Samsung Galaxy Unpacked July 2023: all the latest news and rumors
Illustration by Alex Castro / The VergeHere’s all the news from Samsung’s second Unpacked event of the year. Continue reading…
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Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked is just around the corner, kicking off on July 26th, 2023, at 7AM ET. Even though this is Samsung’s second Unpacked event of this year, we’re still expecting plenty of big announcements.
That includes the launch of Samsung’s new flagship foldables: the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Z Fold 5. The two devices are rumored to come with several upgrades over their predecessors, including a significantly larger cover display on the Galaxy Z Flip 5 as well as slimmer profiles on both devices.
Aside from the new pair of foldables, Samsung could also launch the Galaxy Watch 6 and Watch 6 Classic. So far, leaked images suggest that the Watch 6 Classic will bring back the rotating bezel, while the Watch 6 will retain the bezel-free style. Samsung’s Galaxy Tab lineup is due for an upgrade as well, and rumors indicate that Samsung could take the wraps off a Tab S9, S9 Plus, and S9 Ultra.
Stay tuned to this stream for all the latest coverage from Galaxy Unpacked.
Samsung Galaxy Unpacked: how to watch and what to expect
Image: Samsung
Samsung’s second Galaxy Unpacked event of the year is just days away, and it’s going to be filled with new products. In addition to the highly anticipated launch of Samsung’s next-gen foldables, we’re also expecting Samsung to announce updates to its Galaxy Watch and Galaxy Tab lines.
If you’re curious about the upcoming Unpacked, we’ve rounded up all you need to know about the event below.
Leaked Galaxy Watch 6 specs list a bigger screen and slimmer bezels
Image: OnLeaks / MySmartPrice
The upcoming Galaxy Watch 6 could come with a larger display thanks to its slimmed-down bezels. A specs list posted by leaker SnoopyTech (via 9to5Google) suggests that the 40mm Watch 6 will come with a 1.31-inch OLED display, while the 44mm version will feature a 1.47-inch OLED display.
The specs sheet indicates that the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic will get a similar upgrade, featuring the same display sizes across its rumored 43mm and 47mm options. According to the specs sheet, the 1.2-inch display might come with a 432 x 432 resolution, while the 1.47-inch screen may have a 480 x 480 resolution. That’s a slight upgrade from the 1.2-inch and 1.4-inch displays on its Galaxy Watch 5 predecessor.
Can I get a temperature check on the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6?
Quite literally, yes. Hot on the heels of Meta releasing a WhatsApp Wear OS app, Samsung said today that “upcoming Galaxy Watch devices” will get a Thermo Check app. Given that Unpacked is next week... that’s definitely a reference to the Galaxy Watch 6.
The app will use the watch’s infrared sensors to let you check the temperature of your surroundings — like swimming pools and the food you’re about to eat. Is it a little gimmicky? Sure. Nevertheless, I’m absolutely going to do my best Inspector Gadget impression when I use the watch to check how hot my coffee is.
Samsung’s foldables will definitely be lighter and thinner this year.
Samsung mobile business president TM Roh mostly waxes poetic in his pre-Unpacked blog post about human-inspired product design, but also confirms one small detail about the upcoming folding phones: they’ll be thinner and lighter than last year’s models.
Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 4 was already appreciably lighter than the Pixel Fold, so that likely gives the Z Fold 5 another advantage over Google’s first foldable. We’ll get all the details soon enough — Unpacked is next Wednesday which is fast approaching.
Here’s what the Galaxy Z Flip 5’s big cover display could look like in action.
A set of images obtained by reliable leaker Roland Quandt and later posted to 9to5Google shows all the ways you might be able to use the upcoming foldable’s cover display.
In addition to the ability to take selfies, it looks like there are also keyboard, calendar, weather, call history, and boarding pass widgets. While the Galaxy Z Flip 4 already offers some of these widgets on its 1.9-inch cover screen, the extra screen real estate on the Z Flip 5 should make them much easier to use.
Is that the Galaxy Z Flip 5?
This new (and strange) Samsung ad is mostly forgettable, but watch all the way to the end for a potential hint of the Galaxy Z Flip 5’s cover screen, which is rumored to be much bigger than before.
Samsung is set to reveal the new phone on July 26th.
You can get $50 in Samsung credit when you reserve a Galaxy Z Flip 5 or Z Fold 5
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge
Samsung only just announced that its next Unpacked event will take place on July 26th at 7AM ET, but the deals are already trickling in on the company’s next slate of Galaxy devices (including the heavily rumored Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Galaxy Z Fold 5). Starting today, you can place a preorder reservation one of two ways, each of which entitles you to $50 in Samsung credit when you preorder one of Samsung’s forthcoming, yet-to-be-announced devices at a future date.
Like Samsung’s previous reservation promos, you won’t have to hand over your credit card details, either. All you need to do is fill out your name and email address on Samsung’s website or the Shop Samsung app before July 26th. You’ll then be eligible to redeem the Samsung credit when you preorder an upcoming Galaxy device, presumably on July 26th when Samsung announces the new Galaxy lineup. There is one slight catch, though: you won’t be able to use the credit toward the Galaxy device you’re preordering — only other eligible products. Samsung hasn’t specified what qualifies yet, but in previous years, the credit has been good toward a pair of wireless earbuds, cases, and other accessories.
Samsung’s next folding phones arrive on July 26th
Image: Samsung
We have a confirmed date for Hot Foldable Summer’s biggest party. Samsung has announced it’s hosting its next Unpacked on July 26th at 7AM ET — bright and early for the east coast, but it’ll be an evening affair in Seoul, where Samsung previously announced that it’s hosting the event. The image and text released with the announcement make it quite obvious that we’ll see a flip-style foldable at the event, which would naturally be the Galaxy Z Flip 5, and the Z Fold 5 is anticipated as well. We will likely see the Galaxy Watch 6, too, as well as some Galaxy Tablets. That’s quite a packed Unpacked.
The flip-style foldable in Samsung’s promotional image looks right in line with the rumors and leaks we’ve seen thus far with a lower-profile hinge. It certainly looks like a phone that will close flat. Unfortunately, this profile view doesn’t give us a glimpse of the cover screen, which is expected to be much larger than the teeny tiny screen on the Z Flip 4 — literally big, if true.
Goodness that’s a lot of images of Samsung’s unreleased foldables.
WinFuture has dug up a host of images of Samsung’s unannounced Z Fold 5 and Z Flip 5 foldables, as well as its Tab S9, which are expected to launch later this month. There’s nothing too surprising in here, given we’ve seen images of both foldables before, but it’s nice being able to see them from (almost) every angle.
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Image: WinFuture
No need to mind the gap.
Per these leaked photos, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 seems to have an improved hinge that finally lets its two sides cleanly close together — one of the big hardware achievements on the Pixel Fold. Images via AndroidPolice.
New Samsung foldable leaks give us the best look yet at the Z Flip 5
Image: SnoopyTech
With about a month to go until the next Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event, we may have a pretty comprehensive idea about what to expect from the next version of the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and the Galaxy Z Fold 5. Several leaks over the last few days have revealed a lot about what the phones may look like — and what’s under their respective hoods — ahead of their official unveiling.
A Twitter leak early this week from Revegnus showed a photo of a folded phone that looks to be to be the Galaxy Z Flip 5 in a blocky, black case (via 9to5Google). The case hides a lot of the design, but what you can see backs up previous alleged renders. For instance, the screen on the back may be the same 3.4-inch 720 x 748 cover screen that’s been predicted. You can also make out the side-by-side camera lenses, another rumored update to the design.
Leaked Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 photos herald return of the bezel
Image: WinFuture
Rotating bezels are back, baby. At least, that seems to be the case according to newly leaked photos of Samsung’s next-gen Galaxy Watches.
The Galaxy Watch 6 and Watch 6 Classic photos come from German tech site WinFuture, which has a solid track record when it comes to this sort of thing. But aside from the Classic’s return, there isn’t anything too exciting to look at in these leaked marketing stills. Mostly because the Galaxy Watch 6 looks like the Galaxy Watch 5, which looks like the Galaxy Watch 4. Meanwhile, the Watch 6 Classic looks pretty much like the Watch 4 Classic.
New Samsung Z Flip 5 leak highlights a gloriously big cover screen
Image: MySmartPrice
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 leaks and rumors have all pointed to a larger cover screen on the upcoming phone, and a new alleged render published by MySmartPrice continues the trend. The image shows the Z Flip 5 with a gloriously big cover screen, which is exactly what we want. And by we, I mean me personally. I want this.
The Galaxy Z Flip 4’s outer screen measures just 1.9 inches. It’s fine for checking the weather and reading notifications, but the small size limits the kinds of actions you can take with it, like typing out responses to texts. It’s also not ideal for framing up selfies with the outer cameras — one of the benefits of a flip-style phone — because the preview image is literally the size of a postage stamp. I checked.
Samsung’s next foldable-focused Galaxy Unpacked will take place in late July
Photo by Allison Johnson / The Verge
Samsung’s next Galaxy Unpacked event, where it typically reveals new smartphones and other gadgets, is scheduled for sometime in late July, the company announced on Tuesday. For the first time, it will take place in Seoul, South Korea. Like other recent summer Unpacked events, expect the 2023 iteration to focus on foldables.
“The foldable category embodies Samsung’s philosophy of delivering innovation that pushes boundaries to reshape the future of mobile experiences,” TM Roh, Samsung’s president and head of its mobile experience business, said in a statement. “Hosting Unpacked in Seoul holds great significance both as it is a city that has become an emerging epicenter of innovation and culture as well as the foldable category.”
Leaked images show Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 with rotating bezel
We still have a few weeks until Samsung officially reveals its upcoming Galaxy Watch 6 lineup, but leaked images suggest that it might have resurrected a fan-favorite feature per previous rumors. A familiar rotating bezel — which Samsung tragically dropped from the Galaxy Watch 5 series — can be seen on leaked renders of the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic shared by MySmartPrice and reputable leaker OnLeaks.
If the renders are legit then the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic is almost visually identical to the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic. They depict the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic in an all-black design, featuring a brushed metal casing and a silicone wristband with a magnetic clasp. According to SamMobile, the circular display is a Super AMOLED screen measuring in at 1.47-inches, and previous reports indicate this will likely have a 470 x 470 resolution.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Flip 5 could be announced in July
Photo by Allison Johnson / The Verge
Samsung’s expected to reveal the new Galaxy Z Fold 5, Flip 5, and Tab S9 devices at its Unpacked event later this year, and thanks to reports from Winfuture and the Korean news outlet The Chosun Ilbo, we now have an idea of when exactly this could take place. Rumors suggest that Samsung could hold Unpacked on July 26th, while the devices could become available in stores on August 11th.
If these reports hold true, this means Galaxy Unpacked will occur a couple of weeks earlier than last year’s event, which Samsung held on August 10th. Just like last year’s mid-summer Unpacked, Samsung’s set to reveal the latest iterations of its flagship foldables, including the Galaxy Z Fold 5. This device is rumored to feature a much thinner design when folded compared to its predecessor, along with the same 6.2-inch cover display and a 7.6-inch inner display.
Samsung teases better sleep, fitness, and safety features for its next Galaxy Watch
Photo by Victoria Song / The Verge
It’s been relatively quiet on the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 rumor front, but we finally have some idea of what to expect. Today, Samsung announced that the watch will launch with One UI 5 Watch, a new version of the skin it runs over Google’s Wear OS 3 platform. The update will include several refinements to existing features like sleep tracking and emergency SOS while also introducing personalized heart rate zones.
It’s been a little over a year since Samsung first rehauled its sleep tracking features, which have generally lagged behind the competition. In the forthcoming update, Samsung says users will now see a more prominent sleep score, and that it’ll be viewable on the wrist. Those who participate in its chronotype-based Sleep Coaching feature will also be able to view insights directly from the wrist.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 may finally get the crease right
Photo by Allison Johnson / The Verge
The upcoming Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 could come with a much less visible crease thanks to a potential design change. According to a report on the Korean site Naver, Samsung could adopt a “droplet”-style hinge that allows the display to form a teardrop shape when closed, making for a much gentler curve that leaves less of a crease (via SamMobile).
While Samsung has certainly made improvements to the crease over the years, it’s still pretty noticeable on its fourth-gen foldables. Both the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Flip 4 use a “U”-shaped hinge design that puts the display at a sharper angle when closed. This creates a more prominent crease and also puts more stress on the display.
