Hello, Monday N2K’ers!

Some people say $2,000 is too much to pay for a foldable phone, but IS IT?

Also, they say there’s nothing new under the sun, and I suspect those people have been to the movies lately. Meanwhile check out today’s song of the day. The album is really rather good, and I’m tapping my toes to it as I type.

Have a great start to your week, yeah?

—Matt Davis, Need2Know Chedditor

News You Need2Know

• New from Samsung: Foldables, Watches, AI

• Superman vs. dinosaurs: Who will win summer?

• North Carolina named best state for business

• Ferrero to buy WK Kellogg for $3.1 billion

• Stocks down after news of 35% tariff on Canada

Companies mentioned in today’s newsletter

$SSNLF ( ▲ 9.01% )  $AAPL ( ▲ 0.55% )  $AMZN ( ▲ 0.93% )  $KLG ( ▼ 1.45% )  $SPX ( ▼ 0.03% )  $NVDA ( ▼ 0.67% )  $MSFT ( ▲ 0.04% )  $META ( ▲ 0.4% )  $BTC.X ( ▼ 0.96% )  

New from Samsung: Foldables, Watches, AI

The recent Samsung Unpacked $SSNLF ( ▲ 9.01% ) event unveiled a host of innovations, with foldable phones and advanced AI taking center stage. One of the biggest announcements was the Fold 7, which Mark Spoonauer with Tom’s Guide described as blowing him away.

"For the very first time you're getting a foldable phone that's even lighter than the iPhone 16 Pro Max, for example, and you're getting a huge display on the inside," he said. He noted its impressive thinness and large eight-inch display, effectively making it "a phone and tablet in one."

It’s $2,000.

Samsung's AI advancements, powered by a partnership with Google and Gemini, are also a major new development. Spoonauer explained that Gemini is "multi-modal," meaning "if you're looking at the world around you, you can have it answer questions based on what it's seeing and what it is hearing." This is "way beyond what Apple has right now." He also highlighted a new gaming feature on the Fold 7 where you can ask Gemini for tips while playing, and it "actually knows based on what's going on on your screen."

Beyond phones, the Galaxy Watch 8 was a highlight. Spoonauer emphasized its integration of Gemini, allowing users to have "access to that AI on the go, and that's whether or not you have your phone with you." The Watch 8 also introduces new health features, including a skin scan to measure antioxidants and a heart health feature. As Spoonauer put it, "when it comes to health features, I feel like Samsung is definitely doing a good job with that."

Samsung's strategy includes making foldables more accessible, with the Flip 7 FE starting at a mere $899. These innovations, combined with the power of Galaxy AI, are putting "pressure on Apple," $AAPL ( ▲ 0.55% ) Mark said, especially with rumors of Apple developing its own foldable phone for 2026.

Song of the day: Wet Leg, Moisturizer

British indie-rock band Wet Leg released their second album last Friday after winning a bunch of awards for their first. This is a “confident, exuberant record that solidifies their status as one of the UK’s most distinctive musical voices,” one reviewer notes. I like track three, “Catch These Fists.”

Superman vs. dinosaurs: Who will win summer?

The summer movie season is in full swing, and according to Paul Dergarabedian at Comscore, it's been "a really amazing summer movie season. According to our ComScore data, the summer is running 16% ahead of last year."

But who will dominate the box office: Superman or the dinosaurs? Last weekend saw “Jurassic World: Rebirth” "overperforming," drawing huge numbers. But the pressure is on for James Gunn's “Superman,” which opened this weekend. Dergarabedian shared late-breaking numbers: "$22.5 million for Superman" in Thursday previews. He emphasized, "That's a huge Thursday night preview. I think most of those showings started at around 3 p.m. So that portends a 100 million-plus weekend for the latest Superman." 

Beyond these titans, the summer slate is packed. Dergarabedian listed a plethora of upcoming releases: “Smurfs”, “I Know What You Did Last Summer,” “Fantastic Four,” “Freakier Friday,” “Nobody 2,” and “Naked Gun.”

"It's like, what's old is new again. And it's hard to find an original film out there," he said, noting the multiple reboots. The big question for studios, Paul said, is whether the movies will get people to buy popcorn. That’s it. To be fair the “Naked Gun” reboot does look rather amusing.

Today on the ‘gram: Thin foldy phone!

Post of the day: A bat signal for divorced dads

Quote of the Day

North Carolina named best state for business

North Carolina has once again taken the crown as CNBC’s Top State for Business in 2025, marking its continued dominance as a hub for economic growth and opportunity.

With a 3.7% GDP growth in 2024 and over 60,000 new jobs added, the state ranked third in the “economy” category in CNBC’s study. Its workforce, praised for a high percentage of STEM talent and vocational training programs, also earned it the title of fourth best in the country. Recent large-scale investments, such as Amazon’s $AMZN ( ▲ 0.93% ) $10 billion for new data centers and JetZero’s plans to build its first factory in Greensboro, further underscore the state’s appeal.

Should you check your 401(k) today?

👎️ 

Nope.

Ferrero to buy WK Kellogg for $3.1 billion

Ferrero, the Italian candy powerhouse behind Nutella, Ferrero Rocher, and Tic Tacs, has announced its plans to acquire WK Kellogg $KLG ( ▼ 1.45% ) , the iconic American cereal company, in a $3.1 billion deal. The blockbuster merger will combine Ferrero’s sweet snacks with Kellogg’s beloved breakfast staples, such as Frosted Flakes, Froot Loops, and Rice Krispies.

The move marks Ferrero’s most ambitious expansion effort in North America, following previous acquisitions, including Nestlé’s U.S. confectionary business in 2018. According to Ferrero’s CEO Lapo Civiletti, the acquisition will allow the company to extend its footprint beyond candy and snacks, diversifying its offerings while strengthening its position in the American market.

Market reaction was swift, with WK Kellogg’s shares surging 30% in early trading. Ferrero’s bold move signals its confidence in bucking industry trends. More importantly: Will they release Nutella Frosted Rice Krispies? I would show up for that.

Stocks down after news of 35% tariff on Canada

The U.S. stock market faced turbulence to close out last week after President Trump announced a 35% tariff on Canadian imports. The S&P 500 $SPX ( ▼ 0.03% ) dropped 0.33% after hitting record highs earlier in the week, showcasing the market’s resilience even amid uncertainty.

Investors appeared divided on the impact of these tariff threats. While some — betting on Trump’s tendency to “soften” trade policies — remained optimistic, others warned of potential risks to economic growth and corporate earnings.

Tech stocks, including Nvidia $NVDA ( ▼ 0.67% ) , Microsoft $MSFT ( ▲ 0.04% ) and Meta $META ( ▲ 0.4% ) , have been instrumental in driving recent market gains. Meanwhile, Bitcoin $BTC.X ( ▼ 0.96% ) surged above $118,000 last week, showcasing renewed investor confidence in riskier assets.

As earnings season kicks off and economic data remains relatively strong, some experts believe tariffs will cause short-term volatility but limited long-term impacts.

Poll of the Day: Superman 11 or Jurasic Park 7?

Poll Results: You’re into robot surgery after all

We asked: Where do you stand on robot surgery?

And this one split the audience. You answered:

🟨🟨🟨🟨🟨⬜️ As far away as possible, frankly. Nope. (370)

🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 I'd be interested to explore it in a few years when the tech is perfected. (410)

780 Votes via @beehiiv polls