Samsung‘s second Galaxy Unpacked event of the 12 months is over – and it was one other large one for followers of foldables and smartwatches.
As predicted by the (many) leaks and rumors, Samsung launched a trio of recent foldables. Leading the pack was the brand new Galaxy Z Fold 7, however we had been additionally handled to extra inexpensive alternate options within the Galaxy Z Flip 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE (which seems to be the Z Flip 6 in disguise).
It wasn’t only a large foldables fest both, with Samsung additionally delivering the Galaxy Watch 8 sequence. Alongside the brand new Galaxy Watch 8, we additionally noticed the return of the rotating bezel with the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic, a smartwatch that additionally does an excellent impersonation of a costume watch.
But what else did Samsung reveal (or fail to disclose) at what is going to probably be its final Unpacked occasion of 2025? Here are the entire large headlines in a single useful place…
1. The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 lastly brings a usable cowl display screen to the social gathering
In current years, it’s felt just like the Galaxy Z Flip sequence has been one step behind the competitors – however that lastly modifications with the brand new Galaxy Z Flip 7.
Samsung has seemingly innovated in all the fitting locations with its newest flip foldable, which boasts a giant, stunning cowl show (it’s now 4.1 inches!) and a number of significant longevity upgrades like a stronger hinge and a extra highly effective Exynos 2500 chipset.
The Flip 7’s inner show has been beefed up, too. At 6.9 inches, it’s greater and wider than the internal display screen on the Galaxy Z Flip 6, and as we famous in our hands-on Galaxy Z Flip 7 review, this measurement improve “makes the phone feel more like a Galaxy S25 Ultra and less like an oddly-shaped foldable in the hand.”
Other upgrades embrace a bigger battery and improved waterproofing, however the Galaxy Z Flip 7 is all in regards to the new show expertise – each screens are greater and higher, and because of this, Samsung’s Flip sequence not trails behind the likes of the Motorola Razr Ultra.
2. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 is an ‘Ultra’ stage telephone with a value to match
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The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 was arguably the star of this newest Unpacked occasion. Far from simply being an iterative improve, this was an all-round enchancment on the already-excellent Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, as we’ve described in our hands-on Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 review.
There are after all the anticipated energy upgrades, with this telephone gaining a Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset and – on the prime finish – an additional 4GB of RAM. But Samsung has additionally geared up the Galaxy Z Fold 7 with a brand new 200MP main snapper, and elevated the sizes of each screens.
Perhaps most significantly, that is by far the slimmest and lightest Z Fold but, coming in at simply 215g (that’s lower than the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra!), and simply 8.9mm thick when folded and 4.2mm thick when unfolded.
But all of this comes at a excessive value, with the Galaxy Z Fold 7 beginning at $1,999.99 / £1,799 / AU$2,899 – which within the US is $100 greater than final 12 months’s telephone and in Australia is AU$150 extra. Ouch.
3. The Galaxy Z Flip 6 has been reborn because the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE
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For the primary time, Samsung has launched an FE model of considered one of its foldable telephones, giving potential consumers a less expensive entry level than standard. But when you’ve been keeping track of foldable telephones then the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE may appear surprisingly acquainted to you.
That’s as a result of that is mainly simply the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 over again. It has precisely the identical dimensions, it weighs the identical, and so they each have a 6.7-inch 120Hz foldable show and a 3.4-inch 60Hz cowl display screen.
Their cameras are the identical too (although in equity in addition they match the usual Z Flip 7’s digital camera specs), and each telephones have a 4,000mAh battery.
The essential variations are merely the chipset and RAM, with the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE having an Exynos 2400 and 8GB, fairly than a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and 12GB. So the newer telephone is definitely much less highly effective – nevertheless it additionally prices much less, beginning at $899 / £849 / AU$1,499. Whether that lower cost will probably be sufficient to tempt consumers stays to be seen.
4. The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 is slimmer and brighter than earlier than
It wasn’t simply telephones at Unpacked – Samsung additionally unveiled some wearables, together with the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8, and this has a brand new slimmer 8.6mm thick design, and a a lot brighter display screen that may attain 3,000 nits.
It’s not solely the {hardware} that’s been upgraded both, because the Galaxy Watch 8 additionally has some new software program options, akin to Gemini in your wrist, and a brand new Running Coach, which might put you on considered one of 160 completely different operating plans.
There’s additionally now an ‘Antioxidant Index’, which may give you an concept of whether or not you’re consuming sufficient fruit and greens (although deep down you in all probability know the reply to that already).
It’s not all excellent news – our hands-on Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 review famous for instance that the battery life continues to be too quick, however the upgrades which were made sound promising. There’s additionally a brand new Classic model, for followers of rotating bezels…
5. The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic is that this 12 months’s reply to the Ultra
Last 12 months, Samsung launched the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra, however fairly than getting a brand new Ultra mannequin this 12 months, we’ve bought the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic.
The Classic has a rotating bezel, very similar to earlier Classic fashions, and our hands-on Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic review was as taken with this as ever. But it additionally borrows from the Ultra with, for instance, a programmable Quick Button. And whereas this wearable is certainly dressed to impress, it’s not small, coming in at a chunky 10.6mm thick.
Most of the opposite highlights are on the software program facet, with the Watch 8 Classic packing on-wrist Gemini, sleep apnea detection, and the identical new Running Coach app as the usual Galaxy Watch 8.
At $499 / £449 / AU$899 it is a pricier prospect than the usual Samsung Galaxy Watch 8, nevertheless it’s additionally positive to show extra heads.
6. Google Gemini involves the Galaxy Watch 8 – and all Wear OS smartwatches
One of the massive AI bulletins at this Unpacked occasion was that Google Gemini could be coming to the Galaxy Watch 8 sequence. And now Google has adopted that up by revealing that Gemini is rolling out throughout all Wear OS watches, together with these from Oppo, OnePlus, Xiaomi and, after all, Pixel watches.
This means you’ll be capable to speak to Gemini with out having your telephone close by, and can allow you to ask your smartwatch questions utilizing pure language. In idea, you must get speedy, concise solutions too, however we’ll be trying to do that out for ourselves earlier than passing judgement.
Google says Gemini will begin to roll out to Wear OS watches “over the coming weeks”, so long as your watch is operating Wear OS 4 or increased.
7. The One UI 8 rollout is touchdown quickly (for some)
If it doesn’t really feel that lengthy since One UI 7 landed, it wasn’t – Samsung’s tackle Android 15 arrived as not too long ago as December 2024. But One UI 8 will quickly take the baton simply six months on, with the brand new OS pre-installed on the Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 – each of which ship on July 25.
So, what’s new with One UI 8? As we coated in our recent rumor roundup, you may count on to see an improved AI audio eraser, plus a number of different AI enhancements. These embrace a extra highly effective Gemini Live function (now additionally accessible on the Z Flip 7’s Flex Window) and a greater model of Circle to Search, which might faucet into Google’s AI Mode for extra in-depth solutions to your questions.
One of our large unanswered questions, although, is precisely when One UI 8 will rollout to older Samsung units just like the Galaxy S25? Samsung did not handle that at its newest Unpacked, which can go away some fearful that it may drag on in the same vein to One UI 7.
8. The Z Fold 7 ditches the S Pen
One extra controversial piece of stories from Samsung’s second Unpacked this 12 months is that the Galaxy Z Fold 7 has dropped help for the S Pen. Why? It’s all in assist of that slimmer foldable design.
By ditching the digitizer layer within the show that helps the S Pen, Samsung has been capable of get the Galaxy Z Fold 7 down to only 8.9mm thick when folded and solely 4.2mm when unfolded. For some, the dearth of S Pen help will probably be an annoying compromise, however Samsung clearly thinks it’s one which’s value making.
To be honest, the Z Fold sequence has by no means include an S Pen, nor has it had a slot the place you can stash one away. It was additionally solely doable to apply it to the foldable’s internal show, fairly than the duvet show. But Samsung could have incurred the wrath of energy customers who see the Fold sequence because the pure heirs to its outdated Note household.
9. Samsung’s tri-foldable nonetheless is not prepared for prime-time
All of the celebs had been pointing to an official teaser of the Samsung Galaxy tri-foldable, or G Fold as it has been referred to in rumors, at this Unpacked 2025 occasion. But we did not even get a five-second trailer.
This was disappointing, as in current days we have seen the primary indicators of the tri-foldable seem in One UI 8, together with credible rumors about mass manufacturing beginning in September. That led us to assume that Samsung would no less than begin constructing the hype for its subsequent large foldable design.
But there are additionally probably good the reason why it did not, together with the tri-foldable’s anticipated exclusivity. Not solely is it rumored to be prohibitively costly (early whispers predicted a tag within the area of $3,000-$3,500), there’s an opportunity it could additionally solely go on sale in South Korea and China, initially.
If that is the case, then a reveal at a worldwide occasion like Unpacked 2025 would make much less sense. But it does not make us any much less enthusiastic about seeing it later this 12 months.