It’s that time of year again: Samsung has just held its annual summer Galaxy Unpacked event, and with it comes a whole new lineup of devices. This time around, seven brand new products were announced.
Two of the best smartphones with foldable displays have gotten upgrades: the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 and the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6. Two new pairs of true wireless earbuds are also about to hit shelves: the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 and Buds 3 Pro.
On the wearables front, the long-awaited Galaxy Ring was unveiled, a discreet little thing that looks like jewelry but actually tracks your health data. Last but not least, Samsung launched two new smartwatches: the Galaxy Watch7 and the Galaxy Watch Ultra.
That’s a lot of information to pack into one launch event, so here’s a recap of everything Samsung just announced and what’s new.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6
Samsung’s largest foldable smartphone, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6, launches with an even bigger display yet a lighter build than before. It also features a new set of AI features that bring it on par with Samsung’s S24-series flagships.
The Fold6 looks like a regular smartphone on the outside, but unfolds into a mini tablet. The outer screen is 6.3 inches (1mm larger than the Fold5), while the internal display is now 7.6 inches (2.7mm larger than before). Despite both screens being larger, the phone is actually 14 grams lighter than the fifth-generation phone.
But where the Fold really gets smart is with its AI software:
With the included S Pen, you can highlight content on the screen and search for it online with the Circle to Search feature.
Sketch to Image lets you draw on a photo and AI transforms it into a realistic-looking object.
Browsing Assist summarizes web pages or articles on the side of the screen. Transcribe Assist transcribes any audio content to your Samsung notes.
There’s a new translation conversation mode that lets you partially fold the phone and your words are translated in real time on both sides, so the message on the other side appears in the person’s language and vice versa.
The Google Gemini app is fully integrated, with the words “Hey Google” or by swiping from the corner of the screen, you can call up an overlay to use while scrolling through the phone to get help with writing and learning as you go. The list of cool features seems endless!
To power all this smarts, the device features a new, upgraded top-end processor: the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy with 12GB of RAM and a choice of 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB of internal storage.
The Samsung Galaxy ZFold6 is available to pre-order from Samsung from July 10, and goes on sale from July 24, starting at £1,799.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 is a small, palm-sized device that flips open into a regular smartphone. It’s a modernization of the 2000s clamshell phone with the latest innovations in foldable displays.
When I reviewed the Z Flip5, I loved its design and the 3.4-inch FlexWindow display on the outside, but its camera system wasn’t quite up to par with regular slate smartphones. Samsung has finally refreshed it for the sixth generation with a new 50MP main lens with a larger sensor and better low-light performance.
There are also some cool new camera features added, like Auto Zoom. When you hold the phone upright and away from the camera, it will reframe your shot for the best possible shot.
You also now get camcorder grip adjustments, allowing you to hold the phone with one half and record video with the other half while it’s folded into a camcorder shape. Another cool addition is the fact that you can now use Night Mode in the Instagram camera, no more having to switch between camera apps to get the best shots.
Lifespan has been extended thanks to seven years of software updates and feature drops, new IP48 water and dust resistance, a 10% stronger Armour Aluminium frame, more resistant Gorilla Glass Victus 2 glass, and reduced creases on the main display. There’s also a larger 4,000mAh battery than before.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 is available to pre-order from Samsung from July 10, and goes on sale from July 24, starting at £1,049.
Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 and Buds 3 Pro
Next up are Samsung’s new true wireless earbuds, which have been given a completely new design. The Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 and Buds 2 Pro were small, circular earbuds that twist into your ear, but the latest models have a new stem design that makes them look a lot more like Apple AirPods.
The Galaxy Buds 3 have an open design that rests on the outer part of your ear, while the Buds 3 Pro have a silicone tip that pushes into your ear canal. Both have a futuristic blade lighting system that shows you when they’re on and when they’re in pairing mode. You can also opt to turn the lights on just because it looks cool, if you want. Both models are IP57 water and dust resistant.
One of the features that sets these two devices apart from other AirPods alternatives (except the Google Pixel Buds) is the Interpreter mode, which translates ambient sounds directly to your ear!
Another cool feature is Voice Command, which lets you control the music with your voice without having to touch the earbuds.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 will set you back £159 and the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro will set you back £219 at Samsung. They come in silver and white.
Samsung Galaxy Ring
We’ve been tipped off for a long time about a new wearable device being added to Samsung’s lineup and it’s finally happening.
The Samsung Galaxy Ring is a piece of jewelry that doubles as a 24/7 fitness tracker. It comes in a jewelry box-style charging case with nine different ring sizes available and three colors: silver, gold, and black. The concave design is scratch-resistant and IP69 water-resistant up to 100m. Weighing between 2.3g and 3g, and measuring 7mm wide and 2.6mm thick, it’s surprisingly stylish considering the amount of tech packed inside.
It has a massive seven-day battery life, sleep tracking, heart rate monitoring, activity tracking, and even a skin temperature sensor. It uses the data to calculate your sleep score and energy score, and give you personalized tips on how to improve them. Plus, it can use the data to let you know when you’re most fertile, and tell you when you’ve been inactive for too long.
If you have a Samsung Galaxy smartphone, you can also use it for smart gestures, allowing you to take a photo with a double pinch. Find My Ring is also available via the SmartThings Find app.
The Samsung Galaxy Ring is available from Samsung from July 24 for £399, with no hidden subscription costs.
Samsung Galaxy Watch7 and Watch Ultra
The Galaxy Ring isn’t the only wearable launched at Samsung’s latest event. There are also two new smartwatches, the Samsung Galaxy Watch7 and the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch7 is a smartwatch for all occasions, it’s stylish and comes in two sizes and a smattering of colours, 40mm in cream and green or 44mm in green or silver. It has Samsung’s first 3nm watch processor, its first dual-frequency GPS, an improved bioactive sensor and more LEDs for better tracking accuracy. It has an ECG blood pressure sensor and can also measure your body composition.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra is a rugged watch for extreme conditions. It can survive immersion in water up to 100 m, extreme temperatures from -20 degrees to 55 degrees and depths from -500 m to 9000 m. The round screen is placed on a square plate to protect it from damage and it is padded for extra comfort.
The Ultra display has a massive 3000 nits, so you can see it in all conditions, and there’s also a night mode on the watch face. You can track your activities and perform them in sequence, as if you were taking part in a multi-sport activity like a triathlon or Iron Man, and during workouts you can race against your previous performances in real time.
You can buy the Galaxy Watch Ultra in one 47mm size and in three colors: Titanium Gray, Titanium White, and Titanium Silver.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch7 is available to buy from July 24. The BT model costs £289, or £339 with LTE.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra will be available at the same time from Samsung for £599.
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