Samsung's Galaxy Unpacked event is a week away and I expect to see new foldable phones such as the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 as well as new Galaxy Watches. Remember when July was a quiet month for tech? Not anymore.
Samsung was one of the first companies to launch a foldable phone, but over the past few years, competitors including Motorola and Google (as well as Chinese brands such as Honor, Oppo and Xiaomi) have released their own flips and folds that improve or solve many of the shortcomings found on the Galaxy Z Fold 6 like price, size, battery life and camera quality. A great example of this is the Oppo Find N5, which is one of the world's slimmest foldable book-style phones and closer in size and weight when closed to a regular smartphone.
"Whether I'm using the cover display or the internal one, I'm not constantly reminded of how gimmicky the concept of a foldable phone can be, because everything feels sleek and comfortable," wrote CNET's Abrar Al-Heeti in her Oppo Find N5 review. "Yes, the Find N5 is remarkably thin and lightweight, but it's also exceptionally practical and enjoyable to use."
So how will Samsung respond? The July 9 Galaxy Unpacked event will be a pivotal moment for the South Korean company. In terms of the Galaxy Fold line, many critics want to see Samsung come to parity with Chinese foldable phones or top what they're doing. But there is also growing curiosity about what the company is doing with AI and health and wellness monitoring, specifically in terms of its Galaxy smartwatches.
Rumors, leaks and even some teases straight from Samsung show that the company is ready to meet the moment with an exciting array of foldables phones, including a brand-new budget version of its clamshell flip phone as well as updates to its smartwatch line.
You can watch the Galaxy Unpacked event on Wednesday, July 9, at 10 a.m. ET/7 a.m. PT. Samsung is also offering deals for up to $1,200 off when you reserve the new foldable phones on its website.
Galaxy Z Fold 7 Ultra
A frame from one of Samsung's press releases that teased the Galaxy Z Fold 7. Samsung
Over the preceding weeks, Samsung has sent out provocative press releases trying to drum up the hype about a Galaxy Fold 7 and its new Ultra-like camera. In a press release titled, Meet the Next Chapter of Ultra, a video shows a Galaxy Z Fold in silhouette with the sound of a chorus of singers and swooping sound effects of the phone opening and closing.
These teases are vague at best, but could mean that there are multiple Galaxy Z Fold phones. The Ultra variant will have a Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, according to a report on 91mobiles. The main camera could be truly flagship-worthy, if Samsung's tease is true, and similar to the 200-MP camera that's on the Galaxy S25 Edge. There could be a slim version of the Fold that would be the "the thinnest, lightest and most advanced foldable yet." It's unclear if the -- let's call it the Fold 7 Slim -- would have the same Snapdragon processor or an Exynos one.
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