# Samsung Confirms Galaxy Unpacked for July 22 in London — And It’s Coming for Apple’s Foldable Crown By The Current Tribune · Technology · Published Wed, 08 Jul 2026 05:17:51 GMT · Updated Wed, 08 Jul 2026 11:17:51 GMT Source: The Current Tribune — https://currenttribune.com/article/samsung-galaxy-unpacked-july-22-london Samsung just made it official. After months of leaks, tipster chatter and supply-chain whispers, the company confirmed that its next Galaxy Unpacked will land on July 22, 2026 — and for the first time in the event’s history, the stage won’t be in Seoul or New York. It’ll be in London. The tagline printed across the teaser says everything you need to know about Samsung’s ambitions this summer: “A New Shape Unfolds.” That phrase isn’t just marketing gloss. Samsung is walking into this event with what may be its most product-dense lineup in years, a brand-new foldable form factor, and a very specific target painted on Apple’s back. Here’s everything that’s confirmed, everything that’s leaked, and why the timing matters more than the hardware. ### What Samsung Actually Confirmed Let’s separate fact from forecast. Straight from Samsung’s own newsroom, here’s what we know for certain: - **Date and place:** Galaxy Unpacked takes place July 22 in London, U.K., marking Samsung’s first foldable launch on British soil.  - **Start time:** The event streams live beginning at 2 p.m. BST, 9 a.m. EDT and 3 p.m. CEST (6 a.m. PT for the West Coast crowd).  - **Where to watch:** It’ll be streamed on Samsung.com, Samsung Newsroom and Samsung’s YouTube channel, with social feeds carrying real-time updates.  - **The theme:** Samsung says it will unveil “the newest additions to the Galaxy portfolio,” combining intelligent capabilities with innovative form factors to “set a new standard for the AI era.”  The teaser itself is a tell. The clip shows an event ticket printing out carrying the message “A New Shape Unfolds,” which then transforms into an opening box revealing the Galaxy AI logo. The ticket’s shortened, rectangular shape is widely read as a hint at a new wide-foldable smartphone — more on that below. There’s also a pre-order carrot already dangling. Samsung’s Reserve program is offering a $30 Samsung credit during pre-order, for up to $1,230 in total savings, plus a sweepstakes for a chance at one of ten $500 gift cards. ### The Star of the Show: Three Foldables, Not Two ![New Galaxy Z Fold 8: Latest Price Leaks | Samsung's Official New Upgrades & Details Confirmed!](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/g8H66yWQVmo/hq720.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEhCK4FEIIDSFryq4qpAxMIARUAAAAAGAElAADIQj0AgKJD&rs=AOn4CLDZLYXVYdKKH3Xqwb4dHOWkCmsE9g) For years, Unpacked math was simple — one Fold, one Flip. That changes in 2026. Multiple outlets expect **three** foldables on stage, and the naming is where things get genuinely confusing. #### Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra — The Traditional Flagship, Rebranded This is the tall, book-style foldable that succeeds last year’s Z Fold 7 — but with a new “Ultra” badge that aligns it with Samsung’s premium S-series branding. Leaks point to a 5,000mAh battery with 45W charging — a meaningful jump from the Fold 7’s roughly 4,400mAh cell and 25W speeds. Reports suggest a 200MP primary camera, a 50MP ultrawide, and a 10MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom, powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy processor.  The headline engineering story is the crease. Samsung is rumored to use dual-layer Ultra-Thin Glass with a laser-drilled metal support plate to cut crease visibility by roughly 20% without sacrificing durability. One point that remains genuinely contested: the S Pen. Some leaks tease its return on the Ultra, while others — including Forbes and SamMobile — report there’s no S Pen slot this generation. Consider that one unresolved until July 22.  #### Galaxy Z Fold 8 (Wide) — The Real “New Shape” This is the device that teaser is really about. The Z Fold 8 “Wide” is an entirely new design: a landscape-oriented foldable with a wider 4:3 outer screen, meant to work like a normal phone one-handed but open into something closer to a tablet. Reports suggest a 5.4-inch cover display, a 7.6-inch inner panel, dual 50MP rear cameras, an IP48 rating and Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection. The pitch is simple: widescreen video finally fills the inner display instead of floating between black bars.  #### Galaxy Z Flip 8 — The Clamshell, Possibly the Last The Z Flip 8 reportedly gets a redesigned hinge that finally tames the crease, drops to around 180g, and splits chips by region — Snapdragon for the US, Canada and South Africa, Exynos 2600 for Europe and Korea. There’s a bittersweet rumor attached, too: Tom’s Guide flagged the possibility that this could be Samsung’s last flip phone, citing stagnating sales — though Samsung hasn’t confirmed anything, and the device is expected to ship with seven years of software support.  ### Wearables and a Wildcard: Watches and Glasses ![Watches | Samsung Bangladesh](https://images.samsung.com/is/image/samsung/assets/bd/f2507/pcd/watches/PCD_KV_Galaxy-Watch8_1440x640_pc.jpg?imwidth=1366) The foldables won’t be alone. Expect the Galaxy Watch 9 and Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 to round out the lineup, with the Watch Ultra 2 rumored to pack the Snapdragon Wear Elite processor, a brighter screen and a large 800mAh battery.  The genuine wildcard is Samsung’s first pair of smart glasses. Galaxy Glasses — built in partnership with Gentle Monster and Warby Parker, running Google’s Android XR with Gemini built in — could get a proper reveal. Think Meta’s Ray-Bans, but tied into the Galaxy ecosystem, with pricing estimates in the $379–$499 range.  ### The Pricing Problem Here’s the uncomfortable part. A global DRAM shortage is squeezing the entire industry, and foldables are feeling it. A South Korean pricing leak suggests the Fold 8 Ultra may start around $2,100 — contradicting earlier $1,999 rumors and making it Samsung’s most expensive mainstream phone to date. At the very top end, the 1TB configuration could exceed $2,700. Samsung’s double-storage promo is rumored to survive the crunch, which softens the blow slightly — but nobody should expect a bargain.  Device Form factor Rumored starting price Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra Tall book-style ~$2,000–$2,150 Galaxy Z Fold 8 (Wide) Wide 4:3 foldable Not yet leaked Galaxy Z Flip 8 Clamshell ~$1,200 Galaxy Watch 9 / Ultra 2 Wearables TBD Galaxy Glasses AI smart glasses ~$379–$499 (est.) ### Why London, and Why Now None of this is happening in a vacuum. Apple’s first foldable iPhone — expected to launch as the iPhone Ultra — is reportedly coming at the company’s September event. By staging Unpacked in London on July 22, Samsung puts its foldables in European markets two full months before Apple fires up its launch machine — a direct move to own the “wide foldable” conversation before Cupertino gets a say.  It’s a familiar playbook. Samsung did something similar with the S25 Edge ahead of the rumored iPhone Air. This time the stakes are higher: after quietly discontinuing the $2,899 Galaxy Z TriFold, Samsung needs its mainstream foldables to land — and to define the category before its biggest rival arrives. ### Final Verdict Galaxy Unpacked on July 22 is shaping up to be the most consequential foldable event Samsung has hosted in years. The confirmed details are modest — a date, a city, a livestream, a teaser — but the subtext is loud. A brand-new wide foldable, an Ultra-branded flagship, a possibly-final Flip, refreshed watches and a first crack at smart glasses add up to Samsung’s most ambitious summer lineup in a long time. The two clouds on the horizon are price and Apple. Memory shortages threaten to push these devices into genuinely eye-watering territory, and Cupertino’s foldable debut looms just weeks later. But that’s precisely why the London venue and the July timing feel deliberate. Samsung isn’t just launching phones — it’s trying to plant its flag on the foldable future before anyone else can. We’ll find out on July 22 whether the shape it’s unfolding is worth the wait. Set your alarm for 9 a.m. ET.