Samsung Galaxy Unpacked returns next month, with rumors speculating that it’ll take place in New York City on or around July 10. And while the company hasn’t officially revealed what’s coming, the leaks already tell a very clear story.
Foldables are front and center, yes, but they’re only part of what’s shaping up to be Samsung’s most ambitious summer showcase yet.
The Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 are headlining as expected, with a new Fan Edition Flip making foldables more affordable than ever. Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 8 family is returning in three forms — standard, Classic, and Ultra — and everything is launching with One UI 8, a new Android 16-based skin packed with Galaxy AI upgrades.
But the real wildcard is a prototype headset: Samsung’s first spatial computing device, designed with Google and Qualcomm, and reportedly sharper and lighter than Apple’s Vision Pro.
Foldables grow up
The Galaxy Z Fold 7 might be Samsung’s most polished foldable yet, but it’s also the clearest example of why the category is still stuck. The new design is thinner than ever, measuring just 4.5mm when unfolded and 9mm when closed.
A wider outer display makes the phone easier to use one-handed, and the hinge now folds flat without the awkward gap of earlier generations.
The hardware is just as impressive. Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. A 200MP main camera. Refined crease control. Titanium components. On paper, this is a foldable that finally lives up to the Ultra tag Samsung keeps teasing.
One UI 8 brings smoother animations and Gemini-driven AI features like “Live” interpreter and image editing tools. It even looks premium, and that’s part of the problem.
Because, for all its flagship beauty, the Z Fold 7 is still a phone without a clear audience. At a rumored $2,000+ price point, Samsung is building for a luxury niche while pretending it's building for the mainstream. Foldables were supposed to get more affordable over time, but seven generations in, they’re heading in the opposite direction.
Meanwhile, the Flip 7 is getting a major usability upgrade with a larger 4-inch cover screen and a taller 6.8-inch internal display. It also adopts a more squared-off look, diverging from the rounded Galaxy S25 design.
Samsung is also prepping the first Galaxy Z Flip Fan Edition, expected to launch at under €1,000. That model will reportedly use the Exynos 2400e, with a near-identical design to the Flip 6. The FE is aimed squarely at bringing foldables to a broader audience.
Watches find their footing
Samsung’s smartwatch lineup is also expanding in a more deliberate way. The Galaxy Watch 8 will come in two standard sizes with a refreshed case design, and the Classic model will bring back the rotating bezel, a fan-favorite feature that’s been missing in recent years.
Both watches will run on the new Exynos W1000 chip, which promises better battery life and performance thanks to its 3nm architecture. They’ll also benefit from One UI 8 Watch, which brings AI-enhanced health tracking and new software features tied into Samsung Health.
The Galaxy Watch Ultra (2025) is expected to launch alongside the rest of the lineup. This year’s model will look familiar but will push further into fitness and durability territory, likely with upgraded water resistance, expanded activity tracking, and longer battery life.
With Apple’s Watch Ultra 3 expected in September, Samsung is aiming to stay competitive in the rugged premium smartwatch space.
One UI 8 and the AI layer
All of these devices will launch with One UI 8, Samsung’s customized version of Android 16. While the interface changes are relatively subtle, the feature list is growing fast. Quick Share is getting a clearer tabbed layout.
Samsung Internet, Weather, and Reminder are getting visual refreshes. Multitasking is improving with new split-screen configurations, including a 90/10 layout for apps that don’t need equal screen space. But the big story is Galaxy AI.
Samsung has confirmed that it will keep its core AI tools free, at least for now. That includes live call translation, generative photo editing, and new assistant features powered by Gemini. The Fold 7 will likely be the AI showcase here, but all new Galaxy devices will support the full set of tools out of the box.
The Vision Pro problem
Apple’s Vision Pro established a ridiculously high benchmark in spatial computing. Now, anything that follows will be judged through that lens — and it’s no secret that Samsung has been working behind the scenes on an extended reality headset for more than a year under Project Moohan. July’s Unpacked event will be our first real look at it.
Moohan is built on Qualcomm’s XR2+ Gen 2 platform and runs Android XR, Google’s long-anticipated spatial operating system.
It uses two 1.35-inch micro-OLED displays from Sony with a combined resolution of 3,552 x 3,840 per eye, pushing the pixel density to a staggering 3,800ppi. That’s sharper than the Vision Pro. It’s lighter, too, thanks to an external battery pack and ski-goggle-style frame.
If the headset makes an appearance at Unpacked, don’t expect Samsung to open pre-orders. It’ll be a preview, not a product launch. But the prototype should be real, functional, and visible on stage.
The plan, according to insiders, is to begin a limited release in South Korea in Q4, with a global rollout in early 2026. At this stage, Samsung doesn’t need to beat the Vision Pro; it just needs to show that it’s in the game.
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