Samsung to unveil 'wide' foldable at Galaxy Unpacked on July 22; Roh Tae-moon says AI should 'know you best'

"The most important AI is not the smartest AI — it is the AI that knows you best."

Samsung Electronics will hold Galaxy Unpacked 2026 in London on July 22, where it will unveil the next-generation Galaxy Z8 series.

The Galaxy Z8 lineup will expand form-factor options for users, adding a "Wide Fold" variant alongside the existing Fold and Flip models, reflecting the growing role of AI in everyday life. The series will also pursue open innovation through smart connectivity while strengthening security for the AI era.

Ahead of the event, Samsung Electronics DX Division President Roh Tae-moon published an op-ed previewing sweeping changes to the Galaxy Z8 series, describing the lineup as "a new Galaxy for better AI."

Samsung sent out invitations Wednesday for Galaxy Unpacked 2026, scheduled for July 22 in London.

The invitation features an image of a tall rectangle with its upper portion cut away — a visual hint at a "wide-format" foldable with a different screen aspect ratio.

The Galaxy Z8 series will broaden form-factor choices with the addition of a wider Wide Fold alongside the Fold and Flip, reflecting Samsung's view that the physical shape of a device has become increasingly important in the AI era.

In terms of design, the Galaxy Z8 series is shorter and wider than its predecessors. When unfolded, the display adopts an approximately 4:3 aspect ratio, which is expected to improve usability and content viewing on both the inner and outer screens.

Expanding form-factor options is also expected to enhance the AI experience at a time when AI has become part of daily life.

"The form of the device that carries AI matters," Roh said. "The more personal, proactive and multifaceted AI becomes in helping us, the more a screen that flexibly unfolds and folds expands what is possible."

"That is what makes a foldable special — fold it and it fits in your hand; unfold it and it becomes a bigger stage," he added. "Since Samsung first opened the path of foldables, we have refined each generation to be thinner, lighter, more durable and more immersive."

As the era of agentic AI takes hold, Roh said openness and trust have become paramount.

He said a range of form factors — from foldables to smart glasses — working alongside AI will bring everyday life closer to seamless. Attention is also turning to the new form factors and AI features Samsung plans to introduce at Galaxy Unpacked 2026.

"The platforms that changed the world were not the most closed, but the most open," Roh said. "Samsung has connected countless devices, services and partners through SmartThings and helped build the open standards on which the industry can stand together."

Roh also stressed the importance of security in the AI era. "The more AI advances, the more trust becomes the foundation of everything — and for Samsung, trust is a core principle of product design," he said. "Samsung Knox protects Galaxy devices and the connections between them, while the Personal Data Engine keeps the most personal data on-device, never sending it out, making it belong to that person alone."

Roh said the defining question of the next era is "who understands people best and can translate that understanding into experiences they can trust," adding, "That is the path Samsung wants to take."