On July 22, 2026 (local time) at Old Billingsgate on the Thames River in London, UK, 1,200 people from around the world were captivated by Samsung Electronics as it unveiled new Galaxy foldable phones and an expanded AI-based 'Galaxy ecosystem' with support from global big tech companies.

Noh Tae-moon, head of Samsung Electronics' MX Division, unveiled three new foldable phone models on the 'Galaxy Unpacked 2026' stage: the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, Galaxy Z Fold8, and Galaxy Z Flip8, followed by the Galaxy Watch Ultra2, Galaxy Watch9, and smartglasses 'Intelligent Eyewear.' In particular, the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, the premium model, was priced at $2,099 (approximately 3.1 million won), showcasing technology optimized for productivity and multitasking. The Galaxy Z Fold8 was priced at $1,899 (approximately 2.8 million won), and the Galaxy Z Flip8 at $1,199 (approximately 1.77 million won).

This Unpacked event went beyond a simple product launch to clearly present Samsung's blueprint for building a 'Galaxy ecosystem' through AI. Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon and Google Vice President of Platform and Devices Rick Osterloh took the stage to lend their support to Samsung's innovation. CEO Cristiano Amon emphasized the importance of AI technology cooperation and the synergy of the three-way collaboration, stating, "AI is evolving beyond simply answering questions to understanding and acting on intentions, and this is where the strengths of the three (Samsung, Google, and Qualcomm) come together."

[Photo=Yonhapnews]

The Galaxy Z Fold8 is equipped with Qualcomm's next-generation AP 'Snapdragon 8 Elite 5th Gen for Galaxy' as its core processor, while the Z series overall features Google's 'Gemini Intelligence' as its key brain. This moment demonstrates the strong commitment of three global big tech companies—Samsung, Qualcomm, and Google—to jointly lead mobile experiences in the AI era.

The event atmosphere reached its peak with a surprise appearance by Marvel's 'Spider-Man BFF' actor Jacob Batalon. The venue erupted in enthusiastic cheers at his appearance, and participants responded with enthusiasm, saying "The Spider-Man utilization was really well done." Regarding the event held against the beautiful nightscape backdrop of London Tower Bridge and the Thames River, a Mexican influencer said, "I came because I like the new phone and enjoy using Galaxy," showing keen interest.

Samsung Electronics presented a strategic direction to strengthen organic connections between various devices such as wearables and TVs beyond smartphones through the expansion of a 'Galaxy ecosystem' centered on AI. The solid cooperation with global big tech companies such as Qualcomm and Google highlighted Samsung's commitment to lead the AI era, concluding the Unpacked event with a message forecasting the evolution of future mobile experiences.