Today’s Big Story

There’s a Trifold Phone?!

Our folding phone-filled future is so close to reality, and yet so far away

Have you heard of Huawei’s Mate XT? The world’s first trifold smartphone was announced this fall, and officially released outside of China in February, but it’s only now starting to get picked up. And if you’re thinking of picking one up for yourself, be warned … all that screen real estate will set you back around $4,000 at today’s exchange rates.

According to The Verge, which has been road testing it, there are really three ways to use the XT: as a regular-ish phone with a 6.4-inch display, in a square shape that resembles other foldables and measures 7.9 inches, or fully opened into what’s essentially a 10.2-inch tablet. “It feels a little unnatural to open at first. Since each segment folds in a different direction, it took me a few hours to get used to where I push and where I pull, and I spent most of that adjustment period worrying I was about to snap something. Once you have it figured out though, the process is pretty satisfying, even if opening the phone is absolutely a two-handed job.”

Although other manufacturers previously created concept devices with screens that fold in multiple places, Huawei remains the only company actually selling such a device. Of course, novelty isn’t enough at this point. As many tech experts will say, foldable phones must tackle their flaws to revolutionize mobile tech further. As PC magazine points out, the complaints about folding phones should sound familiar at this point: They are too expensive, they can be too thick, and there's always concern about their fragility. Oh, and there's a crease on the screen that apparently drives people into furious rage.

But, it should also be acknowledged that folding phone hardware has experienced a serious glow-up over the past half-decade. Today's flagship folding phones are no longer plagued by common complaints from before: They’re all-screen, thinner and lighter than you'd ever think imaginable, and refined in terms of fit and finish. Even the dreaded display crease, which was previously an eyesore on most foldables, has been all but mitigated on newer units like the Oppo Find N5. Sure, the crease is still present, but it's hardly noticeable unless the display is turned off, or you're going out of your way to angle the phone in broad sunlight.

Which leads me to something regular readers will know is coming: My plea to Apple to make me a folding iPhone. After years of sitting on the foldable phone sidelines, Apple could be preparing to launch a device of its own, which rumormongers are calling either the iPhone Flip or iPhone Fold. Whatever name the device ultimately debuts with, Tom’s Guide has a clearer picture than ever about what Apple could be planning on the foldable front. My fingers are crossed.

Trump’s Next Fight: The Fed Chair

The president wants interest rates cut, but his trade war has Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell boxed in

At the start of his second term, Donald Trump has been leaning into two of his favorite negotiation tactics: hurling threats and bestowing demeaning nicknames on his adversaries. The effectiveness of these strategies is debatable. While plenty of people and institutions have caved when faced with Trump’s behavior, the president labeling those worried about tariffs as “Panicans” didn’t prevent market chaos, and Canada remains resistant to becoming the 51st state. Nevertheless, Trump’s latest target is Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell.

The president is threatening to fire the Federal Reserve Chair unless he cuts interest rates to cushion the blow from his administration’s tariffs. The problem, according to the Wall Street Journal, is twofold. It isn’t clear the president has the legal authority to dismiss Powell before his term ends next year. And Trump’s trade war has made rate cuts more difficult for now because the Fed fears acting to shore up the economy could worsen inflation.

And as ABC News noted, Powell (and many others) believe Trump can’t fire him: In November, days after Trump’s election victory, Powell struck a defiant tone when asked whether he would resign from his position if Trump asked him to. “No,” Powell said, pausing to let the one-word answer register with the reporters assembled at a press conference at the Fed headquarters, blocks away from the White House. When asked whether Trump could fire or demote him, Powell responded: “Not permitted under the law.”

Trade That Shot and Pop a Pill

A daily weight-loss pill could transform GLP-1 boom

A new oral GLP-1 drug candidate could transform the diabetes and weight loss drug boom. Pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly said on Thursday that its experimental pill—called orforglipron—is showing promising results and could serve as an alternative to blockbuster injectable medications like Ozempic and Mounjaro.

Orforglipron is taken orally, which would be much easier than a weekly injection. If it is approved, Lilly’s drug would be the second oral GLP-1 drug available in the United States. The first, Rybelsus, made by Novo Nordisk, contains semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy. Rybelsus is approved for Type 2 diabetes. But TIME says a readily-available pill like this “could transform the future of health.”

According to the New York Times, Lilly said it would seek approval from the Food and Drug Administration later this year to market orforglipron for obesity and early in 2026 for diabetes. Industry analysts expect the drug to win approval sometime next year and to eventually become a major blockbuster. Eli Lilly is not expected to announce a price for the drug until after it wins approval.

Aaron Rodgers Is Undecided

The future Hall of Fame quarterback told ESPN that “retirement could still be a possibility”

Future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers said he remains undecided on his future in the NFL. He said on "The Pat McAfee Show" Thursday, “I’m open to anything and attached to nothing,” repeating what has become his 2025 did-I-do-that catch phrase. “Retirement could still be a possibility.”

In refuting reports that he asked for significant money or a multi-year deal, Rodgers said he told teams he would play for $10 million a year. Sports writer Mike Freeman said that without question confirmed what many of us suspected. “Despite saying he's not trying to hold the NFL hostage, Rodgers seems to enjoy holding the NFL hostage. The glee of Rodgers airing grievances was noticeable. The glee of trashing his old team the Jets was obvious. The glee of ripping the media, his favorite target, was there as usual.”

Rodgers, considered one of the greatest signal-callers in league history, played his first 18 seasons with the Green Bay Packers before joining the Jets in 2023 and walking into what can politely be called “an up-and-down experience” in New York. While most NFL teams either have an established quarterback for next season or added one in the offseason, Rodgers still has multiple suitors, including the Pittsburgh Steelers and Minnesota Vikings.

A Weekend Pairing

‘#1 Happy Family USA’ + a N/A Negroni Spritz

Have some fun.