One hurdle that foldable smartphones have yet to clear is the issue they face with battery life. All of the current leading foldables — like the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and the Oppo Find N2 — leave a lot to be desired when it comes to battery drain. Thankfully, the Google Pixel Fold might be leading the way when it comes to foldable batteries.
According to 9to5Google, the Pixel Fold will feature a battery cell bigger than that of both the Z Fold 4 and Find N2. If accurate, this would give the Pixel Fold the largest battery of any foldable yet, and a potential huge edge over Google’s stiff competition.
Currently, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 features a 4,400 mAh battery, while the Find N2 has a 4,520 mAh one. The battery size for the Pixel Fold will “be closer to, but still well below, 5,000 mAh,” according to 9to5Google. Based on the phrasing, it seems safe to assume that the battery could be somewhere around 4,750 mAh, as that would be “well below” 5,000, but still a solid step up from the cells featured in other foldable devices. It would also be a significant upgrade compared to the Galaxy Z Fold 4’s battery.
If the information is correct and the Pixel Fold really does feature a significantly better battery, it could point toward the Pixel Fold becoming the leading foldable when it finally launches. With battery life that’s able to get users through a full day of use, it would instantly be the go-to recommendation for anyone looking for a foldable device that doesn’t require time on the charger by the time dinner rolls around.
The main reason why foldables tend to struggle with battery life compared to non-folding smartphones is that foldables have less space to work with due to their thinner size and hinges. According to 9to5Google in the same report, the Pixel Fold may be slightly larger than the Oppo Find N2, giving it the internal room to house a larger battery.
There are still a lot of question marks floating around the Pixel Fold, but the report about its battery could be painting a pretty picture before its full, official reveal. As is the case with all unofficial reports, make sure to take this information with skepticism, as there’s still time for Google to say that the Pixel Fold will have a battery similar to the rest of its foldable competition.
Two new highly requested iCloud plugins just got added to ChatGPT, giving people who rely on Apple’s Mail and Calendar services a way to search emails, check appointments, and manage their schedules directly through the chatbot.
The integration is rolling out to all ChatGPT plans, including the free tier. You can access it on the web, desktop, and iOS.
Google Play is borrowing one of the Nintendo Switch’s most useful little tricks. A new Sidekick tool called Playbacks captures a short clip after something interesting has already happened, sparing players from running a screen recorder throughout an entire game.
Playbacks is part of Google Play Store v53.8 and keeps saved clips on the phone. Google first announced it earlier this month, but the new Play Store update marks its arrival for players. Anyone who has watched a perfect win vanish because the record button came too late already understands the appeal.
Samsung’s scandal over its Game Optimizing Service, or GOS, has returned with a bill attached. South Korea’s Fair Trade Commission has tentatively fined the company 20.1 billion won, or about $15.1 million, over gaming claims made for the Galaxy S21, Galaxy S22, and Tab S8.
The regulator says Samsung promoted the devices as gaming powerhouses without disclosing that GOS placed preset CPU and GPU limits on certain demanding games. Samsung disputes that conclusion, calling GOS a legitimate way to manage heat.