We have a date! Samsung has confirmed that its next Galaxy Unpacked event will take place in Seoul, South Korea.
With the Galaxy S23 already out, it’ll be foldables, wearables, and tablets in the spotlight. Here’s what we’re expecting from Samsung’s July 2023 Galaxy Unpacked event.
When is Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2023?
Samsung has now confirmed the date of its upcoming Galaxy Unpacked event. It’ll be on Wednesday, July 26 in Seoul.
Hosting the event in Samsung’s home country of South Korea means quite a timezone difference for interested parties in the UK. Fortunately, the local time of 8PM translates to a pretty sociable acceptable midday BST.
How can I watch Samsung Galaxy Unpacked?
Samsung has confirmed that the event will be streamed live on its Newsroom, Samsung.com and the company’s official YouTube channel.
What hardware are we expecting to see?
With the Galaxy S flagship phones already out, this second Galaxy Unpacked event is likely to be devoted to foldables, wearables, and tablets. Here’s what we’re expecting…
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5
It looks like it’ll be a case of more refinement for Samsung’s flagship foldable phone.
Yes, it’s set to get the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset for a speed boost. But otherwise, it’s expected to be largely the same as its predecessors: a phone that unfolds like a book into a larger tablet.
Official Galaxy Z Fold5 render from @mysmartprice
— Anthony (@TheGalox_) June 15, 2023
Beautiful color, and it closes completely flat! The frame is also flat
It's a beautiful phone, looks refined and premium. The camera bump is also different from the Z Fold4 (lenses are more noticeable now) pic.twitter.com/QxmaL8TQuX
One persistent rumour is that it’s going to be thinner and lighter than before, thanks to a redesigned hinge which closes the gap between screens when closed. It’s a small change on paper, but one that could be quite significant, as — high price of entry aside — bulkiness is the handset’s main weakness.
As for price, we’re not expecting Samsung to drop much from the £1,649 that the Z Fold 4 starts at. Given Google’s Pixel Fold will come in at £100 more, there’s not really much pressure on Samsung to come down at the moment.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5, on the other hand, is due to get a substantial upgrade alongside the introduction of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2.
Various leakers have claimed that, like the Motorola razr 40 Ultra, the phone is going to get a far larger external screen than previous generations. This would make it a lot more useful when its clamshell design is closed.
Exclusive
— ICE UNIVERSE (@UniverseIce) May 4, 2023
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 external screen 720x748p 3.4”，305ppi pic.twitter.com/Gh8juw4Bmi
Reports suggest the screen will go from a 1.9-inch strip to a 3.5-inch panel that covers most of the closed smartphone.
As well as this, the phone is also set to benefit from an improved hinge, which could make the ‘crease’ on the unfolded screen less visible, and hopefully less likely to leak onto the screen.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 6
Past summer Galaxy Unpacked events have showcased new Galaxy Watches, so a new set is expected here again. Rumours point to larger batteries, to make the Wear OS-powered wearables go longer between charges.
But more excitingly, we’re expecting a return of the ‘Classic’ model this time around. Historically, the ‘Classic’ versions have had a rotating bezel for selecting apps — a more elegant method of control than poking at the tiny touchscreen. But, for some reason, Samsung abandoned this with the Galaxy Watch 5.
Good Morning #FutureSquad!
— Ｆａｋｅ (@OnLeaks) May 24, 2023
Here comes your very first look at the #Samsung #GalaxyWatch5Pro successor which, I assume, will likely be marketed as #GalaxyWatch6Classic!
On behalf of @mysmartprice 👉🏻 https://t.co/8dn9fTCKin pic.twitter.com/8mfuUIqqKF
It’s not clear if this expected return of the Classic is a direct replacement for the Pro model which appeared for the first time last year. However, we are expecting only two versions of the watch so it might not feature this year either way.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9
At the weekend, yet another leaked promotional image appeared — this time of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9, via the tipster SnoopyTech.
👍👍 https://t.co/upqABJv818 pic.twitter.com/icTV2lrGIh
— SnoopyTech (@_snoopytech_) June 17, 2023
What can we learn from the picture? Well, firstly that the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 is going to come in three sizes (hardly surprising, given the Tab S8 was available in 11-inch, 12.6-inch and 14.6-inch sizes) and still come with an S Pen for doodling and note-taking.
But read between the lines, and there’s something else hinted at here. See how the aforementioned S Pen is drawing a massive wave, and how there are splashes off the edge of the Tab S9 Ultra?
Brands tend to do this only when they have water resistance to promote — something Samsung hasn’t offered in its premium tablets before. Yes, the Galaxy Tab Active 3 offered it in 2020, but that was a chunky and rugged tablet designed for perilous work conditions, rather than lounging at the beach.
Beyond that and the annual chipset upgrade (Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 coming here, too), expect this to be a reasonably modest upgrade. However, the cheapest version is expected to inherit the OLED screen from the more expensive models this time around.
