LONDON — Samsung held its Galaxy Unpacked event in London to announce a new lineup of foldable smartphones, smartwatches, and AI-powered eyewear. The company revealed the Galaxy Z Fold 8, Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, Galaxy Z Flip 8, Galaxy Watch 9, Galaxy Watch Ultra 2, and two new designs for AI smart glasses developed with Gentle Monster and Warby Parker in partnership with Google.

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 features a 7.6-inch main screen and a 5.5-inch exterior screen with a 4:3 screen ratio. It is 4.5mm thick unfolded and 9.7mm thick folded. The device is available in lavender, graphite, cream, and pistachio.

It has a 50-megapixel main camera and a 50-megapixel ultrawide camera, powered by a 4,800mAh battery. The phone runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy processor. The 256GB and 512GB models have 12GB of RAM, and the 1TB model has 16GB of RAM.

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra has a 200-megapixel main camera, a 50-megapixel ultrawide camera, and a 10-megapixel telephoto camera. The device has a 5,000mAh battery and supports 45W wired charging and 20W wireless charging.

It is available in graphite, cream, violet shadow, and green shadow. The Ultra model is Qi2 ready with compatible magnet-equipped cases but does not have built-in magnets. It supports the APV pro video codec and dual 8K video recording from the main and ultrawide sensors.

The three new foldable phones use silicon-carbon batteries. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Z Fold 8 Ultra use Flex Titanium display technology. Samsung states the titanium film in the Flex Titanium display has 20 times the mechanical stiffness of the polymer film used in previous foldables.

The Galaxy Watch 9 starts at $379. It is available in 44mm and 40mm sizes. The 44mm model has a 1.47-inch display and a 445mAh battery.

The 40mm model has a 1.34-inch display and a 390mAh battery. The watch includes 2GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. Samsung states the Galaxy Watch 9 can last up to 30 hours per charge with the always-on display enabled. It includes health metrics for Vitals, Heart Health Score, Daily Cardio Load, and Fitness Index. The 44mm model is available in graphite and silver, and the 40mm model is available in graphite and cream. The watch runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear Elite processor.

The Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 starts at $699.99. It has an 800mAh battery, and its case is 12 percent thinner than the previous model. Samsung states the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 can last up to 60 hours per charge with the always-on display enabled. It includes health metrics for Vitals, Heart Health Score, Daily Cardio Load, and Fitness Index.

Samsung and Google revealed two new designs for AI smart glasses developed with Gentle Monster and Warby Parker. The AI smart glasses have a 9-hour battery life and are expected to launch in the fall of 2026.

The new foldable devices are scheduled to launch on August 7, 2026. Preorders for the new devices include up to $350 in gift cards. Samsung Smart Switch will allow users to transfer data from iOS to Galaxy devices using a QR code without installing an iOS app.

Samsung introduced a feature called My FanCam that uses AI to detect subjects and crop video. Google’s Gemini Task Automation feature is officially launching with the new foldables and expands to more than 40 apps. Samsung introduced a feature called Now Nudge that suggests actions based on screen content. Samsung introduced a feature called Super Steady Horizontal Lock for its new devices.

Ben Wood, the chief analyst and chief marketing officer at CCS Insight, provided context on the competitive landscape. "2026 is a huge year for foldables with the near certainty that Apple will be unleashing a foldable iPhone later in the year," Wood said. "Therefore, this is a critical launch for Samsung who were the market makers in this category, because Apple joining any category immediately gives it another level of legitimacy."

Counterpoint Research projects foldable phone shipments will grow 21 percent annually in 2026. The firm estimates Apple will capture 25 percent of the foldable market in 2026, while Samsung will hold 32 percent. Samsung accounts for about 25 percent of smartphone sales in North America, while Apple accounts for more than 50 percent.