With some of the biggest technology brands racing against each other to be relevant and new, technology has lost its original purpose. From serving as a tool for communication, utility and entertainment, smartphones have now become an accessory to flash around. From wider screens to new features, many brands have lost touch with what mobile devices really are. On the other hand, there are still companies that have been able to stick to what they know and how to help their customers.
The two leading tech manufacturing companies currently are Samsung and Apple Inc. Many other companies, such as Foxconn and Google, hold a strong presence; however, they still trail behind. As the global market continues to grow and technology advances, these companies are constantly itching to be the first and best with their products. However, the utility and convenience of electronic and mobile devices have become a lost art in the search for the next best feature.
In today’s age, modern software and interfaces have prioritized flashy designs and high pricing over functionality and effectiveness. From bigger screens and folding phones to multiple cameras, the ease of communication and connection seems to have become lost within the glamor of technology. However, while some may say all of these features are nice, some may also say they aren’t all necessary.
Samsung smartphone technology
Standing as the innovators of mobile technology, Samsung smartphones are often known for their quality and their ability to stay on top of the global market. Their latest release, the Galaxy Z Trifold, sits as the culmination of their foldable technology. The phone features a 10-inch display, making it the largest screen of a Galaxy phone so far. When looking at the market, a popular trend in modern technology is size. The bigger the displays and the thinner the phone, the more retention a phone seems to receive. However, this focus is solely based on aesthetics and technological prowess. Thinner phones make viewing media on them easier; however, it has also been an indicator of style, class and advancement.
The Z Trifold remains 3.9 millimeters thin, making it one of the thinnest phones from any technology company. Thin phones have their pros and cons; for many, it makes it easier to fit in pockets and easier to carry for long periods. With the folding design, the smaller size allows for a smoother execution of that design. However, thinner phones are often more prone to slipping from the hand and falling. With this comes another con: that they are more fragile and can break more easily. This may not be as much of a concern for the Z Trifold because the screen folds in onto itself, leaving an aluminum armor frame and titanium hinges to protect the device.
Features of the Trifold
One of the features promoted for the Z Trifold is the ability to multitask across the tri-screen interface. While this feature sounds useful, what’s the difference between it and a computer, monitor or even a tablet? Now, if we were looking toward a future where we eliminate the need to buy four different types of technology in order to work, create, connect and take pleasure from, this would definitely be a step towards that. However, realistically, that future isn’t plausible partly because of how differently each device functions. Another factor is the major technical, social and economic barriers it would face.
Looking at the basic features, the Trifold has a 5600 mAh battery capacity, allowing for 17 hours of video life. The phone also features four different cameras. On the back, there is a 200-megapixel main sensor camera, a 12-megapixel ultrawide and a 10-megapixel telephoto that has a 3x optical and 30x Space zoom. The front of the phone features dual 10-megapixel selfie cameras on both the cover and main screens.
In the digital age, cameras have long been a coveted feature for quality and advancement. With its latest release, Samsung is holding onto its reputation for one of the best cameras. However, the social obsession with phone cameras is undoubtedly correlated with modern obsessions over social media. With constant social monitoring, we often forget about connecting with people and rather only care about how we present ourselves.
Samsung’s AI technology
With modern technology comes artificial intelligence; it has become nearly impossible to avoid. Nowadays, AI has become a part of every software, app and company. While Google has Gemini and Microsoft has Copilot, Samsung has Galaxy AI. Notably, the Trifold promotes the service as a productivity tool. Interestingly, the Z Trifold includes screen sharing with Galaxy AI. This feature also allows users to converse with the software as a means to make life easier. For some, the Galaxy AI feature may seem like a useful tool. However, for others, it further entrenches us into a society where human interaction further diminishes. With that comes the fear of feeding our personal lives and information to a computational system that tracks everything we do.
Significantly, the Z Trifold is powered by the Snapdragon® 8 Elite processor, which has become a benchmark for modern technology. This processor enhances the smartphone’s AI capabilities while offering the second-generation Oryon CPU and an Adreno 830 GPU. The chip increases efficiency by about 45% from previous models while also supporting multimodal Gen AI and personalization. With this, the CPU allows voice, text and image prompts through AI.
Scarily, this feature allows AI to see what you see through the camera live view. With many people already weary about AI’s place in our lives, this kind of technology allows AI to fall even deeper into it. While it may make lives seemingly easier, it can also put us in danger when it’s not a necessary feature.
Apple technology
Apple Inc. has been a strong force in the mobile technology sector, with its phones dominating Western markets. Since the 2000s, Apple’s phone designs have set a standard no other company has touched. However, while the physical look of their devices has been ahead in the industry along with some aspects of the UI, Apple is still trailing slightly when it comes to their features. Similar to Samsung, Apple has focused on aesthetics with their phones, maintaining a strong brand image through its design. Never have they faltered in knowing their identity and their products reflect that.
Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro Max is the current most recent release from Apple. However, many are anticipating the iPhone 18 Pro Max, which is scheduled to be released in early September. The 17 Pro Max sticks to the classic smartphone structure with a 6.86-inch display. Apple’s display has not varied too much within the past few years, which, for many, has been refreshing in a time where bigger is often equated with better. The simplicity of their design is what makes Apple timeless. With an easy-to-navigate interface and an effective display, their phones exist within the balance of quality and durability.
Features of the iPhone 17 Pro Max
The iPhone 17 Pro Max, like many iPhones, provides a seamless transfer system, which is often boasted about by its users. However, the compatibility and seamless transfer only work with other Apple products. As such, its restricted system disconnects users from a vast majority of Android users. With connection, communication and entertainment as the main reasons to have phones, Apple’s software really limits the possibilities of what a phone could be. Of course, when considering the business and economic reasoning behind this, maintaining a strictly inside loop of connection pushes many more people to gravitate towards Apple products.
Previously, before Apple integrated the universal USB-C port to their devices, the company had a similar issue. Their Lightning connector, and before that their 30-pin dock connector, was only compatible with iPhones. For some, this may seem logical with the idea that an iPhone charger would charge an iPhone and an Android charger would charge an Android. However, in reality, it caused more problems than it solved. A driving reason for this change was the European Union’s Common Charger Directive, which mandated that all electronic devices had to switch to USB-C ports in order to combat social frustration, along with helping reduce electronic waste.
To address the elephant in the room, Apple Intelligence was integrated into all of their devices starting in 2024. However, AI has been present in their software since the introduction of Siri in 2011. Soon, Apple will be introducing Siri AI, which is basically just an upgraded version of their previous AI software. Their promotions for Siri AI, which are similar to Samsung’s Galaxy AI, revolve around making life easier and helping users.
The software includes visual intelligence, which uses AI to inform users about what they are looking at on their screens. Overall, visual intelligence sounds extremely counterintuitive, not to mention invasive. To have AI software tell people about what they are seeing with their own eyes, or could even find out more by reading an article or book. Other features include AI digital image editing and generation, writing with Siri AI, Genmoji, home surveillance and proofreading.
The iPhone 17 Pro Max uses an A19 Pro chip, which is based on Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company’s 3-nanometer process. That processor features a 6-core CPU and is designed to deliver a 40% better sustained performance. Notably, the phone includes a vapor chamber that has deionized water sealed. What the chamber does is it moves heat away from the chip to help with overheating and overall performance. Out of all the features, the vapor chamber is definitely one of the most useful, as overheated phones have inflicted a lot of damage and caused problems with CPUs and overall function for years.
The iPhone 17 Pro Max also builds on the previous phones with four cameras. Three 48-megapixel cameras feature on the back, including a Fusion Main camera, Fusion Ultra Wide and Fusion Telephoto camera, while the front has an 18-megapixel camera. For those who prioritize camera functionality, another feature of the 17 Pro Max is the Camera Control button. With this button, users can easily access the camera, take photos, record videos and adjust settings like zoom, exposure, depth, focus, styles and tone at once.
Although, all in all, the constant buzz and obsession over mobile camera quality falls back onto Apple. With lives being centered around appearances rather than practicality, it’s no mystery why cameras are a central focus for companies.
Is any of this really useful?
While every feature has its pros and cons, it really just comes down to whether or not they are useful. Apple’s vapor chamber comes out on top when looking at the features, as it is both practical and useful. While we spend a lot of time on our phones, we often spend a lot of it off of social media. We often use phones for working, gaming, connecting with one another or even finding downtime with a show or movie. During times of prolonged mobile use, Apple’s vapor chamber technology allows users to continue to use their devices with a lower chance of interruptions and overheating while also helping to sustain battery life.
Generally speaking, a majority of the AI software from both companies is not a necessity in everyday lives. In terms of progress, it makes sense as to why they are incorporated into all of our devices. However, it has gotten to a point where it has become inescapable, with companies pushing products we wind up depending on. While to some it may be useful to have AI monitor your screen and give you feedback or converse. To others, it does more harm than good; feeding your digital information to systems and allows them to monitor you.
Whether a smartphone feature is or is not useful is solely based on the user. However, when it comes to AI-based assistance, multiple screens and a million cameras, the utility of phones comes into question. Of course, it’s never inherently bad to have multiple cameras and screens. However, it is questionable when it reaches a point where phones turn into facades rather than useful tools.
Featured image by Pexels from Pixabay
Edited by James Sutton
