{"id":814071,"date":"2026-07-20T11:54:17","date_gmt":"2026-07-20T11:54:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/814071\/"},"modified":"2026-07-20T11:54:17","modified_gmt":"2026-07-20T11:54:17","slug":"samsung-is-about-to-prove-its-still-one-of-the-most-exciting-android-brands-around","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/814071\/","title":{"rendered":"Samsung is about to prove it\u2019s still one of the most exciting Android brands around"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"fold<\/p>\n

Phone launches no longer feel as special, exhilarating, or enthralling as they once did. The slab phone has long been boring, and to make matters worse, heavyweight brands such as Apple, Google, and Samsung often limit \u201cnew\u201d product launches to minimal hardware or software changes. Samsung\u2019s last Unpacked was a prime example of this, where our interest hung by a loose thread on the Galaxy S26 Ultra\u2019s Privacy Display<\/a>. Sure, there were useful improvements to the other two S26 phones, but they weren\u2019t anything close to spellbinding.<\/p>\n

This Unpacked feels different because, in addition to route upgrades for the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Flip 7, Samsung is bringing an entirely new product \u2014 one that could, hopefully, expand into a product line. The star of the show\u00a0is Samsung\u2019s new wider Fold 8<\/a>. Adding to its glory are a few tiny but meaningful enhancements that make this one of the most exciting Samsung Unpacked events in many years.<\/p>\n

Which product from Samsung’s upcoming lineup at the Unpacked excites you the most?<\/p>\n

32 votes<\/p>\n

Samsung’s new “wide” Fold 8<\/p>\n

56%<\/p>\n

New Galaxy Watch models<\/p>\n

13%<\/p>\n

Galaxy Z Flip 8’s return to Snapdragon<\/p>\n

9%<\/p>\n

Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra<\/p>\n

19%<\/p>\n

One UI 9<\/p>\n

3%<\/p>\n

Anything else (comment below)<\/p>\n

0%<\/p>\n

The wide Fold feels like the return of proper small phones<\/p>\n

\"Samsung<\/p>\n

For years now, the smartphone world has been bereft of a suitable and branded option for a small phone<\/a>. The so-called small phones we get today have screens bigger than 6 inches. And to me, an unc born in the early 90s and who spent his teenage and early 20s considering 5-inchers \u201cbig phones,\u201d it still doesn\u2019t sit right. Options like the OnePlus 13T or the vanilla Galaxy S26 do satisfy the need for a small, sometimes light footprint, but may lag in performance or struggle to meet your entertainment needs without gasping for breath.<\/p>\n

\"widescreen<\/p>\n

A tentative representation of how vidoes content of different aspect ratio could present on the “wide” Fold 8’s expected 3:2 inner display <\/p>\n

Since it\u2019s far from the taller aspect ratios (18:9 or higher) on modern devices, some letterboxing is expected on content. But beyond videos and games, this should provide ample space for apps to adapt. In addition to the standard portrait orientation, the extra width should also enhance the landscape mode.<\/p>\n

The wide Galaxy Z Fold 8 could address my gripes with a regular Fold.<\/p>\n

Additionally, we can expect this wider-than-usual outer screen to give the inner screen more usable space for video. Compare this to a standard book-style foldable, such as the Fold 7 or the expected Fold 8 Ultra, and you\u2019ll notice the wider Fold 8 wastes less space in letterboxing. And this should enhance visibility for both games and videos.<\/p>\n

When held open in landscape orientation, the inner screen should have a nearly 3:2 aspect ratio. Flip it by 90\u00ba, and you should have a screen size and shape similar to a handy Kindle, better for reading books or long articles online. That\u2019s much more efficient than the unusual 11:10 inner screen aspect ratio on the previously standard (now Ultra) Fold.<\/p>\n

\"widescreen<\/p>\n

A tentative representation of how vidoes content of different aspect ratio could present on the Fold 7’s 11:10 display <\/p>\n

While there are no leaks (yet) about whether Samsung plans new software features to better use the new aspect ratio, I expect the design alone to use space more efficiently.<\/p>\n

And despite all of this, the wider Fold 8 is expected to be thinner than 5mm (when unfolded) and weigh just 200 grams. These properties make for textbook dream-phone proportions.<\/p>\n

Snapdragon is returning for the Flip<\/p>\n

\"flip<\/p>\n

What are Flip 8 owners with a Snapdragon chip inside rather than an Exynos set to gain, you might ask? Even though the newer Exynos 2600 is both more powerful on paper and more efficient, the Snapdragon Elite chip has proven its mettle<\/a> in real-world testing. The Exynos, despite a new built-in radiator block, also runs hotter than the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 (both tested on the Galaxy S26 phones). This is expected to give the Snapdragon-powered variants a slight edge. But apart from that, years of trauma from using Exynos devices may also influence the decision for some buyers.<\/p>\n

I still have trust issues with Exynos, and I’m glad Snapdragon is here to save the Flip.<\/p>\n

Now, since the Flip has much less space to accommodate passive cooling solutions than a regular slab phone, some heat build-up is also expected from the 8 Elite Gen 5, but hopefully to a lesser degree than it would have been with the Exynos 2600. The extent of throttling is definitely worth checking out once we have had the Flip 8 for a few days.<\/p>\n

Rumors suggest this would be the last Flip Samsung makes, as it switches focus to the wider Fold. Given that we\u2019ve seen Samsung\u2019s hardware plans change just months ahead of launch, it\u2019s difficult to determine with confidence how much truth there is to that assumption. But even if there\u2019s a sliver of truth in it, I\u2019m glad (at least some) buyers of the Flip will get the performance and reliability they pay for, with a commitment to longevity.<\/p>\n

Watches pick up some more power<\/p>\n

\"Galaxy<\/p>\n

While the new foldables are expected to receive a performance boost, new watches aren\u2019t being left behind either.\u00a0With this generation of the Galaxy Watch, Samsung is bidding farewell to its Exynos chips for watches, too, in favor of the recently unveiled\u00a0Snapdragon Wear Elite<\/a> platform. The alliance was first announced at MWC 2026.<\/p>\n

Samsung has already been teasing better AI-powered insights on the upcoming Galaxy Watch models \u2014 which, as leaked, are the Watch 9 and the Watch Ultra 2<\/a>. Meanwhile, Qualcomm\u2019s new platform for wearables is especially designed with AI in mind. That\u2019s because it\u2019s the first non-Apple chip for wearables to have a dedicated neural processing unit (NPU).<\/p>\n

Your phone gets one neural unit. The new Galaxy Watch gets two.<\/p>\n

It not only gets one but two NPUs \u2014 the secondary one primarily comes in handy for low-power applications, such as continuous hotword sensing, gesture recognition, and ambient noise suppression.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the primary Hexagon NPU is set to handle more intensive processing, with a claimed performance of up to 12 TOPS. Qualcomm further claims that the NPU can run on-device AI models and process information from multiple data streams. That ties into Samsung\u2019s teaser, which says multiple data points will be merged to give you a more holistic picture of your health rather than metrics shown in isolation.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

Brady Snyder \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n

Even though we\u2019ve yet to see claims play out in real life \u2014 and we will reserve our judgment until we conclude those tests \u2014 the likelihood of getting actual, useful AI features right on the wrist is encouraging and hope-giving.<\/p>\n

In addition to better AI capabilities, the platform also natively supports NTN, enabling satellite connectivity \u2014 a first for the Galaxy Watch lineup. The chip also supports 5G RedCap (Reduced Capability), which, if enabled, could make the Galaxy Watch 9 and the Ultra 2 the first Wear OS devices to move beyond 4G. These two are admittedly long shots, and Samsung may not enable them.<\/p>\n

Besides performance improvements, the Galaxy Watch Ultra is also rumored to receive a substantial battery upgrade. The Watch Ultra 2 is rumored to feature an 800mAh battery, marking a straight-up 35% hike over the first-gen Ultra. If that\u2019s true, those using it conservatively could easily extract up to a week from the watch.<\/p>\n

Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 could snag the most impactful upgrades.<\/p>\n

My Galaxy Watch Ultra currently offers about two days of battery life with the always-on display (AOD) on for 16 hours each day, automatic GPS tracking when I\u2019m walking outside, LTE or Wi-Fi continuously running, and occasional use as a media player without earbuds. I can easily imagine getting more than three days with the larger battery in the upcoming model, making the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 the most formidable Wear OS watch for longevity. The sturdy look and high water resistance already contribute to that image.<\/p>\n

But in addition to hardware, software is also expected to get some stage time at Unpacked next week. And the hero of the announcement could be Samsung\u2019s next major milestone in software: One UI 9.<\/p>\n

One UI 9 feels like a big upgrade, at least visually<\/p>\n

\"OneUI<\/p>\n

Paul Jones \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n

The shift from Android 16 to Android 17 may have felt like one of the most somber updates for Pixel owners, at least aesthetically. Even though the update focuses more on internal upgrades and some spirited, useful features, such as app bubbles, green-screen reactions in video recording, and a gamepad for foldables, it lacks any major visual inflection.<\/p>\n

One UI 9, too, doesn\u2019t get a complete overhaul, but rather tiny improvements over One UI 8.5, which built upon One UI 8. The customization options for quick settings have evolved to give users more control; the menus have been slightly readjusted, and transparency elements have been simply retouched. Despite these small changes, One UI 9 feels visually fresher than ever.<\/p>\n

And the most exciting bit of them all? One UI 9 will not be limited to\u00a0newer phones only; it\u00a0will reach a wide range<\/a>\u00a0of Samsung Galaxy devices<\/a>, even though some devices may not have all the features. What would have made it better, perhaps, is if Samsung had released One UI 9 for a good chunk of devices rather than keeping it limited to the newer ones.<\/p>\n

Along with One UI 9 for phones, there\u2019s a small chance we will also witness a parallel update for the watches, based on Wear OS 7<\/a>.<\/p>\n

On that note, it\u2019s also important to keep in mind that Samsung hasn\u2019t been teasing One UI 9 as much as it has been teasing the new devices. There\u2019s a very slim chance it may choose to skip One UI 9 at Unpacked and reserve it for later. By doing so, it would break yet another tradition and possibly make this event slightly less exciting.<\/p>\n

However, it wouldn\u2019t be able to completely rob this Unpacked and the three other arousing announcements of the excitement they\u2019ve already built up.<\/p>\n

Thank you for being part of our community. Read our\u00a0Comment Policy<\/a> before posting.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Phone launches no longer feel as special, exhilarating, or enthralling as they once did. The slab phone has…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":814072,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[49,48,848,143621,143622,114940,13612,61],"class_list":["post-814071","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-technology","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-samsung","tag-samsung-galaxy-watch-9","tag-samsung-galaxy-watch-ultra-2","tag-samsung-galaxy-z-fold-8","tag-samsung-one-ui","tag-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/814071","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=814071"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/814071\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/814072"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=814071"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=814071"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=814071"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}