Samsung is heading back to London for the first time in 14 years, and this Unpacked event is shaping up to be one of the biggest in years. On July 22, the company will launch not one but three foldable phones, a brand-new titanium display technology, its long-awaited Galaxy Glasses, and two new smartwatches. It’s also the event where Samsung finally answers the question every Fold fan has been asking: what happens to the Flip line?
Here’s a complete breakdown of what’s confirmed, what’s leaked, and what it all means for your wallet.
What Happened?
Samsung Electronics confirmed it will host Galaxy Unpacked in London on July 22, 2026, marking the company’s first UK launch event since the Galaxy S3 debut in 2012. The livestream begins at 2:00 p.m. BST / 9:00 a.m. ET / 6:00 a.m. PT and will be available for free on Samsung.com, Samsung Newsroom, and Samsung’s YouTube channel.
Samsung’s own invitation teased “a new shape unfolds,” and leaks over the past few weeks have made it clear exactly what that means: for the first time, Samsung is splitting its book-style foldable into two distinct devices.
Key Details
A New Fold Family: Two Different Foldables, One Line
Instead of a single Fold successor, Samsung is expected to launch:
- Galaxy Z Fold 8 – a new “passport” shape that’s shorter and wider than any Fold before it
- Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra – the familiar tall, book-style design Fold owners already know
The Fold 8 reportedly features a 5.5-inch cover screen at a 16:10 ratio (wide enough for comfortable two-thumb typing) and a 7.6-inch inner display at a 4:3 ratio, closer to a small tablet than the near-square panels of earlier Folds. Leaked dimensions put it at roughly 9.7mm folded, 4.5mm unfolded, and around 200 grams. It’s rumored to run a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip with 12GB RAM and a 4,800mAh battery, the first battery bump in the Fold series in five years.
The Fold 8 Ultra sticks to the classic tall form factor and is rumored to bring a 200MP main camera, a 5,000mAh battery, and 45W wired charging.
Interestingly, supply chain reports suggest Samsung is prioritizing the new passport-shaped Fold 8 in production, with targets of around 2.8 million units, more than either the Ultra or the Flip 8. That’s a strong signal about where Samsung thinks the foldable market is heading.
Read Also: Redmi Note 17 Series Launched: Huge Battery, Tougher Build
Flex Titanium: Samsung’s Answer to the Crease Complaint
Five days before Unpacked, Samsung officially confirmed a new display technology called Flex Titanium. It combines titanium-alloy film, thinner than hair yet 20× stiffer than polymer, plus titanium support beneath OLED fold point.
The goal is simple: reduce the visible crease that’s been the single biggest complaint about foldables since the category began. Samsung claims Fold 8 tech builds on seven generations, but without independent tests, crease reduction awaits reviewers’ real-world judgment. Flex Titanium is expected across all three new foldables: Fold 8, Fold 8 Ultra, and Flip 8.
Galaxy Z Flip 8: Refined Hardware, Uncertain Future
The Flip 8 is the more incremental release of the three. Leaks point to a slimmer 13.2mm folded thickness and a lighter build at around 180 grams, roughly 8 grams less than the Flip 7. RAM stays at 12GB across 256GB and 512GB storage options, with no 1TB variant this time. Chip allocation is expected to split by region: Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for the US, Canada, Australia, Japan, and South Africa, and Exynos 2600 for Europe and South Korea.
What’s making headlines, though, isn’t the spec sheet; it’s the rumor that this could be the last Flip phone Samsung ever makes. Multiple leakers, including Ice Universe, suggest Flip 8 could mark Samsung’s final clamshell foldable, signaling a pivotal shift. Ice Universe wrote that the device is likely to be Samsung’s last small folding product. Reports indicate Samsung hasn’t confirmed this, with no Flip 9 supplier orders and production shifting focus toward the Fold 8. If true, it would leave Motorola’s Razr as the only major clamshell foldable left in Western markets.
Galaxy Glasses: Gemini AI, No Screen (Yet)
Samsung’s Galaxy Glasses, co-designed with Gentle Monster and Warby Parker, are expected to get more details at Unpacked after being previewed at Google I/O in May. This first version is audio-only, with no display or AR overlay, and runs on Google’s Android XR platform with Gemini AI built in. The phone handles the heavy computing while the glasses manage audio, camera, and mic input over Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.
Reported features include Gemini voice assistance for navigation, real-time speech translation, live camera-based translation, photo capture, notification summaries seamlessly hands-free. Both eyewear partners are expected to support prescription lenses at launch. Pricing is rumored between $379 and $499, undercutting nothing compared to Meta’s Ray-Ban glasses at $299, but offering deeper Google ecosystem integration in return.
Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 and Galaxy Watch 9
The Watch Ultra 2 is getting its biggest chip upgrade in years with Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon Wear Elite processor, built on a 3nm process. Rumored specs include 800mAh battery, 35% larger than Ultra’s, plus 5,000‑nit display and 10 ATM water resistance. Expected pricing matches the original Ultra at $699. Samsung has confirmed the Galaxy Watch 9 will also appear at the event, though details remain thin. Some reports suggest European Watch Ultra 2 units may use an Exynos chip instead of Snapdragon, mirroring Samsung’s usual regional chip split, unconfirmed for now.
Why It Matters
This is the first time Samsung has split its Fold line into two separate devices, and it’s happening right as Apple is rumored to be prepping its own first foldable iPhone for later in 2026. Launching Fold 8 early in London signals Samsung’s intent to dominate foldables before Apple’s anticipated unveiling later this year.
Prices (Leaked, Not Confirmed)
| Device | Rumored UK Price | Rumored US Price |
| Galaxy Z Fold 8 | ~£1,699 | ~$1,899 |
| Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra | ~£1,899 | ~$2,099 |
| Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 | — | ~$699 |
| Galaxy Glasses | — | ~$379–$499 |
Every device expected at this Unpacked is rumored to cost more than its predecessor. Global memory chip shortages have driven DRAM and NAND prices higher since mid-2025, with supply pressures expected until late 2027. In plain terms: if you’re waiting for foldables to get cheaper, the wait might outlast the Fold 9 too.
Availability
Pre-orders are expected to open immediately after the event on July 22, with retail availability tipped for around August 7, 2026. Nothing here is official until Samsung confirms it on stage.
Official Statements
Samsung has only confirmed the event date, time, and livestream details, along with the Flex Titanium display technology and the Galaxy Watch 9’s appearance. Specifications, pricing, and the Flip line’s future remain unconfirmed and based on leaks and supply chain reporting.
Industry Impact
If Flip 8 truly ends Samsung’s clamshell line, it would follow the Note series as another major phone lineup discontinued. It would also hand Motorola’s Razr an open lane in the clamshell foldable space. Price hikes highlight an industry-wide challenge, with rising memory costs pressuring all phone makers currently, not just Samsung.
