Samsung came to London on July 22 with more foldables than it has ever put on one stage, and the message was hard to miss: the Fold is no longer a single phone. The eighth-generation Galaxy Z line now splits into three shapes, from a wider everyday Fold to a first-ever Fold Ultra, and Samsung paired the phones with two new watches and a bigger push into wearable Galaxy AI. If you’ve sat out foldables because the math never worked, this is the year Samsung is trying to hand you a reason. Here are the 8 announcements that actually matter, and what each one means for your next upgrade.
1. Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra: The First Ultra Foldable
Samsung’s headline reveal is a foldable it has never built before. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra is the first Ultra model in the Galaxy foldable portfolio, and it sits at the top of the range with the most premium specs of the three new phones. It starts at $2,099.99, which makes it the most expensive Galaxy foldable to date, and it pairs a 6.5-inch cover screen with an 8-inch main display. Samsung gives it a 200MP wide main camera backed by a 50MP ultrawide and a 10MP telephoto with 3x optical and up to 30x Space Zoom, plus 8K video. If you want the maximum-everything Fold, this is Samsung’s answer.
Price: from $2,099.99
Where to Buy: Samsung
Pre-orders are open now, with shipping from August 7.
2. Galaxy Z Fold 8: A Wider, Squarer Redesign
The standard Galaxy Z Fold 8 is the real story for most buyers, because it finally changes shape. Samsung gave it an all-new form factor that is shorter and wider than the Fold 7, with a roughly 4:3 inner display tuned for reading and watching video. It starts at $1,899.99 with 12GB of memory and 256GB of storage, and it carries a 5.5-inch cover screen. Samsung lists a 4,800mAh battery, 50MP wide and ultrawide rear cameras, and 45W wired with 20W wireless charging, with pre-orders open now and shipping from August 7.
Price: from $1,899.99 (12GB/256GB)
Where to Buy: Samsung
3. Galaxy Z Flip 8: A Smarter FlexWindow
The clamshell gets the gentlest update of the three. The Galaxy Z Flip 8 keeps the pocket-friendly flip design and layers in more intuitive Galaxy AI on the FlexWindow cover screen, wrapped in a thinner and lighter body. It starts at $1,199.99 for 256GB and $1,399.99 for 512GB, a $100 bump over last year. If the Flip is the foldable you actually want to carry, the changes here are about polish rather than reinvention.
Price: from $1,199.99 (256GB)
Where to Buy: Samsung
4. One Chip Across the Lineup: Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy
All three phones run the same processor, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy. The base models share 12GB of RAM with 256GB or 512GB of storage, and both Fold 8 versions offer a 16GB and 1TB configuration for people who want the ceiling. That shared silicon means the real decision between these phones comes down to shape, cameras, and size rather than raw speed.
5. Galaxy Watch 9: The Everyday Health Companion
Samsung refreshed its mainstream watch with the Galaxy Watch 9, built around daily health tracking across sleep, cardiovascular health, exercise, and recovery. Samsung frames it as an all-day health companion rather than a workout-first tool, and it comes in 40mm and 44mm sizes. It runs the Snapdragon Wear Elite platform with 32GB of storage and a 3,000-nit display, and Samsung lists a 390mAh battery on the 40mm and 445mAh on the 44mm.
It starts at $379.99 for the 40mm Bluetooth model, with the LTE version from $429.99, and it’s available to order now. New AI health tools include Vitals baseline alerts and a Heart Health Score, alongside FDA-cleared Sleep Apnea detection. If you want the standard Galaxy watch experience, this is the one most people will reach for.
Price: from $379.99
Where to Buy: Samsung
6. Galaxy Watch Ultra 2: Thinner, Built for Training
The rugged watch returns as the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2, aimed at precise workout tracking and structured training in demanding conditions. Samsung says the 47mm titanium case is 12 percent thinner than the previous Ultra even with a bigger battery, and it packs 64GB of storage and a display that hits a localized 5,000-nit peak in bright light. It comes in a single 47mm LTE size for $699, and Samsung fits it with an 800mAh battery rated for up to 60 hours of use, with fast charging to 40 percent in around 30 minutes. Samsung also gives it real outdoor credentials, with 10 ATM water resistance, IP69K, MIL-STD-810H, and EN 13319 dive certification, plus Trail Run and hydration tracking, and it can show depth, time, and water temperature underwater. Like the Watch 9, it’s available to order now. This is the pick for anyone who found the standard watch too casual for serious training.
Price: $699
Where to Buy: Samsung
7. Galaxy AI Gets Agentic Across the Devices
The software pitch this year is agentic Galaxy AI, which Samsung describes as AI that understands the user and acts across the device instead of waiting for taps. Google says Gemini Intelligence can automate multi-step tasks across 40 popular apps in the background, and a new Gemini Notebook works as a research workspace that can turn sources into slide decks or podcast-style audio, with a six-month Google AI Pro trial included on the new devices.
Galaxy AI shows up on the Flip’s FlexWindow, in multitasking on the wider Fold, and inside the new watches’ health features. The specifics will need hands-on testing, so treat individual capability claims as Samsung’s positioning for now.
8. A Peek Past Phones: Galaxy Glasses and QuickShare to AirDrop
Samsung also used the stage to signal where Galaxy AI is heading next. The company teased Galaxy smart glasses built on Android XR, its clearest move yet to push Galaxy AI off the screen and onto your face. The glasses are built with eyewear brands Gentle Monster and Warby Parker, run Qualcomm’s Snapdragon AR1 Gen 1, and use a built-in camera to give Gemini visual context for live translation, navigation, note capture, and sharing your point of view on a call.
Samsung rates them for up to nine hours per charge with about seven more full charges from the case, and a paired Watch 9 can answer a call with a double-pinch or fire the camera with a tap. Google says audio models arrive first in fall 2026, with display glasses following as a separate category, and Samsung hasn’t announced a price yet. It also leaned into a friendlier ecosystem story with QuickShare, which can already send files directly to AirDrop on Apple devices after rolling out on the Galaxy S26 series earlier this year and expanding to more Galaxy phones. Neither the glasses nor the sharing trick is a reason to upgrade a phone today, but both hint at what Samsung wants the next year to look like.
The Bottom Line
This was Samsung’s most ambitious summer event in years, and the real theme is choice. If you want the best foldable regardless of cost, the Fold 8 Ultra is built for you. If you want a Fold that finally feels like a normal phone when closed, the wider Fold 8 at $1,899.99 is the more interesting pick, while the Flip 8 stays the easy, pocketable option. The watches are the pieces you can order right now, and the glasses are the tease that tells you where Galaxy AI is going. Samsung also rolled out the Samsung Galaxy Card, a Barclays-issued Visa with 5 percent back on direct Samsung purchases, plus a plan to bring stablecoins into Samsung Wallet later, a reminder that this ecosystem push reaches your payments too. If you already own a Fold 7 or a recent Galaxy watch, wait for hands-on reviews and trade-in deals before you jump.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Galaxy Unpacked happen?
Samsung held Galaxy Unpacked on July 22, 2026, in London. It streamed live on Samsung’s website and YouTube channel.
How much does the Galaxy Z Fold 8 cost?
The standard Galaxy Z Fold 8 starts at $1,899.99 for the 12GB and 256GB model. The Fold 8 Ultra starts at $2,099.99 and the Flip 8 starts at $1,199.99 for the 256GB model.
What is different about the Galaxy Z Fold 8 this year?
The Fold 8 moves to a shorter, wider body with a roughly 4:3 inner screen, which changes how it feels to hold and how video and reading look. It’s the first real shape change the Fold line has seen in years.
Which new phone is right for me?
Pick the Fold 8 Ultra for maximum specs, the Fold 8 for the new wider shape at a lower price, and the Flip 8 if you want the most compact and affordable foldable. All three share the same Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy chip, so performance isn’t the deciding factor.
Are the new Galaxy watches available now?
Yes, the Galaxy Watch 9 and Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 are available to order, while the foldables are up for pre-order and ship from August 7. The Watch 9 starts at $379.99 and the Watch Ultra 2 costs $699.
![[MINI SIZE. ULTRA PORTABLE CHARGER]: Roughly the size of an AirPods Pro case, this smallest power bank packs 10,000mAh of long lasting power into a tiny, nano footprint. Easily slide this ultra slim, credit card size charger into your skinny jeans, a...](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41rATpm6dyL._SL160_.jpg)
Now retrieving an image set.
INIU Portable Charger, Ultra Mini 10000mAh 45W Fast Charging with Detachable Cable, Flight-Safe Travel USB C Power Bank External Phone Battery Pack for Xiaomi iPhone 17 16 Samsung S26 Google iPad etc
(as of July 13, 2026 18:57 GMT -05:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Now retrieving an image set.
