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Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy pill launch draws new wave of patients to GLP-1s

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7 April 2026

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Novo Nordisk's Wegovy pill launch draws new wave of patients to GLP-1s

How Novo Nordisk's weight loss pill is drawing in new patients for obesity treatment

After years of trying to lose weight “the right way,” Jane Zuckerman realized that “putting in the work just wasn’t enough.”

Zuckerman, a 32-year-old data analyst based in Washington, D.C., said she lost 90 pounds in college and spent years cycling through nutritionists, therapy and strict routines — only to find herself at her heaviest after the pandemic, at 270 pounds.

Zuckerman said GLP-1 injections were out of the question, because she’s afraid of needles. But when the first GLP-1 pill for obesity became available in early January, Zuckerman called her doctor immediately, she said.

Almost a month after starting Novo Nordisk‘s new Wegovy pill shortly after it launched, she said, she had lost around 11 pounds.

Zuckerman is among tens of thousands of patients who drove an explosive demand for prescriptions for Novo’s pill just three months into its launch. Many of them share a common thread: They had long held off on using GLP-1s due to barriers such as high out-of-pocket costs for injections or a fear of needles.

That’s one of the earliest takeaways from the rollout: Novo’s pill appears to be expanding the obesity treatment market, largely drawing in new patients rather than converting existing ones from injections. CNBC spoke with five U.S. patients who recently started the pill following its launch, all of whom said they have not previously taken branded GLP-1 injections.

But it’s early days for the pill. Many patients have yet to reach higher doses of the drug, and their experiences vary. It will take more time to determine how effective the pill is in supporting patients’ long-term weight loss journeys, whether it helps keep users on GLP-1s for longer than injections do and whether demand for Novo’s product will hold in the face of fresh competition from Eli Lilly.

Novo has a head start in the pill arena over Lilly, which just won U.S. approval of its own GLP-1 drug for obesity last week. Analysts previously told CNBC they still expect that rival pill, called Foundayo, to capture a segment of the market, in part because it lacks the dietary restrictions that come with Novo’s oral drug.

Still, the Wegovy pill appears to have had the most explosive launch of a GLP-1 product yet. The latest number that Novo disclosed in February is that more than 600,000 prescriptions had been written since its launch, including for more than 3,000 patients in the first week.

Analysts at BMO Capital Markets attributed some of the early uptake to an “attractive” entry price of $149 per month and its connection to the well-known Wegovy brand. The pill carries one of the lowest cash prices for a GLP-1 therapy, ranging from $149 to $299 per month, depending on the dose.

Even so, the pill’s launch has done little to boost Novo’s stock price, as the Danish drugmaker is struggling to win back market share from Lilly in the broader obesity space and convince investors that its drug pipeline can help it grow beyond its existing products.

Novo is expected to report first-quarter sales, which will include the pill for the first time, in May. But sales of the overall Wegovy portfolio are expected to increase from $13.5 billion in 2026 to $18.9 billion in 2031, with the pill contributing $2.76 billion, according to a March GlobalData report.

Reaching new patients

The Wegovy pill is attracting patients with a fear of needles, which is estimated to affect up to 25% of U.S. adults. But the drug is also an alternative for those who have had difficulty accessing branded GLP-1 injections or other medications.

“There are a handful of patients that don’t want to be stung by the needle in the case of a vial and syringe, or stung by the price,” Jamey Millar, Novo’s head of U.S. operations, told CNBC in an interview last week. “We’re appealing to both.”

Dr. Eduardo Grunvald, medical director of the UC San Diego Health Center for Advanced Weight Management, said the main reason he’s prescribed the Wegovy pill to some patients is cost, since its cash prices are slightly lower than those of injections. But Grunvald said overall, obesity medicine specialists like him will still be inclined to prescribe injections over oral drugs, in part because the shots are more effective.

A box of Wegovy pills arranged at a pharmacy in Provo, Utah, US, on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026.

George Frey | Bloomberg | Getty Images

Cost was a deciding factor for Amy Sawyer-Williams, who works at a theater company in Raleigh, North Carolina, and has gestational diabetes. In 2023, a few years after her son was born, she said, she began developing prediabetes and met the criteria for obesity. She said she would have started using GLP-1 injections sooner, but her insurance would not cover them for her.

That was long before Novo and Lilly slashed the cash prices of their obesity and diabetes injections.

The list prices of their shots are roughly $1,000 per month before insurance and other rebates, or discounts for cash-paying patients — a sum that has long prevented many others from starting and staying on treatment. Novo has committed to cutting the monthly list prices of its drugs in the U.S. by up to 50%, but that change won’t go into effect until 2027.

High prices also shut Sawyer-Williams out from taking the branded weight management treatment Contrave, pushing her to combine two generic medications to mimic the drug’s effects, she said. But earlier this year, she said, her endocrinologist recommended the Wegovy pill, in part due to its lower $149 per month pricing for the starting dose.

Sawyer-Williams became the first patient at her doctor’s practice and local Walgreens to take the pill, starting in mid-January, she said.

Some Wegovy pill users are patients who wanted to switch over from injections, said Dr. Heather Hofflich, a physician and endocrinologist at UCSD Health. She said she’s prescribed the pill for some people whose insurance stopped covering the injections but who want to continue treatment.

Hofflich said she has also prescribed the oral drug to patients who lost weight initially on a shot but are now trying the pill to maintain that progress.

Early progress

While it’s still early, some patients said they’re already benefiting from taking Novo’s drug.

Zuckerman was initially skeptical of how effective the product would be, because it’s an oral medication. But, she said, “I swear I felt the impact on the first day,” particularly decreased appetite and disinterest in food.

“Things that used to give me enjoyment, or things I used to binge on, they just don’t taste as good anymore, and I just don’t see the point in eating them, honestly,” Zuckerman said, listing coffee, cheese, bread and fries, among other food and beverages.

She said she dealt with nausea — a common side effect of the GLP-1 class — but that became more manageable after the first two weeks on the pill.

Zuckerman also said what matters more than the weight loss or food urges is how she feels: “My clothes are looser, I have more energy, I genuinely feel better.”

Cherie Marcus, 72, a retired fabric designer and theater editor based in Brooklyn, said she’s also seen gradual progress — even on the lowest 1.5-milligram dose of the drug. She said that over the last 30 years, after her daughter was born, she’s gained weight and seen her hemoglobin A1c — a key measure of blood sugar levels — creep up.

Marcus said she started the pill on Jan. 24, and has lost about a pound a week while taking the lowest dose for seven weeks. Patients typically increase their dosage after a month, but Marcus said she’s still taking the lowest strength as of early April.

But her weight has “leveled off” over the past few weeks, she said, so she will likely move to a higher dose if she stops losing weight entirely. Marcus sees herself taking the pill long term, with a goal of losing around 30 pounds.

Novo’s Millar last week said some patients may start on lower doses and “be perfectly fine with that,” hitting their own personal goals for weight loss. But the company is monitoring how many patients increase to higher doses of the drug, particularly the 9-mg and 25-mg versions.

Courtney Kim, a stay-at-home mom based in Pittsburgh, is among the patients taking the Wegovy pill who have yet to experience notable side effects.

While she doesn’t qualify as obese, Kim said, the “weight would just not come off” after she had her three children. She started the pill around mid-February after struggling to lose weight with the use of other prescription medications and supplements, she said.

Kim started at a weight of roughly 158 pounds and has so far lost nearly 7 pounds on the pill, she said. She recently started the 4-mg dose of the drug.

“It’s actually working, and I’m shocked that the weight is actually like coming off and staying off,” Kim said. “So far I’ve had a positive experience.”

Some patients wait and see

The early experience with the pill hasn’t been smooth for everyone. UCSD’s Hofflich said she had one patient who could not tolerate the pill due to its gastrointestinal side effects, which is a common issue with the injections, as well.

Another patient had to switch to an injection because the pill’s dietary restrictions — which involve taking it with a small amount of water and waiting 30 minutes before eating or drinking — did not fit into their lifestyle, Hofflich said. Two patients who haven’t seen progress on higher doses of the pill are switching to injections, she said.

Hofflich said other patients who haven’t seen progress on lower doses are starting to take higher doses to see if that will make a difference.

That includes a patient based in New Hampshire named Amy, who said she began taking the Wegovy pill in early February. She asked CNBC not to use her last name, for privacy reasons.

Amy said she initially considered a branded GLP-1 treatment two years ago after her weight crept up to 190 pounds, but her doctor said her insurance wouldn’t cover it. Amy then turned to cheaper, unapproved compounded versions of GLP-1s for a year and lost 30 pounds before stopping in November.

She said the two lowest doses of the Wegovy pill — 1.5 mg and 4 mg — “did absolutely nothing for me” over two months.

Novo’s cash discounts allowed Amy to pay roughly $300 total for a month’s worth of each dose, but she said she feels “frustrated” that she still feels hungry and has noticed no changes apart from side effects including constipation. Amy said her weight is “hovering” around 170 pounds.

“It just kind of felt like a waste of time,” she said.

Amy said she plans to start the 9-mg dose of the pill soon, hoping that she’ll begin to see the benefits of treatment. She said if that doesn’t work, she’ll discuss with her doctor whether to try the highest dose, 25 mg, or potentially turn back to compounded GLP-1s.

Meanwhile, Sawyer-Williams is restarting the lowest dose of the pill after pausing the drug due to gastrointestinal side effects. She said she was nervous about starting the pill, because she’s always had a sensitive stomach.

During her first three weeks on the 1.5-mg dose of the oral drug, she did not notice any weight loss, but experienced nausea if she didn’t eat, Sawyer-Williams said. She started to feel less interested in food by her fourth week, she said, but began taking the next dose, 4 mg, shortly after.

On the seventh day of taking that dose, Sawyer-Williams said, she experienced “the worst” nausea, vomiting and dehydration, which caused her to stop treatment.

“I wish I had just stayed on the 1.5” dose, she said. “I was really, really sick. Even when I quit the pill, I just couldn’t keep down water.”

Sawyer-Williams started at a weight of 177 pounds and lost five pounds overall after taking the drug, she said. She’s been off treatment for a few weeks, but started the lowest dose of the pill as of early April with new habits, including staying hydrated and starting to lift weights, she said.

“We’re going to just have to hope that it’s enough to help me,” she said, referring to the lowest dose.

Dr. Andrea Traina, Novo’s obesity medical director, recommended that patients who are struggling with side effects talk to their health-care provider about strategies to mitigate them. For example, she said some people may benefit from staying on a lower dose until they tolerate the drug better before increasing to a higher dosage.

“Treating obesity, just like most chronic diseases, is kind of a marathon, not a sprint,” Traina said in an interview. “So adding an extra month or two to help with tolerability upfront can help with kind of long-term success.”

Unanswered questions

Several questions remain about the long-term use of the pill, especially on higher doses, and it may not be the best obesity treatment for every patient, experts said.

Traina said each patient has an individual response, and they may respond well above or well below average in terms of weight loss and side effects. That can be tied to their genetics, environment or dietary habits, and experiences can vary slightly across certain populations and age groups, she said.

“It’s very tough to know why one patient’s responding to something and another isn’t,” Traina said, adding that it’s “one of the many benefits of having multiple treatment options available.”

Having an oral option at lower cash prices that “can be attainable for a larger population is a very good thing, to help us cure or alleviate this chronic disease state,” said UCSD’s Hofflich.

She said in the coming months, particularly with the rollout of Lilly’s new drug, “we’ll have many more stories and outcomes” of pills to evaluate, allowing for clearer comparisons between the two pills as well as injections.

Patients such as Zuckerman may offer an early glimpse of those who stand to benefit most from the pill — and the cases where it resonates.

“I was in this boat of seeing the pill as cheating and feeling like I had to lose the weight the hard way,” she said. “But that doesn’t work for everybody, and eventually I got to the point where I was like, do I want to be stubborn and try to do this the ‘right way,’ or do I want to die from being obese?”

“Jumping on the opportunity to the pill at this stage in my life was the right decision,” Zuckerman said.

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Business

ReposiTrak adds 18 produce suppliers to traceability network

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7 April 2026

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NewsAdmin

ReposiTrak adds 18 produce suppliers to traceability network

Business

Fuel costs force govt to further subsidise regional airfares

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15 minutes ago

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7 April 2026

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NewsAdmin

Fuel costs force govt to further subsidise regional airfares

The state government has been forced to further subsidise regional airfares after the aviation industry warned it would have to apply a fuel levy in Western Australia to cope with rising costs.

Business

Thailand Confiscates 100,000 Litres of Diesel Linked to Malaysian Firm in Sadao

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7 April 2026

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Thailand Confiscates 100,000 Litres of Diesel Linked to Malaysian Firm in Sadao

Thailand has confiscated 100,000 liters of diesel from a Malaysian company in Sadao, according to the New Straits Times report.

Key Points

Thailand authorities have confiscated 100,000 liters of diesel linked to a Malaysian company in Sadao.
The operation highlights ongoing efforts to combat illegal fuel smuggling across borders.
The seized diesel was deemed unregistered, raising concerns about compliance with regulations and the impacts on the local market.

Seizure of Diesel in Sadao

Authorities in Thailand have recently seized 100,000 litres of diesel from a Malaysian company during an operation in Sadao, a border town known for its trade activities. The seizure was a result of a joint effort involving various law enforcement agencies, including customs and police. This action underscores Thailand’s commitment to addressing illegal fuel trafficking and ensuring compliance with local regulations. At the center of this operation was the discovery that the diesel was being transported without proper documentation, raising suspicions about its origin and intended use.

Implications of the Seizure

The seizure points to broader issues regarding fuel smuggling and illegal trade practices that threaten national security and economic integrity. It reflects the ongoing challenges faced by authorities in combating cross-border illicit activities. The illegal fuel market not only undermines local businesses but also poses significant risks to the environment and public safety. This incident highlights the importance of stringent regulatory measures to ensure that fuel distribution is conducted lawfully and transparently, reinforcing the value of collaboration between governmental agencies.

Future Actions and Consequences

Moving forward, Thai authorities will likely ramp up scrutiny and enforcement measures at border points to prevent future incidents. The repercussions for the involved Malaysian company may include substantial fines and legal proceedings, which serve as a warning to others engaging in similar practices. Further investigations could also examine the broader network involved in fuel smuggling, reinforcing Thailand’s stance against such operations. This incident not only serves to bolster enforcement efforts within the country but also positions Thailand as a proactive player in regional efforts to combat illicit trade.

Source : Thailand seizes 100,000 litres of diesel owned by Malaysian company in Sadao

Business

Is Spectrum Internet Down Again? Outages Plague Customers Again in 2026: Is Your Connection Down?

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28 minutes ago

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7 April 2026

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Frustrated Spectrum customers across the United States are once again asking, “Is Spectrum internet down?” as reports of service disruptions continue to surface in 2026, marking what some users on Reddit describe as the 17th outage of the year so far.

Charter Communications, the parent company of Spectrum, has faced a wave of connectivity complaints this year, with isolated and regional outages affecting internet, TV and voice services. While major national blackouts have not dominated headlines on April 7, real-time monitoring sites and social media reflect ongoing customer pain points, from prolonged downtime in specific neighborhoods to questions about reliability amid infrastructure upgrades and external incidents.

As of Tuesday evening, Downdetector.com showed no widespread national outage for Spectrum, with user reports hovering near baseline levels for broadband internet and Wi-Fi issues. However, scattered complaints persisted, including a user in an unspecified location reporting an outage since the previous afternoon with unclear restoration timelines from the company. Similar posts on X (formerly Twitter) highlighted day-two blackouts and calls for alternatives like Starlink.

Spectrum’s own support pages urge customers to check for outages via the My Spectrum app or by chatting with support. The company notes that services are typically restored within hours for many incidents, but frustration builds when communication lags. In one recent Reddit thread, a user detailed being offline from 4:34 p.m. one day until midday the next, attributing it to “maintenance” — a frequent explanation that leaves many unsatisfied.

Recent Incidents Highlight Pattern of Disruptions

Spectrum has dealt with several notable disruptions in early 2026. On April 2, thousands reported issues, with DownDetector spikes starting around 1:50 a.m. Eastern Time, primarily hitting broadband and Wi-Fi. Reports concentrated in metropolitan areas but extended to suburban and rural customers.

Just days earlier, an alleged criminal attack on fiber-optic lines in north Austin, Texas, near the Wells Branch neighborhood caused temporary outages for residential and business users. Spectrum confirmed crews worked to restore service, though not all customers regained connectivity immediately. Authorities investigated the incident as a deliberate cut to infrastructure.

In South Texas, a April outage tied to a third-party transport provider disrupted internet, voice and TV services in Corpus Christi, Laredo and the Rio Grande Valley starting around 4:45 p.m. A spokesperson said service was restored by 6:30 p.m., describing it as a short interruption.

Earlier in the year, a January 6 outage linked to Charter nodes affected customers and downstream partners internationally, including in New York, Washington D.C., Houston and even overseas locations like Japan, Australia and South Korea. The disruption lasted roughly one hour and 10 minutes in total.

These events occur against a backdrop of Spectrum’s ambitious network upgrades aimed at delivering faster speeds — up to 10 Gbps in some areas. While the modernization promises better performance long-term, it has contributed to headaches during transitions, alongside factors like weather, power issues, equipment failures and occasional vandalism.

Customer Frustration Mounts Amid Broader Challenges

Spectrum serves millions with cable internet, TV and home phone bundles, but reliability concerns have fueled churn. In 2025, the company lost hundreds of thousands of internet and TV customers amid price hikes and fierce competition from fiber providers and fixed wireless options. Charter reported continued losses into early 2026, prompting strategic shifts, including workforce adjustments and service revamps.

Users on forums and social platforms voice common gripes: slow restoration updates, repeated “maintenance” explanations and questions about compensation. Spectrum has pledged automatic refunds for outages longer than two hours and same-day technician visits for qualifying complaints received before 5 p.m. Yet many report mixed experiences with follow-through.

One X user on April 7 tagged Spectrum, noting an outage since the prior day with an estimated restoration time that had already passed, calling communication “really poor.” Another declared it “day 2 of complete internet outage” and eyed satellite alternatives.

Geoblackout and other trackers showed modest reports in the last 24 hours as of April 7, with some concentration in Florida, Texas and Michigan in recent days. Individual zip code checks via Spectrum’s tools or third-party sites like spectrumoutage.org remain the best way for users to verify local status.

How to Check and Troubleshoot Spectrum Outages

Spectrum recommends several steps when service drops:

Verify an outage: Log into spectrum.net or the My Spectrum app and check the outage map or chat support with “Am I in an outage?”
Power cycle equipment: Unplug the modem and router for 30 seconds, then reconnect. Check lights on the devices for error patterns.
Test connections: Try a wired connection directly to the modem to isolate Wi-Fi issues.
Monitor alerts: Enable push notifications in the app for area-specific updates. Sign up for storm or maintenance alerts via the Spectrum Storm Center.
Contact support: Call 888-369-2408 (available 24/7) or visit a local store. For billing-related suspensions, payments can restore service within one to two hours.

If problems persist beyond two hours, customers may qualify for credits. Spectrum’s customer commitment page outlines these policies in detail.

Experts advise documenting downtime with screenshots of speed tests or app alerts, as this helps when requesting compensation.

What’s Next for Spectrum Customers?

Charter continues investing in its network to combat customer losses, including expanding fiber in select markets and enhancing Wi-Fi equipment. However, analysts note that competition remains intense, with providers like Google Fiber, AT&T and T-Mobile Home Internet gaining ground in many regions.

For now, customers in outage-prone areas are turning to mobile hotspots, public Wi-Fi or backup solutions while awaiting fixes. Spectrum has not issued a broad statement on April 7 activity, but its support resources emphasize proactive troubleshooting.

Users experiencing issues should first rule out local problems like router glitches or account billing holds before assuming a wider outage. With 2026 already seeing multiple incidents, many are watching closely to see if reliability improves as upgrades progress.

Spectrum officials have previously attributed some disruptions to external factors, including third-party providers and infrastructure tampering, while pledging faster response times.

As evening falls on April 7, the immediate picture shows no massive national meltdown, but the “again” in customer questions underscores a year of persistent challenges for one of America’s largest ISPs. Those relying on Spectrum for remote work, streaming or online schooling continue to hope for fewer interruptions ahead.

Business

Which 2026 Foldable Wins for Thinness, Power or Battery?

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7 April 2026

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Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Google’s Pixel 10 Pro Fold represent the pinnacle of 2026 book-style foldables, pitting Samsung’s ultra-slim design and raw power against Google’s superior battery life, cameras and pure Android experience in a head-to-head battle that has divided reviewers and buyers since both devices launched last year.

Released in July 2025, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 starts at $1,999 and quickly became known as the thinnest and lightest mainstream foldable yet. Google countered in October 2025 with the Pixel 10 Pro Fold at a more accessible $1,799 starting price. As of April 2026, both phones have received software updates, real-world testing and direct comparisons that highlight clear trade-offs rather than a single outright winner.

The most striking difference is physical design. Samsung engineered the Z Fold 7 to feel as close as possible to a traditional slab phone. It measures just 8.9mm thick when folded and an astonishing 4.2mm when unfolded, weighing only about 215-216 grams. Reviewers consistently praise how pocketable and comfortable it feels for all-day carry, describing it as transformative for first-time foldable users who previously found the category too bulky.

In contrast, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold remains noticeably thicker and heavier — over 40 grams more than the Z Fold 7 in many measurements. While still an improvement over earlier Pixel Folds, it does not match Samsung’s refinement in this area. Many testers say the weight difference becomes evident during prolonged use, especially when holding the device unfolded for media consumption or multitasking.

Display quality is competitive but favors Samsung slightly for everyday versatility. Both offer roughly 8-inch inner folding panels with 120Hz adaptive refresh rates and high peak brightness reaching 3,000 nits or more. The Z Fold 7’s 6.5-inch cover display features a taller 21:9 aspect ratio that many find more usable for one-handed operation compared with the Pixel’s 6.4-inch outer screen. Crease visibility has improved on both, but Samsung’s panel often edges out in outdoor visibility and color vibrancy according to side-by-side tests.

Performance leans toward Samsung. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy, an overclocked flagship chip that delivers superior benchmark scores and smoother gaming. Paired with 12GB RAM (or 16GB on 1TB models), it handles demanding tasks like video editing and heavy multitasking with less thermal throttling. Google’s Tensor G5 in the Pixel 10 Pro Fold prioritizes AI efficiency over raw speed; it includes 16GB RAM standard and excels in on-device machine learning features, but falls behind in sustained performance for graphics-intensive games.

Battery life tells the opposite story. The Pixel 10 Pro Fold packs a larger 5,015mAh cell and routinely delivers longer endurance, often lasting well into a second day of moderate use. The Z Fold 7’s 4,400mAh battery is adequate for most users but frequently requires topping up by evening, especially with the inner display active. Charging speeds are modest on both — 25W wired for Samsung and 30W for Google — with wireless options available.

Camera systems showcase the brands’ traditional strengths. Samsung equips the Z Fold 7 with a 200MP main sensor that captures highly detailed shots and offers strong zoom capabilities. Reviewers note excellent low-light performance and natural colors in many conditions. Google’s Pixel 10 Pro Fold relies on computational photography magic, delivering cleaner, more vibrant and consistently color-accurate images, particularly in challenging lighting. While the Pixel’s hardware specs appear lower on paper, its AI-driven processing often produces more pleasing results for casual shooters and content creators. Video recording and specialized features like audio sync also tilt toward Google.

Software and multitasking represent another key divide. Samsung’s One UI 8 on Android 16 provides extensive customization, advanced split-screen and multi-window features that power users love. The Z Fold 7 feels optimized for productivity, with seamless app continuity when unfolding. Google’s stock-like Android experience on the Pixel 10 Pro Fold offers cleaner navigation, faster updates and deeper integration with Gemini AI tools. However, it lacks some of Samsung’s foldable-specific optimizations for heavy multitasking.

Durability and build quality favor Google in one important area: the Pixel 10 Pro Fold carries a full IP68 rating for dust and water resistance, making it more suitable for outdoor or dusty environments. Samsung’s Z Fold 7 improves on previous generations but stops at IP67/IP48-level protection in some reports. Both devices have enhanced hinge durability, though foldables in general still require careful handling.

Pricing and value depend on priorities. At $1,799, the base Pixel 10 Pro Fold undercuts the Z Fold 7’s $1,999 entry point and includes more RAM by default. Higher storage tiers widen the gap, with 1TB models pushing Samsung closer to $2,400. Trade-in deals and carrier promotions can narrow the difference, but Samsung commands a premium for its refined design.

Early 2026 reviews and user feedback reflect the split. Many who prioritize portability, performance and a premium feel lean toward the Galaxy Z Fold 7, calling it the best foldable for most people. Others praise the Pixel 10 Pro Fold for better battery life, cameras in real-world scenarios, durability and the pure Google experience at a lower price. Some buyers switch between both, using the Samsung for its slim profile and the Pixel for travel or photography.

Long-term software support favors Google, which typically delivers seven years of updates. Samsung has closed the gap significantly but still trails slightly in promised platform longevity. Both receive regular security patches and feature drops.

For buyers deciding in April 2026, the choice boils down to lifestyle. Frequent travelers or those who value a phone-like folded experience and top-tier performance should consider the Galaxy Z Fold 7. Users who need all-day battery, excellent computational photography, stronger dust/water resistance and seamless AI features may prefer the Pixel 10 Pro Fold.

Neither device is perfect. Foldables remain expensive, crease visibility persists to varying degrees, and repair costs are high. Yet both represent meaningful progress in making the category more practical for everyday users.

As the foldable market matures, Samsung continues to lead on hardware refinement while Google differentiates through software intelligence and value. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 currently holds a slight edge in most head-to-head reviews for its overall balance, but the Pixel 10 Pro Fold wins converts with its strengths in battery, cameras and affordability.

Prospective buyers should test both in-store if possible, as the feel of a foldable in hand often decides the winner more than specs alone. With trade-in programs and potential summer sales approaching, now remains an excellent time to evaluate which 2026 flagship foldable better suits individual needs.

Business

Form DEF 14A Target Hospitality Corp. For: 7 April

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48 minutes ago

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7 April 2026

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NewsAdmin

Form DEF 14A Target Hospitality Corp. For: 7 April

Business

Oil price tops $111 a barrel as Iran talks stall ahead of Trump deadline

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53 minutes ago

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7 April 2026

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NewsAdmin

The price of oil climbed above $111 a barrel on Tuesday as mounting anxiety over stalled diplomatic efforts in the Gulf pushed energy markets higher and left equities treading water.

Brent crude gained 1.6 per cent to $111.57 in early Asian trading, extending a rally that has seen the benchmark surge more than 50 per cent since Iran’s effective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, the chokepoint through which roughly a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas once flowed freely.

The immediate catalyst was Tehran’s rejection of a US peace proposal on Monday. Iran instead issued its own ten-point counter-plan, relayed through Pakistan, according to state media. Washington’s deadline for agreement expires at 1am UK time on Wednesday, and President Trump has made no secret of the consequences, warning that failure to reach a deal would see Iranian infrastructure reduced to rubble.

For businesses already grappling with elevated input costs, the prospect of a further escalation is deeply unwelcome. The International Energy Agency has described the strait’s closure as the most severe supply disruption in the history of the global oil market, with Brent futures touching nearly $120 a barrel last month when regional energy assets came under attack.

Some commodity analysts have gone further still, warning that a prolonged conflict could drive prices as high as $200 a barrel, a scenario that would dwarf the energy shocks of the 1970s and inflict serious damage on margins across transport, manufacturing and retail.

Stock markets reflected the uncertainty. The FTSE 100, reopening after the Easter break, was effectively flat at 10,425, whilst bourses in Frankfurt and Paris managed only modest gains. In Tokyo, the Nikkei closed barely changed.

Vasu Menon, managing director of investment strategy at OCBC in Singapore, captured the prevailing mood, noting that any US strikes on Iranian power infrastructure would represent a marked escalation, raising the spectre of retaliatory action against Gulf energy facilities.

For UK firms with exposure to global supply chains, the next 24 hours could prove decisive. A deal would offer some relief to energy markets; a breakdown in talks would almost certainly send oil prices sharply higher and deepen the squeeze on an already stretched global economy.

Amy Ingham

Amy is a newly qualified journalist specialising in business journalism at Business Matters with responsibility for news content for what is now the UK’s largest print and online source of current business news.