Samsung has unveiled what is arguably its most complete Galaxy launch in years, introducing three new foldable smartphones alongside two new smartwatches. Together they represent a significant evolution of its Galaxy AI ecosystem.
The new lineup comprises the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, Galaxy Z Fold8, Galaxy Z Flip8, Galaxy Watch9 and Galaxy Watch Ultra2, with Australian pre-orders opening on 23 July ahead of general availability from 14 August 2026.
Rather than incremental iteration of existing products, Samsung appears to have taken a more interesting approach this year by differentiating each device with a clear purpose. Instead of asking customers to choose between “good, better and best”, the company has created three distinctly different foldable experiences targeting entertainment, productivity and lifestyle respectively.
Three foldables, three different audiences
Samsung’s eighth-generation foldable family is led by the flagship Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, but the most intriguing announcement might actually be the standard Galaxy Z Fold8.
Unlike previous generations that largely mirrored the Ultra model with fewer features, the Fold8 introduces an entirely new passport-style form factor designed specifically around content consumption. Samsung says the revised aspect ratios better suit how people naturally transition between messaging, reading, gaming and watching video throughout the day.
The Fold8 Ultra remains the productivity powerhouse, featuring an expansive 8-inch display, Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy processor, 200MP primary camera, 5,000mAh battery and Samsung’s slimmest Fold design to date at just 4.1mm unfolded.
Meanwhile, the Galaxy Z Flip8 continues Samsung’s pocket-friendly philosophy, arriving as the company’s thinnest and lightest Flip yet at 180g and just 6.1mm thick. The redesigned FlexWindow places more AI-powered functionality directly on the external display, reducing the need to open the phone for everyday interactions.
Galaxy AI continues to mature
Artificial intelligence remains central to Samsung’s strategy, but the emphasis this year appears less about introducing flashy standalone features and more about making AI feel like a natural extension of daily use.
New features including Now Brief and Now Nudge aim to proactively surface relevant information before users ask, while Gemini Intelligence becomes more deeply integrated across the operating system. Samsung is also introducing Gemini Notebook, allowing users to organise notes, images, recordings and documents into a persistent AI workspace.
Samsung has also placed greater emphasis on transparency and privacy, introducing an AI Assistant Activity dashboard alongside enhanced privacy alerts and expanded on-device processing through Knox security.
Galaxy Watch lineup receives biggest hardware leap yet
Alongside the new phones, Samsung announced two redesigned smartwatches targeting very different users.
The Galaxy Watch9 focuses on everyday health tracking with a lighter aluminium design, improved comfort, Snapdragon Wear Elite platform, 3,000-nit display and AI-powered wellness features designed for continuous wear.
For more adventurous users, the Galaxy Watch Ultra2 represents a substantial hardware upgrade over its predecessor.
The new model introduces:
- 800mAh battery (35% larger than before)
- Snapdragon Wear Elite platform
- 5,000-nit display
- EN13319 diving certification
- Trail Run mode
- Nutrition Alert hydration guidance
- Automatic dive tracking
- slimmer titanium construction despite the larger battery.
Samsung is also expanding its health ecosystem through new AI-powered metrics including Vitals, Heart Health Score, Daily Cardio Load, Fitness Index and Hearing monitoring, all designed to move beyond passive tracking towards actionable health recommendations.
Built as one ecosystem
Perhaps the strongest message from this launch is that Samsung no longer sees its phones and watches as separate products.
Galaxy AI now operates across both devices, allowing health insights, reminders, routines and contextual information to flow between wrist and smartphone, reinforcing Samsung’s vision of a connected AI ecosystem rather than individual hardware upgrades.
Australian availability and pricing
Australian customers can pre-order the new Galaxy range from 23 July, with retail availability beginning 14 August. Samsung is offering a range of launch promotions across Samsung.com, carriers and participating retailers, including trade-in bonuses, gift cards and discounted Galaxy Watch pricing during the pre-order period.
| Model | Configuration | Colourways | Australian RRP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra | 16GB + 1TB | Cream, Graphite, Violet Shadow Online Exclusive: Green Shadow |
$3,899 |
| Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra | 12GB + 512GB | Cream, Graphite, Violet Shadow Online Exclusive: Green Shadow |
$3,299 |
| Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra | 12GB + 256GB | Cream, Graphite, Violet Shadow Online Exclusive: Green Shadow |
$2,999 |
| Galaxy Z Fold8 | 16GB + 1TB | Cream, Graphite, Lavender Online Exclusive: Pistachio |
$3,599 |
| Galaxy Z Fold8 | 12GB + 512GB | Cream, Graphite, Lavender Online Exclusive: Pistachio |
$2,999 |
| Galaxy Z Fold8 | 12GB + 256GB | Cream, Graphite, Lavender Online Exclusive: Pistachio |
$2,699 |
| Galaxy Z Flip8 | 12GB + 512GB | Cream, Graphite, Pink Online Exclusive: Mint |
$2,249 |
| Galaxy Z Flip8 | 12GB + 256GB | Cream, Graphite, Pink Online Exclusive: Mint |
$1,949 |
| Galaxy Watch Ultra2 | 47mm | Titanium Grey, Titanium Silver | $1,299 |
| Galaxy Watch9 | 40mm Bluetooth | Graphite, Cream | $649 |
| Galaxy Watch9 | 44mm Bluetooth | Graphite, Silver | $699 |
| Galaxy Watch9 | 40mm LTE | Graphite, Cream | $749 |
| Galaxy Watch9 | 44mm LTE | Graphite, Silver | $799 |
DRN Editorial
Samsung’s launch this year feels noticeably different from previous generations.
Rather than chasing increasingly thin hardware updates, the company has finally started asking a more fundamental question: what should each foldable actually be?
The Fold8 isn’t simply a cheaper Ultra. It’s been reshaped around media consumption. The Ultra doubles down on productivity and content creation. The Flip8 continues to evolve into perhaps the most practical everyday AI companion thanks to its much more capable FlexWindow.
The same philosophy extends to the watches. Instead of trying to make one smartwatch satisfy everyone, Samsung has clearly separated the lifestyle user from the endurance athlete, with genuinely meaningful hardware differences between the Watch9 and Ultra2.
Equally important is Samsung’s continued shift away from AI as a novelty feature. Last year’s announcements largely centred on what AI *could* do. This year feels much more focused on making AI quietly useful — surfacing information, connecting devices and reducing friction rather than demanding attention.
Whether these experiences deliver on that promise in the real world remains to be seen, but on paper this is one of Samsung’s most cohesive product launches in recent years, where the ecosystem appears to have evolved just as much as the individual devices.
