$50 off Samsung's foldable phone upgrade before the Galaxy Z Fold 7 launch
10 tech stories in the quickest format possible
There are 10 tech stories in today’s Substack issue of The Shortcut. Subscribers can join our Substack Chat for restock alerts and 1:1 tech questions
The Shortcut’s Substack presence is growing – we’re now at 156,000 Substack subscribers – and right now we’re tracking Walmart’s Switch 2 and Switch 2 bundle in our flourishing Substack Chat. It’s where you can ask our editorial team 1:1 tech questions.
But we’re also outlining the most important tech stories daily: highlighting a $50 Samsung credit for reserving interest in their next smartphone launch on July 9, taking a look at the Meta Quest 3S Xbox VR headset, and scoping out those sporty Meta Oakley smart glasses.
Get the $50 Samsung credit mentioned in the headline
📱 1. Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 to launch at Samsung’s big July 9 event
🚀 Samsung will announce its new foldable phones on July 9 at 10am ET
📱 The Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7 are rumored to be the highlights
📸 A flagship-level 200MP and bigger screens headline the Fold 7 leaks
🛍️ Samsung is offering a $50 credit if you reserve interest with your email
🙅♂️ No obligation to buy it in the end, but the offer vanishes on July 9
⌚ New Galaxy watches are also expected to launch at the Unpacked event
🍎 More of an iPhone person? Don’t worry. Apple is rumored to be working on an iPhone Fold for 2026 after this year’s rumored iPhone 17 series. Stay tuned.
We’ve been reporting on Galaxy Z Fold 7 rumors and Flip 7 rumors for months, and we finally have a firm launch date for Samsung’s next foldable Android smartphones.
You’ll get your first glimpse of the new Galaxy Fold 7 and Flip 7 on Wednesday, July 9, 2025, according to Samsung’s official announcement today, and leaks suggest we may see a brand new tier, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 Ultra, along with a bigger screen and 200MP camera. The new Flip 7 colors look very appealing, too, at least according to the leaks.
Before July 9, you can get a $50 Samsung credit with an email sign-up. 100% worth doing.
📱 2. Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order: it’s in stock right now
🎮 Walmart sources told The Shortcut it’ll have ‘significantly more’ Switch 2s
🌟 Both Walmart’s Switch 2 and Switch 2 bundle will restock tonight
🐢 Everyone can grab it at 10pm ET/7pm PT, with or without Walmart+
💬 Priority Alerts: The Shortcut subscribers can enter our Substack Chat for 1:1 help and get alerts about the specific restock time
🔔 Turn on notifications for Matt Swider on X to get additional alerts
Walmart’s Nintendo Switch 2 restock is happening now, and the US retailer will have more consoles in stock online than ever before, according to our Walmart sources.
Both the Walmart Switch 2 and Switch 2 Mario Kart bundle will be in stock tonight, and a reliable Walmart source told The Shortcut exclusively that “we expect significantly more inventory tonight vs. the previous releases.”
Want a leg up? The Shortcut subscribers get an early notification when Walmart or any US store has Switch 2 in stock. Our Substack Chat is ready with the fastest links to buy it.
Walmart: Switch 2 console / Mario Kart World bundle
Target: Switch 2 console / Mario Kart World bundle
GameStop: Switch 2 console / Mario Kart World bundle
Best Buy: Switch 2 console / Mario Kart World bundle
Sam’s Club: Switch 2 console / Mario Kart World bundle
😎 3. Oakley Meta smart glasses launch with sporty design, 3K video recording
👓 Meta and Oakley have joined forces for a new pair of smart glasses
🏀 Oakley Meta HSTN glasses come with a sporty design
💦 The IPX4 water resistance rating means they can get a bit wet
🔋 They one-up the Ray-Ban Meta glasses with 2x the battery life & 3K video recording
🤖 The glasses still come with speakers and mics for music, phone calls, and using Meta AI on the go
💰 They start at $399 and go on sale beginning next month
Oakley is the latest glasses brand to partner with Meta on a pair of smart glasses. Following the success of the Ray-Ban smart glasses, Meta is building on the momentum with a new pair geared toward athletes and those who lead active lifestyles. The new glasses, called Oakley Meta HSTN (pronounced “HOW-stuhn”), are going on sale this summer in a variety of finishes to match your style.
Compared to the Ray-Ban Meta glasses, there are two key upgrades on board. The first involves the cameras; you can now record video at up to 3K resolution, an increase over 1080p on the Ray-Bans. The Oakley Meta HSTN also comes with double the battery life of the older version, which means you can use the glasses for up to eight hours on a charge and up to 48 hours with the case. They also come with fast charging, going from zero to 50% in around 20 minutes.
🎮 4. Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition is out now – here's what you get for $399
🆕 Microsoft unveiled the Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition headset
💰 The $399.99 VR headset is $100 more than the standard Meta Quest 3S
🚨 Available exclusively at Best Buy, quantities are ‘extremely limited’
🟩 It has a custom Xbox Carbon Black/Velocity Green design, 128GB of storage
👉 Bundled: matching Touch Plus controllers, a limited-edition Xbox Wireless Controller, and an Elite Strap
💳 Also: 3 months of Meta Horizon Plus + 3 months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate
Surprising no one, Microsoft has officially unveiled its Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition headset. It's the first limited edition Quest headset, and part of Microsoft's plan to expand Xbox Cloud Gaming to more devices.
The Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition costs $399.99 ($100 more than the standard Meta Quest 3S) and features a custom Xbox Carbon Black and Velocity Green design with 128GB of storage. The bundle also includes matching Touch Plus controllers, a limited-edition Xbox Wireless Controller, an Elite Strap, 3 months of Meta Horizon Plus and 3 months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.
The Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition is available from Best Buy and Meta.com, but quantities are "extremely limited," according to Microsoft. Once they're gone, they're gone.
⚙️ 5. Nvidia GeForce RTX 5050 entry-level graphics card revealed for $249
📣 Nvidia announces the RTX 5050 as an entry-level Blackwell GPU
📆 Available as both a desktop GPU in mid-July or in laptops you can buy now
🆕 Both support Nvidia’s latest ray tracing, DLSS 4, and Multi-Frame Generation
🖥️ Desktop GPU sports 2,560 CUDA cores, a 2.31GHz base clock, but 8GB of GDDR6 memory
💻 Laptop GPU offers the same 2,560 CUDA cores with faster GDDR7 memory and a 35-100W TDP
💵 Nvidia GeForce RTX 5050 graphics cards and laptops start at $249 and $999, respectively
Nvidia has completed its family of Blackwell GPUs by introducing the GeForce RTX 5050, now available as both a desktop and laptop GPU.
The entry-level GPU supports all the latest ray tracing, DLSS 4, and Multi-Frame Generation (MFG) we’ve seen across Nvidia’s 50-series graphics cards. The desktop card starts at $249, while laptops with an Nvidia RTX 5050 GPU will start at $999.
🎨 6. Galaxy Z Flip 7 colors just leaked – and Samsung is going vibrant
📱 New renders have leaked showing off the Galaxy Z Flip 7’s design
🌈 The images reveal three of the colors Samsung will ship
✨ It seems like Samsung will be sticking with vibrant hues this generation
👀 We’re also getting our first glimpse at the Galaxy Z Flip FE
📅 Samsung will unveil the Z Flip 7 and Flip FE on July 9
Samsung is officially announcing the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7 on July 9 during its Unpacked event, but before the big show kicks off, we’re getting a slew of last-minute leaks. The latest reveals three Galaxy Z Flip 7 colors in high resolution, showcasing the phone’s design and larger cover screen.
👀 7. iPhone 17 Air spotted in iOS 26 beta 2 – but it's very discreet
🍎 Apple’s upcoming iPhone 17 Air may have been referenced in the second iOS 26 beta
📱 A screen resolution for a wallpaper doesn’t align with any other iPhones on the market
👀 Instead, it seems to hint at a new screen size, which the 17 Air is rumored to adopt
📅 The iPhone 17 Air is expected to land this September
Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 17 Air this fall with a brand new 6.6-inch screen, and it seems like the second beta of iOS 26 could be hinting at it.
Right after iOS 26 developer beta 2 dropped, users started digging through the system to see if there were any Easter eggs or hints at future Apple products. While it doesn’t seem like there’s a direct reference to “iPhone 17 Air” anywhere in the system, it does seem like there’s at least one indication that a new display size is on the way, one that’s expected to remain exclusive to the 17 Air.
💻 8. Lenovo Chromebook Plus comes with two exclusive Chrome OS AI features
📣 Google announces Chrome OS updates in advance of Back to School
💻 On-device AI image editing and Smart Grouping are exclusive to the Lenovo Chromebook Plus
🔍 Select to Search allows you to use Google Lens anywhere on Chrome OS
💬 Text Capture pulls text from images and intelligently creates shopping lists and Google Calendar events
➕ Other updates include simplifying text, quick AI image insertion, NotebookLM on shelf, and Luminar compatibility
Google has announced new Chrome OS features, including two that are exclusive to the flagship Lenovo Chromebook Plus.
The first Lenovo Chromebook exclusive feature is Smart Grouping, which organizes your tabs and documents into a separate desk. It’s a fantastic addition if you routinely bury yourself under 100+ tabs.
Second, AI image editing has come to the Gallery App on Chrome OS for the Lenovo Chromebook Plus. Just like on Android, you can remove backgrounds and objects from any images in your photo library. You can also select objects to create stickers from them using Gallery AI image editing as well.
🏀 9. Nintendo's most ambitious Switch 2 game has a release date
📆 Drag x Drive, an ambitious Switch 2 title, releases on August 14, 2025
🏀 The game simulates 3-on-3 wheelchair basketball using Joy-Con 2's mouse mode and motion controls
🐵 Other major Switch 2 releases include Donkey Kong Bananza (July) and Pokémon Legends: Z-A (October)
👍 Drag x Drive's experimental gameplay highlight Nintendo's innovative approach
Nintendo has revealed the release date for Drag x Drive, arguably one of the most ambitious Switch 2 games.
The game, which recreates 3-on-3 wheelchair basketball using the Joy-Con 2's mouse mode and motion controls, is set to release on August 14, 2025. Nintendo made the announcement via its Today app.
Drag x Drive's release date means Nintendo is now only missing three months of the remaining year without a big first-party title. July sees the release of Donkey Kong Bananza, Pokémon Legends: Z-A releases in October, which means September, November and December are still free.
It's likely that Metroid Prime 4: Beyond and Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment will take up two slots. This still leaves space for Nintendo to announce a big title for the holidays. Kirby Air Riders is also due to release this year, but we'll have to see whether it hits that goal.
💵 10. Nomad made a leather iPhone MagSafe wallet with Find My built-in
💳 Nomad just dropped its latest iPhone accessory: a leather MagSafe wallet
📍 It comes with Find My built in, so you can track it wherever you go
💼 It’s made from Horween leather and supports wireless charging
🌈 You can choose between brown or black leather finishes
💰 Nomad is charging $80 for the wallet, and it’s available starting today
Nomad makes some of our favorite iPhone accessories on the market, particularly with its extensive line of leather goods. Between cases for the latest iPhones to fancy Apple Watch bands, Nomad knows how to do a leather accessory well, and it looks like it’s done it again with the new Leather Mag Wallet.
The Leather Mag Wallet is Nomad’s first MagSafe wallet for your iPhone. It’s similar to a lot of other MagSafe wallets on the market in that it can store 1-4 cards, attaches to the back of your phone with strong magnets, and maintains a slim profile.
What makes this wallet stand out are two things: its design and Find My integration. Nomad uses premium Horween leather (the same that’s used in my favorite iPhone 16 case) to give it a high-end fit and finish, available in both black and brown. Find My is integrated directly into its design so that you can add it to the Find My app on your phone and locate it in case you misplace it. You won’t need a dedicated tracking card for this one.