is made of natural fibers and a halogen-free polymer with a much lower carbon footprint. A team at the University of Washington College of Engineering and Microsoft Research created a mouse using a Soluboard PCB as its core. The researchers found the Soluboard dissolved in hot water in under six minutes. The process also makes retrieving the valuable metals attached to it easier. “After [it dissolves], we’re left with the chips and circuit traces, which we can filter out,” said UW assistant professor Vikram Iyer, who worked on the mouse project.

It’s early days for the technology. And maybe I’m a Debby-downer (and clumsy), but it could increase the drama of me spilling coffee on my laptop.

– Mat Smith

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Amazon’s Amp tries to reinvent radio as an app

Over a year since launching invite-only, it goes mainstream.

Engadget

Last spring, Amazon launched its live audio-streaming platform, Amp. The pitch was reinventing radio with “an infinite dial of shows.” With no need to buy songs or flirt with the DMCA, users could make a playlist, go live, talk between tracks, follow the chat and even invite callers. It’s finally available on Android.

Unlike Clubhouse, which enjoyed an early surge of popularity, Amp has largely gone under the radar since launch. “The thing we're maniacally focused on every day is making sure that the product is right before stepping out in bigger and bigger fashion,” said Amp co-founder, Matt Sandler. Can it grow?

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8BitDo launches a Nintendo-inspired mechanical keyboard

The $100 device offers customizable switches and layouts.

8bitdo

8BitDo announced a new mechanical keyboard inspired by Nintendo’s NES and Famicom consoles from the 1980s. The $100 Retro Mechanical Keyboard works in wired / wireless modes, supports custom key mapping and includes two giant red buttons, because why not? Pre-orders are open now, with the accessory costing $100, and should begin shipping on August 10th.

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Elon Musk's X Corp sues anti-hate group over its research

It accused the Center for Countering Digital Hate of a ‘scare campaign.’

X Corp (aka Twitter) has filed a lawsuit against the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH). It claimed the anti-hate group is illegally "scraping" its servers and cherry-picking hateful posts as part of "a scare campaign to drive away advertisers," according to documents filed in San Francisco federal court. The Center published a research article in June asserting X allowed explicitly racist and homophobic posts despite policies to the contrary, even after they'd been reported. However, X responded that the CCDH used poor methodology and failed to study all 500 million posts on the service each day.

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It looks like the Mark Zuckerberg vs Elon Musk cage match isn’t happening, according to audio exclusively heard by Reuters. In the recording, the now surprisingly buff Zuckerberg told Meta employees at a company town hall he’s “not sure if it’s going to come together.”

Zuck didn’t actually say the match is off, just unlikely. For those of us excited by the prospects of billionaires punching each other in the face, let’s hold out hope. Musk hasn’t issued a response – which is odd when he responds to so much – but given Zuckerberg’s continued training in jiu jitsu (and some competition success), Musk could be relieved.

– Mat Smith

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Apple is aware of bug that may affect Screen Time restrictions for kids

It's working on updates to 'improve the situation.'

Apple has promised to fix a bug in iPhones, iPads and iPod Touch devices that may affect Screen Time restrictions for kids. It affects the Downtime function parents use to remotely set hours when kids can't use their devices. "We are aware that some users may be experiencing an issue where Screen Time settings are unexpectedly reset," a spokesperson told the WSJ. "We take these reports very seriously and we have been, and will continue, making updates to improve the situation."

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'Final Fantasy XIV' is coming to Xbox next spring

Possibly ready in time for the next expansion.

Square Enix

It took a decade, but Square Enix's premier massively multiplayer online role-playing game is finally coming to Xbox consoles. The developer has revealed Final Fantasy XIV will be available for Xbox Series X/S in spring 2024. An open beta is expected for patch 6.5X, and given the dates, the Xbox port should be ready in time for the new Dawntrail expansion, due next summer.

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Engadget Podcast: Samsung’s foldable summer

And, of course, we discuss Twitter's X rebrand.

Engadget

Following Samsung’s first Unpacked event in Seoul, South Korea, Cherlynn, Devindra and Senior Writer Sam Rutherford dive into all of Samsung’s news: the Galaxy Z Fold 5, Z Flip 5, Watch 6 and Tab S9. Is Samsung playing it safe this year, or is it bringing something new to the world of foldables? Also, we discuss Twitter’s rebrand to X (sigh). And talk alien balls.

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Tesla is facing allegations that it's trying to minimize complaints about performance. Reuters sources claim the company had a secret Diversion Team in the Las Vegas area to cancel range-related service appointments.

If a customer complained the range didn't live up to marketing claims, advisors would tell owners that Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) range figures were just predictions and battery degradation would reduce range. Tesla supposedly began tinkering with range estimates a decade ago to exaggerate figures when an EV was fully charged. Cars would only begin showing more accurate range numbers below a 50 percent charge. The company also used a 15-mile range buffer when the estimate reached zero, much as combustion engine cars still have fuel in the tank when the gauge reads empty.

Tesla isn't the only EV company accused of inflating its range estimates, but it may be worse than most. The standards body SAE International recently published a study indicating EVs typically fall 12.5 percent short of their official range in highway driving. One of the co-authors, Gregory Pannone, told Reuters Tesla's shortfall was 26 percent – over double that average. It’s also faced accusations of exaggerating EV driving range in the past.

– Mat Smith

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Reddit is testing verification labels for brands

Mycle Cargo is almost the cargo bike I’ve been waiting for

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Apple AirTag 4-pack falls back to $85

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Nicki Minaj will be playable in Call of Duty

Snoop Dogg is already in the game.

Activision

I’m not sure how much the Venn diagram of Barbz and Call of Duty players overlap, but here we are. Call of Duty Season 5 will feature Nicki Minaj as the first ever playable female celebrity Operator character. She'll appear in Warzone and Modern Warfare 2 as part of CoD's "50 Years of Hip Hop Celebration," along with Snoop Dogg and 21 Savage. She’ll arrive with her own storefront later this year, with items for sale, likely including the hot pink rifle you see above.

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Sony has sold over 40 million PS5 consoles

It may take a long while to catch up to the PS4.

Sony has sold over 40 million PS5 consoles since the system's debut in November 2020. That's roughly eight million units sold since the start of the year. That unsurprisingly doesn't top last year's holiday sales, when Sony moved 7.1 million PS5s in one quarter, but the company says inventory is finally "well-stocked." It became Sony's fastest-selling console to date, but if it wants to beat the PS4, it has a way to go. The company had shipped over 117 million PS4s as of early 2022.

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Microsoft faces an EU antitrust probe over its bundling of Teams

The investigation stems from Slack's 2020 complaint about Teams' inclusion in Microsoft 365.

Maybe everything Microsoft does deserves an antitrust lawsuit? The European Commission has announced a probe into whether Microsoft bundling Teams with its product suites violated EU competition rules. Slack, a rival messaging and communications app, filed its own antitrust complaint in 2020, alleging Microsoft's decision to include Teams with Microsoft 365 or Office 365 is illegal. In April, Microsoft agreed to remove Teams from its Office suite to prevent a probe, but said it was unclear how it would do so. The European Commission said it "is concerned that Microsoft may grant Teams a distribution advantage.”

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Photoshop can now use generative AI to expand images

Text prompts for AI are also available in over 100 languages.

Adobe

Adobe has updated its Photoshop beta release with a Generative Expand feature that grows an image using AI-made content. Drag the crop tool beyond the original picture size and you can add material with or without a text prompt. This can help when an image is simply too small, of course, but Adobe also believes it can help when you want to change aspect ratios. This is likely just the start: Adobe is teasing more generative AI features arriving this fall.

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Cruelly timed for just after The Morning After newsletter yesterday, Samsung’s latest Unpacked media event was a first for the company. It’s the first time the company has launched over five devices in a single day. Ah wait, no. Was it the first time K-Pop superstars BTS helped promote Samsung’s latest smartphone? Nope, that’s been done before, too. No, this July event was the first Unpacked in the company’s native South Korea, in Seoul.

The move speaks to the confidence Samsung has about its newest smartphones, which includes its fourth-generation foldables. For me, those devices are the exciting part, even though the company is bringing back the bezel to its wearables and has made its premium tablets water resistant.

Engadget

The Galaxy Z Flip 4 ($999) gets the most evolutionary treatment this year, with a far more expansive external display, new widgets and features. At this point, it has to match what we saw on Motorola’s Razr+, but it initially doesn’t seem as versatile as Moto’s take on the secondary screen. Expect our review to put those new features through their paces.

The Galaxy Z Fold 4 ($1,800, yikes), meanwhile, is slightly slimmer, slightly more powerful and a little too similar to last year’s Fold 3 at first blush. Samsung’s new Flex Hinge – said to have a more streamlined design while still boasting IPX8 water resistance – erases that jarring gap between the screen halves while decreasing its overall thickness to 13.5mm. (Note: That’s still thicker than its rival foldable, the Pixel Fold.)

I’ve corralled the other highlights from Samsung – is this the year you’ll buy a foldable?

– Mat Smith

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Samsung Unpacked July 2023 highlights

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 hands-on: A larger external display holds promise

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 hands-on: Is Samsung squandering its head start?

Galaxy Z Flip 5 vs Moto Razr+: A clamshell comparison

Galaxy Z Fold 5 vs Pixel Fold: Did Samsung rise to Google's challenge?

Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 hands-on: The spinning bezel’s triumphant return

Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra hands-on: A premium tablet with water protection

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 pre-orders on Amazon include a $200 gift card

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Meta had its best quarter since 2021 despite losing more money on the metaverse

Meta is ‘fully committed’ to the metaverse.

Meta just had its best quarter since 2021, even as it continues to lose massive amounts of money on the metaverse. In fact, the company said it expects to lose even more money on its efforts in the year to come. I mean, the company changed its name – it’s not going to give up so easily.

Reality Labs, the Meta division overseeing its virtual and augmented reality projects, lost $3.7 billion during the second quarter of 2023 and generated just $276 million in revenue, according to the company’s latest earnings report. Aside from the metaverse, it was an otherwise strong quarter for Meta, which reported $32 billion in revenue, an 11 percent increase from last year.

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Amazon Prime members can now get pre-approved for new Boost Infinite cellular plans

There’s a storefront selling Boost Infinite's SIM kits.

Amazon has teamed up with Boost Infinite, a wireless carrier owned by Dish Wireless, and has launched a storefront to make the latter's SIM kits more accessible. While Amazon sells SIM cards from a variety of providers, this is a genuine tie-up that automatically pre-qualifies Prime members for the carrier's $25-per-month postpaid wireless plan. Subscribers can purchase Boost Infinite's Unlimited $25 SIM kit from the Amazon store with a 20 percent discount. It’s not quite the free cellular service rumors we’ve heard about, but a discount is a discount…

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X threatens to drop verification status for advertisers spending under $1,000 per month

Musk says it's to prevent scammers from creating millions of accounts.

Engadget

Twitter, now X, is reportedly hardballing advertisers to increase its bottom line. Reports earlier this month suggested X’s revenue had dropped by a staggering 50 percent. The company's latest strategy, according to The Wall Street Journal, is asking brands to spend at least $1,000 per month on ads to maintain their verified status on the platform. Musk says the "moderately high" cost is a preventative measure to help reduce the number of scammers creating "millions of accounts" on the platform. Millions!

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It looks like the big entertainment powers are digging in for a long battle with striking actors and writers. Not that they don’t have money to use. Here’s an example: Netflix’s recent job posting for a machine learning platform product manager, with a heady annual salary of $300,000 to $900,000 (that’s a range). That’s compared to many actors who make around $200 a day, according to this SAG-AFTRA contract. AI's role in creating future entertainment is a key item of debate for both striking parties.

The job listing indicates AI will be used to “create great content” and not just develop new algorithms to recommend shows and movies. The posting also alludes to integrating artificial intelligence in “all areas of the business.” The first tentative steps have already been made: Netflix currently airs a Spanish reality dating series called Deep Fake Love, which scans contestants’ faces to create AI-generated deepfakes, while its gaming studio employs generative AI to compose narratives and dialogue.

– Mat Smith

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DJI Air 3 drone review

A high-quality zoom adds new creative options.

Engadget

DJI is one of the most innovative gadget companies out there, constantly trying new things with its drones, like a triple-camera setup on the Mavic 3 Pro. With the launch of the midsized Air 3 camera drone, the company has introduced a new trick called dual primary cameras. That means the telephoto camera has the same specs as the main one, rather than being relegated to lesser quality like it was on the Mavic 3. That opens up new possibilities for pilots, giving them two ways to create cinematic shots. Further highlights include long battery life, reliable obstacle protection and an extensive feature set. Image quality might not be good enough for some pros when compared to the $2,200 Mavic 3 Pro, but at $1,100, it’s considerably cheaper.

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Threads adds the chronological feed we all wanted

And a bunch of features.

Threads is about to get vastly more useful as Meta rolls out chronological feeds of posts from the people you actually follow. Many observers said this was a key feature Threads needed to truly compete with Twitter, long a vital source of real-time information. And hopefully bury all the celebrities and brands spamming my feed. Meta has added a few other features to Threads. In the Activity tab, you can now filter notifications by follows, replies, mentions, quoted posts, reposts and interactions from verified accounts (or just opt to view all your notifications together).

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Spotify grew far more than expected, but is still losing money

The company blames its losses on podcasts and restructuring.

Spotify saw its million monthly active users (MAU) climb to 551 million after welcoming 36 million new listeners in the last quarter. Despite the massive influx, Spotify still lost a significant amount of money. Its total revenue for the period is $3.5 billion (€3.2 billion), 11 percent larger than last year's. However, it also posted an adjusted operating loss of $123.7 million (€112 million). Spotify blamed those losses on the shutdown of its podcast shows, as well as on excess real estate and severance for employees laid off due to company restructuring.

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GM’s next-gen Chevy Bolt is on the way

The company is ending production on the original model amid a shift to its Ultium battery system.

General Motors isn’t quite done with the Chevrolet Bolt. The company said it would end production of the popular, wallet-friendly EV and EUV this year, largely because it relies on old battery cell tech and the factory where it’s made is being refitted. However, there’s some positive news: GM has confirmed a new version of the Bolt is on the way. The company hasn’t revealed many details about it – you’ll need to wait until later this year for that – but the next-gen model will use GM’s Ultium battery system as well as its Ultifi software platform.

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This year’s Galaxy Unpacked foldable showcase is more of a Samsung eco-system barrage. Two foldables, two wearables, and no fewer than three tablets are here to tempt you to stick with the Galaxy family (or jump ship from rivals like Apple and Google.) While the fourth-generation foldables are arguably the big reveals, Samsung’s latest flagship tablet, the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra, is making its case for a premium Android tablet.

The flagship Galaxy Tab S9 is only the company’s second “Ultra” tablet, and there are many similarities to last year’s Tab S8 Ultra, with its 16:10 screen, dual-camera array on the back and magnetized stylus holster. This time, you can attach the stylus in either direction on the holster, and it’ll still charge – an odd oversight on the previous model. 

Photo by Mat Smith / Engadget

Design-wise, it’s more of the same for Samsung’s tablet: More smooth aluminum frames but with slimmer bezels. They’re still thin and feel incredibly premium, especially the wide-screen Ultra. The Tab S9 Ultra feels a little unwieldy in my hands, partially due its taller screen ratio, which I’m not used to. Also because it’s almost 13 inches wide.

At least it’s gorgeous. Samsung has evolved the displays on its tablets even further, with the ninth-generation tablets all using Dynamic AMOLED 2X displays, like those found on its most powerful (and expensive) Galaxy S phones and Galaxy Book Ultra laptops. The Tab 9 Ultra has a 14.6-inch AMOLED display, capable of reaching 120Hz and supporting HDR 10+. While I’ll focus on the Ultra model, the Galaxy Tab S9+ with its 12.4-inch display and Tab S9 with its 11-inch screen also get the same beefed-up AMOLED tech.

Unsurprisingly, the screens are all vivid and high-contrast – it’s Samsung’s strength right here. I had to reduce the screen's brightness pretty substantially just to capture images of the Tab S9 Ultra. Once again, the Galaxy Tab Ultra model comes with a notch – gasp – which appears to be dual 12-megapixel cameras. (There are a few specs we’re double-checking with Samsung.) The tablets also pack four AKG-tuned speakers, and if you’re planning to watch a lot of movies, shows or games, there’s also support for Dolby Atmos.

Beyond the display, Samsung has made two other major upgrades to the Tab S9 series. First up is IP68 dust and water protection to all the new tablets. Samsung says this means it should survive depths up to 1.5 meters of water, while it’s also launching a ruggedized cover (pricing TBD) to make the most of the tab’s new hardy bona fides.

Photo by Mat Smith / Engadget

Samsung has also improved the processor for 2023 and its tablets all use Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. The company claims some major performance improvements compared to last year’s Tab S8, including up to 32 percent improved CPU and 41 percent better GPU performance. Both the Tab S9+ and Tab S9 Ultra will be able to fast-charge at up to 45W, although only the Tab S9 Ultra will come with the compatible charging brick. That’s why it’s the Ultra, people. Both of the larger tablets have a dual-camera array on the rear, with 13- and 8-megapixel sensors, while the Tab S9 will have a single 13-megapixel camera.

You’ll be able to get up to 12 gigs of memory across all three models, although the base Tab S9 will also be available with 8GB of memory and 128GB of storage. The Tab S9 Ultra tops out with a heady 1TB storage for power users. Make sure to factor in the cost of your keyboard dock, though. We’re waiting to confirm pricing with Samsung for the Tab S9 Ultra version, but last year’s premium keyboard folio, which includes a trackpad, cost $350.

At least Samsung is making sure some apps power-users might demand make use of the add-on, with the company teasing CAD design app ArcSite and video-editor LumaFusion (think an Android-flavored iMovie) on its top tablet.

Photo by Mat Smith / Engadget

Aside from the bidirectional charging feature, the S-Pen also gets IP68 support, which is more likely to get dropped into water hazard than an almost 15-inch tablet. Samsung announced that it will also launch a creator edition of its S-Pen, with a new textured finish, wider tilt angle and multiple stylus tips. However, I didn’t get to test that during my meeting with Samsung and there’s no word on pricing and launch date, yet.

The standard S-Pen feels, well, like a Samsung Stylus. It’s more substantial than the one included with the S23 Ultra and Note series, with a flattened side to aid grip, and it seems fluid and responsive on the Tab S9’s screen.

Samsung’s Multi Control attempts to sew together your disparate Galaxy devices. I tested out some simple tasks during my briefing, and (after logging into both devices with the same Samsung account) could interface between a Galaxy Flip 4 and the Tab S9 Ultra. While setting up Multi Control, you’ll even get to choose where your phone appears in relation to the Tab S9, just like setting up a second screen on a PC. Then, if using a trackpad or mouse, you can inch the cursor across to your Samsung phone, type into search bars and emails from your keyboard (not sure why you would do that), and drag and drop files and images.

Prices for Samsung’s flagship tablet, the Tab S9 Ultra start at $1,200, while the Tab S9+ will start at $1000 and the Tab S9 at $800. Preorders will open for all three on July 26th, with the tablets eventually going on sale August 11th.

It's that time of the year again. Samsung is ready to show off its next generation of foldable smartphones, but this year, we expect a barrage of Galaxy devices. Beyond hinged smartphones, rumors and leaks suggest at least one wearable and the successors to last year's Galaxy Tab S8 series. Before the show starts at a very early 4AM PT/ 7AM ET / 11AM BST tomorrow, grab a coffee and read up on everything we expect to see right here. 

This year, Samsung is broadcasting its Unpacked reveal event from its home in Seoul, South Korea, and we've got Engadget's Richard Lai on the ground there to capture what goes down. I'll support him here in London, UK, where it'll be a more sensible hour for a liveblog. Any questions? Pose them to me @thatmatsmith (X/Twitter or Threads, it's all the same?).