Samsung is still days away from unveiling the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, but luxury customization company Caviar has already shown what an ultra-premium version of the foldable could look like.

The customized foldable features a hand-painted Lionel Messi portrait, 24-karat gold accents, cloisonné enamel artwork, and an extremely limited production run of just 19 units.

While the collaboration doesn’t reveal any previously unknown specifications about Samsung’s next foldable, it does show the confidence luxury brands already have in the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra’s appeal.

Pricing begins at $13,130 for the 256GB model before any additional personalization. Caviar also lets buyers request custom engravings, logos, design revisions, and even bespoke packaging.

Caviar announced the collection ahead of Samsung’s Unpacked event on July 22, where the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra is widely expected to make its debut. The launch also comes before the FIFA World Cup final, adding another layer of relevance.

Whether spending more than $13,000 on a foldable smartphone makes sense is another question entirely, but Caviar clearly believes there is a market for buyers who value exclusivity as much as technology.

With Samsung’s official announcement just around the corner, this may be only the first of several luxury interpretations built around the company’s next flagship foldable.

Apple’s new Siri gets 7 major AI improvements in the iOS 27 Public Beta. It marks the first time Apple’s redesigned assistant has expanded beyond developers. The update introduces personal context awareness, on-screen understanding, a standalone app, deeper system integration, smarter search, and Apple Intelligence-powered features.

While Apple still has work to do before the Stable iOS 27 release, the new AI-powered Siri already feels like a significant step beyond the assistant iPhone users have known for years.

Apple’s new Siri gets 7 big AI improvements in iOS 27

Siri isn’t changing in just one area. Apple has rebuilt the experience from the ground up, introducing seven major improvements that make the assistant noticeably smarter and more useful in everyday situations.

1. Siri now understands your personal context

The biggest change is that Siri can reference information stored on your device, including emails, messages, photos, and calendar entries, to provide answers.

2. It understands what’s on your screen

Siri can recognize the content currently displayed on your iPhone, allowing you to ask follow-up questions or perform actions based on what’s already on screen.

3. It answers questions like an AI chatbot

The redesigned assistant can now answer a much wider range of general knowledge questions, making conversations feel more natural and less restrictive.

4. Siri is integrated deeper into iOS

You can now invoke Siri from the Dynamic Island, while Spotlight Search also gains AI capabilities.

5. Siri finally has its own app

For the first time, Apple has introduced a dedicated Siri app. Users who have become comfortable chatting with services like ChatGPT or Gemini may appreciate having a familiar interface.

6. The new Siri works across Apple’s ecosystem

The experience isn’t limited to the iPhone. Apple has brought the upgraded assistant to iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, CarPlay, AirPods, Apple TV, and Vision Pro.

7. Apple Intelligence powers everything behind the scenes

The new Siri runs on Apple’s Foundation Models, using on-device processing whenever possible and Private Cloud Compute when additional computing power is required.

“Whether the revamped Siri truly catches up with today’s leading AI assistants will depend on how much Apple improves reliability over the next few months.”

Samsung released a new teaser tied to the Galaxy Z Fold 8 (wide) phone along with a short film featuring BTS J-Hope. The new teasers follow the release of the Spider-Man trailer that exposed all three upcoming foldable phones.

Samsung gives Galaxy Z Fold 8 a retro twist in new teaser

Samsung has a new Reel on its Instagram account. The video shows off the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 8 with retro-inspired gadget transformations. The motive is to reveal that the phone’s shape is familiar to the popular retro gear.

Starting with a handheld camera, the video displays a calculator, gaming console, and a cassette player. The footage ends with a tease of the device in hand, highlighting the advertising tag: “New shape. New joy.”

Samsung’s new Galaxy Z Fold 8 comes with a new shape that is more practical. The physical status of the device matches a passport. It’s easy to handle and more useful in everyday use, whether it is folded or unfolded.

J-Hope hyping the Galaxy Z Fold 8

The Korean tech giant is collaborating with J-Hope of BTS for Unpacked 2026. The company yesterday dropped a picture, teasing the device with the BTS member. The “New Hope Unfolds” clip has arrived, featuring J-Hope with a new foldable.

Samsung is set to unveil the Galaxy Z Fold 8 along with the Galaxy Z Flip 8 and Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra next week. The event is set to kickstart on July 22 in London, but you can also watch it online through a YouTube livestream.

• Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8: Complete phone specifications
• Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 (Wide): Complete phone specifications
• Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra: Complete phone specifications

Google Pixel 11 modem situation has been quietly building for months, and now supply chain documents appear to have confirmed what the industry was already whispering: MediaTek is in, Samsung is out.

Every Pixel since Google launched its custom Tensor chips has run on Samsung’s Exynos modem. Even when Google moved Tensor G5 production to TSMC in 2025, it kept Samsung’s modem on board.

Google Pixel 11 phones use MediaTek 5G modem

MediaTek didn’t just edge out Samsung here. It beat Samsung and Qualcomm during Google’s evaluation process. The Pixel 11 reportedly spans four models, and MediaTek’s modem chips are going into all of them.

Following its entry into the Pixel 11, MediaTek is expected to maintain its steady partnership with Google while expanding its design-win share among other major US clients.

MediaTek cracked Apple’s supply chain in 2025 too, winning Apple Watch modem components. The company’s external modem business, long overshadowed by its integrated SoC work, is looking like a serious revenue arm.

Google didn’t just swap suppliers for cost reasons or experimental flair. Samsung was tested, evaluated, and passed over. Samsung’s Exynos modem division, already battered by its own SoC struggles, just lost one of its most visible Western customers.

Samsung has collaborated with BTJ J-Hope to give fans an early look at the Galaxy Z Fold 8. The company posted a new teaser on its official X handle, showcasing the upcoming foldable phone with a re-shaped design.

The teaser features J-Hope of BTS carrying the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 foldable phone. The device hasn’t been completely revealed, but the folded width, volume rockers, and camera island were shown accurately.

Samsung’s post teases its Galaxy Unpacked event set for July 22, 2026, using the slogan “Your hope is ready. Tomorrow, a new hope unfolds” to highlight upcoming Galaxy AI features.

It seems Samsung has something baked in collaboration with J-Hope, which will be released tomorrow. It could be a confirmation of J-Hope’s presence during the Unpacked or the release of the melodious Over the Horizon 2026.

The July 22 livestream on samsung.com is set to reveal the Galaxy Z Fold 8, Z Flip 8, and new wearables featuring slimmer designs, improved batteries, and advanced AI capabilities.