Samsung’s big summer show is back, and this year’s Galaxy Unpacked event in London didn’t disappoint. Kicking off at 9 a.m. ET (2 p.m. BST) on July 22, the tech giant pulled the wraps off a wave of new hardware and services, including its latest foldable phones—the Galaxy Z Fold8 and Z Flip8—a fresh lineup of Galaxy Watches, and, in a twist, a brand-new Samsung credit card.
Foldables Take Center Stage—With a Wider Twist
Samsung is doubling down on foldable phones and shaking up the form factor game. The new Galaxy Z Fold8 introduces a rumored wide-screen design, aiming to rival not just Huawei’s Pura X Max but also the much-speculated foldable iPhone Ultra from Apple, expected later this year. Alongside the Fold8, Samsung also announced the premium Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra and the pocketable Galaxy Z Flip8, both successors to last year’s Fold7 and Flip7. Teasers in the lead-up to the event showed Spider-Man showing off both new phones, part of a slick cross-branding effort with Columbia Pictures and Marvel Studios for the upcoming “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” film.
But Samsung wasn’t content to just show off new shapes. The company continued its push into AI, a theme that’s dominated its 2026 releases. Building on February’s Galaxy S26 launch—which brought AI-powered call screening, photo editing, and a Perplexity-powered browser—the new foldables promise even deeper AI integration for smarter multitasking and device management.
Wearables, XR, and a Credit Card?
The hardware parade didn’t stop at phones. Samsung introduced the Galaxy Watch 9 series and the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2, catering to fitness buffs and tech enthusiasts alike. Rumors of Samsung’s first Android XR (extended reality) glasses also swirled, though details remained under wraps as of press time.
In a move few saw coming, Samsung also launched its own Galaxy credit card. The timing, right alongside its flagship device announcements, hints at a push to weave financial services into its ecosystem—perhaps offering perks or rewards for loyal Samsung users.
With the event streaming worldwide on Samsung’s website and YouTube channel, today’s Unpacked not only set the stage for Samsung’s foldables to go toe-to-toe with Apple’s anticipated September event, but also highlighted Samsung’s knack for blending innovation, entertainment, and now, finance.
