Samsung Unpacked in London: what to expect from Galaxy Z Fold 8, Galaxy Z Flip 8 and Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide

Harriet L. Whitmore • August 18, 2026 02:28

Samsung is holding an Unpacked event in around ten days’ time, and the broad outline of the announcements is already known.

Each summer, Samsung stages a major Unpacked keynote to reveal its latest products - and, as ever, a steady flow of leaks tends to spoil the surprise. 2026 is proving no different.

Samsung Unpacked: date, time and London venue

Samsung has now sent out invites for its summer Unpacked keynote. The presentation is scheduled for 22 July at 15:00 French time (14:00 in the UK). It will be streamed on YouTube so fans can watch the announcements live. One key detail: this Unpacked will take place in London, which Samsung describes as “a city that moves forwards, not by following trends, but by setting them”.

What will Samsung unveil at its Unpacked conference?

It is difficult to pretend this keynote will be full of surprises. For several months, leaks have already outlined what’s coming. As in previous years, Samsung is expected to show off its foldable smartphones. That means we should see the familiar Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Galaxy Z Flip 8.

Galaxy Z Fold 8, Galaxy Z Flip 8 and the new Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide

However, 2026 should also bring a major new addition: the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide. This is a Fold with a “passport” form factor, featuring an almost square outer display and an inner screen in a 16:9 format. The idea is to make it easier to watch content full-screen, while also getting ahead of Apple, which is reportedly planning the same format for September.

Samsung itself has confirmed that this format exists via a teaser released a few days ago. Even if the Z Fold 8 Wide may not be the most exciting Fold in pure technical terms, it is the new shape that will draw the most attention. Naturally, we will be following the announcements live from London and sharing our first impressions of the handset. Here is what Samsung said in its press release:

“Join us as we unveil the latest additions to the Galaxy ecosystem, which have defined the foldable category. Combining intelligent features and innovative form factors, the next generation of Galaxy products has been designed to deliver more personalised and adaptive experiences, and set a new standard for the AI era.”

A packed summer for mobile launches: Google Pixel 11

This summer is shaping up to be busy for mobile announcements. Google has also sent invitations for the Pixel 11 unveiling. That event will take place on 12 August (00:00 in France on 13 August). As usual, we should get a standard Pixel model, a Pro model, a Pro XL model, and a Fold model.

No major revolution is expected for the Pixel line-up. With the current smartphone market particularly challenging - and component prices soaring - Google is likely to play it safe with devices that are very similar to the previous generation. Samsung, for its part, should lean on this new form factor to spark curiosity… and, it hopes, win over buyers. Much will depend on the prices of the newly announced products, which could end up being high.