Chip lords: the world's most important company
Around 90% of the world's leading chips are made by TSMC, and most of them in Taiwan. Without those chips, the most critical advancements in AI—or even in the latest iPhone—would not have been possible. So how did one company become so dominant? And should the world be so dependent on chips made in a country on a geopolitical faultline between China and America?
Hosts: Ethan Wu and Mike Bird. Guests: The Economist 's Shailesh Chitnis; Chris Miller, author of 'Chip War'; Asianometry founder Jon Yu; and Wendell Huang, CFO of TSMC.
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Scottish Sun
9 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
I test mind-boggling 4mm thin Samsung phone that folds in HALF – & it has huge perk your posh iPhone is missing
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THIS is it. Samsung has finally done it. For years, phone makers have been trying to make foldable phones work. Well, I've been trying out the new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 for a few weeks – and it actually delivers on the dream. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 13 The Sun's tech editor Sean Keach has been testing out the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 Credit: Sean Keach / The Sun 13 At a glance, it just looks like a regular mobile Credit: Sean Keach / The Sun 13 But it folds out into a tablet in the blink of an eye Credit: Sean Keach / The Sun Foldable phones are meant to fit in your pocket like a regular mobile, and then fold out to give you a massive screen. The idea is that you get a phone and a tablet in one. But so far, the bulk of these devices have had a load of compromises. The main one? They're usually as thick as tree trunks. Now Samsung has managed to slim down its latest foldable to just 4.2mm thick unfolded. It's shockingly thin. I reckon you could use it as a frisbee if it didn't start at £1,799. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, £1,799 or £75 a month And even folded, it's just 8.9mm thick. That's only marginally beefier than the 8.25mm iPhone 16 Pro Max that I usually carry with me. Wow. SAMSUNG GALAXY Z FOLD 7 DESIGN – THE LOOKS If I was using this mobile on the tube, folded over into a smartphone, no one would look twice. It looks just like a regular Samsung phone. There's a line down the side, but you'd ignore it as a design quirk. At the same time, if I unfolded this and lay it out flat on the table, you'd think it was a tablet. There's no visible crease down the middle (unless you tilt it to a sharp angle). It just looks like a regular Samsung slate. You'd probably remark on the svelte side profile, but that's it. And this is the magic to Samsung's new phone. It doesn't look like a rubbish version of a phone and a similarly dodgy tablet. This looks good no matter which way you're holding it. I'm using the Blue Shadow colour option. It's eye-catching and I really like it – but you might prefer the safer Jetblack or Silver Shadow versions instead. Sun's tech editor shows NEW 4mm thin folding Samsung – & teases 'flip iPhone' too It also comes in a very fresh Mint option but you can only get that directly from Samsung. There's not much else to note on the outside. There's a very prominent camera bump on the back, which is possibly the only disappointing design aspect – but there's no real way around it. If you want top pics, you need big sensors and lenses. The exterior smartphone-style screen is a 6.5-inch OLED panel with a 2,520 x 1080-pixel resolution. This is high-end stuff – no scrimping. And inside you've got an enormous 8-inch OLED display with a 2,184 x 1,968-pixel resolution. Again, that's high-end tablet territory. 13 Lay it down while closed and it's only marginally thicker than an iPhone Credit: Sean Keach / The Sun It's still dwarfed by full-size tablets, of course, but this puts it in iPad Mini territory. You're meant to use it for watching telly, or reading an ebook, or playing a video game. And when you're just texting or scrolling through Instagram, you'll be fine with the regular mobile display. But ultimately, the choice is yours. Fold and unfold at will. SAMSUNG GALAXY Z FOLD 7 PERFORMANCE & FEATURES – THE POWER AND PERKS Alright, so it looks good – but does it work well? Performance is a non-issue. It has a blisteringly fast Snapdragon 8 Elite processor made by US chip giant Qualcomm. Chuck whatever you like at it – browsing, gaming, the works. Computing speed hasn't been an issue on top-end phones for years now, and it's the same story with Samsung's latest mobile. It comes with 256GB of storage as standard, but you can upgrade this. And for memory – that's the active space for whatever you're doing in the moment – you get 12GB, with an option to pay for 16GB. 13 The only thick part of the phone is the hefty rear camera array Credit: Sean Keach / The Sun The 16GB is chucked in with 1TB of storage. So it's the storage space you're more likely to be paying for there, as the 12GB of memory will be plenty for most people. Multi-tasking is no problem at all. And because you've got a tablet here, you actually can multitask. You can have several apps open at once. Just drag and drop them from the tray into your desired position. So you could have a YouTube video and your messaging app stacked on top of each other on the left, and a web browser taking up the full right-side of the screen. 13 The cameras are impressive and taking stunning snaps Credit: Sean Keach / The Sun That's the sort of thing that simply isn't possible on a regular phone screen. This phone is also running on Google's Android software (albeit skinned with Samsung's own look), so you get access to all of those perks too. That means the vast array of apps on the Google Play Store, and Google's anti-malware protections. But you'll also bag access to Google's extremely powerful Gemini AI assistant. SAMSUNG GALAXY Z FOLD 7 – THE KEY SPECS Here's the list of specs you need to know about... Cover display: 6.5 inches (2,520 x 1080 AMOLED) Main display: 8 inches (2,184 x 1,968 AMOLED) Weight: 215 grams Main Camera: Wide (200MP) / Ultra-Wide (12MP) / Telephoto (10MP) Front Cameras: 10MP / 10MP Operating System: Android Battery: 4,400mAh Processor: Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Picture Credit: Samsung I've used a load of AI chatbots and virtual helpers, and I've generally been most impressed by Gemini. I love my iPhone, but we've still yet to see the best version of Siri. For instance, I've used Gemini as a great money-saver on holiday, by taking advantage of the voice chat feature that lets you have a live conversation with it. It's a free tour guide in your pocket. Gemini is powerful, easy to use, and keeps getting smarter. And you can access it at lightning speed just by holding down the lock button on the Galaxy Z Fold 7. Neat. If you've used an Android phone before then the whole Galaxy Z Fold 7 interface will feel very familiar. It's very customisable, works based off of apps, and is snappy and performant. 13 When unfolded, the gadget is strikingly thin – at just over 4mm thickness Credit: Sean Keach / The Sun Battery life is great, all things considered. And by all things, I mean having two large and pixel-dense screens plus a phone body that's wafer thin. Samsung has managed to stuff a fairly sizeable 4,400mAh battery inside this thing. You can easily get through a day with this device, which is all that matters. And finally, let's talk about the camera. This mobile isn't just for show. The days of foldable phones being just a gimmick seem increasingly to be behind us. 13 You only see the crease on the 8-inch AMOLED tablet display when you're viewing it at an off-angle Credit: Sean Keach / The Sun And that means Samsung has also fitted this mobile with a proper high-end camera that rivals the best. Or rather, five cameras. You've got a 10-megapixel one on the front, and another inside when the tablet opens up. And on the back of the phone (usable in all views) is a series of three powerful shooters. That includes a 200-megapixel wide-angle camera, a 12-megapixel snapper for ultra-wide capture, and then a 10-megapixel telephoto lens for zoom. The selfie cameras are fine and capture very respectable snaps. Of course, the real photography comes from the rear camera array, which takes brilliant pics even in rubbish lighting conditions. The pics are sharp, detailed, and colour-accurate. And if you're into zooming (always fun!) then you can go right up to 30x. Only 3x is optical zoom (so actual zoom from the camera lens) and then the rest is digital. So you will get a quality drop off the deeper you zoom in – but it's still pretty effective. You won't win any photography awards at 30x zoom, mind. If there was one downside, it would be that I wish the optical zoom was higher – even at 5x. For a high-end smartphone, this feels like a slight misstep. 13 When the phone is flipped open, you can take selfies using the rear camera while enjoying a face preview on the outside screen Credit: Sean Keach / The Sun I should also note: there's a preview mode when you're snapping in tablet view. So as you're shooting pics, you can have them appear on the left half of the screen. So you can instantly see if your pic was rubbish and you need to go again. And there's something called Cover Screen Preview. So if you want to take a selfie with the main camera, you can spin the phone around and see your face on the exterior display. Then you can snap yourself easily using that preview, while getting the full heft of the main camera array (which is also facing you, because you've got the phone flipped open as a tablet). 13 The phone is very easy to open and close – and it's lightweight in the hand too Credit: Sean Keach / The Sun SAMSUNG GALAXY Z FOLD 7 PRICE – SHOULD YOU BUY IT? It all sounds pretty dreamy, right? Well that's until you get to the checkout. You come crashing down to Earth and realise you're about to spend £1,799 on a phone – or £1,899/£2,149 if you want 512GB or 1TB of storage. Even without any mobile add-ons or interest, the base price divides up to £74.95 a month over two years. Even Apple's top iPhone can only be customised up to £1,599 (that's £66.62 a month). Of course, that doesn't fold. 13 Samsung has managed to cram in a fairly large battery, so you'll get through a day of use without much bother Credit: Sean Keach / The Sun And there's not really anything as strikingly thin as this on the foldables market. I've reviewed dozens of mobiles over the years, and it's rare that I'm shocked by a phone. This Samsung mobile wowed me. And everyone that I've let hold this thing has been impressed too. I haven't had a single person say: "What's the point?" It's finally thin enough that people get it. It's clearly pocketable. The inner screen has an obvious use. The whole package makes sense. 13 The only giveaway that this is a foldable phone is the gap on the side of the mobile Credit: Sean Keach / The Sun This is the bleeding edge of smartphone design, so it makes sense that it If you want a cheaper foldable, Samsung certainly has thriftier options. And rival gadget makers like Google and Huawei have very nice foldables too. But it's impossible to deny that Samsung has crafted something very beautiful here, and it feels special. I can't recommend this mobile to absolutely everyone. It's an expensive device that won't fit in with a lot of budgets. If you're a gadget fan on the Android side of the mobile divide, I've got no doubt you'll love this. I think even Apple die-hards would struggle not to be impressed by Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 7. And if this is just too expensive for you, feel safe in the knowledge that this tech will trickle down. Svelte foldables won't always cost mega money, but breakthroughs like this will always be pricy at first. Samsung has achieved something brilliant here, and phone enthusiasts among you should (and undoubtedly will) consider buying one you've got the spare cash. This device can very effectively replace both your phone and tablet. And so in some ways, that means the price isn't as intense as it might first seem. It's also something that the iPhone hasn't managed – not yet, anyway. SAMSUNG GALAXY Z FOLD 7 – THE PROS AND CONS Here's what you need to know... Pros: Thin enough to function as a phone and a tablet Looks brilliant – a real showstopper Powerful processor, great camera, and stunning displays A multi-tasking powerhouse Cons: Very expensive for most people Large camera bump Optical zoom could be better There are loads of times during a day where I'm using my phone and wish it had a tablet-sized screen, but I can't be bothered to pull my actual tablet out of my bag. This solves that issue with ease. And for some phone fans, that'll make the price feel bang on. The Sun says: A foldable phone to convert the doubters – Samsung has crafted an impossibly thin (and endlessly tempting) super-phone that comfortably doubles as a tablet. It's a top buy, if you can afford it. 4.5/5 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, £1,799 or £75 a month 13 This is a brilliant example of how useful foldable phones can really be Credit: Sean Keach / The Sun All prices in this article were correct at the time of writing, but may have since changed. Always do your own research before making any purchase.
Daily Mirror
9 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Blockbuster new update from Apple may finally force you to buy a new iPhone
Apple has just released its first previews of iOS 26 ahead of its official launch but not everyone can get it. Apple's all-new iOS 26 operating was first shown to the world last month with it featuring a new Liquid Glass look, changes to the home screen and even the ability to block annoying scam calls automatically. It's another blockbuster release from the US tech giant and it should officially arrive on devices in the autumn. If that sounds like far too long to wait, there is a way to test it out today. Apple has just announced the launch of its iOS 26 Public Beta. This early version lets consumers try out what's new while giving Apple feedback about any worrying bugs or glitches that might be lurking inside the software. It's a nice way to get a free upgrade before the masses but not everyone is in luck and it may leave some needing a new iPhone. Every few years, Apple has to drop support for older devices as they simply can't keep pace with the power that's needed to run the very latest software. Sadly, this time around it's the turn of the iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR with these call maker compatible with the iOS 26 beta or the official version coming later in the year. HERE ARE ALL THE iPHONES THAT CAN USE iOS 26 iPhone 16 Pro/Pro Max • iPhone 16 Plus • iPhone 16 • iPhone 16e iPhone 15 Pro/Pro Max • iPhone 15 Plus • iPhone 15 • iPhone 14 • iPhone 14 Plus • iPhone 14 Pro • iPhone 14 Pro Max • iPhone 13 • iPhone 13 mini • iPhone 13 Pro • iPhone 13 Pro Max • iPhone 12 • iPhone 12 mini • iPhone 12 Pro • iPhone 12 Pro Max • iPhone 11 • iPhone 11 Pro • iPhone 11 Pro Max "Help make the next releases of iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, watchOS, HomePod software and AirPods firmware our best yet," Apple said in an update on its website. "As a member of the Apple Beta Software Programme, you can take part in shaping Apple software by test-driving pre-release versions and letting us know what you think," As long as you know this isn't finished software and are prepared to see the odd glitch, it's really easy to give the Public Beta a go. To get iOS 26, simply head to Apple's website (see the link here) and follow the instructions to sign up for its Beta Software Program. The process doesn't take long, and you'll soon find your iPhone is running with all the shiny new updates announced last month. WHAT'S NEW IN iOS 26? There's plenty going on in iOS 26 including a new look, which Apple is calling Liquid Glass. It does pretty much what it says on the tin, with menus, apps, and interactions getting a glossy appearance that really does look like you're looking glass. The update is subtle at the times, but it certainly refreshes things and adds a modern twist to the on-screen appearance. The lock screen has also had a refresh in 2025 with things getting even more interactive. The much-loved clock will now fluidly adapt to the available space on the display with it also changing depending on the image and what notifications pop up. Next, there are some smart changes coming to Apple's popular phones. If you are fed up with those annoying cold calls then iOS 26 is worth installing. Apple has added a new feature in this release called Call Screening which won't let unknown numbers pester you until the person on the phone confirms who they are. There's also good news if you travel a lot. iOS 26 will translate both calls and texts in real time, so you can hear and see exactly what is being said.
Daily Mirror
14 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Creepy iPhone hack 'exposes your secret texts for everyone to see'
A viral TikTok has left iPhone users alarmed as they realise their iPhone's may not be as private as they may think with sensitive information and private photos People are realising their iPhone's aren't as private as they thought - as a scary hack could mean anyone could access your phone. If you are one of those people who scribble or black out information in screenshot images, you are still putting yourself at risk and a viral TikTok has revealed what's really behind those "blacked out" edits. The content is still retrievable according to @gadget_guy on TikTok, who reveaked that if you draw over text using the black highlight tool in the iPhone 's Photos edit mode, you can still see whats underneath. Tech specialists at Zextons, who are experts in iPhones, say this kind of mistake is more common than most realise. All someone needs to do is: Open the image in the Photos app Tap Edit Max out Exposure Max out Brilliance And that's it - it couldn't be easier for information to be compromised. The Zexton experts say: "The iPhone editing tools don't fully flatten highlight layers. That means simple edits like a single swipe of a dark pen can be reversed unless you take proper steps - or better, just crop the information out entirely.' "We always advise users: if it's sensitive, don't trust markup. Screenshot editing isn't secure. Cropping is safer. But in most cases, don't send it at all." One TikTok user shared a similar post where she revealed just how easy it was to see the concealed information and has racked up 5.8 million views on the video with alarmed iPhone users. Omne person simply said: "This is dangerous," a second chimed: "Bruh this is why I don't trust anyone anymore." A third said: "No no that's why you guys gotta crop the photo so the blacked out text isn't in it!" Meanwhile another suggested: "If you want to protect yourselves from this use the the PEN all the way to the left NOT the highlighter or pencil. Make sure you're one 100% opacity." It comes after a woman shared a 'game-changer' iPhone hack which allows you to find out the meaning of car dashboard symbols without having to look it up in the owner's manual - and it couldn't be more simple TikTok content creator @dnay1.10 recently shared the clever hack with her followers, showing how they don't need to rely on anyone else for help when they have an issue with their car. All you have to do is take a picture of the symbols. In the video, Dnay explained: "Did you know on your iPhone you can take a picture of [...] your car dash if a light comes on and it will tell you exactly what it is?" She then demonstrated how you should take a picture of your dashboard, go to your gallery and then click on the third symbol from the left, called the info button, which should appear with a star on it. However, when your iPhone recognises you're taking a picture of a car, it might appear as a steering wheel.
