Samsung just held its annual mid-year Galaxy Unpacked event in Paris, debuting its latest generation of smart watches (including a whole new device), the highly anticipated ‘Galaxy Ring’, two new foldable phones, and two new earbuds that look a lot like AirPods.
Overnight, the company held an hour-long conference where it went back and forward on new health tracking tools and AI features via the company’s own ‘Galaxy AI’, underpinning the company’s latest slew of hardware. Samsung’s range-leading ‘Galaxy S’ series is typically revealed at an event in January, with this event being more dedicated to the devices on the sidelines.
But off the back of two almost entirely new products, and a surprise cameo from Sydney Sweeney, it was a pretty exciting event.
Sydney Sweeney’s reaction to Samsung showcasing an AI-generated 3D image based on her own portrait.
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) July 10, 2024
“It’s amazing you can take an image like this” pic.twitter.com/jlLwKKzBT2
Let’s go through what you missed while you were sleeping – here is everything announced at Samsung’s July 2024 Galaxy Unpacked event.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Z Fold 6
Samsung’s Galaxy Z devices are always foldables, and with that extreme difference from standard smartphones, they’re a lot pricier and a lot more niche. Actually, the Galaxy Z Fold 6, just like the Fold 5 before it, retains the title of ‘most expensive phone model in Australia’ in 2024, with a maximum price of $3,299 and a minimum of $2,749 (compared to the iPhone 15 Pro Max, which is $2,899 and $2,199 respectively).
But it’s also one of the largest phones in Australia, and both phones are naturally some of the most powerful, sharing DNA with the flagship Galaxy S phones that were revealed earlier this year, including the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip.
Both phones feature obviously folding screens, but also screens on their backs, so that they can be interacted with without needing to unfold the device – as usual with these devices.
The biggest change this year came for the Galaxy Z Flip 6 – which now includes a 50MP wide and 12MP ultrawide camera array on the back, bringing the device in line with the flagship S models. The cameras on the Fold 6 remain unchanged, though both devices received stylistic upgrades that make them look much more modern.
The coolest change came down to an AI-powered feature, actually. Both phones have received a significant buff to the onboard ‘Interpreter’ app, which allows the user to interpret and translate spoken languages in real time. Now, the rear screen can be used as a prompter, so that the person not holding the phone can read what the phone holder just said.
Both phones will go on sale from July 31, with preorders commencing from today. The Z Flip 6 will start at $1,799, while the Z Fold 6 will start at $2,749.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 and Watch Ultra
Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 7 is the latest generation for the company’s smart watch range, but its thunder was stolen quickly by a much more premium variant – the Galaxy Watch Ultra.
The Watch Ultra is designed for people who want to get the most out of their fitness, packed with 10ATM water resistance and a grade four titanium frame. Its design is somewhat reminiscent of the bulky Apple Watch Ultra, size, crown and rounded square shape included, but it retains the circular screen of the Galaxy Watch range. It’s a 47mm size, and comes with a new quick-button with toggelable shortcutting.
Not that the Galaxy Watch 7 has gone without features, mine you; it’s just that everything it got, the Ultra got too. In both devices, there’s a faster 3nm chip, an improved BioActive sensor for heart rate, ECG, and blood pressure monitoring, and a dual-frequency GPS system for greater accuracy.
Both phones are also shipping with ‘Gesture’ features, allowing the user to interacting with phone calls and other interactions by pinching their fingers.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 will start at $549, and will be available in 40mm and 44mm, with Bluetooth and LTE versions available. The Galaxy Watch Ultra is available in one configuration – 47mm with LTE with a $1,299 pricetag. Both devices come with a wide range of frame colour options and band types, with preorders starting today and sales commencing from July 31.
The Samsung Galaxy Ring
The absolute star of the show was the Samsung Galaxy Ring, a new product category entirely for Samsung that fits into its health segment, sitting alongside the watches.
Like the watches, the Ring is kitted out with health tracking tech, including menstrual cycle tracking, sleep tracking, and heart rate tracking.
Under the hood, Samsung says much of its ability is owed to Galaxy AI, including updates to the Health app that provide summarised recommendations to the user based on their metrics.
Unfortunately, though, the Galaxy Ring was the only device at the event that didn’t have a date set in stone for the Australian market. Samsung told PEDESTRIAN.TV that it’s aiming to have it hear before the end of the year, but nothing’s official just yet, apart from it being planned for the local market.
No price as of yet either, but Samsung said that no subscription service will be included. The Ring will, however, only work with Samsung devices. It’s going for $400 in the U.S., so expect a price of $600-$650 in Australia. Multiple sizes and colours are available.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 and Buds Pro 3
I know what you’re thinking – those look just like AirPods. And you’re right, they sort of do, but in fairness, stem-based designs for headphones aren’t uncommon.
Samsung hasn’t done a stem design for its headphones before, and its latest mainline and Buds Pro are fitted out with them. The Buds Pro 3 actually include an exciting feature powered by Galaxy AI leveraging the Interpreter app – allowing for real time translation through the headphones to the user.
Both headphones come with noise cancellation and adaptive EQ, allowing the user to either amplify surrounding noises or block them out. On top of this, the headphones are kitted with the ability to automatically mute annoying, persistent sounds, such as roadworks that they might be walking past. Important sirens won’t be automatically filtered out.
The Galaxy Buds Pro 3 include lights on the stems, called Blade Lights, that make the buds look much more aesthetically pleasing. Enhanced two way speakers, with dual amplifiers built in, add up to provide Samsung’s best headphones experience yet.
Both the Galaxy Buds 3 and Galaxy Buds Pro 3 will be available from July 31, with preorders starting today. The Buds 3 start at $299, while the Buds Pro 3 start at $399.
And that’s the show
Samsung also provided some updates to its Galaxy AI suite of features at the event, including image modding features that allow for the user to cartoonify themselves (such as in the Sydney Sweeney video from earlier). AI-powered email drafting was also shown off, along with boutique Google Gemini support built in as the standard AI assistant on the Galaxy Z Fold 6.
[Image: Zachariah Kelly/PEDESTRIAN.TV]
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