We’re just days away from learning everything about Samsung’s upcoming hardware lineup (and likely new Galaxy AI features), including the anticipated Galaxy Z Fold 6, Z Flip 6, Watch Ultra, Galaxy Buds, and the company’s first-ever smart ring.
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Samsung recently confirmed that its next Unpacked event will be held on July 10, next Wednesday, in Paris, in conjunction with the Summer Olympics. The event will be streamed live on Samsung.com, Samsung Newsroom, and Samsung’s YouTube channel at 6:00 a.m. PDT, 9:00 a.m. EDT, and 3:00 p.m. CEST, and ZDNET will be on hand to test each new product that is released.
What can we expect to see at the Samsung Unpacked summer event? Here’s a look at what the leaks have revealed so far.
1. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6
Two months ago, ZDNET reviews editor Kerry Wan broke the details of some leaked Galaxy Z Fold 6. In addition to potentially being Samsung’s thinnest and lightest large-screen foldable, the Fold 6 could feature a 6.3-inch external display with a 22:9 aspect ratio (wider than last year’s) and a 7.6-inch internal display.
Wan explained that this should mean a move away from the “larger, remote-control-like format” of other foldables and toward a more traditional phone feel. The new format was one of the three main things Wan said Samsung needed to make the Fold 6 its “dream foldable phone,” so it’s a positive change to see.
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A more recent leak from Evan Blass suggested the following spec upgrades for the Z Fold 6: an improved Armor aluminum frame, up to 2,600 nits of brightness, a new Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, and up to two hours more video playback than the Z Fold 5.
The new Galaxy Z Fold 6 will also support Samsung’s latest Galaxy AI features, leveraging the larger interior display and S Pen support for Circle to Search, live transcriptions, and more.
As for what’s stayed the same: the battery capacity (4,400mAh), the cover display is still treated to last year’s Gorilla Glass Victus 2, and maybe more. With no upgrades to the camera or battery capacity, it’s worth noting that Samsung plans to increase the price of the Z Fold 6 this year, going from the previous starting price of $1,799 to $1,899. That’s for the 12GB RAM/256GB storage configuration, says Evan Blass.
2. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6
Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip is arguably the most basic foldable of the duo, with a clamshell design that harks back to flip phones of the past. So how will Samsung innovate in year six for the Z Flip?
Leaker Evan Blass suggests that the new model will be backed by a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor and 12GB of RAM (up from 8GB last year), a 50MP main sensor instead of last year’s 12MP, a slimmer design, and a larger 4,000mAh battery. The Z Flip 6 will also feature a more uniform color design, meaning the side edges, hinge, and back cover will appear in whatever color you decide to buy – be it blue, pink, natural titanium, or yellow.
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Like the Z Fold 6, the Z Flip 6 is expected to get a $100 price increase, bringing the new starting price to $1,099 from $999 last year. This increase could be justified by the presence of Samsung’s Galaxy AI features.
3. Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra and 7
Next up, a recent leak from Dealabs regarding the specifications of the Samsung Galaxy Watch “Ultra” and Series 7. The leaked page showed several renders of the two new watch models while providing some important details – the presence of 40mm, 44mm, and 47mm sizes, a 3nm AP chipset for smoother and more powerful operation, health monitoring like blood oxygen detection and stress and sleep analysis, workout tracking, and more.
The Galaxy Watch 7 Ultra will reportedly come in just one size, 47mm, and three dial colors: titanium gray, titanium silver, and titanium white. It will also support 4G and Bluetooth connectivity and feature the same sapphire and 3D glass as the base version, but will come with a titanium case.
Also: Here’s everything we know about the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 Ultra: key specs, price and more
Another leak has hinted at 15W charging, which is said to be 50% faster than the current Galaxy Watch. There will apparently be a slight difference in battery life between the Galaxy Watch 7 and Watch Ultra, with leaked specs showing that the 40mm and 44mm options for the Watch 7 will have a 300mAh and 425mAh battery respectively, while the 47mm Watch 7 Ultra will reportedly have the largest battery of all at 590mAh.
Perhaps the biggest new feature gleaned from recent Watch Ultra leaks is the addition of Galaxy AI for things like composing messages and providing sleep insights. We’ll likely see similar features with the other fitness device Samsung plans to launch at Unpacked, the Galaxy Ring.
5. Samsung Galaxy Ring
As ZDNET’s Maria Diaz explained, the highly anticipated Samsung Galaxy Ring is expected to debut at Samsung Unpacked. Like other smart rings, it will likely offer health and sleep tracking features and come in multiple colors and sizes.
From what we can gather so far, the Galaxy Ring is expected to support ECG functionality and blood flow measurement, which provides data on heart rate and blood oxygen levels. Device control via Samsung SmartThings and wireless payments via Samsung Pay could also be among the included features.
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During a panel discussion at MWC in February, Samsung executive Hon Pak suggested that the Samsung Health app would play a critical role in the Galaxy Ring experience, including helping to monitor potential symptoms of sleep apnea by tracking sleep patterns and blood oxygen changes, and maintaining heart rate alerts while you sleep. All of this is, of course, in addition to the standard fitness and health tracking benefits of smart rings.
The Galaxy Ring will also be compatible with the “My Vitality Score”, a way to intelligently track your physical and mental preparation to face the day based on your sleep, activity and heart rate data. As for sizes and colors, the ring will be available in silver, black and gold, with sizes ranging from 5 to 13 (nine in total).
6. Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro
While the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro were the company’s best-kept secret ahead of the Unpacked reveal, a Reddit user apparently got their hands on the new earbuds earlier this week, sharing photos of their full audio glory with the public. This often happens when distributors and retailers like Best Buy and Target stock up on new products too early and accidentally sell them out to customers.
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Based on real-world images, the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro move away from Samsung’s traditional bulbous form factor, with a stem design that’s more akin to Apple’s AirPods. What are the benefits of this design? Improved microphone positioning for calls and voice prompts, and a more robust fit, as the earbuds now rest against the side of your face.
We’ll learn more about the Galaxy Buds’ audio features and pricing at Unpacked next week, so stay tuned.