London: Samsung Electronics has announced that its next Galaxy Unpacked event will be held on July 22 in London, where the company is expected to unveil its latest lineup of foldable smartphones along with new wearable devices.
The event is expected to showcase three foldable smartphones, including the next-generation Galaxy Z Fold 8, Galaxy Z Flip 8 and a new passport-style variant of the Fold series. Samsung is also likely to introduce a new smartwatch and wireless earbuds during the presentation.
New Fold model expected with wider design
According to reports, the new Galaxy Z Fold 8 will feature a shorter and wider design, offering users a larger viewing experience for videos and improved multitasking. The refreshed form factor is expected to resemble the design of Apple’s rumoured first foldable iPhone, which is anticipated later this year.
Samsung has already hinted at the new design through its event invitation and recent teasers on social media.
The Galaxy Z Flip 8, the company’s clamshell-style foldable, is also expected to receive incremental upgrades over its predecessor.
Samsung aims to stay ahead of Apple
By hosting its launch in late July, Samsung is looking to strengthen its position in the foldable smartphone market before Apple enters the segment with its first foldable device later this year.
Samsung remains the pioneer in the foldable smartphone category, although foldable devices still account for a relatively small share of the global smartphone market compared to traditional smartphones.
Competition intensifies
The launch comes as competition in the premium smartphone segment continues to grow. Google has already confirmed that it will hold its Pixel hardware event on August 12 in New York, where it is expected to unveil its latest Pixel smartphones with enhanced artificial intelligence features.
Unlike Samsung’s redesigned Fold model, Google’s upcoming foldable is expected to retain a similar design to previous generations while focusing on software improvements powered by Android’s AI capabilities.
Strong financial performance
Samsung also reported a strong financial performance for the June quarter, posting a record profit of 89.4 trillion won, driven largely by continued demand for artificial intelligence infrastructure and semiconductor technologies.
However, the company continues to face higher component costs due to a global memory chip shortage. Samsung had already increased the prices of certain Galaxy Z Fold 7 variants earlier this year, and analysts believe the upcoming foldable models could also see price revisions.
The Galaxy Unpacked event is expected to provide a clearer picture of Samsung’s strategy as competition in the foldable smartphone market intensifies.