Galaxy Unpacked 2026: Samsung presents Z Fold8, Z Fold8 Ultra, Z Flip8, Watch9, smart glasses, Galaxy AI and Galaxy Card

Samsung closed its summer event in London with a complete generation of hardware: for the first time the Z family includes three models (Fold8, Fold8 Ultra and Flip8), the watches Galaxy Watch9 and Watch Ultra2, a preview of its smart glasses with Google, a layer of Galaxy More agentic AI in One UI 9, stablecoin accounts in Samsung Wallet and the launch of the Galaxy Card in the United States. The technical sheets that accompany this summary come from the official presentation of the manufacturer.

Galaxy Z Fold8: the "wide" and lightest foldable

The Galaxy Z Fold8 relies on a new form factor: an external screen of 6.5" (10:16) and a main screen of 7.8" (4:3). Samsung presents it as the lightest book-type folding in the world with 201 g, 4.5 mm open and 9.7 mm closed, with Flex Titanium chassis and Armor FlexHinge hinge.

The screen promises an anti-reflective finish, up to 3,000 peak nits and 120 Hz. The battery is 4,800 mAh (up to 26 hours of video). The brain is the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy, with configurations up to 16 GB + 1 TB. In cameras: 50 MP ultra wide angle, 50 MP wide angle with 3x quality optical zoom, more 10 MP sensors on the main screen and cover. It arrives with Android 17, One UI 9, Galaxy AI and Gemini Intelligence.

Hours after the keynote, Mukul Sharma (@stufflistings) posted on X a first contact with the Galaxy Z Fold8: he insists that it not only stands out for its form factor, but also for its weight —201 g— and describes it as “very comfortable to use” in hand.

Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra: the first foldable "Ultra"

The Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra brings the Ultra seal to the folding format: 6.3" cover (21:9) and 8.0" interior panel (20:18). It weighs 215 g (Samsung's "thinnest Fold", according to the sheet) and measures 8.9 mm closed / 4.1 mm open. The battery goes up to 5,000 mAh with up to 27 hours of video playback.

The big photographic difference compared to the Fold8 is in the 200 MP main sensor (with 2x quality optical zoom) and a 10 MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom, in addition to the 50 MP ultra-wide angle lens. Shares processor, software and AI with the rest of the series.

Galaxy Z Flip8: the lightest clamshell

The Galaxy Z Flip8 is committed to portability: 180 g ("the lightest flip in the world" in the presentation), 4.1" cover screen and 6.9" main screen, with a thickness of 6.1 mm open and 12.1 mm closed. The screen reaches 120 Hz and 2,600 peak nits; The battery is 4,300 mAh (up to 31 hours of playback).

Cameras: 50 MP wide angle with 2x quality optical zoom, 12 MP ultra wide angle and 10 MP front, with emphasis on hands-free FlexCam. Colors: Pink, Graphite, Cream and Mint. Storage: 12 + 256 GB or 12 + 512 GB.

Galaxy Watch9 and Galaxy Watch Ultra2

Samsung also renewed wearables. The Galaxy Watch9 starts at $379 and the Galaxy Watch Ultra2 starts at $699 (prices in dollars shown on stage; may vary by market and taxes).

The Watch9 comes in 40 mm and 44 mm (Cream, Graphite, Silver), with 2 GB + 32 GB, 300 / 425 mAh batteries, screen up to 3,000 nits, IP68 resistance, 5 ATM and MIL-STD-810H. The Watch Ultra2 (47 mm, Titanium Silver/Gray) has 2 GB + 64 GB, 800 mAh battery, screen up to 5,000 nits, 10 ATM, IP68, EN13319 certification and the new Snapdragon Wear Elite. (3nm). Both use Wear OS, One UI 9 Watch, Google Gemini (“Raise to talk”) and the expanded Samsung Health package.

Intelligent Eyewear: smart glasses from Samsung and Google

Samsung expanded the Galaxy ecosystem beyond the watch and the mobile phone with Intelligent Eyewear: smart glasses developed together with Google and two optical design houses, Gentle Monster and Warby Parker. Unpacked showed two new styles—in addition to the two models presented at Google I/O 2026—with different frames: a bolder black line from Gentle Monster and a more classic brown one from Warby Parker.

They do not have an integrated screen: they opt for a lightweight format, with a camera, microphone and speakers so that Gemini Intelligence understands the environment without taking out the phone. Samsung describes them as a hands-free companion to the Galaxy mobile: voice navigation, real-time translation (including text in menus or banners), summary of notifications, photo capture and organization of whiteboards or documents in Samsung Notes on the linked smartphone.

The brain is Qualcomm's Snapdragon AR1 Gen 1; The software runs on the Android XR platform. The presentation sheet highlights the light design, integrated hinge and thin frame, with autonomy of up to 9 hours and a charging case that promises seven additional recharges. They connect to the Galaxy ecosystem – compatible phone, watch and headphones – for tasks such as continuous navigation or conversation with the assistant.

Samsung did not launch them right away: the first collections will arrive in autumn 2026 in selected markets, with price and availability to be confirmed. The message on stage is clear: Samsung wants a new AI form factor on the same level as foldables and watches.

Galaxy AI: Now Nudge, Now Brief and Agentic AI in One UI 9

The eighth generation of foldables arrives with One UI 9 on Android 17 and a Galaxy AI that Samsung presents as more agent: it not only answers questions, but also anticipates actions based on the context on the screen. In the keynote, the manufacturer repeated the motto of an AI that understands the user and acts in the background with Knox security.

Now Nudge is the most visible example in the new Fold: if it detects that multitasking is appropriate, it suggests opening Multi Window at the right time — for example, when talking about dinner in a chat, you can suggest adding the event to the calendar and opening the Calendar app in a split window. Samsung indicates support in 16 languages for these proactive suggestions.

Now Brief concentrates the day's information in personalized cards: from the Flip8's FlexWindow you can see the weather, agenda, important notices, exchange rates or stock market, depending on what the user has configured. In One UI 9 you can also create custom cards for specific routines.

With Gemini Intelligence, the 2026 foldables are the first Galaxy that allow in-app automations in the background – ordering food, reserving tickets or completing steps based on the visible context. To avoid losing control, One UI 9 incorporates an AI assistant activity panel: a single place to check which agents are working and access their settings, in line with the privacy improvements of Android 17.

In watches, Google Gemini arrives with “Raise to talk”; in glasses, Gemini is the main assistant. Samsung keeps Bixby part of the ecosystem, but the weight of the conversational experience falls on Google. Sensitive data continues to rely on Knox, the on-device personal data engine, and layers such as Knox Vault for credentials and biometrics.

Samsung Wallet: stablecoins, cards and Galaxy Card

In the services block, Samsung reinforced Samsung Wallet as a payment and identity hub: cards, passes, licenses and rewards in one place, with Knox security.

On stage, Samsung showed a stablecoin account integrated into Wallet: «Stablecoin account» interface with balance in USDC, Send / Receive buttons and Top up option. It is Samsung's most visible step towards payments with stable digital assets within the mobile ecosystem; Availability by country and regulatory partners will depend on local deployment.

In parallel with Unpacked, Samsung and Barclays activated the Galaxy Card in the US (Visa network, without annual fee): 5% reward on direct purchases at Samsung, 3% with Samsung Wallet, 2% in streaming and 1% in the rest. Instantly provisioned in Wallet; There is a $200 bonus after spending $2,000 in the first 90 days (subject to terms).

Availability

According to Samsung statement, the three foldables go into preorder on July 22 in selected markets, with base colors Graphite and Cream and additional finishes depending on the model (for example Lavender in Fold8 or Violet Shadow in Fold8 Ultra online). The watches and the Galaxy Card complete an ecosystem that Samsung also wants to extend to glasses: hardware, AI and payments in a single flow — from the watch on the wrist to the card in Wallet and, in the fall, the glasses on the face.