November 27, 2024

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Samsung Electronics’ invitation to the upcoming unpacking event for its new Galaxy foldable devices (Samsung Electronics)

Samsung Electronics on Thursday sent out invitations to the “Join the Flip Side” unpacking event for its new foldable smartphone series later this month in Seoul, marking the tech giant’s first Galaxy Unpacked on its home turf.

Samsung will kick off the summer edition of its unveiling event at Coex, one of South Korea's largest convention and exhibition centers, in Gangnam-gu, southern Seoul, at 8 p.m. on July 26. The event will also be live-streamed on the company’s website, its newsroom and its official YouTube channel.

"A new cultural driver is coming. Come along on our journey to discover an all-new Galaxy as we showcase our latest technologies designed to open possibilities and transform lives," Samsung said in its invite. "It's going to make you want to join the flip side."

Samsung will also host a live viewing event on an outdoor screen for passersby at Seoul Plaza in front of Seoul City Hall. There will also be live performances before and after the Unpacked at the plaza and booths for people to try out the new devices.

For over a decade -- starting with the very first Unpacked in March 2010 in Las Vegas -- Samsung has held Unpacked events in key cities around the world including New York, San Francisco, London, Berlin and Barcelona. In February, it held an event in San Francisco to unveil its flagship Galaxy S23 smartphones.

The tech giant highlighted its very first unveiling event in Seoul, describing the venue as “a place where traditional culture and futuristic visions intersect to inspire global trends and game-changing innovation.”

Although the company did not include specific devices to be unveiled at the upcoming event as usual, industry sources expect Samsung to showcase its new foldable smartphones, tentatively dubbed the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Galaxy Z Fold 5, as well as the Galaxy Watch 6 and the Galaxy Tab S9 tablets.

The new Galaxy Z Flip is rumored to have a substantially larger external display than its predecessor, while the new Galaxy Z Fold is expected to sport a new waterdrop-shaped hinge to lessen the crease on the main screen.

Sources said that the latest smartphone devices are likely to be released on Aug. 11 in major countries around the globe.

By Jie Ye-eun (yeeun@heraldcorp.com)