Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked: The most anticipated announcements ahead of next week’s showcase

With just days to go until the Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2023 showcase, check out the most anticipated announcements among the likes of Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5, Galaxy Z Flip 5, Galaxy Watch 6, and more.

Samsung will unveil its new foldables at the Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2023 event on July 26. (Unsplash)

Samsung's Galaxy Unpacked, the biannual event that showcases the technology company's latest devices, has confirmed its second conference in 2023 for 26 July. The internet is already abuzz with speculation, but there are some clues already dropping for what to expect.

Although Samsung has sought various methods to head off the announcement of its competitor Apple's iPhone launches -- which have happened in different months over the years, but overwhelmingly in September -- Samsung's events are getting closer and closer together, revealing their latest technology every six months or so.

Following the launch of the Galaxy S23 series on 1 February, the company will host its second unpacked of 2023 next week, “Galaxy Unpacked: Join the Flip Side.” The event will be held in Seoul, South Korea, Samsung's home country, for the first time, and will be broadcast live on YouTube and several other platforms.

Initial messaging from the company ahead of the event indicates that its foldable device, the Galaxy Z Fold 5, along with the Galaxy Z Flip 5, will most likely take center stage at the showcase. This despite leaks late last month that revealed much about what the phones look like and their technology.

Here's a closer look at what to expect next week at Galaxy Unpacked.

Galaxy Z Flip 5

As was highlighted in Samsung's invitation to watch Galaxy Unpacked, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 will most likely be the showcase's great reveal. This latest edition to the "Flip" series will come with several important innovations compared to its predecessor, the Galaxy Z Flip 4. One of the most talked-about updates is its new external screen, which is expected to be triple the size. Rumors are circulating about a 3.4-inch external display for the Galaxy Z Flip 5, which is a lot larger than the 1.4-inch display on the Galaxy Z Flip 4.

This would make it on par with the Motorola Razr Plus, whose large external screen provides full smartphone functionality without having to open it. However, it remains to be seen if Samsung will also optimize a good number of applications for use on the external screen, which so far allows users to conduct limited activities, like following the news, but is still not fully functional.

Powering the phone could be a new processor, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, which could be complemented with 8 GB of RAM and options for 128 GB or 256 GB of storage. For now, there is not much talk about major changes to the Flip's cameras, but it is expected that its battery will also provide greater autonomy.

Galaxy Z Fold 5

There is no doubt that the Galaxy Z Fold is the most popular foldable smartphone in the world. In its first four generations we have seen a remarkable evolution and the current Galaxy Z Fold 4 is also one of the most powerful smartphones on the market in terms of performance.

With 12 GB of RAM and up to 1 TB of internal storage, there doesn't seem to be much room for improvement in this regard. Although there are few speculations at the moment, the only thing almost certain is that the Galaxy Z Fold 5 will have a new processor that will most likely be the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2.

We'll surely be watching to see if Samsung announces new improvements to the Z Fold's screen as well as its performance capacity, which will likely keep the model at the top of the folding cellular phone market.

Galaxy Watch 6 Series

Another big revelation at Galaxy Unpacked could be related to Samsung's smartwatches. Although the Apple Watch has become quite a formidable rival, Samsung remains one of the few manufacturers that can compete with Cupertino, California's Apple in the smartwatch game. The history of innovation in its smartwatch line is a testament to the work the company has put into this segment.

There are many speculations about the next Galaxy Watch, which in 2023 should include two versions: The standard Galaxy Watch 6 and the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic.

According to initial rumors, both models will have a round face, but only the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic will bring back the rotating bezel, a very useful option to interact with the device before having to touch the screen.

The addition of microLED technology in the screen and an Exynos W980 processor is also expected, which could provide 10% better performance and greater energy efficiency.

However, the software will still be key to ensure a good user experience, so Android's Wear OS 4 will almost certainly be the default software, allowing for more customization and advanced options, such as native support for full backup and restoration of data, as well as a powerful text to voice system that helps users better interpret small text on the watch's face.

Galaxy Tab S9 Series

The tablet market will be another of Samsung's big bets at next week's showcase. In a play similar to its "S" series of smartphones, the company is expected to launch three versions of its more powerful tablet series this year: the Galaxy Tab S9, S9 Plus, and S9 Ultra.

Among the main aesthetic changes is a redesign of the rear cameras. It's speculated that, at least one of the versions (most likely the S9 Ultra), will include a pair of cameras floating on the back, instead of being embedded in the black bar that adorns the back of the device, like on the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra.

The Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra should arrive with a large 14.6-inch screen, 16 GB of RAM, and a powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, so it can compete with the powerful iPad Pro that has an M2 chip.

Although it's very likely the above products will make their debut at Galaxy Unpacked on 26 July, fans won't know for sure until the event goes live! We'll be watching and reporting with all the best announcements.