Phones that flip and fold have been the hot topic in tech for so long it almost feels like they’ll never become mainstream. Despite improvements in speed, durability, and design, devices from brands like Google and Samsung have often come with compromises—plus, they tend to come with a hefty price tag. But each year, it seems like we’re edging closer to truly great foldable and flip phones that can impress us all.
In this episode of The Vergecast, Allison Johnson from The Verge joins us to share her thoughts on Motorola’s new Razr Ultra—one of the most stylish and compelling flip phones we’ve tested so far. She breaks down what Motorola nailed, what still needs work, and why she’s not quite ready to recommend flip phones to everyone just yet. Allison also dives into Motorola’s AI strategies, which range from clever to downright disappointing.
Later, Alex Heath takes us through the recent ups and downs of Snap Inc. Despite Snapchat’s continued popularity among young users, the company still struggles to turn that engagement into a sustainable business model. We explore why Snap has yet to become the consistent revenue generator it needs to fund ambitious projects like augmented reality. Plus, with new details emerging from the ongoing Meta trial involving WhatsApp, we ask: is there a real business in chat? What does it mean when companies can’t figure out how to make money from our conversations? And what happens when ads start creeping into our chats?
Finally, we answer a listener question from the Vergecast Hotline about a potential twist in Google Chrome’s future. With the US government pushing to force Google to sell its popular browser, what if Google decided to shut it down instead? We discuss the implications of that move and what it could mean for users everywhere.
If you want to dive deeper into any of these topics, check out the links below to get started!
