Samsung Unpacked Summer 2023: What to Expect on July 26th | Engadget

Samsung is holding its Summer Unpacked event a little early this year on July 26, but it promises to be special beyond just the timing. Galaxy Z foldable phones are sure, but the company has also been teasing new smartwatches and tablets. This could be a particularly busy presentation. Will you see full overhauls, though, or just modest updates? Here’s what we think Samsung can show in Seoul.

How to watch Samsung Unpacked July 2023

You will enjoy watching Unpacked, provided you are an early riser. Samsung is broadcasting the event on its website and YouTube channel starting at 7 a.m. ET on the 26th. Don’t worry if you prefer to sleep well, keep all the big announcements and hopefully some hands-on trials with the new devices.

If you’ve already decided to buy a Galaxy Z Flip 5 or Galaxy Z Fold 5, you can book through the Samsung site before the event and receive $50 credit. There’s no commitment, so you can withdraw if you change your mind later.

Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Galaxy Z Fold 5

Samsung hasn’t been shy about the stars of Unpacked. While it hasn’t named the new hardware, the company is expected to reveal the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Galaxy Z Fold 5. This year, however, priorities are reversed. Where the book-style Fold is usually the star attraction, this year the Flip clamshell is the centerpiece of the pre-show buzz.

There’s a good reason for that. If leaked it renders from MySmartPrice and OnLeaks (via Media Peanut) are genuine, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 will have a much larger (3.4-inch) external display than its predecessor. As with Motorola’s Razr+ phone, you can handle far more tasks while the phone is closed. For example, you could send a quick reply message using an on-screen keyboard. SamMobile says Google is optimizing key cover screen apps, including Maps, Messages, and YouTube.

Both phones would borrow some visual cues from the Galaxy S23 line, but the biggest change might be a sleeker profile. Both the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Galaxy Z Fold 5 (shown in OnLeaks/SmartPrix They’re reportedly adopting a waterdrop hinge that narrows the gap while closed, slims the profile, minimizes display creases, and introduces dust resistance to Samsung foldables for the first time. Both phones should fit more easily in your pocket than last year’s models, not to mention hold up to more daily abuse.

Don’t expect major renovations otherwise. The Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Galaxy Z Fold 5 are both believed to use the same custom Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip from the S23 family, offering improved performance and efficiency over last year’s foldable devices. The Flip would have a 6.7-inch 120Hz internal display, while the Fold would have a 6.2-inch 120Hz external display and an equally fast 7.6-inch internal panel.

Known leaker Yogesh Brar hear both phones will have very similar rear camera arrays. The Z Flip 5 would have 12MP main and ultra-wide-angle cameras, while the Z Fold 5 would have 50MP primary telephoto, 12MP ultra-wide-angle and 10MP telephoto. The two phones may have upgraded sensors, though, potentially boosting their performance in low-light and other challenging situations.

There are no solid rumors about the price or release date of the Galaxy Z Flip 5 or Galaxy Z Fold 5. However, last years Flip and Fold models started at $999 and $1,799, respectively, and we expect similar price points this time around. Given that Samsung tends to ship newly announced hardware within a few weeks, we expect these phones to arrive in mid-August.

Galaxy Watch 6

If last year’s Galaxy Watch 5 seemed like a lukewarm upgrade, don’t worry, Samsung may soon have smartwatches worthy of the upgrade. The company has not-so-subtly hinted that the Galaxy Watch 6 will appear in Unpacked, and rumors of OnLeaks and MySmartPrice suggesting a Classic or Pro version will bring back the physical rotating bezel. If so, you can scroll the interface with a more satisfying motion than the touch-sensitive edges of current models. The check scheme would also give the high-end watch a more traditional look.

Other updates may be more iterative, if still appreciated. SamMobile says the Galaxy Watch 6 will use a new Exynos W980 chip that provides a slight speed boost and potentially longer battery life. Galaxy Club also recently identified certifications of future watches with larger batteries.

In some respects, software will play an equally important role. There is no doubt that software will play an important role. Samsung has previously confirmed that the upcoming Galaxy Watch series will use the One UI 5 Watch, a fitness-oriented update to the company’s Wear OS variant. It will offer better sleep insights and coaching, and runners can use personal heart rate zones to optimize their sessions. An improved SOS function will directly contact an emergency number to share your location.

While there’s no news on pricing or release windows for the Galaxy Watch 6, it’s no surprise that the range starts near the Watch 4s $279 for the base model, scaling all the way up to $450 for the Classic or Pro.

Galaxy S9 tab

The Galaxy Tab S8 series is almost a year and a half old, so it’s no surprise that Samsung hints at a replacement, though it may be evolutionary. OnLeaks and Tablet Wolf have shared renders and specs suggesting that the upcoming Galaxy Tab S9 lineup will closely resemble its predecessor, complete with the base 11-inch, 12.4-inch S9+ and 14.6-inch S9 Ultra variants.

However, there should be some functional improvements. The standard Galaxy Tab S9 will reportedly switch from an LCD to an AMOLED screen, so you won’t need to buy the S9+ to get the best possible image quality. A Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 will help performance and Tablet wolf believes a mysterious secondary front-facing sensor could be a camera intended for video calling in landscape orientation. SamMobile he also believes the new tablets will offer IP67 dust and water resistance that will help them survive camping trips and the beach.

It won’t be surprising if the Galaxy Tab S9 family ships around the same time as the foldables, or perhaps in mid-August. We also expect pricing roughly in line with the Tab S8. That would bring the regular S9 to $700, the S9+ to $900, and the S9 Ultra to $1,100. With that in mind, the S8 series is $50 more expensive than its S7 equivalents. We cannot rule out another price increase.

Wildcards: Mixed reality hardware and Galaxy Tab S8 FE

Samsung has been known to occasionally drop surprises in Unpacked presentations, and this summer, there are a couple of nominees. Notably, Samsung said in February that it was working on mixed reality wearables with help from Google (for an optimized Android version) and Qualcomm (for the chipset). There have been no signs of an imminent introduction, but we wouldn’t be shocked if Samsung says more about the project.

The Galaxy Tab S9 might not be the only tablet, after all. Rumors have long persisted about a Galaxy Tab S8 FE which, like the S7 FE, will bridge the gap between Samsung’s affordable A-series tablets and the S9. Not many details, but WinFutureby Roland Quandt hear the S8 FE can use an LCD with a Wacom digitizer for pen input. Even a low-end chip and other compromises wouldn’t be surprising.

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