Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2026 launch live: latest news on Z Fold 8 Ultra, Z Fold 8, Z Flip 8, and Galaxy Glasses
Samsung Galaxy Unpacked is IN JUST A FEW HOURS starting at 9am EST!! Managing Editor Derrek Lee is in the U.K. for the event and is ready to report on all things foldables, watches, and everything else that is about to launch!
In the past, the company has hosted events in the U.S. and South Korea, but now, nearly 14 years after the Galaxy S3 event, Samsung is bringing its launch event back to London, England.
When and what time is Samsung Unpacked?The event is today, July 22nd, and it starts at 9am EST (New York time)...in the U.K. the time will be 2pm BST.
What to expect at Samsung Galaxy Unpacked?- We are expecting a new Galaxy Z Fold 8 in a passport-like design that's shorter and wider. This is a switch-up from what Samsung's done in the past. Likely will be a competitor to whatever foldable Apple launches. , which will reportedly go head-to-head against Apple's foldable iPhone.
- We are also expecting the rumored Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra. We're not sure why Samsung is shuffling things around, but we'll certainly be asking around at the event.
- For watches, expect to see the rumored Galaxy Watch 9, AND interestingly, we might get a Galaxy Watch Ultra 2.
- BIG BIG NEWS: We are also expecting news around Samsung's AI glasses too!!
What's the best way to watch Samsung Galaxy Unpacked?
There are three ways to watch Samsung's Galaxy Unpacked event live. You can tune in via Samsung's official websites, including Samsung.com and Samsung Newsroom.
Perhaps the easiest way to watch the event is on YouTube. Head to Samsung's official YouTube channel and tap the Notify Me button to be reminded when the event is about to start. Or you can just do it from the video link below.
We're reaching the final countdown! Samsung's Unpacked event is just hours away, and I'm currently on the ground in London to experience it all in real-time. Be sure to tune in at 9 a.m.ET to watch the event and keep this tab open for our play-by-play and real-time thoughts on Samsung's new devices and announcements!
I'll send over more pictures from the event, but for now, here's a shot of the event location from last year!!
What am I most excited to see at Unpacked? I'm really curious about the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and its new wide aspect ratio.
I really want to see how apps look on the external display and how it handles multitasking on the internal folding screen, because frankly, I'm not convinced that this is an optimal design for a foldable phone. It feels like Samsung is trying to replicate the Galaxy Z TriFold's internal aspect ratio, but it comes off as an awkward attempt. Idk, I guess we'll see when it's announced and I get my hands on it.
I'm so excited to be here, and London is looking great! Like I said, we are just a few hours away from the event and there's so much going on. I landed here on Sunday, but we've been in briefings all week.
There are a LOOOOT of exciting things happening and I can't wait to share it all at 9am ET when the event starts!!
The Galaxy Z Fold 8 should take center stage at the event, and it's exciting for a lot of reasons. A shorter and wider foldable makes it easier to consume content, and it looks like Samsung is leaning heavily into this, if leaked marketing is anything to go by. Of course, a smaller foldable is also easier to hold and use, and if you've used a Surface Duo or the Find N2 in the past, you should be excited about the Z Fold 8.
Samsung is seeing increased demand for its foldables, and not just in the U.S. These devices have been around for well over seven years now, and the tech has matured to a point where its mainstream. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 had a lot to do with this, as the thinner and lighter design made it that much more enticing an upgrade if you're using a Galaxy S device.
I love flip phones, so I would've loved to see Samsung bring back another better Galaxy Z Flip FE, but it doesn't look like that's the case.
To be honest, it makes sense, as book-style foldables have been on the rise and have overtaken flip phones in sales volume. That seems to be why Samsung is set to offer two Fold variants this time around; to hopefully appeal to more people.
Will it work?
One thing Samsung does great is accessories. The company is great at launching a bevy of cases, screen protectors, and bands for its devices, and I expect the same treatment for the foldables and watches. It's likely there will be a selection of magnetic cases available since we don't expect any of the devices to feature built-in Qi2 magnets.
We'll be sure to highlight some of the best ones we find when the devices launch so you can pair your new purchase with some much-needed protection.
I also really hope we get to see more of Samsung's Android XR glasses. We've seen Google's prototypes, and I got to play with Xreal's display glasses, but I want to get my hands on Samsung's production glasses. They're expected to launch this fall, so with any luck, we'll hear more about them at Unpacked, but they're probably my most anticipated launch of this year.
And don't get me wrong, I like Meta's glasses, but there's a bit of a disconnect. I also prefer Gemini to Meta AI, so it would be cool to have some stylish glasses that sync with my phone and watch.
And while the Meta glasses have been an amazing addition to my tech bag, and I love the hands-free recording to capture amazing memories while being present with my family and friends...a few jerks have ruined the public image of these glasses for everyone.
So how will Google and Samsung get around the stigma of pervert glasses" that the AI glasses category now finds itself in? That's a great question, and Google has only answered part of it so far.
In a recent interview with our sister site Tom's Guide, Google's XR product management lead, Juston Payne, explained that Google and Samsung are doing everything in their power to create a system of trust around its upcoming AI glasses. That includes LED indicators on the front that illuminate when recording starts, as well as employing Android permission frameworks to help protect users."
Meta already employs LED indicators on its AI glasses and recently rolled out a mandatory glasses update that permanently disables the camera if the LED is tampered with. Meta doesn't have the same level of Android OS-level controls that Google does, though, so we're thinking the company could allow users to enable automated alerts when a pair of glasses is recording nearby, similar to how Android users can enable warnings when Bluetooth trackers are nearby.
So far, Google and Samsung's upcoming glasses look to be mostly a carbon copy of what Meta has built over the years, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Like Meta, Google and Samsung are working with fashion brands (Gentle Monster and Warby Parker this time instead of Ray-Ban and Oakley) to make a fashion-forward pair of glasses that also happen to have cool features inside.
And these glasses will be powered by Gemini, not Meta AI, which may make all the difference in the world to a lot of people. Meta AI is used a lot around the world, but lots of people I know prefer Gemini because it integrates so well with Google's services. I would say that Google is also slightly more trusted than Meta, which is another positive point for what Samsung is expected to show off today.
Whenever a company shows off AI glasses, it always talks about translation features and how great they are. That's fine and all, but I don't find myself needing translation features every day, or even every month. In fact, the only time I've used the translation features on any glasses I own is when I was reviewing features and seeing how well they work.
But Google's announced navigation features might be a different story for me entirely! In the Tom's Guide interview, Google's XR product management lead, Juston Payne, said, The audio experience for [navigation] is fantastic," Payne said. It uses the camera to localize you, so it knows that you're pointing in the right direction. It can give you contextual navigation to help you get to where you're going without being vague, you know, like turn right there.'"
You can do some of this with Google Maps on your phone, but I don't care to hold my phone up constantly while walking around. Having this on my glasses would provide yet another hands-free opportunity, letting me get lost in the moment without actually getting lost.
While we expect to see Samsung's AI glasses, Google seems more comfortable with calling them intelligent eyewear" rather than AI glasses." This is an interesting choice of language because, at least to me, it seems to imply that people are less interested in yet another AI gadget, but are likely still receptive to a cool gadget that looks great in the process.
Whether people will actually use all the nifty Gemini-powered features is another story entirely. I almost never use the AI functions on my Meta or Rokid glasses despite them being a simple voice command away. For the most part, these kinds of glasses are most useful to me as a camera and as a way to get notifications without visual distractions. I'd love to see if Google's implementation convinces me otherwise.
What about colors for the Galaxy Z Flip 8? Well, rumors claim the flip foldable could debut in Cream, Graphite, Mint, and Pink.
This is an interesting assortment, for sure. If you're asking me (and, even if you're not, I'm asking me), I really only vibe with Graphite. I can get down with pink, too, if I'm honest. It's different. It pops.
I'm going to be real: these rumored colors for Samsung's foldables are passable at best for me. I mean, am I a crazy person if I like vibrant primary colors? Where's my red Fold 8 or Flip 8? I would absolutely love a red foldable from Samsung. Crimson would be a sick color, too. I'm not saying these colors (if they're real) are bad. All I'm saying is Samsung could do better (or do different).
There's a lot that we're expecting from Samsung's Unpacked this summer. Personally, I'm most interested in the brand's smartwatches. The Galaxy Watch 9, seeing how the company is positioning it as an always-on" device is intriguing. Samsung made efforts to boost its heart health features, then it rolled out for the user's hearing. Its full presentation will certainly be one that I'll focus on, for sure.