Samsung Folding Sliding Phone & Galaxy S23 Launch Date Rumor; Microsoft Getting ChatGPT for Bing; Salesforce Cutting Staff 10%; Roku Building its Own TVs. 

Samsung has showed off a crazy prototype as the Consumer Electronics Show is set to get underway. It’s a phone that not only folds, but slides to increase the screen size! Engadget.com reports that Samsung calls it tie Flex Hybrid OLED. It can fold from one side and slide out from the other, changing both the size and aspect ratio of the screen! It is initially just 4.2 inches wide, but opens up on the left to a 10.5 inch 4 to 3 display…THEN, on the right, it can fold out to create a 12.4 inch display with a 16 to 10 ratio…which should be great for entertainment or content creation. The thought of carrying something that opens up to 12.4 inches in a jacket pocket is pretty revolutionary. Back to the real world for a minute…most prognosticators think the new Galaxy S23 phones will roll out around February 9th. That’s about when last year’s S22 models were revealed. Most Samsung watchers expect 3 tiers of pricing again…a base phone at about $800, a Plus model for around $1000, and a top line Ultra for $1200.  

Microsoft is bringing ChatGPT capabilities to its Bing search engine. 9to5google.com notes that Google is said to be at ‘code red’ over the AI tech, which some feel may have the capability of killing traditional search engines. Apparently, Microsoft’s 2019 investment into OpenAI “included an agreement to incorporate some aspects of GPT into Bing.” An older version has already been in use. Microsoft claims that “Bing will still rely on its own technology to produce most search results” as GPT isn’t meant to “continuously scrape the web or provide real-time information like a search engine does.” The ChatGPT addition could be integrated into Bing by March. 

Salesforce is cutting staff by 10%, after hiring what they say was ‘too many people’ during the pandemic. The cutback will affect some 7,000 employees, and will close offices in ‘certain markets,’ according to techcrunch.com. In a letter to employees, CEO Marc Benioff referenced the “challenging” environment in which it’s operating, pointing to the “more measured approach” its customers are making with their purchasing decisions. As of last February, Salesforce has about 79,000 employees, and that was a 30% increase over 2020. Those laid off will get almost 5 months of pay, as well as health insurance and other benefits. 

In a ‘why didn’t they do that sooner’ move, Roku is announcing at CES that they will be launching a TV line. This spring, look for Roku Select and Roku Plus TV’s. Zdnet.com reports that the 4K TVs are the first design built in-house by Roku. Up to now, they have partnered with Amazon and Hisense. The sets will range in size from 24 to 75 inch screen sizes. They will have Roku Voice Remotes, and the Plus Series TVs will expand on the voice controls and offer Roku Voice Remote Pros, presumably with expanded offerings. They haven’t released more specs or pricing as yet.

I’m Clark Reid, and you’re ‘Technified’ for now.