Samsung Galaxy Unpacked July 22: Three Foldable Phones and AI Era Push Set for London Event

Samsung's Galaxy Unpacked July 2026 Event: Invites Are Out, Here's What to Expect

Samsung's summer Galaxy Unpacked keynote is set for July 22 in London. This mid-year 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," said a press release 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. Galaxy "wide" foldable 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 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 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 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.

Samsung sets July 22 date for Unpacked to launch Galaxy Z Fold 8 series foldable phones

Samsung has already confirmed that apart from the usual book-style and clamshell-style foldable phones, it is launching a third new form factor. Samsung has just announced the date for its next Galaxy Unpacked event, where the company is expected to launch a new slate of foldable phones and wearable devices. This time around, the event is scheduled for July 22, and it's moving to London. As usual, it will also be live-streamed for those watching at home through Samsung's official website, its newsroom portal, and the brand's official YouTube channel. The event will kick off at 2 p.m. BST, 9 a.m. EDT, and 3 p.m. CEST. What to expect at Galaxy Unpacked 2026? In its official blog post, Samsung mentions foldable smartphones, but this time around, the focus is not just going to be on the form factor but also on new software experiences that will be driven by AI features. "Combining intelligent capabilities with innovative form factors, the next generation of Galaxy devices is set to deliver more personal and adaptive experiences and set a new standard for the AI era," says the company. Unlike the past few years, we are going to see not two, but three foldable phone designs, if the leaks are anything to go by. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra is going to be the top-of-the-line book-style foldable phone offering this year. The Galaxy Z Flip 8 will appeal to clamshell foldable phones. The new addition to the portfolio, this time around, is going to be the Galaxy Z Fold 8, or, as some leaks claim, it might be launched as the Galaxy Z Fold Wide. Recommended Videos This one is going to be wider and slightly shorter than Samsung's book-style foldable phones, and might look similar to the Microsoft Surface Duo or Oppo's Find N2 foldable phones that were launched years ago. More importantly, Samsung's upcoming wide-style foldable phone is going to serve as a precursor for Apple's own foldable iPhone that is expected to launch later this year. The juicy bits, and the bad news Not much is expected to change in terms of design language for the other Galaxy foldable phones. The most notable change, however, is going to appear on the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra. According to a recent leak, it is going to use the same technology as the Oppo Find N6, which managed to dramatically reduce the crease on the inner flexible display panel. For years, the crease has been one of the most persistent problems for foldable phones, and it appears that Samsung has finally cracked the formula. It's not going to be 100% crease-less, as some rumors predict about the iPhone Fold, but the improvements are going to be discernible. The bad news, however, is that the prices could go up significantly. For example, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra is expected to cost around $2,500, which amounts to a hike of roughly $114 based on the current conversion rates. As you go higher and grab the 1TB storage model, you may end up paying over $319 more than what the current generation Galaxy Z Fold 7 costs. Likewise, the asking price of the Galaxy Z 8 Flip might also go up by roughly $200 compared to its predecessor. The ongoing memory shortage is most likely to blame for the price hikes, and it appears that the crisis is not going to get over anytime soon.