Samsung wrapped up its summer Galaxy Unpacked event yesterday, and there weren’t too many surprises. Leaks ahead of the event pointed to new Galaxy Z Flip and Galaxy Z Fold phones, as well as a pair of new watches and more information about the Galaxy Ring. What we got was… announcements of the Galaxy Z Flip 6, Galaxy Z Fold 6, Galaxy Watch 7, Galaxy Watch Ultra, and a proper reveal of the Galaxy Ring. Leakers – is there anything they can’t do?
The surprise may have been Google’s announcement that WearOS 5 will debut on the new Galaxy Watches before rolling out to other products later. If you want to relive that not-so-dramatic story, you can either reread our live blog or watch a replay of Samsung’s stream. If you don’t have time for all of that, we’ve rounded up all the news in an easily digestible form below.
Galaxy Ring
The launch is being driven by a brand new product category for Samsung: a smart ring. The company had already made it clear that this device (much like the Oura Ring) was focused on health and wellness, and now we have a clearer idea of how that might work, as well as how much you’ll have to pay to get your hands on the Galaxy Ring.
Samsung says it has managed to fit its existing sensor technology into a smaller form factor, a ring. The titanium Galaxy Ring has an accelerometer, PPG sensors to measure blood flow, and skin temperature detection. It can track metrics like sleep score, sleep movements, heart rate, respiratory rate, and menstrual cycles. Samsung will give you an overall energy score to help you get a snapshot of your overall health and offer suggestions on how to improve things. No subscription is required for any of this, by the way, which is good news.
In addition to automatically detecting your workouts, the ring can send you heart rate alerts and prompt you to move around a bit if it hasn’t detected much movement from you recently. Oh, and you can use the smart ring to remotely take a photo with your Galaxy phone.
The Galaxy Ring, which is said to last up to seven days on a single charge and comes with a fast-charging case, will set you back $400. Preorders begin today in the US, with the wearable shipping starting July 24. Another thing to note: If you wear a Galaxy Ring and a Galaxy Watch together, the former’s battery life will be up to 30 percent longer, Samsung claims.
Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Z Fold 6
Samsung’s foldable phones are getting their annual update just in time to take them to the beach, perhaps to test how those folds hold up these days. The Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Galaxy Z Fold 6 are the thinnest and lightest models in their respective lines to date, and Samsung claims they’re more durable than ever. The company says there’s a reinforced folding edge to help support the dual-rail hinge, while “enhanced layers” for the main display help improve the fold without compromising strength. Both phones feature Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 to make them more durable, too.
The phones are powered by a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset. On the cooling side, the Z Fold 6 features a larger vapor chamber than its predecessor. The Z Flip 6 is the first Z Flip to feature a vapor chamber, which should improve cooling.
Since it’s 2024, phones have a slew of AI features (some of which appeared in the Galaxy S24 Ultra), including a fully integrated Google Gemini app. They can generate a more detailed image from a sketch and compose emails based on a prompt, while there are plenty of AI-powered camera upgrades.
One of the cool features of the Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6 is that the Interpreter app takes advantage of the dual-screen format, so both the main and cover screens offer translations in an effort to foster more natural conversations. Translations are handled on the device, rather than through the cloud.
Speaking of the displays, they’re slightly larger this year. The 7.6-inch main display is 2.7mm wider, while the Cover Display is 1mm wider. At 2,600 nits, the displays are also the brightest ever on a Galaxy Fold, matching that of the Galaxy S24.
As for the Z Flip 6, one of the biggest upgrades is a new camera system. The foldable features 50MP wide-angle and 12MP ultra-wide-angle sensors (the same as the base Galaxy S24). The former features 2x optical zoom with AI powering up to 10x zoom. Samsung has also increased the base memory from 8GB to 12GB.
Both smartphones are available for pre-order starting today, with general availability starting July 24. The Galaxy Z Fold 6 starts at $1,900, while the Z Flip 6 starts at $1,100. Those who pre-order a Z Fold 6 will get a storage upgrade from 256GB to 512GB or from 512GB to 1TB, while you can get a free storage upgrade from 256GB to 512GB with a Galaxy Z Flip 6 pre-order.
If you’re interested in learning more about these devices before you take the plunge, you might be pleased to know that we’ve been able to test them out in the hands of our own. You can read our first impressions of the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6 right now, or watch the video above.
Galaxy Watch 7 and Galaxy Watch Ultra
Of all the possible words Samsung could have chosen for its new premium smartwatch, the choice fell on “Ultra.” It’s not like any of Samsung’s main competitors have a smartwatch with that name or anything else.
Anyway, there’s a new premium smartwatch in town from Samsung, and it’s called the Galaxy Watch Ultra. The Wear OS 5-powered device uses a new cushion design for added protection and what Samsung calls “visual completeness.” The Watch Ultra is built for durability, perhaps with extreme athletes in mind.
For one, it’s supposed to work at a wider range of altitudes, from 500 meters below sea level to 9,000 meters above. It’s waterproof to a depth of 100 meters and has a titanium frame. Adventurers shouldn’t have to worry about running out of power quickly, as Samsung claims it’ll last up to 100 hours in power saving mode and 48 hours with exercise power saving enabled. Either way, it should have the longest battery life of any Galaxy Watch.
Other features include multi-course workout tracking (for things like triathlons), an advanced custom heart rate zone, and an emergency siren for added safety. The display has a maximum brightness of 3,000 nits, so it should be visible in very sunny conditions, and there’s also a night mode. Samsung says the Galaxy Watch Ultra can even scan for signs of sleep apnea. On top of all that, there’s a new programmable quick button.
For those who simply want the latest Samsung smartwatch without too many frills, there’s the Galaxy Watch 7. This model is the first to feature a 3nm processor, which Samsung claims can deliver three times faster CPU performance and 30% better power efficiency. It has dual-frequency GPS for improved location accuracy, health tracking upgrades, and the ability to control the device via double-pinch gestures. Hmm, where have we heard that before?
The Galaxy Watch Ultra only comes in a 47mm size and costs $650. As for the Galaxy Watch 7, it comes in 40mm and 44mm sizes. Its starting price is $300. It’s the same as all the other new hardware: pre-orders are open now, and shipping and general availability will begin on July 24.
We also had the chance to test out the Galaxy Watch Ultra, so you can read all about our first impressions of Samsung’s attempt at a premium smartwatch.
Galaxy Buds 3 and Buds 3 Pro
We have new Galaxy Buds to go with the Ring, Watches, and foldables. When the Galaxy Buds 3 and Buds 3 Pro are paired with a Z Flip 6 or Z Fold 6, the Interpreter app can translate live audio into your ears. This could be useful for anyone studying abroad or taking a foreign language course.
Both models use their microphones to analyze internal and external sound to optimize audio quality and active noise cancellation. The Buds 3 Pro can automatically adapt to noise via adaptive noise control, siren detection, and voice detection features.
The Buds 3 Pro in-ear headphones have a new blade (i.e. stem) design with built-in lights. You’ll be able to control the audio by pinching or sliding up or down. They also have dual amplifiers, planar tweeters, and an ultra-wideband call function.
Once again, pre-orders for the earbuds open today, with general availability starting July 24. The Galaxy Buds 3 start at $180, while a pair of Galaxy Buds 3 Pro will set you back $250.
Find all the news from Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2024 here!
Update, July 11, 1 p.m. ET: This story was updated after publication to include links to the Samsung store and more links and references to Engadget’s stories from the Galaxy Unpacked event.