Samsung Unpacked 2025 Recap: Foldables, Flips, Watches, and AI Everywhere
Samsung just wrapped up its July 2025 Unpacked event, and this year, it’s all about slimmer foldables, smarter watches, and deep Gemini AI integration. With rival foldables heating up and wearable tech getting sharper, Samsung had to deliver and for the most part, they did. Here’s a full breakdown of everything announced, and why it matters.
Galaxy Watch 8, 8 Classic & 8 Ultra: A Bold New Look
Let’s start with the Galaxy Watch 8 lineup. Samsung ditched the traditional circular shape (sort of) and went with a hybrid square-circle design affectionately dubbed the “squirkle.” It’s definitely going to be divisive. Some say it gives more screen real estate and a modern feel. Others? They miss the perfect circle.
Galaxy Watch 8: Comes in 40mm and 44mm sizes, featuring a brighter 3,000-nit screen and a flat profile that hugs the wrist better.
Watch 8 Classic: Keeps the fan-favorite rotating bezel with the new design, now with thinner borders and a refined finish.
Watch 8 Ultra: The priciest of the bunch, with a 47mm titanium case, boosted battery life, and dual-frequency GPS. It’s not drastically different from last year, more refinement than revolution.
Across the board, the new watches run One UI 8 Watch with Gemini AI built in. You can ask for summaries of your workouts, sleep reports, and even context-aware suggestions like hydration tips after a long run. There’s also a new BioActive Sensor that Samsung claims will bring more accurate heart rate, sleep tracking, and even blood pressure monitoring.
One UI 8: A Smarter, Subtler Upgrade
One UI 8 is all about AI integration. Gemini is built into everything now whether you're replying to messages, asking for calendar summaries, or tweaking your daily routine.
The new Now Bar shows proactive suggestions, like when to leave for your meeting or to start winding down based on your habits. It’s more visual, more helpful, and a lot less intrusive than previous attempts at smart notifications.
On the watch, you’ll see better synergy with your Galaxy phone, smarter fitness prompts, and even the ability to generate emoji-based summaries of your day (because… why not?).
Galaxy Z Fold 7: The Slimmest Yet
This is the first time the Fold doesn’t feel like a brick. Samsung shaved off 26% of the thickness down to just 11.2mm when closed. It finally fits into your pocket without looking like a chunky remote.
Display: Inner screen crease is less visible thanks to thicker UTG and a redesigned hinge. Both inner and outer displays are brighter and smoother.
Camera: Gets the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s 200MP sensor with better wide-angle selfies thanks to the new layout.
Battery: Slightly smaller at 4,300 mAh, but Samsung says power efficiency has improved thanks to Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 Elite.
S Pen is gone. No more silo, no more separate case. Samsung says most people weren’t using it enough. Mixed feelings on this one.
The Fold 7 runs One UI 8 with foldable-specific enhancements like dual-screen continuity and taskbar improvements.
Galaxy Z Flip 7: The Cover Screen Glow-Up
The Flip 7 looks nearly identical to last year until you flip it shut. That’s when you see the new 4.1-inch cover display, which is now:
Brighter
120Hz
Capable of full apps, keyboard input, Google Maps, and even video playback
The hinge is more durable, the body is a hair thinner, and the inner screen feels sturdier thanks to a new protective layer. Plus, DeX support finally makes it into the Flip lineup turning your phone into a mini desktop when plugged into a display.
Battery gets a small bump to 4,300 mAh, and the Flip now supports more camera modes straight from the cover screen.
Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE: Budget Foldable or Last Year’s Repackage?
Samsung also launched the Z Flip 7 FE, a “Fan Edition” that’s basically a rebranded Flip 6. It keeps the older hinge, smaller 3.4-inch outer display, and last-gen processor.
At $899, it’s technically Samsung’s cheapest foldable but with frequent deals on the Flip 6 and 5, it’s a tough sell unless you really want something new at launch. Still, for those curious about foldables without paying over $1,000, it’s an entry point.
Final Thoughts: A Mixed Bag, But Samsung’s Back in the Fight
Samsung came in hot this year:
Watches got a real redesign with bold form factors and deeper health tracking
Fold 7 is finally slim enough to be a daily driver for more people
Flip 7 makes smart use of the cover screen, finally feeling like a mature foldable
AI is everywhere, for better or worse
That said, pricing is still a barrier. And some upgrades (like the Flip FE or Watch Ultra) feel like filler.
Overall? Samsung didn’t reinvent the wheel but they definitely made it sleeker, smarter, and more competitive.
Stay tuned for teardown coverage of the Flip 7, Fold 7 and Watch 8 Ultra soon.
