Samsung's Unpacked event just happened – from 3pm BST today (10am ET and 7am PT). The live stream is, uh, no longer live, but hit play below and you can see a repeat of the whole event, right on this page.
What was announced? Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3, Galaxy Watch 4 and all-new Galaxy Buds 2. That sounds more like a soccer score than a product launch, but everything is sequels these days, isn't it?
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3
Samsung wants you to take photos and videos with the Galaxy Z Flip 3. The benefit of the phone's new larger front screen is the ability to capture both stills and video, with perfect framing, thanks to that screen. It's also ideal for text messages, without the need to even open the phone.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 pricing:
128GB: $999 / £949 / AU$1,499
256GB: $1,049 / £999 / AU$1,599
Now read – Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 5G review (early verdict)
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3
Two years into the Z product line and Samsung has learnt some things. Apparently users of the Fold love that front-facing screen.
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The main display is 7.6-inches which Samsung says is 29% brighter, with lower battery consumption. There's also the under-display camera that leaks had suggested. It's visible when you're using it, and fades away when you aren't.
Samsung is also improving how the built-in apps manage the large screen too. Updates to messages and the calendar make them more useful and prevent menus from blocking what you actually want to see.
One important update is the support from third-party app developers, like YouTube and TikTok who have customised their look and experience to make them work well on the Fold's massive screen.
As rumoured, the Fold 3 is now also IPX8 water resistant, thanks to clever designs and little rubber grommets. This is, as the company points out, a first for a folding phone. Durability is also increased by 80% for the screen too.
Also new is support for the S-Pen, which now uses two digitizers to handle the left and right sections of the screen. A brand new S-Pen Fold Edition has a rubber tip, to prevent damage to the screen and a built-in shock absorber.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 Pricing:
256GB: $1,799 / £1,599 / AU$2,499
512GB: $1,899 / £1,699 / AU$2,649
Now read – Hands on: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 5G review, the most convincing folding phone yet
Samsung Galaxy Watch 4
First up on the Samsung stream was the Galaxy Watch 4. A new strap, Samsung said, would help fit and to help keep health tracking more accurate. Those straps are available in a number of colours, allowing you to chop and change, to make your watch look more personal. There are 40 different watch faces too, which can display a variety of information.
A new Samsung Health Experience is incoming too. The Watch 4 can be used to monitor your sleep patterns, in conjunction with your phone. The watch itself will keep track on your blood oxygen.
Also new is Body Composition Measurement which uses a weak electrical current to measure the amount of water in their body. A pair of electrodes built into the watch allows these measurements to be taken by pressing two fingers onto the Watch buttons. Samsung claims that the accuracy of this sensor is as good as commercially available medical products. Also present are blood pressure and ECG monitoring on the device.
Orders for the Watch 4 start on August 27.
Pricing is as follows:
Galaxy Watch 4
40mm (Bluetooth): $249 / £249 / AU$399
40mm (4G): $299 / £289 / AU$499
44mm (Bluetooth): $279 / £269 / AU$449
44mm (4G): $329 / £309 / AU$549
Galaxy Watch 4 Classic
42mm (Bluetooth): $349 / £349 / AU$549
42mm (4G): $399 / £389 / AU$649
46mm (Bluetooth): $379 / £369 / AU$599
46mm (4G): $429 / £406 / AU$699
Now read – The 5 things I am most excited about Samsung Galaxy Watch 4
Samsung Galaxy Buds 2
The newest headphones in the Samsung line-up are the Galaxy Buds 2. With four exciting colours and a matching case, which has a wash of the same colour inside the case.
Samsung says that it can deliver 5 hours of charge with ANC on and 7.5 hours with it turned off. The case will provide a total of 20 hours of charge to the earbuds. Three microphones are used to filter out noise when you're in calls.
Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 pricing:
$149.99 / £139.99 / AU$219 (four colours available: Graphite, White, Olive and Lavender)
NO new Samsung Galaxy Note
If you've ever been a Note user, then today's event will be tinged with some sadness because we know that the company has walked away from this popular line. In some ways it makes sense, as the line between the Galaxy S and Note ranges was ever-shrinking. Gone are the days of the Note being a more premium device, and instead it had moved to being just a mid-year update to the S range.
It now seems as though Samsung is focusing on new form factors. Foldable devices are very much the vibe right now for the Korean company. However we haven't given up on the idea of some kind of rollable device in the coming years, which could be a major smartphone shift.
Ian has been involved in technology journalism since 2007, originally writing about AV hardware back when LCDs and plasma TVs were just gaining popularity. Nearly 15 years on, he remains as excited about how tech can make your life better.
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