Your next laptop could be a foldable phone

Summary of Your next laptop could be a foldable phone

by The Verge

1h 17m•February 17, 2026
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Overview of Your next laptop could be a foldable phone

This VergeCast episode (host David Pierce) covers two main deep dives: Allison Johnson’s hands‑on experiment using a Samsung Z Fold 7 as a “purse computer” (can a foldable phone replace a laptop for everyday work?), and Jacob Feldman (Sportico) on the current state of sports streaming—what’s working (Olympics streaming, drones) and how rights/bundles are reshaping where fans must subscribe. The episode closes with a listener question about flip phones and external displays / AI assistants.

Key takeaways

  • Foldables can be viable travel/secondary computers for many everyday tasks (email, Google Docs/WordPress, Slack via browser), but they’re not yet full laptop replacements—software and battery are the main limits.
  • Hardware (screens, CPU, wireless) is largely ready; the friction is poor app support for large/small/external displays and account/profile handling on Android.
  • Practical, low‑weight accessories (a slim Bluetooth keyboard such as Logitech Keys‑to‑Go) make the purse‑computer use case realistic.
  • Sports streaming is in flux: streamers (YouTube, Amazon, Netflix, Peacock) and legacy broadcasters are competing aggressively for rights and for the role of “hub”/front door to fragmented content.
  • Major tests ahead: March Madness, the NFL rights cycle, and how streamers continue bundling/packaging sports content will shape how complicated it is to watch live sports.

Guests & segments

  • Allison Johnson — First Senior Reviewer, experiment: folding phone as a computer (Z Fold 7 + small Bluetooth keyboard).
  • Jacob Feldman — Sports business reporter (Sportico), breakdown of Olympics streaming, Super Bowl, YouTube TV bundles, ESPN’s streaming strategy, Amazon/Netflix moves, and what to watch next in the rights wars.
  • Hotline question from “Drake” about flip phones as wearable speakerphones / AI assistants (plus David’s impressions using Motorola Razr Ultra).

Allison Johnson — foldable phone as “purse computer”

What she tried

  • Primary device: Samsung Z Fold 7 (inner display ≈ 8 inches).
  • Accessories: portable Bluetooth keyboards (Proto Arc, a passport‑sized “Samzers” foldable, and the winner: Logitech Keys‑to‑Go).
  • Workflow: Chrome tabs + Google Docs/WordPress for most writing; Slack sometimes run in Chrome for better layout; light image editing/cropping OK, heavier photo work (Lightroom, background cutouts) not feasible.

Why Z Fold 7

  • Size/weight balance: feels like a regular phone while giving a usable inner screen; compared to Pixel Fold she preferred Z Fold 7’s everyday carry feel.

What worked

  • Typing productivity improved greatly with a small physical keyboard; the Keys‑to‑Go hit a “Goldilocks” zone — light, small, surprisingly usable.
  • For short stints (1–2 hours at a café or on a trip), the setup handled core tasks (Docs, WordPress, email, Slack in Chrome).

Limits and frustrations

  • Battery: OK for short sessions; not reliable for a full day of heavy use without recharging.
  • Android app problems: Google Docs app is poor compared with web/desktop; many apps aren’t optimized for the inner/foldable screen and force awkward layouts.
  • Account/profile switching: Chrome/profile/account handling on Android is clumsy and interrupts workflow.
  • Not replacing desktop/laptop for heavier tasks (advanced photo editing, big spreadsheets, long sessions).

Conclusion

  • Allison will travel for a weekend with just the Z Fold 7 + Keys‑to‑Go for most journalistic tasks—about 95% confident it’ll cover her needs. The hardware form factor and accessories are close to “minimum viable” laptop replacement for many mobile workflows; software polish and battery remain gating factors.

Notable practical points

  • “Purse computer” vs “pocket computer” distinction: adding a tiny keyboard moves the device from being pocketable to something you carry in a bag, which changes use cases.
  • Samsung’s window‑tiling/multi‑window abilities help with productivity; Android fragmentation and app optimization are the software pain points.

Jacob Feldman — state of sports streaming

Olympics (current)

  • Peacock and NBC’s streaming approach delivered “everything” (many simultaneous streams, multi‑view, sport‑specific multi‑views e.g., curling).
  • Technical and creative wins: drone coverage produced striking new shots (some audio quirks), and Peacock’s broad multi‑streaming approach satisfied niche and hardcore fans.

Super Bowl

  • Streaming worked smoothly (Peacock); viewers didn’t face major access problems this year despite free‑stream options not being available.

YouTube TV bundling moves

  • YouTube TV introduced slimmer bundles (sports‑only, news + sports, etc.). The sports bundle is only modestly cheaper than the full plan, which suggests people who primarily want sports can still save some money.
  • YouTube TV’s leverage (size/scale) lets it try bold bundle moves and negotiate forcefully with programmers. Flattening churn between seasons (e.g., after NFL season) is a major goal.

ESPN’s streaming complexity

  • ESPN launched its direct streaming strategy with products like ESPN Unlimited (free with cable auth, otherwise ~$30/month), Select and ESPN+ variants—messy for consumers to navigate.
  • New rights deals (some NFL content, MLB tie‑ins) are incremental and complicated; many rights carve‑outs (e.g., RedZone distribution limits) remain.

Big tech players — Amazon, Netflix, YouTube

  • Amazon: positioning to be the TV/hub app for sports (Prime Video front door, Fire TV ubiquity) and to bundle other services; wants to be the default interface even without owning every right.
  • Netflix: pivoted from documentaries (Drive to Survive) and boxing/exhibitions toward more live events; Netflix‑Warner merger could expand reach but won’t immediately solve sports fragmentation.
  • The rights landscape is moving from “TV vs streaming” to “which streamer gets which rights?” — streamers now compete directly among each other.

Key upcoming tests

  • March Madness: complicated (CBS + TNT split); crucial test of how multi‑platform live events work in a streaming world.
  • NFL rights renegotiation: will determine whether streamers get major football rights and how fragmented live sports become.
  • Masters, F1 on Apple TV, World Cups and other marquee events will continue to reveal who becomes the “sports hub.”

Bottom line

  • Sports streaming is increasingly fragmented but also increasingly sophisticated in distribution; rights deals, bundling strategies, and hub ambitions (Amazon, YouTube, Netflix, traditional broadcasters) will determine how hard/viewers must work to watch live sports.

Hotline & flip phone / external display idea (Drake)

Listener idea

  • Use a flip phone worn on a belt/collar as a hands‑free speakerphone or always‑available mini UI (notifications, quick replies, media controls), possibly backed by an AI assistant.

Host experience & diagnosis (Motorola Razr Ultra, Razr family)

  • Flip phones are compelling: pocketability, single‑hand reach, and a satisfying “close to finish” psychological affordance (closing = done).
  • Current problem: many Android apps treat the small external display as a full phone screen (you get tiny squashed apps), instead of offering context‑specific micro‑UIs (quick replies, media, weather, concise info).
  • Proposed improvement: an external display UI paradigm that acts more like a smartwatch (tiny focused interactions) and/or as a lightweight AI (Gemini) voice/text assistant when closed—push‑to‑talk or always‑on on the cover display.

Practical request

  • Users/developers want more native small‑screen/cover optimizations and better decisions from Android OEMs and app developers so the cover display serves quick tasks without launching full phone apps.

Recommendations & practical tips

For users thinking about foldable-as-laptop:

  • Try an 8‑inch inner display foldable (Z Fold 7 recommended here for carry comfort) + a very slim Bluetooth keyboard (Logitech Keys‑to‑Go is a strong, battery‑efficient pick).
  • Plan for short work sessions (1–2 hours) without an external charger; bring a battery bank for full‑day use.
  • Use Chrome tabs for Slack and other web UIs when app UIs are poor; be prepared to manage Google account/profile switching.
  • Avoid heavy photo editing or complex spreadsheets on the foldable unless you can accept limitations.

For developers & platform teams:

  • Optimize Android apps for foldables and cover displays: build dedicated micro‑UIs for external screens (quick actions), tablet/inner display layouts, and desktop‑class browser behavior.
  • Fix multi‑account/profile flows in Chrome/Google apps so users can seamlessly switch work/personal contexts.
  • Prioritize battery/thermal optimizations for sustained productivity sessions.

For sports fans:

  • Expect fragmentation; choose services based on the events you care about (YouTube TV sports bundle may help some fans; Amazon/Prime content matters for others).
  • Watch March Madness and the next NFL rights cycle for major changes in where you’ll need to subscribe.

Notable quotes

  • Allison Johnson: “If I can outfit my phone—the thing that I was going to have anyway—into a package that I can put in my purse, all of a sudden I'm on a totally different kind of journey.”
  • On Android app problems: “Google Docs, the app on Android, is garbage. And if you try to use Google Docs in the web browser, it just constantly yells at you to open the app.”
  • Jacob Feldman on the sports ecosystem: “The battle now is between the streamers… the question is, am I going to put this on Netflix or am I going to put this on Amazon?”

If you want, I can create a 1‑page checklist for trying a foldable “purse computer” (gear, settings to tweak, apps to prefer) or a short explainer of the upcoming sports rights events to watch.