High expectations for Unpacked event in New York as Samsung gears up for new Galaxy foldables

Samsung Electronics is expected to unveil its next-gen foldable smartphones — the Galaxy Z Flip 7 and Galaxy Z Fold 7 — at an Unpacked event in New York this July. It would be the company’s first H2 product launch held in New York since 2022.

Samsung Electronics' Galaxy S25 Edge smartphone is introduced at Galaxy Unpacked in San Jose, California, on Jan. 22. [SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS]

Samsung Electronics is reportedly planning to unveil its next-generation foldable smartphones — the Galaxy Z Flip 7 and Galaxy Z Fold 7 — at an Unpacked event in New York this July. If confirmed, it would be the company’s first second-half product launch held in New York since 2022.

Samsung Electronics selected New York as the venue for its summer Unpacked event, with the first week of July as the most likely time frame, according to industry insiders on Wednesday. Last year’s event took place in the second week of July.

“Samsung has recently hosted its second-half Unpacked events in culturally significant cities, such as Seoul in 2023 and Paris last year,” said a source familiar with Samsung’s plans said.

“This year, it will return to one of the most iconic cultural cities — New York — for the first time in three years.”

The move comes as the foldable phone market heats up with competitors like Apple reportedly entering the space. Samsung Electronics, which pioneered the foldable segment, is expected to showcase devices that are thinner, lighter and more powerful.

Samsung Electronics' foldable Galaxy smartphone is introduced at the Galaxy Unpacked 2024 event in Paris, France, on July 10, 2024. [NEWS1]

According to tech tipsters, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 will feature a larger outer display and slimmer bezels compared to the previous Z Flip 6. The Z Fold 7 is expected to be about 1 millimeter (0.04 inches) thinner, with reduced weight and a less noticeable crease along the folding display.

In addition to hardware improvements, performance upgrades are also expected.

Last year, Samsung launched its first foldable phone with built-in AI features. The new Z7 series is expected to further enhance these AI capabilities, integrating them more deeply into the foldable form factor for a stronger synergy between hardware and software.

There is also speculation that the event may include a preview of new foldables such as a tri-folding phone or a more affordable model, the Galaxy Z Flip FE, aimed at expanding the reach of foldables. However, these devices could be released separately, much like the Galaxy S25 Edge, which launched four months after its initial reveal.

With Samsung’s Device Solutions division preparing mass production of the Exynos 2500 chip, there is also a chance that the Galaxy Z Flip 7 may feature Samsung’s own application processor instead of one from Qualcomm. A Samsung official said that “no final decision has been made yet regarding the launch date or chip selection.”

Visitors look at Samsung Electronics' XR gadget at the company's Galaxy Unpacked event in San Jose, California, on Jan. 22. [SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS]

According to Counterpoint Research, Apple held a 65 percent share of the U.S. smartphone market in the fourth quarter of last year, while Samsung followed with 18 percent.

Despite the wide gap, Samsung views the U.S. market as too important to ignore, particularly as reciprocal tariff measures promoted by U.S. President Donald Trump pose a risk to Apple, which manufactures most of its iPhones in China. The situation could create new opportunities for Samsung, analysts say.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff. BY PARK HAE-LEE [yoon.soyeon@joongang.co.kr]