News

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 has been benchmarked ahead of releaseThe scores are very low for a high-end phoneThe clock speeds are also surprisingly lowIf you were expecting flagship performance from Samsung’s next foldable flip phone then you might be in for a shock, as an early Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 benchmark suggests this won’t be troubling the Samsung Galaxy S25 series or other high-end phones.Shared by leaker Abhishek Yadav on X (via GSMArena), the reported benchmark shows the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 using an Exynos 2500 chipset and with 12GB of RAM.There has been some disagreement over which chipset the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 would use – while most sources pointed to this Exynos option, some others had suggested a Snapdragon 8 Elite might be used instead.So this benchmark is more evidence that we’ll be getting Exynos, and as the model number here is for a US version of the phone, we’ll presumably see the Exynos 2500 chipset used globally (since when Samsung uses different chipsets in different regions, the US typically gets Snapdragon).Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 SM-F766U with Exynos 2500 runs on Geekbench.Specifications🔳 Exynos 25001 Core @ 3.30 GHz2 Cores @ 2.75 GHz5 Cores @ 2.36 GHz2 Cores @ 1.80 GHz🎮 Samsung Xclipse 950 GPU🍭 Android 16- 12GB RAMScoresSingle-core: 2012Multi-core: 7563… pic.twitter.com/SpOu7Fl7N4May 26, 2025This year's phone with last year's scoresIn any case, that could be bad news, because the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7’s single-core score of 2,012 and multi-core result of 7,563 are basically a generation behind what we’re seeing from the Snapdragon 8 Elite – which is the chipset used by most high-end Android phones this year.Interestingly, as GSMArena notes, the cores here have much lower clock speeds than rival chipsets, which is likely a factor in the poor performance. It’s not clear whether these speeds are the standard for this chipset – which hasn’t yet appeared in any available phones – or whether Samsung has reduced the speeds for the Z Flip 7 to avoid heat build-up.Since this is an early benchmark it’s also possible that the released model will have higher clock speeds, and even if it doesn’t, further optimizations ahead of release could lead to improved results. But right now, going by this one benchmark anyway, it doesn’t look like the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 will impress when it comes to power.We should find out for sure in July, as that’s when Samsung will most likely unveil this phone – probably alongside the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, which thankfully is expected to launch with the Snapdragon 8 Elite instead.You might also likeThe Samsung Galaxy S26 could get a much-needed new cameraThe Samsung Galaxy S25 FE cameras have leaked, and they’re utterly underwhelmingBest Samsung phones: top Galaxy handsets ranked

Spider-Man: Brand New Day could feature another major Marvel superheroThe latest cast rumor suggests one of the original Avengers will have a sizeable role to playIf true, Marvel and Sony might retread old storytelling ground with their inclusionSpider-Man: Brand New Day will apparently feature another major Marvel superhero – and, if true, I'm worried that the film will retread old storytelling ground in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).Yesterday (May 26), a report from superhero fansite Nexus Point News suggested one of the original six Avengers will show up in Spidey's next big-screen adventure. Nexus Point News also indicated that said individual would have a substantial role to play in the Marvel Phase 6 movie, too. Potentially big spoilers immediately follow for Spider-Man 4, so proceed at your own risk.Will we see the webslinger do battle with one of the OG Avengers? (Image credit: Sony Pictures/Marvel Entertainment)According to Nexus Point News's sources, Mark Ruffalo's Bruce Banner/The Incredible Hulk will have a large supporting role in Brand New Day. There's no information on how Banner or his gamma-irradiated alter-ego will fit into proceedings, but there are murmurings that he could be the latest scientific genius to mentor Tom Holland's Peter Parker.Now, it's unclear if Nexus Point News' latest claim is true. For what it's worth, the outlet's overall track record can be described as pretty accurate. Per the ResetEra forums, they were the first website to break the news that Alex Garland was set to direct an Elden Ring film adaptation. That claim, which was made on May 6, was made almost three weeks before A24 and Garland were confirmed to be working on an Elden Ring movie.If this Hulk rumor ends up being true, though, it raises two major concerns about the film's plot for me – both of which lean into some tired and cliched narrative beats that the MCU has already explored.Please don't give us another Hulk versus fellow superhero fight, Marvel and Sony (Image credit: Marvel Studios)The first worry I have is that Holland's Spider-Man might get another mentor figure. After making his MCU debut in Captain America: Civil War, the webslinger was taken under the wing of Robert Downey Jr's Tony Stark, aka Iron Man, until his death in Avengers: Endgame. It can also be argued that Benedict Cumberbatch's Doctor Strange temporarily assumed the role of a mentor figure, albeit a slightly antagonistic one, in Spider-Man: No Way Home, too.The prospect of Ruffalo's Banner becoming the wallcrawler's third tutor-style figure in just four Spider-Man films to date would be overkill as far as I'm concerned. It would also undo the ending of Spidey's third solo outing in the MCU, with No Way Home being the hard reset that the webhead needs to not only grow up as an individual, but thrive as a hero without supervision.Banner's (and, by proxy, Hulk's) inclusion also presents an uninspired storytelling situation we've seen before. That being, a Marvel hero potentially having to battle the big, green, lean machine.Whether it's Avengers: Age of Ultron or Thor: Ragnarok, we've already seen the likes of Iron Man and Thor square off against Hulk. More recently, we've also witnessed Sam Wilson's Captain America go toe-to-toe with a similar foe in US President Thaddeus Ross' Red Hulk – the duo fighting in the final act of Captain America: Brave New World.Smart Hulk (left) was last seen in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney Plus)Now, given their respective strengths, a Spider-Man versus Hulk fight could be interesting, but do we really want to watch another superhero brawl with Banner's superhuman alias? I certainly don't.There are numerous Spider-Man villains who deserve to show up in his next film. In fact, three are reportedly set to feature in Brand New Day. That's before you look at other members of his rogues gallery who are rumored to feature, such as Mister Negative, Silver Sable, and Tarantula. Unless Spidey teams up with Hulk to defeat this collection of villains, what purpose would it serve to include the Savage Hulk side of Banner's persona as another 'bad guy' for the webslinger to deal with?Of course, this is all speculation at this point, so we'll have to wait until filming gets underway (it's expected to start in August) to see if Ruffalo is spotted on one of Brand New Day's sets. If Banner does show up in Spider-Man 4, I really hope it's not in a new advisor capacity or as an antagonistic figure because the MCU needs to take some creative steps forward and not look back at what's worked before. So, Marvel and Sony, lean into the 'new' aspect of Brand New Day's title, please.You might also likeSpider-Man 4's official title has been revealed – and it has ties to a controversial time in the Marvel hero's 80-year-plus comic book historyMarvel delays release of Avengers: Doomsday and its sequel, and now I've got two big questions about what happens nextFind out how to watch the Spider-Man movies in order

SteamOS outperforms Windows 11 on the Lenovo Legion Go S in several games, according to new benchmarksBoth models use the same hardware, with the only difference being the operating systemsIt's a highlight of why handheld PC gamers are contemplating a switch to SteamOS Microsoft's Windows 11 has arguably been less favorable for handheld gaming PC users than alternatives, considering its non-portable user experience across the board. While Valve's SteamOS has triumphed in that department, a new comparison highlights a potential wider gap between the operating systems.According to Dave2D's (on YouTube) Lenovo Legion Go S benchmarks, the Windows 11 version has worse performance in several games, compared to the recently launched SteamOS model, which has a performance uplift of up to 25% (specifically in Cyberpunk 2077).Both devices utilize the same hardware, with AMD's Ryzen Z2 Go (or Z1 Extreme, depending on the configuration), and the operating system being the only difference. Pictured below, The Witcher 3 performs at 76fps on SteamOS, while it only manages 66fps on Windows 11 on the Legion Go S.(Image credit: Dave2D)While Windows 11's Marvel's Spider-Man 2 wins in the comparison, it's only by 1fps compared to the SteamOS version that maintains 63fps. Other titles show a clear and major performance uplift using Valve's beloved operating system; it further corroborates previous benchmarks I've made using Bazzite (essentially a SteamOS clone).The advantage of using SteamOS may not come as a surprise, since Microsoft is yet to make a major attempt to improve the user experience for handheld gamers. It's more than likely because the focus is on desktop PCs (which have bloatware and software that isn't necessary for gaming).However, there are also instances where the Linux-based OS outperforms Windows 11 on desktop gaming PCs (and it's evident via EliteBossSlayer's Final Fantasy 7 benchmark on YouTube), so this also applies to all PC gamers on Windows 11.Analysis: There are only a few things holding me back from switching to SteamOS on my desktop gaming PC...I've already abandoned Windows 11 on my Asus ROG Ally in favor of Bazzite, and it's a huge relief with a much better user experience. It's made me consider doing the same for my desktop gaming PC, but there's one main reason why I won't just yet.Discord is my main hub for gaming and streaming gameplay to friends, and it's not as simple as I'd want it to be. Supposedly, custom versions like Vesktop on GitHub make streaming possible – but with frequent Discord updates, it would likely require constant workarounds and tinkering to keep it working.It's also worth noting that using mods for games won't be as simple as it is with Windows 11, and some games using anti-cheat software can't run on Linux. The easiest solution is to keep both operating systems on separate drives, but I have to admit it'd be easier to focus on one alone.Besides that, there's hardly any reason for me to stick with Windows 11 if I'm primarily using my system for gaming – and despite the aforementioned handicaps, I'm edging closer to making the switch...You may also like...Leaker claims Sony is now working on a new PlayStation handheld consoleI wanted Nintendo to wow me with the Switch 2 – instead it’s made me hug my ROG Ally X handheld even closerIt looks like HP won't be ditching Windows 11 for gaming handhelds after all - but it wants to work with Microsoft to make it better

Apple raises iCloud+ costs in Brazil, Chile, and PeruSome Apple One subscriptions also see riseiCloud price rises have been common across the world recentlySome iCloud customers are facing higher prices after Apple upped the cost of plans in several nations.A recently updated support document showed the cloud storage platform will soon cost more for users in Brazil, Chile, and Peru, with some tiers becoming up to 34% more expensive.The move will affect iCloud+ customers in the nations, who will now all face higher costs across all available tiers, according to reports from 9to5Mac and MacRumors.iCloud+ price risesIn Brazil, the move will see prices rise to the following; 50GB - R$ 5.90 (was 4.90), 200GB - R$ 19.90 (was 14.90), 2TB - R$ 66.90 (was 49.90), 6TB R$ 199.90 (was 149.90), and 12TB - R$ 399.90 (was 299.90).In Chile, it will be as follows; 50GB - $990 (was $790), 200GB - $3,290 (was $2,490), 2TB - $10,990 (was $8,490), 6TB - $32,990 (was $29.990), and 12TB - $64,990 (was $59,990).And in Peru, the prices will change as follows; 50GB - S/. 3.90 (was 2.90), 200GB - S/. 12.90 (was 9.90), 2TB - S/. 42.90 (34.90), 6TB - S/. 129.90 (was 99.90), and 12TB - S/. 259.90 (was 199.90).9to5Mac also noted some Apple One plans are also seeing a price rise, as the Family plan increases to R$59,90, and the Premium plan goes up to R$99,90 per month - although the basic plan cost remains the same.Apple has raised prices for some or all iCloud+ storage plans in at least 10 other countries in recent months, with Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Indonesia, Türkiye, Pakistan, Nigeria, Egypt, Tanzania, and the Philippines all affected.The likes of the US, Canada, and the UK have avoided iCloud+ price increases so far, but the increasing number of price hikes could mean they may be next.The recent global economic turmoil has led some countries to be hit harder than others, with 9to5Mac noting the Brazilian Real has seen a 15-20% devaluation against the US dollar over the last few years.TechRadar Pro has contacted Apple for comment.You might also likeOn a budget? These are the best free cloud storage offerings aroundiCloud is now way more popular than Apple TV Plus and Apple MusicApple hit by huge iCloud 'lock in' lawsuit that accuses it of 'rip-off prices'

Putin wants Western software "throttled" within RussiaMicrosoft and Zoom are still widely used by Russian businessesDomestic alternatives exist, but aren't being adopted as fast as Putin would likeUS tech companies including Microsoft and Zoom should be “throttled” and “strangled” from operating in Russia, President Vladimir Putin has said.The statements, reported by Reuters, were reportedly made in response to complaints from Russian business leaders that US companies who previously announced their exit from Russian markets in response to the invasion of Ukraine still continue to operate in the country.Microsoft announced the suspension of new sales of its software in the Russian market in 2022, but many Russian companies still use Western products and software, likely due to the lack of domestic alternatives.Putin wants domestic office softwareSanctions put in place by Western countries following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 have led to widespread calls for locally sourced and domestically produced products, ranging from aircraft parts to office software.Many companies that pulled out of Russia left their locations and assets in place, such as McDonalds which was replaced by a new company called “Vkusno i Tochka,” who quickly introduced analogues of classic menu items such as the ‘Big Hit’ (a non-copyright infringing alternative to the Big Mac).Now it seems that Putin wants to further distance Russia from the West by pushing for Russian businesses to begin using or producing software that could replace solutions offered by Microsoft and Zoom.Alternatives to Western software already exist, with Kaspersky Lab becoming a majority shareholder of the МойОфис (MyOffice) software to improve collaboration between the office suite and Kaspersky’s own KasperskyOS secure operating system.Western products and software previously dominated Russian markets before the invasion of Ukraine, with Russia taking steps to move away from Western software in the decade before the ‘special military operation’. How well domestic alternatives will perform on Russia’s range of Linux-based operating systems remains to be seen.You might also like"A clear escalation in Russia’s crackdown on digital privacy tools" – experts warn against recent VPN disappearances in RussiaGlobal Russian hacking campaign steals data from government agenciesThese are the best Microsoft Office alternatives

When I got an early look at Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Edge, the first of a new supposed wave of thinner smartphones, it was easy to spot what I’d take issue with. But you know what? Those issues may not matter as much as I thought.

Engadget’s Sam Rutherford has put the device through its paces, and thankfully, the impressive battery life of the S25 series continues. Our rundown test lasted a minute shy of 26 hours. That’s less than other S25 phones with bigger batteries but roughly equal to Google’s Pixel 9 Pro.

Engadget

And while there’s no optical zoom, the substantial 200-megapixel main camera sensor can crop in a lot, offering some kind of zoom, even if image quality doesn’t match true telephoto cameras.

I’ve got the S25 Edge with me, and these compromises are fine. I also like it thinner. And lighter. I’ve suffered enough with Ultras and Pro Max phones. If anything, I wish the S25 Edge had a smaller screen, closer to the base S25, Pixel 9 Pro or iPhone 16 Pro.

The biggest weakness I didn’t note with the S25 Edge? The perennial curse of measuring devices in millimeters and fractions of an inch means your protective case will almost certainly add those millimeters back on.

— Mat Smith

Get Engadget's newsletter delivered direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!

The news you might have missed

One of Whoop’s new wearables has a bug so bad the company is issuing replacements

Apple’s smart home hub could reportedly make its debut later this year

Doctor Who Wish World review: The Last of the Time Lords (redux)

Google’s most powerful AI tools aren’t for us

Summer Game Fest 2025 is almost here

What to expect and how to watch game reveals live.

SGF 2025

Sure, the Nintendo Switch 2 is almost here, but early June also means a whole host of gaming showcases as part of Summer Game Fest. Along with the two big events — Summer Game Fest Live and the Xbox Games Showcase — there are many others in store, including the always-delightful Day of the Devs. We’ll be there in person, and I’ll be flying out on Switch 2 launch day. So I won’t get to touch my Switch 2 until a week later. Bah.

We’ve pulled together all the livestream details revealed so far.

Continue reading.

Texas is getting ready to ban social media for anyone under 18

The bill still needs to pass a Senate vote.

Engadget

A bill banning social media for anyone under 18 recently moved past the Senate committee and is due for a vote in the Texas State Senate. If made into law, the bill would force social media platforms to verify the age of anyone setting up an account, like how Texas passed legislation requiring porn websites to implement an age verification system.

Texas’ social media ban also proposes letting parents delete their child’s social media account, which definitely won’t start blazing arguments in households across the state.

Continue reading.

What to expect at WWDC 2025

A new look, Apple Intelligence and more.

Apple

On June 9, the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) keynote will showcase the changes coming with its 2025 software. What can we expect besides new numbers after every flavor of Apple software? Apparently, a platform-wide visual overhaul. The revamp is said to be a dramatic change, drawing inspiration from Apple’s mixed reality headset. The aim is to integrate all the OSes to a singular design, so jumping from iPhone to iPad to Mac feels like different screens showing the same thing.

We could also see the iPad get even more Mac-like (thanks to those powerful M-series chips), Apple Intelligence delivering on those promises (Siri?) and more health coaching.

Continue reading.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-engadget-newsletter-111525140.html?src=rss