Technology

by AZALEA AZUAR

THE government will meet X representatives this evening to address concerns over the misuse of Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot Grok in Malaysia.

Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil said the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) will release a statement after the meeting.

“I welcome the attitude of X which has already begun managing feedback provided by various countries and governments, and is also making some changes to the Grok app,” he said in a press conference after launching Pos Malaysia’s Autonomous Vehicle Proof-of-Concept (PoC) today.

Malaysia has temporarily blocked the chatbot after concerns that it can generate sexually explicit images without consent. 

MCMC said it took action after xAI and X failed to implement adequate safeguards, relying only on user reporting. 

The regulator deemed these measures insufficient to prevent harm or ensure compliance with the law.

In the UK, it was reported that users were able to bypass restrictions via virtual private networks (VPN) despite a temporary ban. Experts said policing users and platform accountability would be more effective than bans.

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by AZALEA AZUAR

THE Communications Ministry will lead the development of a National Digital Infrastructure Policy alongside drafting related legislation. 

This follows an announcement in September last year that the Digital Ministry is working with the Road Transport Department (JPJ) to develop a legal framework for autonomous vehicles.

Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil (picture) said this policy aims to support the growth of smart cities by strengthening 5G networks, upgrading fibre infrastructure, and enabling advanced technologies like autonomous vehicles (AV).

“The task is to ensure that digital infrastructure is completed. AVs can be utilised because the 5G signal here is very good. 

“To deploy AVs in the real world — in residential areas, main roads, and so on — issues of connectivity and interoperability must be resolved first,” he said at a press conference after launching Pos Malaysia’s Autonomous Vehicle Proof-of-Concept (PoC) in Shah Alam today.

Fahmi said the Communications Ministry is laying the groundwork together with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to ensure implementation begins smoothly once legislation is passed.

While many areas with AVs already have strong connectivity, the Communications Ministry will address any urban signal gaps and oversee the development and execution of the National Digital Infrastructure Policy.

Meanwhile, Pos Malaysia Bhd has partnered with Autonomous Logistic Solutions Sdn Bhd (ALS) to launch Malaysia’s first Level Four AV as part of its digital and automation transformation, aiming to become a sustainability-driven, smart logistics leader. 

The launch was also attended by Pos Malaysia  Group CEO Charles Brewer, chairman Tan Sri Syed Faisal Albar and ALS MD Alan Chong.

The fully electric logistics vehicles will optimise delivery routes and reduce operational waste. 

The project will begin with phased PoC trials at the National Mail Centre in Shah Alam with plans to expand to other locations after successful testing.

ALS is the exclusive Malaysian partner for Zelos, a fully electric, zero-emission autonomous logistics vehicle designed for high-volume, point-to-point business-to-business (B2B) deliveries. 

It is responsible for introducing, localising, and operating Zelos in Malaysia, providing access to the world’s largest commercial autonomous logistics platform.

Fahmi reiterated that Pos Malaysia’s AVs are not yet in operation and a PoC will be conducted over the next three to six months, pending approval from relevant ministries.

“If all processes go well, it is not impossible that within less than a year we may see AVs being used for Pos Malaysia services, at the intermediate level, not home delivery, but between major Pos Malaysia offices — possibly towards the end of this year or early next year. This is subject to the Transport Ministry (MOT),” he said.

On concerns whether the deployment of AVs would result in the retrenchment of staff, especially delivery drivers, Fahmi said he does not see this leading to job losses.

He told Pos Malaysia and media company owners that adopting new technologies such as AV in logistics or AI in journalism, should not lead to large-scale job losses or retrenchments.

“The use of technology must be aligned with efforts to retain the workforce. There may be reskilling and upskilling so that the workforce can be utilised for more complex tasks,” Fahmi added.

Additionally, the RM50 million Postal Services Fund is expected to be operational in the third quarter of this year.

It was reported last year that the Communications Ministry, via MCMC, will provide the fund to Pos Malaysia to support its Universal Service Obligation (USO) of delivering mail nationwide, in line with the Postal Services Act 2012.

The fund will address challenges, especially in letter delivery, while both the ministry and MCMC will aim to support the sector’s transition to a sustainable model while minimising job losses.

Syed Faisal said Pos Malaysia’s operational performance has improved since the “start of this transformation,” where next-day delivery performance has exceeded 90%, surpassing the industry average of 82%. The company has achieved a 93% mail delivery performance. 

“These results are not merely numbers; they reflect the trust and satisfaction of our customers,” he said.

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SELANGOR has formalised its Smart City development plan through a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), witnessed by Sultan Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah.

Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil said RM450 million has been channelled to the Selangor government for the implementation of the development.

He said the MOU will focus on three key areas, coordinated and monitored under the Smart and Integrated Operations Centre (SIIOC), Utusan Malaysia reported.

“These are the development of smart connectivity infrastructure, enhanced public safety and traffic management and the implementation of smart flood management.

“The development of smart connectivity infrastructure will form the backbone of a smart city, encompassing the expansion of fibre optic networks, the provision of public WiFi facilities, as well as support for the implementation of the National Digital Network Plan (Jendela) to ensure the people of Selangor enjoy wider, more stable and higher-quality internet access,” he said.

The MOU exchange took place between Selangor state secretary Datuk Dr Ahmad Fadzli Ahmad Tajuddin and MCMC chairman Tan Sri Mohamad Salim Fateh Din, with King of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah Alhaj, Selangor Crown Prince Tengku Amir Shah and Selangor Mentri Besar (MB) Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari also in attendance.

Selangor’s capital was selected as the pilot location due to its suitable scale and complexity, as well as the readiness of its local authorities to implement Smart City initiatives at Stage 2.

The Selangor Smart City programme is a comprehensive transformation programme aimed at positioning the state as digitally progressive, supported by strengthened digital infrastructure, the adoption of new smart technologies and 5G networks by 2030.

Fahmi said the initiative aims to improve quality of life through more efficient and responsive public services, a safer urban environment, and more structured, data-driven traffic and disaster management systems.

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BUDGET 2026 has set aside RM16 million for aeronautics, with part of the allocation channelled into an Air Space Sandbox project aimed at creating a safer, regulated and high-tech framework for drone airspace management in Malaysia.

The project, led by Universiti Malaysia Perlis’ (UMP) Centre of Excellence for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (COE-UAS) head Prof Dr Hazry Desa, is expected to begin operations within the next two years on a roughly 30-hectare site in Sungai Batu Pahat, Kangar, Perlis.

Once completed, the Air Space Sandbox is set to be Malaysia’s first large-scale drone testing centre, equipped with radar, telecommunications systems, a ground control station, test flight corridors, a simulation centre and digital facilities for real-time monitoring.

Hazry said the facility is designed as an integrated testbed for drone testing, validation and flight certification across different scales, Utusan Malaysia reported.

This includes drones carrying payloads above 250kg such as cargo drones and air taxis.

The site will also support next-generation air mobility testing and the development of an unmanned traffic management (UTM) system, which allows multiple drones to operate safely at the same time in designated low-altitude airspace.

“The idea for the project has been in the works for several years, but it is only now becoming a reality after the research proposal was approved for implementation.

“Once operational, the Air Space Sandbox will become the country’s main site for drone research and innovation. It is not just a testing ground, but also a hub for industry and academia to collaborate in developing unmanned flight systems that comply with international standards,” he said.

Hazry added that the facility is being developed around a vertiport or vertical airport concept, in line with global moves towards urban air mobility (UAM).

He said drones tested there will operate within a fully controlled functional mock-up aerodrome circle, allowing real-world operating scenarios to be simulated under controlled conditions.

On partnerships, he said COE-UAS is in the process of building collaboration with international industry players, including firms from Türkiye, China, Germany and several other countries.

“Boustead Group Bhd has also indicated its openness to collaborate through the shared use of the airspace for research activities and demonstrations of new technology,” he said.

Hazry said Sungai Batu Pahat was chosen due to its low population density and favourable geography, surrounded by agricultural land and paddy fields, making it a suitable and safe location for flight testing.

He noted the area had previously received approval from Civil Aviation Malaysia in the 1980s as a microlight runway.

“As such, there is existing infrastructure such as a runway that can be improved for flight-testing purposes,” he added.

Beyond the land site, Hazry added that in addition to the land site at Sungai Batu Pahat, plans are also in place to designate waters off Kuala Perlis as an additional test site, particularly for large-scale drones and low-risk flight operations over open seas, which have been identified as safe and strategic zones.

Over the long term, he said the project could catalyse the development of a national aerial highway or “skyway”, a network of low-altitude flight corridors enabling efficient delivery of goods, logistics and human transport using drones.

“In China and several other countries, cargo drone delivery services are already a reality. Malaysia will also move in that direction, provided we are ready in terms of legal frameworks, safety standards and infrastructure support,” he said.

Hazry said the development of the project will not only stimulate the state’s economy through investment inflows and new job opportunities, but also position Malaysia at the forefront of unmanned aviation technology.

“Drone technology is no longer the future, it is a necessity today. The Air Space Sandbox will ensure that we do not fall behind in the wave of global airspace transformation,” he said.

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LATE last year, more than a thousand people converged in Seoul’s convention center as elite engineers presented their latest developments in artificial intelligence. Despite the arcane jargon filling the sprawling auditorium, it was a must-attend event for Korean technology executives and investors. The talk on the floor was that the science minister had ducked out of a parliamentary hearing on a data breach at Coupang Inc. to watch the demonstrations — a rare, high-stakes contest over who had created the best homegrown AI models. 

As tens of thousands tuned into the livestreamed event, cheers and shouts erupted each time contestants stepped into the spotlight, knowing that for some of them, this would be their last appearance.

The competition, which some are calling the “AI Squid Game” in a nod to the popular Netflix survival drama, is a government-sponsored tournament that was unveiled in August and will run for more than a year. It’s designed to identify the leaders in the country’s bid to become an AI powerhouse. The format, like the show that became a symbol of Korea’s cultural soft power, is ruthless: the teams’ AI foundation models face evaluation and elimination every six months by a panel of judges overseen by the Ministry of Science and ICT. 

On Thursday, the judges eliminated the unit of Naver Corp., which was criticized for using foreign technology. They also dismissed the AI subsidiary of NCSoft Corp., the only team led by a woman, based on evaluations of its model’s performance. This was a surprising development, as only one team was expected to be cut. The subsidiaries of LG and SK Group remained in the running, along with AI startup Upstage, according to the science ministry, which also announced that it would select an additional team to join in the next competition stage. Two winners are expected to be announced in early 2027.

“It may look like a spectacle, but this is a high-stakes contest that will shape Korea’s future,” said Chanjun Park, an assistant professor in the School of Software at Soongsil University in Seoul.

The government’s bet is that competition will breed innovation — at speed — and bolster a homegrown AI industry in a field increasingly dominated by US and Chinese players. The country’s ultimate goal, officials say, is to develop indigenous open-source models that are on par with global frontier models such as ChatGPT and DeepSeek. 

South Korea is among a growing list of nations determined to prevent their industries and workforces from being left behind by AI. France, too, is aiming to become a third AI hub, with the government investing billions in AI projects and promoting homegrown players. Saudi Arabia and the UAE are leveraging their massive capital to acquire advanced computing infrastructure and to fund domestic models such as Falcon LLM. Others, including Singapore, Japan, Canada and India, are also working on their own sovereign AI strategies.

Korean officials are particularly committed to building homegrown foundation models as the country is already a heavy user of AI — one of the world’s biggest markets for ChatGPT by paying users. It also has the world’s highest density of industrial robots, a sector set for radical changes led by the technology.

Science and ICT Minister Bae Kyung-Hoon, appointed in July, thinks it can capitalize on its unique standing as a “full-stack AI country,” with its own advanced memory chips, domestic cloud, and applications.  

“There are several countries vying to be No. 3, but we don’t see ourselves as just another contender in that pack,” he said. “We believe we have a real shot at becoming a serious global player — one capable of challenging the top two.”

Contenders and Controversy

For participants, the contest could be a make-or-break catalyst for their AI ambitions. The government is providing them with access to GPUs and datasets, and winning teams will have the chance at gaining an influential — and possibly lucrative — position in the AI ecosystem. Eliminated teams will lose access to the GPUs. Shares in Naver have fallen since the announcement on Thursday, while those in LG affiliates and SK Telecom Co. have rallied.

LG AI Research is widely seen as the top contender. Its model, named the K-Exaone, had the highest overall score in the latest stage. 

SK Telecom has also drawn attention due to the sheer scale of its model. Its model, A.X K1, boasts 519 billion in parameters, roughly double the scale of K-Exaone and near the level of the latest DeepSeek models, while it trails the most advanced version of ChatGPT. Generally, higher parameters, which reflect the number of variables used in machine learning, indicate more sophisticated models with greater reasoning power, although this can also mean heavy computing and energy requirements. 

Upstage, a five-year-old startup aiming for an IPO, is also in the running after unveiling a powerful and cost-efficient large language model. The government plans to soon begin accepting applicants for a fourth contestant in the next round of evaluations expected mid-year. 

Teams eliminated in earlier rounds are allowed to apply. On Tuesday, Motif Technologies and Trillion Labs, two startups that were cut last year, announced they would re-enter the race. 

The competition has also sparked a debate over what constitutes real, homegrown AI. The government has emphasized the need for AI foundation models to be trained end-to-end from the ground up with proprietary learning processes, data and architecture. As teams fight to match the performance of global leaders, they have been dogged by claims that some used foreign technology — despite the official requirement that teams build models from scratch.

The controversy came to a head when a rival firm accused Upstage’s Solar Open model of closely resembling a Chinese model, GLM-4.5-Air. Upstage denied the charge and convened a public verification session, forcing an apology from the accuser, but the scrutiny spread to other participants. Critics accused Naver Cloud of incorporating vision encoders and weights similar to architectures released by Chinese labs like Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. SK Telecom’s model also came under scrutiny for alleged architectural similarities to a Chinese model. 

Building on existing architectures is common practice in AI development. For many, the time and cost involved in creating a frontier model from zero are prohibitive, and many players, to some extent, lean on foundational research by leaders like Meta Platforms Inc.

In eliminating Naver Cloud, government officials told reporters that its partial use of an existing Chinese model violated the program’s requirements. They also clarified that they saw no reason for SK Telecom or Upstage to be disqualified. On Thursday, Naver said it respected the panel’s decision.

Even without such disputes, participants said emotions have been running high throughout the competition, with engineers on the different teams working around the clock to inspect the quality of datasets and tweak the models to boost their performance, which can be both repetitive and time-consuming. 

Lee Jinsik, who leads LG AI Research’s Exaone Lab, said he’s been working so late that it’s been months since he saw his toddler awake. Yet he and other project leaders say they’re excited to be part of a competition that could have major consequences for Korea’s technology industry, as well as the broader economy.

“This is nerve-racking. But this is exactly how K-pop took off,” said Upstage Chief Executive Officer Sung Kim, comparing it to the audition shows that gave rise to some of the early stars of the country’s now-famous music scene. “I’m pretty sure the same thing will happen in the field of AI and science in Korea.”

While South Korea isn’t the only country pursuing its own AI capabilities, the initiative follows a familiar pattern for the nation of 51.6 million that rose from the ruins of the Korean War through a unique synergy of state-led investment and private-sector ambition. By channeling funding into critical industries, the government has repeatedly transformed a once-impoverished country into a thriving capitalist democracy.

In 1968, when South Korea still depended on US food aid, then-President Park Chung Hee pushed through the Seoul-Busan highway, a project widely dismissed at the time as a reckless fantasy. Chung Ju Young, the late founder of Hyundai Group who later went on to build the world’s biggest shipbuilding company in Korea, backed it anyway — helping catalyze the country’s industrial takeoff. Three decades later, President Kim Dae Jung directed another pivot, laying the ultra-fast broadband that sparked the country’s digital rise.

President Lee Jae Myung is framing artificial intelligence as the next great leap. In a November budget speech, Lee pledged to build an “AI Highway” — a national infrastructure of compute power, data and the rollout of 6G technology. By invoking the same logic that built the roads and the web, Korea is betting that it can once again engineer its way to the top.

This time, too, the private sector — led by its chaebol and budding startups — is acting as the primary engine for the state-led initiative. SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won made an online video appearance at the December event, emphasizing how important a homegrown sovereign AI model was for the country’s future. 

All that attention can mean pressure — as well as pride, said Kim Tae Yoon, who leads SK Telecom’s foundation model team. He says he’s gone gray since the contest and, in a break from tradition, was too busy to help with the annual harvest at his parents’ tangerine farm on Jeju Island, off the southern coast. 

“To be involved in a project this important is a rare honor,” he said. “It’s an engineer’s dream.”  –BLOOMBERG

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KUALA LUMPUR — Online safety regulation must be implemented in phases and backed by strong institutional safeguards to protect users while ensuring cooperation from digital platforms, said Cybersecurity Research Centre (CYRES) director Prof Dr Selvakumar Manickam.

He said lessons from countries that have already introduced online safety laws showed that regulation cannot rely solely on the government but must involve civil society, parents and educators.

“It has to involve civil society. It has to involve the parents. It has to inform teachers and the fact that this cannot be done in one shot,” he said during an interview on Bernama TV’s Bernama World programme titled “Online Safety in Focus: Understanding Malaysia’s ONSA 2025” today.

Selvakumar said a layered strategy should be adopted, prioritising high-impact platforms before gradually expanding obligations.

“There has to be a phased approach… categorise different social media platforms based on their impact,” he said, adding that platforms with smaller local presence should face lighter compliance requirements.

He noted that enforcement complexity stems from the rapidly evolving nature of online harms, including scams, AI-driven misinformation and child exploitation.

In balancing regulation with freedom of speech, Selvakumar stressed the need for transparency and independent oversight, proposing the establishment of an independent online safety body that involves civil society and academic experts.

“First of all, it is transparency. The government should publish reports showing why content has been removed … why, and what’s the impact on Malaysians?

“We need to have an online safety Appeal Tribunal. This gives both our users and platforms a very fair way to challenge decisions,” he said.

While the government has already established an Online Safety Committee under the Online Safety Act (ONSA) to provide strategic guidance on online safety issues, chaired by Tan Sri Hasnah Mohammed Hashim, Selvakumar said there remains a need to strengthen independent oversight mechanisms, particularly in ensuring transparency and fair avenues for appeal involving users and platforms.

On whether major global platforms would comply, Selvakumar said Malaysia was taking a pragmatic approach by engaging them through a regulatory sandbox rather than imposing immediate punishment.

“The Act has been in effect since 1st January 2026, but we are not punishing the social media platform as of now. We want to work with them,” he said.

Touching on cross-border digital crimes, Selvakumar noted that regional coordination was critical given the borderless nature of online platforms.

He linked Malaysia’s ASEAN leadership to stronger data-sharing and collective response mechanisms under the regional cybersecurity framework.

“As the Internet is a globalised, borderless platform … so there has to be collaboration, joint effort between countries. At least at the ASEAN level, we can share data and collaborate.

“I think we can address many of the issues when it comes to scams and fraud in this region,” he added.

Bernama previously reported that a regulatory sandbox is being conducted to test governance mechanisms for social media platforms, aimed at ensuring regulation is implemented in an orderly and effective manner without stifling innovation. — BERNAMA

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PUTRAJAYA – The Secretariat of the ASEAN Artificial Intelligence (AI) Safety Network will be based in Kuala Lumpur, reaffirming Malaysia’s commitment to supporting the region’s digital priorities and building trusted regional digital governance.

Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo said the ASEAN Digital Ministers had endorsed the Declaration on the Establishment of the ASEAN AI Safety Network, as adopted by ASEAN Heads of Government at the 47th ASEAN Leaders’ Summit in Kuala Lumpur in 2025. 

“This is a significant milestone that reflects ASEAN’s commitment to advancing AI in a safe, trusted and responsible manner. 

“The ASEAN AI Safety Network will serve as a regional platform to strengthen cooperation on capacity building, regulatory preparedness and safeguard measures, ensuring that innovation in AI continues to advance while risks and misuse are effectively addressed,” he said in a statement today.

The statement was issued in conjunction with the 6th ASEAN Digital Ministers’ Meeting (ADGMIN) and related meetings, themed “Adaptive ASEAN: From Connectivity to Connected Intelligence”, held in Hanoi, Vietnam, from Jan 12-16. 

On ADGMIN, Gobind said the meeting welcomed the adoption of the ASEAN Digital Masterplan 2026-2030 (ADM 2030) as a key pillar of ASEAN’s regional digital integration, guided by the vision of building an inclusive, trustworthy and innovative digital community. 

“ADM 2030 will guide the updating of national digital strategies across ASEAN Member States, ensuring stronger regional coordination and impactful implementation,” he said.

He added that the meeting also welcomed the adoption of the ASEAN Guide for Sustainable Data Centre Development, initiated by Malaysia. 

“This guide reflects ASEAN’s commitment to ensuring that digital infrastructure growth is aligned with sustainability goals. It provides policymakers with essential tools and insights to build a data centre industry that drives economic growth while prioritising environmental sustainability.

 “This will support the development of data centres that are efficient, resilient and environmentally responsible, as ASEAN continues to strengthen the foundation of its digital economy,” he said.

Meanwhile, Gobind said he met with the Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr Kao Kim Hourn, in Hanoi, and they both reaffirmed Malaysia’s strong commitment to ASEAN’s digital future. 

“We also reemphasised the importance of accelerating the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA) as a key driver of ASEAN’s future economic growth,” he said.

Gobind added that DEFA holds strong economic potential for the region by enabling greater cross-border digital trade, strengthening interoperability and improving market access. 

“Most importantly, DEFA can help unlock new growth opportunities for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) by lowering barriers to participation in the regional digital economy, expanding customer reach, and creating a more seamless environment for ASEAN businesses to innovate and scale,” he said.

Gobind said Malaysia remains committed to working closely with ASEAN Member States to build a secure, sustainable and inclusive digital future.

“One that creates tangible opportunities for all segments of society and strengthens ASEAN’s competitiveness in the global digital economy,” he said. — BERNAMA

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MALAYSIA needs clear regulations to govern the use of foreign artificial intelligence (AI) platforms such as China’s DeepSeek to safeguard data privacy and prevent external influence.

Cyber security expert SL Rajesh of the International Association for Counterterrorism and Security Professionals Centre (IACSP) said AI systems are shaped by the legal, political and cultural environments of their countries of origin.

Rajesh, who heads the centre’s computer forensics department, said lower-cost AI systems such as DeepSeek have been found to disseminate inaccurate or biased information in response to user queries, reported Free Malaysia Today (FMT).

“If AI systems like DeepSeek influence areas such as policymaking, education or public communication, they could unintentionally shape public opinion in ways that do not align with Malaysia’s values.

“Misinformation can cause harm — whether it’s influencing elections, spreading false health information, or creating social tension. If DeepSeek mismanages sensitive topics, it could worsen the spread of misinformation,” he said.

DeepSeek, developed by Chinese researchers, has gained attention for its capability in Mandarin and other Asian languages, as well as its lower operating costs compared to rival AI platforms.

Several countries, including Germany, South Korea, Australia, Taiwan and the Czech Republic, have restricted or banned the platform’s use in government agencies over data security concerns.

Taiwan’s National Security Bureau has flagged DeepSeek and other AI models like Baidu Inc’s Ernie Bot and ByteDance Ltd’s Doubao, warning of biased content and censorship.

Last year, Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo said Putrajaya was seriously considering to DeepSeek and assessing how it could be adapted for local use.

In November last year, he said an (AI) legislative framework is expected to be presented to the Cabinet in June 2026.

Meanwhile, Rajesh added that data security risks arise when information entered into foreign AI platforms is processed or stored overseas, including government and personal data.

He said clear rules on data flows, transparency requirements and risk assessments are needed before approving foreign AI platforms for use in Malaysia.

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The company’s latest LCD-based 4K TVs make use of new display backlighting tech to reproduce a wider range of colours than previous models could manage 

by CHRIS WELCH 

SAMSUNG Electronics Co unveiled its 2026 home theatre lineup, aiming to cement its position as the leading TV maker amid intensifying competition and what it described as a shift toward jumbo TVs. 

The company’s latest LCD-based 4K TVs make use of new display backlighting technology to reproduce a wider range of colours than previous models could manage, it said in a statement earlier this month. Samsung is also debuting its next series of high-end OLED TVs as it continues chipping away at LG Electronics Inc’s position as the leading global brand in that category, which offers deeper blacks and punchier contrast than LCDs. 

Some of Samsung’s new TVs are larger than what was once considered standard, with a few measuring around or above 100 inches. “Super big screens continue to be the fastest-growing TV segment and the market is expected to double in 2026,” the company told reporters last month ahead of Jan 4’s announcement. 

Samsung unveiled the lineup at an event in Las Vegas for the CES technology conference, where most major TV makers were also showing off their next-generation products last week. The South Korean company already revealed a portion of its CES lineup late last month, including new WiFi-enabled speakers with bold designs that set up the brand to compete more directly with Sonos Inc. 

Micro RGB 

In what’s certain to be a prevailing trend at CES, Samsung is hyping a technology known as Micro RGB, which rejiggers the backlighting system in LCD TVs to improve colour accuracy. “Typical LCDs rely on either a white or blue backlight limiting colour purity and realism,” the company said in the media briefing. 

“Samsung Micro RGB employs an entirely new structure with individual red, green and blue backlights that are smaller in size,” it added, claiming that the tweak meaningfully improves colour reproduction. 

Samsung introduced a 115-inch Micro RGB TV in September, but its US$30,000 (RM122,280) price is well outside most consumers’ budgets. For 2026, the company is bringing the same display technology to smaller sizes ranging between 55 inches and an enormous 130-inch set — though it’s not sharing pricing yet. All of them are still destined to cost significantly more than Samsung’s more mainstream OLED sets and “Neo QLED” models, which use conventional Mini LED backlighting. 

OLED 

For many home theatre enthusiasts, OLED TVs are still unrivalled when it comes to black levels and contrast, since each individual pixel can be shut off for dark scenes. Samsung returned to the OLED segment in 2022 after many years of focusing exclusively on LCD sets — a move that ratcheted up competition with LG, the long-running leader in the OLED category. Samsung has tried to differentiate from its Korean rival with what it calls “Glare Free” displays that dramatically reduce reflections and “quantum dot” OLED panels manufactured by Samsung Display, which allow colours to remain lush even at peak brightness.

For 2026, Samsung made some minor exterior design changes to its latest flagship OLED model, the S95H OLED. It’s also once again dialled up the brightness over the previous generation — this time by 35%, it said. This has been a recent area of focus for TV makers: Even a few years ago, premium OLED TVs generally weren’t bright enough for sunny rooms.

Meanwhile, the step-down S90H series now includes a low-glare screen and has 15% improved brightness, according to Samsung. 

AI 

Artificial intelligence (AI) will continue to play a key role across Samsung-branded TVs: Like last year’s models, the new sets will be compatible with multiple AI agents — assistants that can help users find something to watch, summarise past episodes, plan a weekend getaway or answer random questions. That includes Samsung’s own Bixby assistant, plus rival offerings from Microsoft Corp and Perplexity AI Inc. 

Samsung is also continuing to expand on software features that automatically adjust picture and sound settings without making consumers delve into advanced menus. For example, a new AI Sound Controller tool will let users independently adjust the volume of dialogue, music or sound effects on this year’s TVs. 

Lifestyle TVs 

Samsung also announced some tweaks to The Frame, its wall art-style TV, and the higher-priced Frame Pro that first debuted at last year’s CES. Neither introduces any notable image quality upgrades this year even as the company faces a growing wave of competition that now includes LG. 

Instead, Samsung is dramatically upsizing The Frame with a new 98-inch version. The standard Frame will also now have its HDMI inputs and other hardware built directly into the TV set. Previously, Samsung included something called the One Connect Box to hide those wires, with one thin cable running up to the screen. — Bloomberg

• This article first appeared in The Malaysian Reserve weekly print edition

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Galaxy Z TriFold has 2 screens, 2 folds and a price of roughly RM10,190 

by VLAD SAVOV 

NEARLY seven years in, the foldable smartphone era has been a letdown — but you can’t say that hardware makers haven’t tried. 

Samsung Electronics Co became the first major player in 2019 to get in on the trend, and has kept at it since, releasing four new folding phones in 2025 alone, most recently the Galaxy Z TriFold. That device, which is available in South Korea to start and coming soon to the US, has two screens, two folds and a price of roughly US$2,500 (RM10,190) — about what it would cost to buy two high-end smartphones. 

Trifolds are an emerging subcategory of foldables, first attempted by Huawei Technologies Co. last year, that can take the form of both a smartphone and a widescreen tablet that’s well-suited for watching videos. The convenience of having both in one gadget is supposed to overshadow the fact you could purchase both an iPhone Pro Max and iPad Pro for less. 

But after a week of testing one of the first Galaxy Z TriFold units available in Seoul, it’s clear that this experimental phone is also held back by some unique design flaws that make it even less polished than regular — dare I say, normal — foldables. The price alone, and the engineering complexity that necessitates it, cements the device’s status as a niche item, all but ensuring it won’t resonate beyond early adopters and tech enthusiasts. 

Samsung’s latest launch is especially daring considering how little sales success it’s had in this segment. The category, which also includes models from heavyweights like Google and Huawei, still accounts for less than 2% of global phone sales, according to IDC data. Apple Inc has so far sat out the fad, though it’s expected to release a folding iPhone in 2026. That makes the new year a pivotal time for the entire sector. 

Samsung designed the TriFold to be folded up like a wallet, with creases splitting it into three sections when you’re holding the device in tablet mode. If the user begins to fold it incorrectly — by closing the right side before the left, for instance — the phone quickly warns them with on-screen notifications and physical vibrations. (Over a week of showing the handset to friends and colleagues, I found that most people do, in fact, initially get it wrong.) 

But there’s no denying it’s sturdy. Samsung’s years of foldable engineering work show up in the TriFold’s construction. The device, which is the size of a 6.5-inch phone when shut, has zero gaps between its three sections and feels reassuringly dense and rigid in the hand. The hinges similarly exhibit the right amount of resistance and snap when opening and closing, and Samsung has slimmed every panel down to effectively the height of the necessary USB-C port. 

While the phone is slimmer in most spots than the iPhone Air and many iPads, Samsung achieved that feat by pushing all the camera hardware into a large and heavy additional module. The TriFold’s back has both a camera bump and three lenses that protrude further out, undermining the broader emphasis on thinness. 

No foldable device maker has yet been able to flatten out the creases where the display bends

The result is that the device feels lopsided both in the hand and when you place it on a flat surface. The fundamental premise of a foldable tablet like the TriFold is that the user gets the largest possible screen to use on the move in a pocketable form factor. But the experience is compromised when the weight is as imbalanced as it is here. The poor ergonomics made me not want to hold up the device to watch much video, even though the aspect ratio on the inner display is actually well-suited for it. And it’s not as if there’s a built-in kickstand to give the user a break. 

The 10-inch interior screen is also more prone to glare and reflections than other smartphone displays. Oppo’s Find N5 foldable from earlier this year is vastly superior in this respect, proof that it’s possible to do better even with a flexible panel. 

Making matters worse is some poor camera performance. Low-light photos appear grainy and dull, lacking the sharpness achieved by even midrange Android smartphones such as the US$630 Xiaomi 17 or US$799 Google Pixel 10. Samsung threw in additional selfie cameras on the big inner screen — which makes sense for video calls — as well as on the exterior. The latter is superfluous since the handset can already use the main camera in concert with the outside screen. 

Another issue stems from the semi-circular bumps at the top and bottom of each hinge, which interfere with multitasking gestures when you’re using the screen in landscape mode. They also make swiping to the side in portrait mode awkward. 

All of these hiccups point to a lack of design polish that’s surprising given the price and also because Samsung has shown it’s capable of nailing the details. Just this summer, the company released the US$2,000 Galaxy Z Fold 7, whose thin build succeeded in passing for a regular smartphone, even if the high price still made it impractical for most people. Early sales of that phone outpaced the prior model by 50%, Samsung said in July, suggesting a warmer reception from consumers. 

Samsung also hasn’t solved a problem that’s endemic to foldables: The visible crease that occurs where the screen bends. Because the TriFold folds in two places, it has two such creases, and they remain apparent. While they’re more subtle from certain angles when the screen is on, you’ll always feel the creases as you’re swiping around. For all the improvements that Samsung and rivals like Huawei have made, this lingering design flaw presents a challenge to selling such devices at sky-high prices: That segment of the consumer market rarely accepts compromises. 

But tradeoffs and imperfections define the experience of using the Galaxy Z TriFold. Samsung swaps the typical fingerprint sensor embedded in the display for one built into the power button on the side. It’s slower, less precise and less comfortable to use than what the vast majority of Android phones offer, including Samsung’s more conventional handsets. The folding design also precluded Samsung from putting the speakers on the sides, which means they offer less stereo separation than you’d get on a dedicated tablet. 

The TriFold’s advantages over a regular handset — the large 10-inch display and good-for-a-smartphone audio quality — would be better served by an outsized battery to power them. Instead, the rather modest 5,600 milliampere-hour (mAh) battery can trigger the smartphone equivalent of range anxiety, forcing users to choose between using the device as intended or conserving power. Gaming and video playback are particularly draining: Any extensive sessions are often cut short by battery depletion warnings that more conventional smartphones wouldn’t succumb to until hours later. 

The large camera module disturbs the device’s weight balance and doesn’t deliver good enough image quality to justify the ergonomic compromise

In comparison, recent Chinese flagships like Xiaomi Corp’s 17 Pro Max and Oppo’s Find X9 Pro both offer bigger 7,500mAh batteries, offering consumers a reason to consider sticking with conventional non-folding phones. 

Recharging speeds are also slower compared to the Chinese competition. Samsung has equipped the TriFold with 45-watt wired and 15-watt wireless charging, while Vivo’s non-folding X300 Pro, for example, reaches 90 watts wired and 40 watts wirelessly, and has a larger battery to boot. 

With this phone, Samsung made an attempt to optimise the software to take advantage of the larger screen. Using the company’s DeX software, which has been tweaked for this particular hardware type, you can also run a desktop-like experience directly on the large inner display. (Other Samsung phones must be plugged into an external monitor to activate DeX mode.) In DeX, the TriFold can operate as many as four distinct workspaces that can each run five apps simultaneously. 

Beyond that, the software experience feels half-baked, and not fully tailored for this new hardware type. Popular apps like Instagram are not all optimised, with Instagram Reels displaying in only one half of the screen when viewed in landscape. Meanwhile, the ability to run apps side by side has been standard on foldable devices for years, and is still of limited utility, so Samsung only deserves modest credit for implementing it here. 

Samsung has added the ability to start an activity on the exterior display and continue it on the inside by opening the TriFold to reveal the larger screen. However, that trick doesn’t work in reverse. For example, after picking a destination on Google Maps with the device open, the user can’t simply close the device and still see the route on the smaller screen. 

The foldable proposition has always been reminiscent of the one that Apple offered with the original iPhone: Pay an exceptionally high price and accept worse durability and battery life for the privilege of a futuristic design with a much larger screen. The problem for foldables is that standalone tablets already offer bigger displays at a much lower cost with very few design tradeoffs. 

Samsung’s pricey Galaxy Z TriFold doesn’t advance the foldable category in a meaningful way, serving mainly to underscore how great the engineering and design challenges are. Even more basic foldables, such as the Galaxy Z Fold 7, have only just begun to offer user experiences that come close to matching conventional smartphones. 

Adding an extra crease to a device for the sake of innovating and maximising screen real estate means those devices will, for now, be more expensive and less refined. The adventurous shoppers keen to try out a first-generation foldable device will be better served waiting to see what Apple has to offer when it makes its long-awaited debut in this space. — Bloomberg

• This article first appeared in The Malaysian Reserve weekly print edition

The post Samsung’s trifold phone debuts pricey, half-baked appeared first on The Malaysian Reserve.