Samsung Unpacked London, 22 July: Z Fold 8 Wide, Galaxy Glasses and more

Samsung is expected to hold its most ambitious single-day product launch in years on 22 July 2026 in London, where it is set to unveil at least five devices including two book-style foldables launched simultaneously and the commercial debut of its AI-powered Galaxy Glasses. The event has not been officially confirmed, but multiple South Korean outlets including Korea Economic Daily TV and Seoul Economic Daily reported the date and venue in May, and the date has since been corroborated by FCC certification filings for the Galaxy Z Fold 8, Z Flip 8, and Galaxy Watch 9 series. A promotional pre-order discount on Samsung Malaysia's website, which does not activate until 22 July, has provided perhaps the most concrete unofficial signal yet.

An exact start time has not been confirmed. Samsung typically livestreams Unpacked events free of charge on its YouTube channel and at Samsung.com.

Two Fold 8s at once — here's the difference

The headline structural change this year is that Samsung is splitting its book-style foldable into two distinct models for the first time. A Bluetooth SIG certification filing confirmed the name Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra for model SM-F976, the direct successor to the tall Fold 7. The second model, SM-F971U, is the new wide variant — expected to be sold simply as the Galaxy Z Fold 8 in stores, though this brief uses "Fold 8 Wide" to distinguish the two.

The Z Fold 8 Ultra is the more spec-heavy of the pair. Leaked details point to a 5,000mAh battery — up from 4,400mAh on the Fold 7 — and 45W wired charging, ending four years of the Fold line being capped at 25W. The display is said to hit a peak brightness of 3,600 nits, up from 2,600 nits on its predecessor, and tipster Ice Universe has placed the unfolded thickness at approximately 4.1mm, making it one of the thinnest foldables Samsung has produced. A dual-layer ultra-thin glass with a laser-drilled metal support plate is said to reduce the crease significantly, though early reports from prototype units describe it as "nearly imperceptible under normal viewing angles" rather than gone entirely. Both models run on Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 — the same chip in the Galaxy S26 Ultra — with no Exynos variant reported. Leaked UK pricing, posted by leaker Roland Quandt on 3 July, puts the Z Fold 8 Ultra at £1,899 for 256GB, though Samsung has not confirmed this.

The Z Fold 8 Wide is the more novel proposition. It adopts a shorter, wider chassis with a 7.8-inch inner display and a 5.4-inch cover screen in an aspect ratio of approximately 9:7 — dramatically wider than the Z Fold 7's roughly 6:5 ratio. Think of it as a device that opens into something closer to a landscape-oriented tablet than a tall portrait screen. It weighs approximately 200 grams and carries an expected 4,800mAh battery, with an IP48 dust and water resistance rating. Roland Quandt's leaked UK figure places this model at £1,699 for 256GB — unconfirmed. Both Fold models will ship with One UI 9 on Android 17, and Samsung has announced a seven-year software update commitment for its 2026 flagship range.

Galaxy Z Flip 8: modest updates, an uncertain future

The Galaxy Z Flip 8 receives incremental rather than transformational changes: a slimmer folded chassis at approximately 13.2mm, a weight of around 180 grams, and a redesigned hinge said to eliminate most of the crease. It ships with 12GB of RAM in 256GB and 512GB configurations only — there is no 1TB option. Notably, European and UK buyers will receive an Exynos 2600 chip rather than the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 reserved for the US, Canada, Australia, Japan, and South Africa. Roland Quandt's leaked figure puts the UK price at £1,149 for 256GB. Tom's Guide has raised the possibility that the Z Flip 8 could be Samsung's last clamshell foldable, citing stagnating sales and the company's apparent pivot toward wider form factors — though Samsung has not confirmed this.

Galaxy Glasses: Gemini on your face

Perhaps the most closely watched announcement is the Galaxy Glasses, Samsung's first commercial smart glasses. Teased alongside Google at Google I/O in May 2026, they run on Android XR and use Google's Gemini AI as their primary assistant, processed through a built-in 12MP Sony IMX681 camera, stereo speakers, and multiple microphones — all in a frame said to weigh around 50 grams. There is no display. Gemini can answer questions about what the camera sees, handle messaging, give turn-by-turn audio directions via Google Maps, and translate signage in real time. The lenses are photochromic, darkening automatically in sunlight, and a touchpad on the right temple controls the device, with an LED indicator that activates while the camera records.

Samsung confirmed design partnerships with Gentle Monster and Warby Parker, both of whom showed frames at Google I/O. The glasses are compatible with both Android and iOS. Supply-chain leaks reported by multiple outlets suggest pricing in the $379–$499 range for the audio-only model, which converts to approximately £280–£370 at current exchange rates — though UK pricing has not been confirmed.

Why London, why now

This is Samsung's first summer Unpacked held outside Korea or the United States. Previous events have taken place in Seoul, New York, and San Francisco. The choice of London is widely read as a deliberate move to plant a flag in Europe — the most competitive premium foldables market — and to do so roughly two months before Apple is expected to announce its first foldable iPhone, which multiple supply-chain reports place in September 2026.

With 17 days to go, Samsung has said nothing officially. Expect that to change shortly.