Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2023 is on the horizon, with Samsung confirming that its next product launch is taking place in July. What's more, Galaxy Unpacked is going to take place in an unusual setting, with Samsung planning on holding the event in Seoul, South Korea.
That may be a surprise, but the products on tap for Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2023 in July are not. With Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5 updates on the horizon, we're almost certain to see new foldable phones. But other potential products could join those foldables on stage too — everything from tablets to smartwatches to additional smartphones.
With rumblings about the next Samsung product launch picking up volume, here's what we know so far about Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2023 — including when we think the show might take place and what we might see when it does.
Samsung Unpacked 2023 latest news (Updated June 6)
- Samsung has confirmed that an Unpacked event will take place in Seoul, South Korea, sometime in July.
- A note from analyst Ross Young says to expect a rainbow of new color options for the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Z Flip 5.
- The Galaxy Watch 6 should be the first Samsung smartwatch to feature an Irregular Heart Rhythm Notification (IHRN) feature, which could be a lifesaver.
What is Samsung Galaxy Unpacked?
Galaxy Unpacked is Samsung's name for product launches involving its Galaxy lineup of phones, tablets, smartwatches and audio gear. While there can be multiple Unpacked events in a given year, two in particular stand out — one in early spring to usher in the new Galaxy S flagship phones and a second one in late summer. Previously, that latter Unpacked centered around the since-discontinued Galaxy Note phablet, but in recent years, Samsung's used it to show off new foldable phones.
The first Galaxy Unpacked of the year took place in February, with Samsung introducing the Galaxy S23 phone lineup along with new Galaxy Book 3 laptops highlighted by the Galaxy Book 3 Ultra and Galaxy Book 3 Pro 360. Samsung has released other products since then — the midrange Galaxy A54 chief among them — but nothing that's been the subject of an Unpacked event.
What is the Galaxy Unpacked date?
In recent years, Samsung's Galaxy Unpacked event during the second half of the year has been held in August. In 2022, Samsung hosted a Galaxy Unpacked event on August 10 to show off the Galaxy Z Fold 4, Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Galaxy Watch 5. The 2021 launch that also brought new foldable phones took place on August 11, while the 2020 edition happened on August 5.
Given that track record, you'd expect the upcoming Galaxy Unpacked 2023 to take place in August. But that's not happening this year.
Instead, Samsung has confirmed that there will be a Galaxy Unpacked event in late July, though it's yet to set a specific date. Even more surprising, the event is going to take place in Seoul, South Korea — the first time that's happening.
"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 [phone] category,” said Samsung's TM Roh in an announcement that removes any mystery about what products are on the agenda for Unpacked 2023 in July.
We may not the official date for the event, but we have a possible one, thanks to reports from the Korean site Chosun Ilbo and Germany's WinFuture. Both claim that this year's Unpacked will take place on July 26, with Chosun Illbo also reporting that phones introduced at that event will go on sale on August 11.
Why move up Galaxy Unpacked from its usual August slot? Chosun Ilbo's report claims it's part of a Samsung strategy to get more phone revenue into its September quarter, since an expedited launch date would give the company a full month of smartphone sales. But the arrival of devices like the Google Pixel Fold means that there's more competition for the title of best foldable phones. As a consequence, Samsung could be more eager to get its new devices out in order to take on fledgling rivals.
Can I watch the Galaxy Unpacked 2023 event online?
Samsung has a history of Galaxy Unpacked livestreams from its online newsroom and YouTube channel. While a placeholder feed for a late July launch won't go live until right before the event, we plan to embed it here so that anyone will be able to follow along.
What will get announced at Galaxy Unacked 2023?
There are two near-certainties for the Galaxy Unpacked 2023 coming up this summer — 1) Samsung's going to show off updated foldables, per Roh's comments about the Korean setting for the event; and 2) Samsung's probably going to show off something else.
Galaxy Z Fold 5
There are enough Galaxy Z Fold 5 rumors floating around to make us fairly confident that Samsung has an update in the works for its most expensive foldable phone. And with the number of rival phones growing — the OnePlus V Fold could also reach the market in the second half of the year, joining the Pixel Fold — Samsung has every reason to show us a new Fold of its own.
The Galaxy Z Fold 5 is in line to get a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy chipset, and if that silicon's performance in the Galaxy S23 is anything to go by, Samsung's foldable phone should get boosts to both performance and power efficiency. (That last improvement would be extremely welcome, given the Galaxy Z Fold 4's disappointing battery life.) It's unclear if camera improvements are planned, though the Galaxy Z Fold 4 got a pretty serious upgrade to its outer cameras.
The biggest change could be to the phone's design. While the Galaxy Z Fold 5 is expected to retain the basic design where the phone opens up like a book to reveal a larger tablet-sized screen, rumor has it that the new version is going to be thinner and lighter than before. Samsung is also reportedly developing a new hinge that's more durable than past versions.
Galaxy Z Flip 5
Like it larger and more expensive sibiling, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 is expected to upgrade to a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy chipset. And it could also benefit from that improved hinge being developed for the Z Fold 5, which could result in a less visible crease across the Flip's interior display.
It's the outer display of the Galaxy Z Flip 5 that may garner the most attention though. The current version of the Flip features a 1.9-inch cover display, but rumors suggest that's going to increase to 3.5 inches on the Galaxy Z Flip 5. The end result could be a display that lets you get more done without having to flip the phone open.
Galaxy Tab S9
Samsung might use the Galaxy Unpacked 2023 event to introduce us to some new tablets. That's according to the WinFuture report on the alleged July 26 date of the big event.
We expect there to be multiple Tab S9 models — a base version, a Plus version and an Ultra edition. All three are likely to run on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset. All three models could wind up with OLED panels too, which would be an upgrade for the base Tab S9 model over the Galaxy Tab S8.
It's likely the Galaxy Tab S9 tablets will look a lot like their predecessors, though renders for the Plus model hint at camera upgrades inspired by the Galaxy S23 phones. That would mean a 50MP main camera for the tablet.
Galaxy Watch 6
With Samsung using its summer Galaxy Unpacked event to show off new smartwatches in recent years, it's only natural to assume that the Galaxy Watch 6 could be on tap for this upcoming launch event.
One reason to be less confident about the Galaxy Watch's spot on the Galaxy Unpacked agenda, though, is that neither report predicting a July 26 event mention the possibility of a new Galaxy Watch. Rumors about the Galaxy Watch 6 have also been pretty sparse compared to Samsung's foldable phones and tablets.
The few rumors we've heard suggest a possible move to a curved glass display for the Galaxy Watch 6. Other tipsters are claiming that larger batteries will find their way into the new Watch models. And with long-standing rumors that the Galaxy Watch will one day add support for blood glucose monitoring, perhaps this will be the year that happens.
Samsung mixed reality headset
Here's a long shot for the Galaxy Unpacked event this summer, but we thought we'd mention it. At February's Galaxy Unpacked, executives from Qualcomm and Google joined Samsung on stage to talk about a joint effort to build a new mixed-reality platform. We doubt any product resulting from this partnership is ready for prime time, but there's always a possibility of an update six months later to let us know about the progress Samsung is making in this area.
Another reason Samsung may be eager to talk up mixed reality at its July event: Apple is widely expected to be showcasing its own VR/AR headset a month earlier at WWDC 2023. Talking about its own efforts with Qualcomm and Google ensures that Samsung won't be left out of the metaverse conversation.
Galaxy S23 FE
Look, we don't believe that Samsung has a Galaxy S23 FE in the works, not with the Galaxy A54 fitting in nicely among the best Samsung phones and enjoying all those rave reviews about how it balances price with premium features. But we can't deny that some rumors suggest an FE model will join the Galaxy S23 lineup this year, with most release date claims pointing to a roll out in the latter half of 2023.
That timetable could mean that Samsung uses the Galaxy Unpacked platform to preview the Galaxy S23 FE, though the company could just as easily launch its slightly scaled-back flagship phone later on. Or it could forget the matter altogether and not release another FE model. Given that one rumor claims the Galaxy S23 FE won't feature the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, maybe that's for the best.
Galaxy Unpacked 2023 outlook
We're still more than a month out from the tentative date for the Unpacked event, so things could certainly change between now and when Samsung officially sends out the invites. So stay tuned to Tom's Guide for more rumors about what Samsung has in store, whether it's phones, smartwatches, tablets or some other product.
