On July 22, 2026, Samsung unveiled five devices in London that redefine its foldables and wearables lineup. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 drops the narrow vertical format that frustrated many users and adopts a passport-like ratio — wider and more natural to use with one hand. The Galaxy Z Flip 8 reaches 6.1mm thick unfolded, the thinnest in Samsung's history. The Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 sets a new brightness standard at 5,000 nits — the first smartwatch to do so. All run Android 17 with Galaxy AI and Gemini Intelligence built in from day one.
Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Fold 8 Ultra — the passport-format bet
The biggest change is shape, not specs. The standard Galaxy Z Fold 8 ($1,899) adopts a wider, shorter format — a 5.5-inch cover screen in a squarer ratio and a 7.6-inch inner screen. The result is a device that's comfortable to use one-handed when closed, solving the long-standing criticism that earlier Folds were too narrow to work well as an everyday phone.
The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra ($2,099) takes the concept to the extreme: an 8-inch inner screen, a Flex Titanium structure to make the crease less visible, a 200-megapixel main camera, a 5,000 mAh silicon-carbon battery and just 4.1mm thick unfolded. It's the most ambitious device in the Fold line to date, and the price reflects it.
Galaxy Z Flip 8 — Samsung's thinnest foldable
The Galaxy Z Flip 8 ($1,199) is 6.1mm thick unfolded — a new low for a foldable with this screen. The inner screen measures 6.9 inches, with a 4.1-inch FlexWindow on the outside that now offers more features without opening the phone. The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 keeps performance on par with non-folding flagships.
The 4,300 mAh battery with 25W charging is the most criticizable limitation at this price: in 2026, with foldables trading thickness for battery capacity, 25W charging is slow compared with what Chinese competitors offer at a similar price. Samsung won't release a Fan Edition this year, making the Flip 8 the only compact foldable in its portfolio.
Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 and Watch 9 — a new brightness standard
The Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 ($699) sets a smartwatch brightness record with 5,000 nits — a figure only some high-end smartphones had reached until now. The 47mm round display comes with a Snapdragon Wear Elite, 2GB of RAM, 64GB of storage and an 800 mAh battery with up to 60 hours of life with always-on display. For runners, triathletes and people who work outdoors, visibility in direct sunlight is a real reason to buy.
The Galaxy Watch 9 (from $379) lowers the price with the same Snapdragon architecture and 3,000 nits of brightness. For users who don't need the Ultra 2's titanium and extra storage, the Watch 9 offers 80% of the experience at a significantly lower price.
Gemini Intelligence and the Samsung–Google alliance
Every device includes Gemini Intelligence at launch — no waiting period or later update required. The "Now Nudge" feature offers contextual suggestions based on what the user is doing: if there's a meeting on your calendar, it can suggest a summary of your latest emails with that person. If it detects you're at the gym, it offers automatic workout tracking without you having to start a session manually.
Buyers also get six free months of Google AI Pro (worth $19.99/month). Samsung consolidates its position as the largest hardware distributor of the Google ecosystem in the premium segment — and Google gets the user base it needs to scale its paid AI offering.
Prices and availability at a glance
- Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra: $2,099 — available August 7
- Galaxy Z Fold 8: $1,899 — passport format
- Galaxy Z Flip 8: $1,199 — 6.1mm thick unfolded
- Galaxy Watch Ultra 2: $699 — 5,000 nits of brightness
- Galaxy Watch 9: from $379
- All with Android 17 and Gemini Intelligence included
- 6 free months of Google AI Pro with purchase
Frequently asked questions
When can you buy the new July 2026 Galaxy devices?
Pre-orders opened on July 22, 2026. Deliveries are scheduled for August 7. They're available in all the main markets where Samsung operates.
What makes the Galaxy Z Fold 8 different from the Fold 7?
The main change is the format: the Fold 8 adopts a passport-like ratio — wider and shorter — that makes it easier to use with one hand when closed. The Fold 7 was narrower and taller, which made it awkward to use as a regular phone.
Do the new Galaxy devices include AI from day one?
Yes. All the devices unveiled at the July 2026 Unpacked include Gemini Intelligence built in from launch, with no later updates needed. They also include six free months of Google AI Pro.