what-to-expect-at-the-next-samsung-galaxy-unpacked
Although it isn’t yet official, you can bet the farm that Samsung will hold a Galaxy Unpacked event this summer. The rumor mill even points to a specific time and venue: July 22 in London. But whether that’s the official date or not, you can expect a foldable-focused shindig sometime soon. Samsung will likely unveil new Galaxy Z Fold and Galaxy Z Flip phones, as well as new Galaxy Watches. And we just might get a closer look at Samsung and Google’s Android XR smart glasses.
A wider Galaxy Z Fold 8
At last year’s event, Samsung launched its most polished foldable yet, the Galaxy Z Fold 7. But now the company appears ready to shake things up. Leaks point to a wider Fold model alongside one with the more established design.
Curiously, the wider shape more closely aligns with what industry insiders expect from Apple’s upcoming foldable iPhone. Welcome to the world of Big Tech, where you have to question whether a new product was greenlit to compete with one that doesn’t yet exist.
This model would trade the narrow design of the current Fold line for something that, when opened, more closely resembles a small tablet. It may even resemble the first-generation Pixel Fold (pictured above). Leaks suggest this wider Z Fold 8 would have a 7.8-inch inner display and a 5.4-inch outer display. Its outer screen is also expected to be wider, which could make it feel more like a standard phone when closed. It’s rumored to have two rear cameras, compared to the three on the current Fold line.
When leaks about this wider Fold first surfaced, they hinted that it would be sold as an offshoot from the main series. (Think something along the lines of the Z Fold Special Edition.) However, the latest ones suggest Samsung may position this model as the standard Galaxy Z Fold 8.
Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra
Meanwhile, a foldable whose aspect ratio and feature set resemble last year’s standard model could be called the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra. (Confused yet?) As its alleged name suggests, this phone would be the top-tier model.
The Z Fold 8 Ultra is rumored to include a less visible display crease than its predecessor. It could also carry a new Snapdragon chip, a 200-megapixel main camera and 45W charging.
We can speculate as to why Samsung might rebrand the previously standard model as “Ultra.” First, one heavily rumored name for Apple’s foldable is the iPhone Ultra. More cynically, Samsung’s (unconfirmed) naming could also be designed to make a more expensive Fold feel more justifiable. With AI data-center-fueled shortages driving up memory prices, it wouldn’t be surprising to see a price hike for the lineup. (The 2025 model was already $2,000, so… yikes.) But if the new phone’s upgrades are more incremental than revolutionary, that could be a hard sell — “Ultra” naming or not.
Galaxy Z Flip 8
Then there’s the cheaper Galaxy Z Flip 8. It’s rumored to include a new hinge design that reduces the display crease. This could also make the phone a bit lighter at 180g. (The Flip 7 weighs 188g.)
Leaks point to a return to a Snapdragon processor, after last year’s model used a Samsung Exynos chip. (Specifically, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5.) Elsewhere, expect the same 6.9-inch inner display and a 4.1-inch cover display.
If those are the only upgrades — and we see a RAMageddon-fueled price increase — it’s hard to imagine the Galaxy Z Flip 8 as a compelling buy. Such a ho-hum launch likely wouldn’t put to rest rumors that Samsung might axe the Flip line after this generation.
Galaxy Watch 9 and Watch Ultra 2
Updated Galaxy Watch models typically arrive in the summer Unpacked event, too. Leaks point to a Galaxy Watch 9 with mostly incremental design changes, including a new case color and new bands. You can also expect the Snapdragon Wear Elite processor, and on the software side, it’s rumored to receive new health-tracking features.
Meanwhile, the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 could be a similar story. Leaks suggest it will also have subtle design changes: a boxier look, thinner bezels with number markings and more muted accent colors on the side buttons.
As for the Galaxy Watch Classic — you know, the one with a rotating bezel and a more traditional watch design? Well, at least one leak suggests Samsung will skip it this year.
Android XR glasses
One of the event’s more interesting updates could be a product we’ve already caught a glimpse of. Samsung and Google teased their first Android XR-powered smart glasses at Google I/O 2026. If the companies’ stated timeline holds, this event could be the perfect stage to reveal more details.
The first model is a pair of audio-focused glasses developed with Gentle Monster and Warby Parker. They have an ever-present Gemini voice assistant — including (arguably creepy) cameras for contextual AI. In other words, it’s their answer to Meta’s Ray-Ban specs. A second Google-Samsung pair with a built-in display is in the pipeline for 2027.
Google previously said the audio glasses would arrive this fall, so don’t expect an imminent release after Samsung’s Unpacked event. But it seems likely the company would use the spotlight to tell us more about the device, which could possibly include pricing and a release date.
Stephan is the sports journalist for the Maple Grove Report.
