After months of anticipation, Samsung finally held Galaxy Unpacked this week. Although the event itself didn't hold too many shocking moments — no rollables or other hardware surprises — that's not to say it was a complete disappointment. Between revised foldables, a new generation of smartwatches, and a successor to two pairs of Samsung's best earbuds to date, it's a promising lineup, no matter how iterative it might seem.
Although we're just four generations into the Z-series of foldables, they're really starting to feel like any other smartphone. The Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Z Flip 4 build on the successes of last year's hardware, offering small changes to improve the overall experience of both. The Z Fold 4, in particular, feels like a half-step in a generation. The displays are a little wider, the crease is a little more invisible, and the hardware is faster, but overall, early impressions suggest it's not too different from the 2021 model.
There is one space where both phones might make huge leaps: battery life. The Z Flip 3 really struggled to get through a day last year, but with a more power-friendly chip — not to mention a larger battery — this new model could match Samsung's smaller S-series phones, setting up plenty of consumers to finally make the jump to foldables. A whole bunch of fun colors and customizable options won't hurt, either.
To me, the watches are more exciting. The Galaxy Watch 5 comes in two sizes, each with a larger battery — a recurring theme this year — and a refined design. All Watch 5 models also feature sapphire screens, which should make them far more durable to drops, falls, and as AP's Stephen Schenck pointed out in his hands-on, doorknobs. The Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is the one I'm excited about, though. It takes Garmin head-on with a ton of runner-friendly features, including the ability to chart a course for back home in the middle of a run. It's big as hell, but that space allows Samsung to squeeze in a 590mAh battery. On paper, that screams multi-day battery life — though we'll have to put it through its paces to be sure.
Finally, we have the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro. As a successor to both of Samsung's 2021 earbuds — the Galaxy Buds 2 and the Galaxy Buds Pro — it feels like these earbuds could be major winners for those not won over by recent efforts from Google and Sony. You'll have to wait for our official review to learn just how good that hi-fi sound really is.
Pre-orders for all five products are now open, with trade-in values offering potential buyers solid deals for their old hardware. All that's left is for you to tell us what you bought. Did you opt for one of the new foldables, or are you finally returning to Wear OS after a years-long hiatus? Maybe you've had your eye out for some new earbuds, and you're taking a chance on the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, or perhaps it was a combination of all three. Even if you passed on all of Samsung's new gadgets, let us know in the poll below.