For the past few years, when Samsung has held a Galaxy Unpacked event in the summer, foldable phones have been the undisputed stars. That may not be the case at the latest edition of Galaxy Unpacked, which will take place this Wednesday, July 10.
Oh, foldable phones will be on the agenda and will take pride of place at Samsung’s presentation. The Unpacked invite shows a silhouette of a foldable phone, and rumors paint such a complete picture of the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6 that it’s not really a stretch to say that both phones will be in the spotlight this week.
But it’s the other products we’re hearing about that are likely to appear at Unpacked — the new Galaxy Watches and a finalized version of the previously-discussed Galaxy Ring — that should generate most of the buzz around the event. And that says as much about Samsung’s apparent focus on the Galaxy Unpacked aftermath as it does about the state of Samsung’s foldable phones.
An uneventful day for the foldables?
Make no mistake: The current Fold and Flip models continue to rank high among the best foldable phones, even if increased competition from Motorola, OnePlus, and Google means those devices are no longer the default choices for buyers looking for foldables. We might expect the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6 to solidify that position.
And yet, rumors suggest that the hardware changes planned for the two phones aren’t the kind that will set hearts racing. The Galaxy Z Flip 6 is expected to see the biggest change with a 50MP sensor replacing the 12MP main camera found on the Galaxy Z Flip 5. That should mean sharper images from the new Flip that will better rival the cameras on the Motorola Razr Plus (2024). The latest Flip could also get a dust-resistance rating, something consumers have been clamoring for as they look for more durable foldable phones.
The Galaxy Z Fold 6’s improvements could be more modest, with the biggest change being a potential change to the aspect ratio of the phone’s cover display. The idea is to make that display less narrow so it’s more comfortable to use. Otherwise, the same improvements are planned for the Galaxy Z Flip 6: dust resistance, as well as an upgrade to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset.
Again, these aren’t bad changes — some will be welcome. But they’re not going to blow anyone away the way a lower-priced foldable would. (A cheaper version — the Galaxy Z Fold 6 FE — could still be in the works for a 2025 release.) If anything, rumors suggest that Samsung’s new foldables will increase in price compared to their current models.
Health and fitness in the spotlight
Even if the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6 fall short, Samsung can at least look to other products to create excitement at Galaxy Unpacked. Products expected to debut this week include the Galaxy Watch Ultra and the Galaxy Ring. The former is expected to be a new addition to Samsung’s smartwatch lineup, while the latter was previewed at the last Unpacked event in January.
Both of these products are sure to generate some interest as they’re new additions to Samsung’s lineup. While Samsung has other watches on the horizon and will likely unveil the Galaxy Watch 7 on Wednesday, the Ultra will be its first attempt at a premium wearable that can compete with the Apple Watch Ultra. In the meantime, the Galaxy Ring marks Samsung’s first entry into the nascent smart ring market, and the first time a company of this size is willing to take on the likes of Oura and its Oura Ring.
But the Galaxy Watch Ultra and Galaxy Ring likely have something else in common: Both indicate Samsung’s sharper-than-ever focus on health and fitness tracking.
Take the Galaxy Ring, for example. We know what it looks like, but we only have a vague idea of what it will monitor. Leaked details about the Galaxy Ring’s features claim that it will monitor heart rate and stress levels, as you’d expect, while also tracking skin temperature, menstrual cycles, and snore detection.
Samsung also teased a system called “Vitality Score,” which will collect data on the intensity of your workouts and the quality of your sleep to measure your alertness level. Booster cards are supposed to provide wellness tips, likely drawing on data collected by the ring as well.
The Galaxy Watch Ultra’s selling points will likely focus on greater durability and a longer battery life than the regular Galaxy Watch. But health and fitness should also be a focus, as the new Watch is expected to include sensors to monitor sleep apnea. It’s also no secret that Samsung would like to include blood sugar tracking in its watches, although the prospect of that eventual feature seems less clear.
Whatever features the Galaxy Watch Ultra offers, expect it to sync with the Galaxy Ring, as Samsung touts a holistic approach to collecting data on your workouts and health. And that might be why these two products are the headliners of Galaxy Unpacked. If the slight improvements to our foldable watches don’t appeal to you, Samsung seems to be saying, maybe we can get you interested in devices that promise better health.
How foldables could impress at Unpacked
The Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6 could return to the spotlight at Unpacked in some form, and that implies another major focus for Samsung these days. When it’s not focusing on health and fitness tracking, the company has also made artificial intelligence a big part of recent product launches. Think back to when the Galaxy’s AI features debuted alongside the Galaxy S24 flagships in January.
Samsung has already indicated that it isn’t done integrating AI features into its devices. Won-Joon Choi, Samsung’s executive vice president who leads the company’s mobile R&D office in its Mobile Experience division, wrote in a blog post that Samsung plans to optimize the Galaxy’s AI features with the Fold and Flip in mind.
“Our foldable devices are Samsung Galaxy’s most versatile and flexible form factor, and when combined with Galaxy AI, these two complementary technologies will together unlock all new possibilities,” Choi said.
We don’t know exactly what those possibilities are, though there’s evidence that it could be possible to multitask on the devices’ larger inner displays or expand Continuity features that let you start a task on the Cover Screen and pick up where you left off once you open the phone. Samsung could also have completely different AI features in mind for the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6.
But Samsung’s smarts built around the company’s unique foldable phone designs? That’s something that might even stand out from the brilliance of the new Galaxy Ring.