Google is hosting the 2026 “Made by Google” event for the Pixel 11 and Watch 5 launch on August 12 at 6 PM ET. The company has started sending event invites to superfans and media personalities.

Samsung is expected to unveil its Galaxy Unpacked invite tomorrow. The next Unpacked will mark the official debut of the next-generation foldable phones and smartwatches.

Google, on the other hand, is set to unveil the Pixel 11 flagship lineup and a Pixel Watch 5. The smartphone range would include Pixel 11, Pixel 11 Pro, Pixel 11 Pro XL, and Pixel 11 Pro Fold.

The event will be held in New York City in the US, while Samsung is shifting its Unpacked to London. Google’s retaining the venue, while Samsung’s shifting to Europe indicate at focusing more on the Western region.

Google’s Pixel 11 will ship with Android 17, while the Pixel Watch 5 will debut Wear OS 7. Gemini Intelligence will also be preinstalled on these devices to elevate everyday user experiences.

Samsung, meanwhile, is gaining an edge when it comes to platform releases. Google’s own software advancements will make their way first to Galaxy foldable phones and smartwatches this month.

Samsung Galaxy S26 series reached a milestone of 3 million sales in South Korea. The company’s latest flagship phones outclassed their predecessors, hitting the prestigious mark in a record 117 days from launch.

According to Yonhap, Samsung Galaxy S26 series Korea sales hit 3 million as of July 6, 2026. The pace of hitting this milestone was faster than the Galaxy S25 series. This is despite a price hike across the new flagship models.

In particular, the Galaxy S26 series took 117 days to reach this milestone following the official launch on March 11 of this year. Counting the launch day as Day 1, the series exceeded 3 million units sold on the 118th day.

For context, the Galaxy S25 series, which went on sale in February 2025, reached 3 million sales in South Korea in early August.

Samsung flagged 1.35 million units during preorders in Korea, which ran for seven days from February 27 to March 5. The previous record was held by the Galaxy S25 series, which recorded 1.3 million units during an 11-day pre-order period.

According to June export and import trends recently released by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, exports of wireless communication devices reached $1.55 billion, a 51.9% increase compared to the same month last year.

The Ministry explained, “We saw a double-digit year-on-year increase driven by robust sales of the AI-enhanced Galaxy S26 series.”

Samsung continues to build the hype for its next-gen foldable phones, with the latest attempt recalling major innovations that transformed the Galaxy Z Fold over seven years.

Galaxy Unpacked is expected to be held on July 22 in London. The company is releasing teasers, but the official event invite is awaited. Samsung may drop the Galaxy Unpacked invite tomorrow as the event is merely two weeks away.

4 innovations transformed Samsung foldable phones

Samsung Newsroom has a new article, recalling the breakthroughs that helped the company redefine the Galaxy foldable phones over seven years. Samsung is calling 2019’s Galaxy Z Fold itself a breakthrough among the four.

1. Galaxy Z Fold 2019: Samsung launched its first foldable phone seven years back. This product was an innovative breakthrough in itself, which set the foundation for the new category.

2. Enhanced Durability: Technological advancements, such as Ultra Thin Glass (UTG), which replaced early polymer displays, delivered a premium feel and improved durability.

3. Ready for Daily Life: By introducing IPX8 water resistance to foldable phones, Samsung demonstrated that flexible mechanics and everyday practicality need not be mutually exclusive.

4. Form meets function: Another milestone was the Flex Hinge, which made the devices slimmer, more elegant, and more ergonomic, while also enabling them to fold almost completely flat.

Source – Ice Universe

Looking ahead, the company is set to unveil the next era of foldables. The Summer 2026 Unpacked will be bringing two Galaxy Z Fold and one Galaxy Z Flip. These devices will further cement Samsung’s lead in the foldable segment.

As summer 2026 approaches, anticipation is building for the next generation of Galaxy innovations for foldable smartphones. Samsung will continue to set new benchmarks in the technology behind these devices and in mobile form factors, just as the company has consistently done over the past seven years.

Samsung smartphone business may have faced one of its toughest quarters in years as soaring memory prices reportedly weighed heavily on Q2 2026 profits.

iNews24 reports that Samsung smartphone division is expected to see a sharp decline in Q2 2026 profitability because higher DRAM and NAND prices, fueled by booming AI server demand, significantly increased smartphone production costs.

Why did Samsung’s smartphone profits fall in Q2 2026?

Samsung’s semiconductor business appears to be benefiting from the AI boom, while its smartphone division is paying the price.

Several brokerage firms expect the company’s MX division to post one of its weakest quarterly performances ever. Some forecasts suggest an operating loss of around 1 trillion to 1.5 trillion won (slightly less than $1 billion).

If the more pessimistic forecasts prove accurate, it would represent the first quarterly operating loss for Samsung’s smartphone business. The mobile division is looking closely at efficiency as mobile profits come under pressure.

This is less about weakening Galaxy demand and more about protecting margins during an unusual market cycle where one Samsung business is making components that have become much more expensive for another Samsung business to buy.

If memory prices remain elevated, the company may place greater emphasis on premium models, cost optimization, or supply chain efficiency rather than aggressive pricing.

Samsung is expected to provide a clearer picture when it announces its finalized second quarter earnings later this month.

Related article:

• Samsung’s Galaxy S27 plans may hint at higher prices ahead

Korean telecom operator KT has announced a new collaboration with Starship Entertainment to launch an IVE-inspired Minive x Mint Raon 3-in-1 fast wireless charger alongside Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8 series.

The accessory combines KT’s mascot with Minive characters based on IVE members and is expected to debut in August with Samsung’s latest foldables.

What is the Minive x Mint Raon charger for the Galaxy Z Fold 8 series?

KT and Starship Entertainment have joined forces to create a collaboration edition of KT’s 3-in-1 fast wireless charger. The accessory features Minive, the popular character lineup inspired by the members of IVE, together with KT’s own Mint Raon mascot.

Earlier this year, KT released the Mint Raon 3-in-1 Fast Wireless Charger alongside the Galaxy S26 series. Roughly 25,000 units were sold within the first month, suggesting there is healthy demand for branded Galaxy accessories.

KT says it plans to continue working with additional intellectual properties to broaden customer engagement and introduce more differentiated products.

If this collaboration performs as well as the previous Mint Raon charger, it would not be surprising to see similar themed Galaxy accessories, such as cases or wearable accessories, arrive in the future.