First Korea Unpacked Event Held at COEX
Packed with K-pop Fans of BTS and Stray Kids
Foldable Phone Core Technology 'Hinge' Upgraded
On the 26th, Samsung Electronics held the 'Galaxy Unpacked' event at COEX in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, unveiling the next-generation foldable smartphones, the 'Galaxy Z Flip5' and 'Galaxy Z Fold5.' This was the first Unpacked event held in Korea, and news that popular K-pop artists such as BTS member Suga and boy group Stray Kids would attend drew a large crowd of IT industry insiders, foreign journalists, and K-pop fans.
Since the first Galaxy S Unpacked event held in March 2010 in Las Vegas, USA, this was the 27th event and the first Galaxy Unpacked held in Korea. Samsung Electronics has previously hosted Unpacked events in global IT hubs such as New York and San Francisco in the USA, London in the UK, Berlin in Germany, and Barcelona in Spain.
Entrance of the Galaxy Unpacked event held on the 26th at COEX, Gangnam-gu, Seoul Photo by Oh Su-yeon
Despite being the first Unpacked event in Korea, over 2,000 people attended, including about 700 foreign journalists, IT influencers, and partner company representatives, showing great interest in the new foldable phones. Even before the entrance opened, long lines formed, creating a bustling scene. IT influencers and partner company representatives took commemorative photos in front of the photo wall set up at the event entrance.
At the entrance, overseas fans were camped out to catch a glimpse of the popular idols expected to attend the Unpacked event. Lin (13) from Hong Kong said, "I came with my mother to see BTS member Suga." Monica (29) from Italy said, "I came to see Stray Kids," adding, "I used to use an iPhone, but since a Stray Kids member uses Galaxy, I became interested in it."
On the 26th, at the 'Galaxy Unpacked' event held at COEX in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Tae-moon Roh, President of Samsung Electronics MX Division, unveiled the 'Galaxy Z Flip5' and 'Galaxy Z Fold5'. [Photo by Samsung Electronics]
The newly unveiled Galaxy Z series is thinner and lighter than its predecessor, with improved performance. In particular, the hinge technology, a core component of foldable smartphones, has been upgraded to the 'Flex Hinge.' This addresses the previous model’s drawback where the two sides did not fully adhere when folded, improving aesthetic completeness and designing the structure to disperse external shocks. The smartphone’s brain, the application processor (AP), is equipped with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor for Galaxy, enhancing performance and battery efficiency. Additionally, the 'FlexCam,' available only on foldables, allows users to take photos from various angles by folding and unfolding the phone.
The Flip5 features a larger cover screen 'Flex Window' of approximately 86.1mm (3.4 inches) compared to the previous model. It supports 13 basic widgets and various additional widgets. Users can check real-time stock prices, send text messages using a QWERTY keyboard, and use Samsung Pay, among other functions, even when the device is folded.
The 'Galaxy Z Fold5' is characterized by its thin and light design. When unfolded, its thickness is 13.4mm, improving portability compared to the previous model’s 15.8 to 14.2mm. It weighs 253g, 10g lighter than before. Multitasking has also been enhanced. The 'Taskbar,' which helps quick switching between apps, now allows access to up to four recently used apps. The 'two-hand drag and drop' feature supports easier app and screen transitions. Furthermore, improved graphics performance and AI solutions provide a dynamic gaming experience.
Notae-moon Roh, President of Samsung Electronics’ MX Division, said, "Samsung Electronics has innovated the mobile industry with foldable technology and set new standards," adding, "More customers are choosing foldables every day, enjoying completely new experiences that did not exist before." He also stated, "The Flip5 and Fold5 are the latest works that realize our promise to provide experiences tailored to diverse customer needs through Samsung’s innovative technology."
The Flip5 and Fold5 will be available for pre-order from the 1st to the 7th of next month, with official release on the 11th. The Flip5 comes in 256GB and 512GB models priced at 1,399,200 KRW and 1,520,200 KRW, respectively. The Fold5 is available in 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB (exclusive to Samsung.com and Samsung Gangnam) models priced at 2,097,700 KRW, 2,218,700 KRW, and 2,467,000 KRW, respectively.
The Flip5 will be released in Mint, Graphite, Cream, and Lavender colors. The Fold5 will be available in Ice Blue, Phantom Black, and Cream. Additionally, Samsung.com and Samsung Gangnam exclusive colors for the Flip5 include Yellow, Gray, Blue, and Green, while the Fold5 will have Gray and Blue exclusive colors.
On the same day, Samsung Electronics also unveiled the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra, Galaxy Tab S9+, Galaxy Tab S9, Galaxy Watch6, and Galaxy Watch6 Classic. The Galaxy Tab S9 series features Dynamic AMOLED 2X displays on all models and is equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor for Galaxy. For the first time in a Galaxy Tab, it includes a vapor chamber for heat control and offers IP68 water and dust resistance. The Galaxy Watch6 series is equipped with Samsung BioActive sensors and high-performance processors, providing integrated health management solutions such as sleep management, fitness coaching, heart health monitoring, and menstrual cycle prediction. The bezel has been reduced, making the display approximately 20% larger than the previous model.
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