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‘Massive’ investment in R&D leads China’s Honor to launch world’s thinnest foldable phone

Chinese smartphone brand Honor launched what promises to be the world’s thinnest foldable phone—just 4.1 millimeters thick when unfolded—on Wednesday as it seeks to regain lost ground in China’s competitive phone market.

The Magic V5’s thinness is made possible by innovations in its silicon-carbon battery, which stacks cells just 0.2 millimeters thick to create a battery that’s as thin as a bank card. The new phone is also light: At just 217 grams, the Magic V5 weighs less than the iPhone 16 Pro Max.

Behind these innovations is a “massive” amount of research and development, Hope Cao, Honor’s product expert on foldables, told Fortune ahead of the Magic V5 launch.

Honor invested 1 billion Chinese yuan ($139 million) towards researching its silicon-carbon battery technology. The company invests over 10% of its total revenue towards R&D each year.

“In terms of materials, structure, craftsmanship…everything is extremely costly from an R&D perspective,” Cao said.

Foldables represent a small but rapidly expanding segment of the Chinese smartphone market. Sales in this category grew by 27% last year, according to Counterpoint Research. Book-type foldables, which open along the longer edge to create a larger screen, are particularly popular.

Cao suggests this aligns with Chinese consumer preference for versatile devices for both work and entertainment. A larger screen means more space for productivity apps, meaning users can do their work on a foldable smartphone rather than a laptop. The rise of “short dramas”—soap operas designed to be watched on a phone and easily shared on social media—are also pushing shoppers to invest in larger displays.

Honor was once Huawei’s budget smartphone division. U.S. sanctions forced the Chinese tech giant to offload the company in late 2020. The company had a 13% share of China’s smartphone market in the first quarter of 2025, according to Counterpoint, close behind Vivo, Oppo and Apple.

China’s budget brands are now venturing into the premium market, seeking growth from selling higher-value phones, rather than a larger volume of cheaper models.

Still, the return of Huawei to the smartphone market in 2023 is weighing on Honor’s business. Counterpoint Research puts Huawei in first place in China’s smartphone market, alongside Xiaomi.

Huawei’s success is also weighing on Apple, whose iPhone once dominated the Chinese market. Local smartphones now offer designs and features that Apple’s tried-and-true iPhone is struggling to match. Apple plans to release a book-style foldable phone in 2026, The Information reported last year.

The iPhone maker is also struggling to launch its AI services in China. Earlier this year, Alibaba announced that it was going to be Apple’s local partner to offer Apple Intelligence to users. Yet the deal has reportedly drawn scrutiny in both Washington and Beijing.

AI is quickly becoming a key differentiator for Chinese smartphones, including those designed by Honor. The Chinese company is experimenting with on-device AI, or services that run on the phone as opposed to the cloud. Honor plans to invest $10 billion over the next five years to develop AI for its product lineup, which it hopes to expand to include PCs, tablets and wearables.

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July 3, 2025
4 privacy tweaks I make with every router

Your router is the gateway between your Local Area Network (LAN) and the wild west of the Internet, and it should be your first line of defense for your privacy. But routers, even custom ones running OPNsense, are set up to get you online, not for your privacy. Even going through a basic checklist of security fixes will get your network more secure, but it only goes part of the way towards making your browsing more private.

For that, there are a few things I like to change every time I set up a new router. The biggest of these is to set up a self-hosted DNS server that enables encrypted DNS. Otherwise, your ISP (or Google) can see what your DNS requests are and use that data for targeted advertising, and nobody likes the thought of that. Some overlap with good security measures, and there are also things you can do on your devices to protect your privacy, like turning off telemetry and using a privacy-focused browser.

Related

6 overlooked router settings that can improve your network security

You can make your home network much more secure with a few changes.

4

I host my own DNS server

Privacy by design with no ISP snooping

It should come as no surprise that your ISP is spying on you, as is Google, MSN, and probably every website you visit. It’s concerning, to say the least, how easily our private information is being used for targeted advertising and other things. However, by knowing that, you can plan countermeasures to minimize the amount of identifying information leaked while you use the internet.

That’s why the first thing I change on any router is the DNS servers, specifically to a DNS server that I’m self-hosting. This could be Unbound, Technitium, or Pi-hole set up with DNSCrypt, but it’s non-negotiable because encrypted DNS requests stop the ISP from snooping. If you have an Eero mesh, Eero Secure also gives you encrypted DNS records (that filter all outgoing DNS requests, even those not pointed at the Eero DNS server), but you have to be okay with Amazon being in charge of that, and that’s a dealbreaker for many.

You don’t have to use DNSCrypt; DNS-over-TLS and DNS-over-HTTPS also work if your DNS server supports them. You’ll also want DNSSEC support so your DNS resolver can trust the results it gets back. Without it being encrypted, everyone on your local Wi-Fi network, your ISP, and transit providers can all see the data contained in your DNS queries and responses, which include the UDP port used, the IP addresses and URLs involved, if any HTTPS traffic happened (indicated visiting other pages on that URL), and more.

Unencrypted DNS queries can be hijacked, which is often done by ISPs to redirect users to advertising pages or block content they don’t want them to see. Any firewalls along the route could also intercept, block, or modify DNS traffic, so keeping it encrypted with DoT or DoH is essential for privacy on the web. Services like Cloudflare DNS and Quad9 support encryption while having no-logging policies, so your identity is kept private. And since you’re running the DNS resolver, you can block known trackers, malware domains, and even ads.

Related

Forget about Pi-hole, I switched to this more powerful self-hosted alternative

Technitium is my new bestie.

3

Disable UPnP, NAT-PMP, and WPS

These vulnerable features could mean your network is no longer private

I don’t know about you, but privacy to me also means not leaving the proverbial door open for attackers to look around. Unfortunately, many consumer routers have features enabled by default that make it trivial for anyone to invade the privacy of your home network, and those are also on my list of things to change.

Thankfully, Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) doesn’t exist on most newer devices. However, it’s still available and makes an easy way for an attacker to crack your Wi-Fi password, because a six-digit PIN code is several orders of magnitude easier than a long password. Turn that off, then turn off UPnP and NAT-PMP (if your router supports it), because those make it easy for any IoT device inside your network that might have been pulled into a botnet by malware able to open ports to the internet.

Related

4 reasons you should consider disabling UPnP in your router

You probably don’t need it anymore, and it’s a security nightmare.

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4 reasons you should disable NAT-PMP on your router right now

This Apple-centric alternative to UPnP is no longer necessary.

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4 reasons you should turn off Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) right now

WPS used to be a quick way to pair Wi-Fi devices, but you shouldn’t use it anymore.

2

Isolate the guest network

It shouldn’t be able to talk to the rest of my network or devices

Even if you aren’t running a VLAN for your IoT devices so they can’t access the data on your main computers, you should still be running a guest network for any visitors who may want to use your internet. It’s part of being a good host, but you don’t have to sacrifice your privacy by giving out the password to your Wi-Fi network.

For this to be truly effective, you’ll want to enable Client or AP Isolation (depending on how your router manufacturer names it), so that any of these guest devices won’t be able to see your devices or connect to each other. The guest network is simply so they’re not running down cellular data caps while at your home, and you can add bandwidth limits to ensure all your guests get passable service, and remove the network once everyone goes home, so they can’t connect to your network unless you know they’re using it.

Related

6 tips to securely share guest Wi-Fi with friends

Make guest access easy backed by robust security

1

Turn off legacy device support

If it’s insecure, I don’t want it on my network

Wi-Fi has evolved substantially since its inception, and your home network isn’t private if you still have legacy devices connected. These legacy protocols include WEP, WPA, and TKIP, and they shouldn’t be used on your home router. The best Wi-Fi security you can use is WPA3 with AES, which you should look for when you next plan a router purchase.

However, it’s also important to look for any devices you may have that cannot use WPA3. Anything that uses WEP or TKIP encryption lulls you into a false sense of security because Wi-Fi cracking tools can brute-force these in minutes. WPA3 includes features that eliminate the way attackers can figure out passwords based on handshake data or force devices off the network to continually get the handshake data they need.

Enabling WPA3 on any new Wi-Fi router is one of the first things I’ll do, and it’s easy to handle because it’s done at the same time as adding Wi-Fi passwords and which wireless bands are being used. I’ll also turn off support for 802.11a/b/g/n because almost every device on my network uses Wi-Fi 5 or newer, and I’ve replaced most of the devices that only use 2.4GHz. That doesn’t make it more private, but it does show me which older devices I really should replace, as they’re often using insecure methods that slow down the rest of my network.

Related

7 systems running on legacy tech in 2024

It’s slightly sobering how many super-critical industries or systems still run on older technology.

These steps are just the start of keeping your information private online

Keeping your data and network private is a never-ending task as companies and individuals create new ways to access our data. It’s essential to know the why behind turning off default settings or installing new software, as the tools change, but the basic tenets don’t. Encryption is good, but it needs to be used in every part of the chain, from web browsers to DNS requests, and every network segment in between. Physical privacy methods also have digital counterparts, and finding the ones that work for you is more important than using the most popular options. And above all, regular check-ins to see if new digital fingerprinting methods have been developed and how to outwit them.

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July 3, 2025
The #1 Late-Night Snack for Weight Loss
Late-night snacks can support weight loss—what matters most is choosing balanced, nutrient-dense options.

A top pick is cottage cheese with fruit and nuts, offering protein, fiber, healthy fats, and sleep support.

Aim for snacks with under 200 calories, over 7 grams of protein, and fiber to keep you full and satisfied.
You may have heard that eating before bed is a no-no if weight loss is a goal. However, that couldn’t be further from the truth. And, there’s science to prove it.

A small snack can benefit cardiovascular and metabolic health, as well as promote muscle protein synthesis. You don’t have to avoid snacking at night. And that advice stands if you’re aiming to lose weight. It’s the quality of your snack that matters.

So when you’re looking for a late-night bite, read on. We talked to registered dietitians about what late night snack they’d choose to support weight loss.

The Best Late-Night Snack for Weight Loss

Dig into this creamy Cottage Cheese Snack Jar with Fruit when hunger strikes at night.

If you haven’t embraced the cottage cheese craze, here’s your opportunity. The best late-night snack for weight loss that dietitians swear by is the trendy staple that has social media buzzing. This recipe for a cottage cheese snack jar adds diced peaches and chopped pecans for a sweet and crunchy snack.

“Cottage cheese and fruit is an amazing and delicious late-night snack,” says Lauren Harris-Pincus, M.S., RDN, founder of Nutrition Starring You and author of The Everything Easy Pre-Diabetes Cookbook. “The slow-digesting protein, fiber from the fruit and unsaturated fats from a sprinkle of nuts is a fabulous combo to help balance blood sugar, feed your muscles while you sleep and provide an antioxidant boost,” she explains.

Here’s more about why this snack staple is such a superhero before bed.

It Contains Sleep-Promoting Tryptophan

Just like turkey on Thanksgiving, dairy foods are a great way to up your intake of tryptophan, says registered dietitian and certified personal trainer Nicole Rodriguez, RDN. Tryptophan is a naturally occurring amino acid that plays an important role in the production of serotonin and sleep-regulating melatonin for sleep. Thanks to this and other amino acids found in dairy, foods like cottage cheese may help support sleep quality.

It’s High in Protein

Dairy is a powerhouse when it comes to high-quality protein, meaning it contains a complete package of essential amino acids. A ½-cup serving of 1% fat cottage cheese provides 14 grams of protein for just 80 calories and 1 gram of total fat. In fact, research shows that pre-sleep protein, specifically casein, can help your body build muscle when you are engaged in a strength training program. This supports earlier research that suggested that higher-protein diets may also help with appetite and weight management. Choosing a low-fat dairy food like cottage cheese is a great way to add a solid source of protein into your nighttime routine.

It’s Packed with Vitamins and Minerals

Cottage cheese contains calcium, magnesium, zinc and B vitamins. Magnesium and zinc, in particular, play an important supporting role in helping convert tryptophan in dairy foods into melatonin (that circadian rhythm-regulating good sleep hormone).

One caveat when it comes to cottage cheese is its sodium content. Traditional cottage cheese is rather high in sodium, with a ½-cup serving clocking in at 459 milligrams, 20% of the recommended daily limit. If you are trying to reduce the sodium in your diet, choose a no-salt-added cottage cheese or compare the sodium content between brands and pick a lower-salt product.

It Has Fiber

While cottage cheese on its own lacks fiber, the addition of fruits and nuts gives it a nice fiber boost. This recipe supplies 3 grams of fiber. Plus, when some of that fiber comes from fruit, you’re in luck. “The addition of fruit can satisfy sweet cravings that you may be trying to minimize while pursuing a weight-loss goal,” says Rodriguez.

It Has Fat

Healthy fat sources contribute to snack satiety and satisfaction, says Rodriguez. The Cottage Cheese Snack Jar with Fruit has 2 tablespoons of chopped pecans, though you can change up the nuts if you’d like. Other ideas include slivered almonds, walnut pieces or chopped pistachios.

What to Consider When Choosing a Late-Night Snack

Late-night snacks do not have to involve heading to the pantry to grab potato chips or cookies. (Classic TV munchies, of course.) Those snacks taste good, but there are better choices that align with weight loss. “While I encourage my patients to embrace an ‘all foods fit’ philosophy, nighttime presents its own challenges,” says Rodriguez. For example, eating spicy, fatty or fried foods can cause indigestion, while foods with a lot of added sugars can cause blood glucose spikes. Both of these can disrupt your sleep, and lack of sleep can affect your appetite and may make weight loss more difficult.

But there are two nutrients you should focus on when it comes to nighttime nibbles: protein and fiber, says Harris-Pincus. These provide staying power, she says. “Sticking with these options will help to keep blood sugar levels more stable and offer an opportunity to maximize your nutrient intake for the day.”
- Here are the nutrition parameters to focus on when finding a late-night snack:
- Calories: Aim for roughly 200 calories per snack, depending on your personal energy needs, to avoid feeling overly full before bed.
- Protein: Make sure your snack choice has protein. Aiming for 7 or more grams provides a good source of protein.
- Fiber: Fiber helps keep you fuller for longer, and can also support your weight-loss goals through offering satiety, meaning you’re less likely to mindlessly munch. Aim for a snack that provides some fiber, ideally 3 or more grams.
- Fat: Fat is your friend; it also helps to satiate you. Choose a snack that packs a little bit of unsaturated fat to help provide that staying power until your morning meal.
Cottage Cheese Recipes to Try

Our Expert Take

You can enjoy a late-night snack, even if weight loss is on your radar. Consider your individual calorie, protein and nutrient needs as you explore what foods will satisfy you as well. Dietitians recommend pairing low-fat cottage cheese with fruit and nuts for a late-night option that provides protein, fat and fiber, all nutrients that support weight-loss goals.
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July 3, 2025
NEPRA cuts basic power tariff by Rs1.15/unit

ISLAMABAD:

The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) has decided to reduce power tariff by Rs1.15 per unit, offering a big relief to consumers, using 100 to 500 units per month, according to a notification sent to the government for final approval and implementation.

Nepra has issued its decision to reduce the basic price of electricity for the entire country. As per the decision, the maximum tariff for domestic consumers will be Rs47.69 per unit. However, the tariff for domestic lifeline consumers, using up to 50 units per month has been maintained at Rs3.95 per unit.

According to the Nepra notification, tariff for lifeline consumers, using 51 to 100 units per month, is Rs7.74.

A rate of Rs10.54 per unit has been approved for protected domestic consumers using 1-100 units and Rs13.01 for protected domestic consumers, using 101-200 units.

For the non-protected domestic consumers, Nepra fixed the tariff at Rs22.44 for 1-100 units per-month category; Rs28.91 for 101-200 units; Rs33.10 for 201-300 units; Rs37.99 for 301-400 units; Rs40.20 for 401-500 units; Rs41.62 for 501-600 units; Rs42.76 for 601-700 units and Rs47.69 for above 700 units.

According to officials, Nepra has sent its recommendations to the federal government for the implementation of the new rates. After the approval of the Nepra recommendations, the government would announce the reduction of the power tariff, they added.

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July 3, 2025
Marshall Middleton II Boasts Extended 30+ Hours Playtime

Marshall is introducing the second iteration of its Middleton portable Bluetooth speaker, the Middleton II, which boasts extended play time of up to 30+ hours per charge.

Available with 360° True Stereophonic multidirectional sound, the Marshall Middleton II can not only run for more than a day, it can also recharge in just 20 minutes. You get deeper bass and more refined performance at maximum volume, says Marshall. It’s also compact enough to be thrown into a bag and durable enough to be taken anywhere with an IP67 dust and water-resistance rating.

It also has a built-in microphone for making speakerphone calls and offers support for LE audio. Control playback using the multidirectional control knob: twist or press to play, pause, skip tracks, adjust volume, or answer calls. It can also double as a portable power bank.

The Marshall Middleton II will be available in Canada through Erikson Consumer in Q3 and sell for $399.98.

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July 2, 2025
French court finds three ex-Ubisoft execs guilty of harassment charges

A French court has found three former Ubisoft executives, Tommy François, Serge Hascoët, and Guillaume Patrux, guilty of “moral and sexual harassment and attempted sexual assault” following a recent hearing. This verdict concludes a key part of what became known as the ‘Ubisoft Scandal,’ which began in 2020. The scandal initially revealed a party-like atmosphere at Ubisoft that allegedly involved harassment and potential assault. Five years after the initial revelations, these three executives, who had resigned from the company, have now received their sentences. The sexual harassment trial began which began last month, focuses on determining the accountability of the executives identified as central to the misconduct.

What the French court said about the three ex-Ubiosft execs

According to a report by French publication Liberation, the court said: “Tommy François, Serge Hascoët and Guillaume Patrux were found guilty of moral and sexual harassment and attempted sexual assault by the Bobigny criminal court.”The report mentions that the court “handed down suspended sentences of up to three years in prison against three of the video game giant’s former executives.”A suspended sentence means the executives will not serve prison time unless they commit further offences, which could then activate the court’s authority to enforce incarceration.“The most heavily sentenced is the former vice-president of the editorial department, Tommy François. He received a three-year suspended prison sentence and a fine of 30,000 euros, the sentence requested by the prosecutor for the charges of moral and sexual harassment and attempted sexual assault,” the report added.Serge Hascoët received a suspended sentence of eighteen months and a 45,000-euro fine.Meanwhile, former game director Guillaume Patrux “was sentenced to twelve months in prison with a suspended sentence and a fine of 10,000 euros for his violent and intimidating behavior towards the small team where he worked.”The court findings describe the behaviour of the three as including “sexist jokes, humiliations, and uncomfortable or vulgar behaviour towards certain employees.”These claims align with earlier reports suggesting the company’s headquarters had a “Boys’ club atmosphere.”

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July 2, 2025
PM lauds KSA’s role in truce with India

ISLAMABAD:

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday appreciated the efforts by Saudi Arabia for peace in the Middle East as well as its significant role in the ceasefire understanding between Pakistan and India.

The prime minister said this in a meeting with Ambassador of Saudi Arabia in Islamabad Nawaf bin Saeed Al Malkiy, while fondly recalling his warm and cordial telephone conversation with the Saudi Crown Prince on June 24 to discuss the regional situation.

He conveyed his respectful regards to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Prince Mohamed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

The prime minister told the ambassador that as Pakistan had assumed the rotating Presidency of the UN Security Council for the month of July, it would count on Saudi Arabia’s support to ensure that its tenure was conducted smoothly and successfully.

The Saudi ambassador thanked the prime minister for Pakistan’s role in peace and stability in the region.

FBR

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday applauded the Ministry of Finance and the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) for achieving a historic 42% increase in federal tax revenues during the fiscal year 2024-25 – the highest surge in the past decade.

The prime minister chaired a high-level weekly review meeting on the digitization and reform agenda of the FBR, whereas during the briefing, it was revealed that reforms and enforcement of new tax laws enabled the government to collect an additional Rs 865 billion in revenues compared to the previous year, an eightfold increase.

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July 2, 2025
Microsoft to cut up to 9,000 jobs as it invests in AI

Microsoft has confirmed that it will lay-off as many as 9,000 workers, in the tech giant’s latest wave of job cuts this year.

The company said several divisions would be affected without specifying which ones but reports suggest that its Xbox video gaming unit will be hit.

Microsoft has set out plans to invest heavily in artificial intelligence (AI), and is spending $80bn (£68.6bn) in huge datacenters to train AI models

A spokesperson for the firm told the BBC: “We continue to implement organisational changes necessary to best position the company for success in a dynamic marketplace.”

The cuts would equate to 4% of Microsoft’s 228,000 global workforce.

It has initiated three other rounds of redundancies so far in 2025, including in May when it said it would axe 6,000 roles.

A database maintained by the Washington state shows more than 800 of the positions eliminated will be concentrated in Redmond as well as in Bellevue, another hub that Microsoft maintains in its home state.

In recent years, along with its counterparts in Big Tech, Microsoft has pivoted its attention towards the develop of AI, including investing in datacentres and chips.

Last year, the firm hired British AI pioneer Mustafa Suleyman to lead its new Microsoft AI division.

A top Microsoft executive recently told the BBC that the next half century will “fundamentally be defined by artificial intelligence,” changing the way we work and interact with one another.

Microsoft is also a major investor and shareholder in OpenAI, the company behind the popular chatbot ChatGPT, although the relationship has reportedly grown tense in recent months.

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July 2, 2025
Apollo-backed Athora nearing takeover of UK’s Pension Insurance Corporation – Financial Times
1. Apollo-backed Athora nearing takeover of UK’s Pension Insurance Corporation Financial Times
2. Apollo-backed Athora closes in on £6bn Pension Insurance Corporation deal Sky News
3. R120 billion sale on the cards for Johann Rupert’s English giant Business Tech
4. STOCK HIGHLIGHT: Investors celebrate Reinet talks BusinessLIVE
5. Johann Rupert’s ‘stepchild’ has another big sale in the works Daily Investor
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July 2, 2025
PAC blows whistle on Rs40b Kohistan scam

ISLAMABAD:

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Wednesday held a detailed discussion on the alleged Rs40 billion scam in Kohistan, expressing serious concerns over financial irregularities and a lack of departmental cooperation.

Chairing a meeting after a month-long break, PAC Chairman Junaid Akbar said that when the committee raises audit objections, the department concerned fails to cooperate effectively.

In May, the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government launched an investigation into the mega corruption scandal in Kohistan district, where an estimated Rs40 billion had allegedly been siphoned off from the provincial treasury.

The account was meant for retention money by contractors for schemes of four departments including communication and works, local government, irrigation and public health engineering departments. The scandal came under intense scrutiny during a meeting of the PAC, chaired by K-P Assembly Speaker Babar Saleem Swati.

Officials from the finance department and the Accountant General’s office admitted during the session that billions had been misappropriated from government funds.

While an official embezzlement figure of Rs24 billion had been confirmed, the PAC members expressed dissatisfaction with the explanations provided by finance secretary and the accountant general.

On Wednesday, the audit officials revealed that there had been a misuse of cheque book, with fraud committed by three individuals who have now been arrested. The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) is currently investigating the matter.

The auditor general disclosed that despite sending three letters to the finance department, no disciplinary action had been taken against any of their officials. The committee demanded complete details of the case and directed that all relevant records be submitted.

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July 2, 2025