Now that we've reached the second half of 2023, Samsung is preparing for its next major launch event. Unlike the Galaxy Unpacked event from early this year, when Samsung launched more traditional phones in the form of the Galaxy S23 series, the company is set to introduce its latest foldable smartphones at the July event.
The upcoming Galaxy Unpacked event comes at a time when Samsung has a lot more competition in the foldable market. Companies like Honor, Xiaomi, Google, and others have launched some pretty compelling smartphones. Among them are the Pixel Fold, the latest to challenge Samsung's Z Fold lineup, and the Motorola Razr Plus, which takes on the Z Flip line.
Plus, more companies like OnePlus are preparing to bring even more foldables to the market.
So what can we expect from the upcoming Galaxy Unpacked event, and will Samsung's new offerings be just as exciting as the other foldables we've seen this year? And what else is Samsung launching besides the new phones? This should give you some idea of what we expect from the event, which takes place at the end of July.
When is the next Galaxy Unpacked?
While the second major Unpacked event usually takes place in August, it was rumored for some time that the Unpacked event would occur earlier this year. Eventually, Samsung confirmed as much, announcing that Unpacked would take place on July 26 at 4 am PT / 7 am ET / 12 pm BST / 8 pm KST.
The event will take place in the company's home country of South Korea, at COEX in Samseong-dong in the Gangnam district of Seoul, South Korea. Samsung says the change in venue is to cater to the consumers that buy the most foldables, while the earlier date may also allow consumers to get their hands on the devices sooner.
How to watch the next Galaxy Unpacked
Apart from the live, in-person event in Korea, Samsung will live stream the launch on its website and YouTube. The company has done this in the past, so we can expect the same this time around.
Samsung has already posted the livestream link, and you can view the event invitation below on the company's official YouTube channel. You can also use the video to set a reminder for yourself to give you a heads-up before the start of the stream. That way, you won't miss the big announcements when they happen. But of course, you may have to wake up quite early depending on where in the world you are.
What can we expect from the next Galaxy Unpacked?
As stated before, Samsung is expected to launch a couple of foldable smartphones at Galaxy Unpacked, successors to the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Flip 4. However, there will likely be more than just foldables at the event, and Samsung has already teased new tablets and smartwatches that will be unveiled at Unpacked. Here's what we expect to see at the event.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5
The highlight of the launch will likely be the Galaxy Z Fold 5. If the rumors and leaks are to be believed, the phone's design may not differ very much from its predecessor. However, Samsung is said to have improved its hinge mechanism with a new waterdrop design that other foldable phones have adopted.
The benefit of this change is that the phone should be both thinner and lighter. It will also reportedly allow the phone to fully close shut without a gap, something that previous models suffer from.
The phone will likely be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, the same chip powering the Galaxy S23 series, along with 12GB of RAM. The displays may also be similar, with a 6.7-inch folding AMOLED and a 6.2-inch cover screen, both at 120Hz. There may be an increase in brightness, which would be nice.
Anyone looking for a camera upgrade may be disappointed, as a rumor indicates that Samsung may keep the same sensors on this new model. That also goes for the battery and charging speed; 4400mAh and 25W.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5
The Galaxy Z Flip 5 is another phone we expect to see at Unpacked. Unlike the Galaxy Z Fold 5, the Flip may actually see some pretty drastic changes compared to its predecessor.
For instance, rumors point to a much larger 3.4-inch cover screen, up from the 1.9-inch panel on the Flip 4. We're also hearing Samsung is teaming up with Google to bring some new optimized versions of Google apps that can run on the cover screen.
Like the Z Fold 5, Samsung is expected to bring its new hinge design to the Flip, which may result in a thinner device, particularly when folded. It will also likely be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, making it the most powerful clamshell foldable phone.
Besides that, we may not see any particular upgrades for the cameras, battery, or charging speed.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 6
One device we're excited about is the Galaxy Watch 6. Now only because the smartwatch is rumored to have a larger display and smaller bezel but because Samsung may bring back the Classic model with the rotating bezel. This was a popular Galaxy Watch 4 Classic feature, so it'll be good to see it return here.
A new Exynos W930 chip may be running the show, which could improve performance and efficiency.
The watches are also rumored to sport larger batteries, which is always welcome in a smartwatch. And with the battery gains expected from Wear OS 4, the Galaxy Watch 6 could see better battery life than its predecessors. Samsung has already revealed some features for One UI 5 Watch, so we should likely hear more about the update during Unpacked.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9
Samsung's next flagship tablet series is expected to make an appearance at Galaxy Unpacked. Regarding design, the Galaxy Tab S9 series looks largely similar to the Tab S8 series, although there will apparently be some nice internal changes.
Firstly, they will likely be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy and feature various storage and RAM configurations. In addition, the smallest Tab S9 may receive a nice display upgrade, moving from an LCD to an AMOLED screen. A larger battery capacity may also be in store for the smallest model, which would help manage the improved display.
And while pricing hasn't been confirmed, rumors suggest these new tablets won't be cheap. Of course, we'll have to wait until the official announcement to know for sure just how much these devices will cost.
