For decades, Star Trek has defined the future of consumer technology. We have smartphones and voice assistants because in-universe devices like the Tricorder inspired engineers at Apple, Google and other companies to recreate those technologies in the real world. And things have now come full circle, showing just how much technology has come since The Original Series debuted in 1966.
If you’ve been watching the new season of Star Trek: Picard, you may have noticed one of the characters uses a curious prop in episode two. In a clip spotted by 9to5Google, you can see Alison Pill’s Dr. Jurati tap away on what looks like a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 or Fold 3. The tablet is sheathed in a case to hide its distinctly 21st-century origins, but if you look closely, you can see the telltale display crease that develops on all of Samsung’s foldables.
Seeing a modern smartphone appear in Star Trek: Picard is amusing on its own, but what makes this cameo even more anachronistic is that by the technological standards of Star Trek’s 25th century, Dr. Jurati has access to technologies like holographic displays. With part of season two set in 2024, we could see more current-day gadgets make their way into the show.