After months of leaks and rumours, Samsung has officially announced that its next Unpacked event will take place virtually on Thursday, August 12 at 12:00 a.m. AEST.
Invites for the next Unpacked event were sent out to the media today, and while Samsung did not specifically mention any of the devices it plans to announce, between recent leaks and a tagline for the event that reads “Get ready to unfold,” it’s clear at least one of Samsung’s big talking points will be about its next-gen foldables.
Based on recent leaks, we’re expecting that Samsung’s next two flagship foldables will be the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and the Galaxy Z Flip 3. The Z Fold 3 will reportedly sport a large foldable display measuring 7.6 inches across and feature built-in stylus support, which means it will cater to high-end power users looking for something that’s a hybrid between a tablet and traditional big screen phone. Meanwhile, with its smaller dimensions (and presumably lower price), the Z Flip 3 looks to be aimed more at mainstream consumers looking for something a bit more compact in an old-school flip phone design, but with some cutting-edge specs.
The inclusion of stylus support on the Z Fold3 would mark a significant improvement over previous Galaxy Folds, as it suggests that Samsung has created a new type of flexible display that’s able to withstand repeated impact from a stylus. That’s because even though previous Galaxy Z Fold and Z Flip devices featured a layer of what Samsung calls “ultrathin glass,” that glass didn’t offer anywhere near the same kind of durability you’d get from a traditional smartphone, with users able to dent those flexible screens with just their fingernails.
However, by combing increased durability with rumours of lower price tags for both the Z Fold3 and Z Flip 3, Samsung may be finally signalling that its foldable devices are finally ready to primetime.
As for the Galaxy Watch 4, Samsung’s next smartwatch represents a potential major departure from previous Galaxy Watches as it will run Samsung’s new One UI Watch, which is based on Google’s Wear OS instead of Samsung’s Tizen OS. While retaining a circular display and handy side buttons, the Galaxy Watch 4 is expected to be available in three sizes and will include updated health tracking such as advanced metrics for sleep, VO2 Max, Spo2, continuous heart rate monitoring, and more.
Finally, the fourth gadget we’re expecting to see at Samsung Unpacked are the Galaxy Buds 2, which are rumoured to be a replacement for the original Galaxy Buds and Galaxy Buds+ that will come with some sort of built-in ANC and a price tag of around $150.
However, the one device we’re not expecting to see is a new Galaxy Note, which has been long rumoured to be skipping a generation, due in part to the lack of available components caused by the ongoing global chip crunch.
Notably, while Samsung has yet to reveal any info about its upcoming devices, today Samsung did announce a reservation system for its upcoming flagships that offers some extra perks, a discount on Samsung Care+, and increased trade-in credit for anyone willing to pre-order new gadgets ahead of their official debut.
Either way, it seems like we’re going to have to wait until August 12 to get a real look at everything Samsung has planned for its next big gadget showcase, so until then, stay tuned for more updates on Gizmodo.com.