Samsung’s summer Galaxy Unpacked keynote is set for July 22 in London. This midyear event is typically where the company unveils its latest generation of foldable devices — like the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 — but this year things might take, let’s say, a different shape. Last week, the company began running Instagram posts teasing a rectangular shape.
“Samsung will introduce its latest Galaxy innovations that build on its leadership in foldables, combining intelligent capabilities and new form factors to deliver more personal, adaptive experiences and set a new standard for the AI era,” the company said in a statement announcing the event.
The event comes just months before Apple’s annual fall event, giving Samsung time to flex its foldable phone prowess ahead of the rumored launch of the iPhone foldable in September. Though Apple’s been rumored to have been working on an iPhone Fold for years, I’ll believe it when I see it. It’ll be interesting to watch what Samsung does with its latest generation of foldables in the meantime.
We’ll be on the ground in London to see everything that Samsung has to offer, but for those of you impatient to wait, the rumor mill has been churning with predictions about which new devices might be revealed, like the Galaxy Z Fold 8 (wide) and Z Fold Ultra. We could even see Galaxy smart glasses. Let’s dive into what the rumors suggest we’ll see.
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Galaxy “wide” foldable
The Galaxy Z TriFold isn’t the only odd-shaped foldable Samsung has been apparently working on.
Samsung is currently in its 7th generation of Galaxy Fold devices, and we expect that both the Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 will be refreshed with new processors, a few other tweaks and the number eight on its packaging. But it seems that company’s designers might be getting bored, as they’ve experimented with the folding form factor enough to bring new designs to market.
We’ve already had the wild Galaxy Z TriFold with its tablet-sized display released back in January, and now rumors suggest a wide version of the Fold that packs a 7.6-inch inner display with a 4:3 aspect ratio. That’d make it wider and narrower than the current almost square 1:1 aspect ratio of the Z Fold 7’s internal screen, which would theoretically make the new foldable’s inner display better for watching movies without wasted space for black bars at the top and bottom.
There’s expected to be a more “regular” version of the Z Fold 8, which is said to follow the proportions of the Galaxy Z Fold 7. However, rumors suggest it will be rebranded with the “Ultra” moniker to differentiate it from its wider-format (and potentially less powerful) sibling.
Galaxy XR Glasses
Samsung and Google’s glasses have already been announced, but we’re still waiting on more details.
Google talked for some time about its mixed reality glasses at its I/O event earlier in the summer, including showing off Samsung’s upcoming glasses made in partnership with Warby Parker and Gentle Monster. But details about the glasses themselves were a bit thin, with the extent of Samsung’s role held back — likely for the summer Unpacked event.
So while we know the glasses exist — and CNET’s Scott Stein has already tried some prototypes on — we’re excited to hear more details. The glasses will feature cameras and microphones (how else will you interact with Google’s Gemini AI?), but we crucially don’t know how much they’ll cost or exactly when they’ll be going on sale.
There’s likely to be more talk about features and usability at Unpacked, and I’m hoping it’ll have a fancy try-on section where I can pop some on my face and see whether my wife can still stand the sight of me.
Galaxy Watch 9 and Watch Ultra 2
The Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 might be unveiled at Samsung’s event.
Rumors fueled by firmware updates and certification filings suggest Samsung will showcase two new smartwatches at this year’s Unpacked event. The Watch Ultra 2 — the company’s more rugged, outdoor-focused model — is rumored to get a huge battery boost up to 800 mAh. That’d be the biggest of any Wear OS watch and should help it keep on tracking your wilderness hikes long after your legs have given up from exhaustion.
The Galaxy Watch 9 is also rumored to get a bit of a battery boost, along with both models featuring new processors and potentially refreshed designs.
Galaxy Ring 2 — but probably not
Samsung has confirmed its working on a new Galaxy Ring, but it might be too early to see it this summer.
In a Forbes report, Samsung has confirmed that it is officially working on the Galaxy Ring 2, the follow-up to its 2024 finger-based health tracker. The company’s next ring is expected to get a boost in battery life, feature more advanced tracking and likely come with a refreshed design.
But it’s worth noting that while the ring might be in active development, it likely won’t get launched at July’s Unpacked event. While I wouldn’t be surprised to see a teaser of some kind, it’s likely that Samsung would unveil its next Galaxy Ring either at CES in the beginning of 2027 or at Mobile World Congress shortly after.
How to watch Galaxy Unpacked
Samsung’s event will be livestreamed on Samsung’s website and Samsung’s YouTube channel, beginning at 9 a.m. ET/ 6 a.m. PT/2 p.m. BST on July 22.
Stephan is the sports journalist for the Maple Grove Report.
