What you need to know
- Several upcoming Samsung foldables and smartwatches have now cleared FCC certification in the U.S.
- The FCC listings suggest Samsung's rumored July 22 Galaxy Unpacked event remains on schedule.
- The rumored Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide has not appeared yet, but its FCC filing could arrive soon.
Samsung is rumored to launch its next generation of foldable phones and smartwatches very soon, and the devices have just cleared a major launch hurdle in the U.S.
Samsung arguably makes some of the best foldable phones available today. The company made a significant leap forward with the Galaxy Z Fold 7 last year, and now attention is shifting to its upcoming foldable lineup. Samsung is rumored to launch as many as four foldable phones this year, and several of them have now appeared in FCC filings.
As spotted by Android Authority, FCC listings for Samsung's upcoming foldables and smartwatches have gone live. The publication identified multiple model numbers and linked them to the devices they're expected to represent.
Model Number | Rumored Device Name |
SM-F776U | Galaxy Z Flip 8 |
SM-F976U | Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra |
SM-L340 | Galaxy Watch 9 (40mm, Wi-Fi) |
SM-L345 | Galaxy Watch 9 (40mm, Cellular) |
SM-L350 | Galaxy Watch 9 (44mm, Wi-Fi) |
SM-L355 | Galaxy Watch 9 (44mm, Cellular) |
SM-L715 | Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 (Cellular) |
The filings themselves don't reveal much about the hardware, but they do indicate that Samsung is getting very close to launch. Devices typically appear in FCC databases only when they're nearing commercial release, which adds further weight to reports suggesting Samsung's next Galaxy Unpacked event is scheduled for July 22.
One interesting detail, however, is that the rumored Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide hasn't yet appeared in FCC listings. That doesn't necessarily mean the device won't launch in the U.S., only that its filing may not have surfaced yet.
If Samsung is planning to release it alongside the rest of the lineup, we could see those documents appear in the coming days or weeks.
The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, which is expected to succeed the Galaxy Z Fold 7, is rumored to bring several upgrades, including a larger battery, a newer chipset, and potentially the return of S Pen support. Meanwhile, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide is expected to serve as Samsung's answer to Apple's rumored foldable iPhone, which is also expected to arrive later this year.
Android Central's Take
The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra sounds like it'll be a solid refinement — and that's great and all, but the foldable I'm actually interested in is the Wide Fold. A wider aspect ratio could finally fix one of my biggest complaints with book-style foldables.
