Galaxy Unpacked in London: A Foldable Phone Launch With Big Intent
Samsung Galaxy Unpacked on July 22 in London is a major foldable phone launch where Samsung will introduce new Galaxy Z Fold and Z Flip devices alongside smartwatches, reinforcing its claim to leadership in foldables and signaling how it wants its phones and watches to fit into the AI era. The company has confirmed the Galaxy Unpacked event will take place at 2pm local time, with a global livestream at 9am ET (6am PT). This is not a routine refresh; it is Samsung staking out the next stage of the folding phone category it helped define. By centering the event on “latest Galaxy innovations that build on its leadership in foldables, combining intelligent capabilities and new form factors,” Samsung is clearly aiming to set the agenda for what premium mobile hardware should look like in the coming AI-focused years.
Z Fold 8, Z Fold 8 Ultra and the Promise of a “New Shape”
The most important storyline at Samsung Galaxy Unpacked will be the next generation of Galaxy Z Fold devices. Samsung is expected to present the Galaxy Z Fold 8 as the “new shape”, alongside a Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra that keeps the body users are used to. Social teasers about “a new shape unfolds” and talk of a passport-sized foldable with a shorter, wider front screen that opens to a larger internal screen point directly to this fresh Fold design. One report describes this as the Fold 8 Wide, positioned as a different form factor next to the regular Galaxy Z Fold 8, itself an upgrade on last year’s Z Fold 7. In plain terms, Fold buyers are being offered a choice: stick with the tall book-style design, or move to a more compact, wider device that could change how split-screen apps, reading and gaming feel on a foldable.
Z Flip 8 Announcement and Samsung’s Foldable Phone Strategy
Alongside the big-screen Folds, the Z Flip 8 announcement will underline how serious Samsung is about owning every corner of the foldable space. The clamshell Flip line has become the more playful, fashion-forward side of Samsung’s foldable portfolio, and a new Z Flip 8 gives the company a chance to refine that identity while tightening hardware and AI integration. At this Galaxy Unpacked, Samsung says it will introduce “latest Galaxy innovations that build on its leadership in foldables,” tying intelligent features directly to its new form factors. That is a strategic move: if foldables are going to be more than a novelty hinge, they need software and services that make the folding screen essential, not optional. Expect the Z Flip 8 to be positioned as the compact, pocketable device that gets smarter when folded or half-open, and sits alongside the more productivity-oriented Z Fold 8 and Z Fold 8 Ultra.
New Smartwatches and Aggressive Reserve Offers
Foldables may be the headline, but Samsung is also using Galaxy Unpacked to push its wearable ecosystem. The event will introduce next-generation smartwatches, including Galaxy Watch 9 and Galaxy Watch Ultra 2, extending the Galaxy lineup around the new phones. This matters because Samsung wants your phone, watch and AI features to feel like one connected experience, not three separate products. To get buyers on board early, Samsung is offering reserve deals: customers can reserve the device of their choice and receive a USD 30 (approx. RM140) Samsung credit during the pre-order period, with up to USD 1,230 (approx. RM5,660) in total savings. One source notes that this level of savings suggests “healthy trade-in values this year — up to USD 1200 (approx. RM5,520).” That kind of incentive is a clear push to move existing Galaxy owners onto the new foldable generation instead of waiting another cycle.
Why This Galaxy Unpacked Matters More Than a Typical Refresh
Samsung’s July 22 Galaxy Unpacked is about more than new model numbers. By bringing a “new shape” Galaxy Z Fold 8, the familiar Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, and a refreshed Z Flip 8 under one roof, plus new Galaxy Watch 9 and Galaxy Watch Ultra 2, Samsung is signaling that foldables are now central to its mainstream Galaxy strategy, not a side experiment. The company’s own description of the event stresses foldable leadership and “intelligent capabilities” that “set a new standard for the AI era,” which shows how it wants these devices to be seen: as the default premium phones for its ecosystem. If Samsung delivers meaningful improvements and a convincing story about how folding screens and AI belong together, this Unpacked could mark the moment when its Z Fold and Z Flip lines stop being niche curiosities and start feeling like the core of Galaxy, with slabs becoming the supporting cast.
