Technology

The Toyota Prius arrived in the United States in 2000 amid the SUV boom with the sole purpose of squeezing as many miles as possible out of a gallon of gas. Before the Prius, a “hybrid car” was not something American consumers had seen, let alone driven.

Earlier this month, the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences announced this year's nominees for the 2026 Primetime Emmy Awards. HBO Max and Netflix led the field with over 100 nominations each. Farther down the list, you'll find Peacock, which landed 18 Emmy nominations.

Whether or not your smart TV is spying on you, LG wants to make sure the apps aren't part of the problem. The tech giant is banning webOS apps that use residential proxies to rent out your TV's internet connection to third parties.

With crossovers dominating the market, it's easy to overlook the advantages that a traditional family sedan still offers. For buyers who prioritize comfort, fuel economy, and long-distance refinement, a well-executed hybrid sedan can often deliver a better ownership experience while costing less to buy and run.

Apple discontinued its AirPort Wi-Fi routers in 2018, and it's not surprising given that wireless networking had become a commodity years earlier. Why buy a router when your internet provider's included Wi-Fi is often good enough, and specialists like Eero and Netgear can sometimes offer more for your money?

Starbucks is trolling us this summer. First, the company announced there'd be a brand-new Bearista Cup to fight over (spoiler: I didn't get mine; most local locations said they only got 10 cups total). Then, they brought back the S'mores Frappuccino only to let us know today (via email) that it'll be disappearing soon.

Now, they're making another surprise announcement: The Unicorn Frappuccino is back for one weekend only.

SEE ALSO: Starbucks is paying baristas to make TikToks. Expect more brands to follow.

According to the press release, it'll be back on the menu for "one magical weekend to close out the summer" starting August 15. If you missed the original hysteria in 2017 — or its brief pop-up at Coachella — it's essentially a sweet-and-tart mango-flavored blend layered with a tangy blue drizzle, topped with whipped cream, and dusted with pink and blue toppings. (Sounds super natural and fine to eat, right?) Some fans compare it to Tropical Skittles.

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As soon as baristas got a whiff of the comeback, they rushed to Reddit to voice their concerns. Apparently, employees have been predicting the drink's return for months after spotting ingredients like "spirulina" and "sparkle topping" on their inventory lists.

If you scroll through the threads, veteran baristas still talk about the 2017 launch like it gave them war flashbacks, recalling days of being grossly understaffed, running out of ingredients on Day One, and leaving their shifts covered in sticky pink and blue powder.

"Every barista that worked during this time deserves financial compensation," writes one Redditor. "I’ve worked in a lot of stores for many MANY years, and when this came out, it was hands down, one of, if not the worst, days I have ever worked in my career," writes another.

So, if you plan on participating in the great Starbucks sugar rush of 2026, be prepared for insane lines and chaos. And again: Tip your barista.

GET A FREE $50 AMAZON GIFT CARD: Preorder the new Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 (40mm, Bluetooth) from Amazon for $379.99 and get a free $50 Amazon gift card. The watch is set to release on Aug. 7.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung / Amazon Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 (40mm, Bluetooth) + $50 Gift Card $379.99 at Amazon
$429.99 Save $50   Get Deal

Happy Samsung Unpacked 2026 for all the Samsung fans out there. We have new Samsung phones, watches, and even Samsung Galaxy Glasses. In the flurry of news, it can be a struggle to find which retailer is offering the best preorder pricing. To simplify your search, Amazon has a great deal if you're interested in the new Samsung Galaxy Watch 9.

SEE ALSO: T-Mobile is giving away the new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 for free — how to claim

With a launch date set for Aug. 7, preorders for the new Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 (40mm, Bluetooth) are live at Amazon for $379.99. Amazon is also tossing in a free $50 Amazon gift card.

Serving double duty as a fitness tracker and smartwatch, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 is a powerhouse piece of wearable tech. It comes packed with health, fitness, and wellness metrics. It can even keep tabs on blood pressure from your wrist.

The Galaxy Watch 9 also comes with impressive battery life of up to 30 hours with the display always on (AOD) or up to 40 hours with AOD turned off.

For those in need of a smartwatch upgrade, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 could be a great match. Preorder today from Amazon and you'll score a free $50 Amazon gift card. That's a win-win.

After months of buildup, Samsung finally unveiled its newest, most interesting foldable device — the Galaxy Z Fold 8.

At a Galaxy Unpacked event in London, the Korean tech company announced three new foldable phones: the Galaxy Z Flip 8, the Galaxy Z Fold 8, and the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra. However, it's the Z Fold 8 that might be the biggest draw, for two reasons. First, the Z Fold 8 is an entirely new device and form factor. Second, it looks well-placed to compete head-to-head with the still-unannounced iPhone Ultra Fold, which we think will be revealed in September. We expect Apple's first foldable to have a shorter, wider form factor, just like the Z Fold 8.

Mashable got the chance to try the new Galaxy foldables ahead of the launch event, but before we get into the details, we have one point of clarification. Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8 is not really a successor to the Z Fold 7 from a year ago, as you might expect. If you want that, check out the new Z Fold 8 Ultra.

The all-new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 is available for pre-order today and starts at $1,899.99. The base model has 12GB of memory and 256GB of storage. It's available in four colors — lavender, cream, graphite, and pistachio — and will be widely available starting Aug. 7.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 specs The Galaxy Z Fold 8 has a sizable inner display. Credit: Joseph Maldonado / CNET Group

The new Galaxy Z Fold 8 foldable smartphone has a 4:3 aspect ratio, which is an ideal size whether in landscape or portrait orientation. The inner display has enough extra real estate for multi-tasking and entertainment. And if you're worried about a crease in the middle of the display, don't be. We got up close with the device, and the crease fully disappears when the display is activated.

These are the key specs to know:

• Inner display: 7.6-inch AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate

• Outer display: 5.5-inches AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate

• Processor: Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy chipset

• Colors: Lavender, cream, graphite, and pistachio

• Unfolded dimensions: 123.9 x 161.4 x 4.5 mm

• Folded dimensions: 1123.9 x 81.9 x 9.7 mm

• Weight: 201 grams

• RAM: 12GB to 16GB RAM

• Storage: 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB storage

• Battery: 4,800mAh battery

• Charging: 45W wired, 20W wireless

• Cameras: 50MP wide, 50MP ultrawide, 10MP selfie cameras

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 key features Samsung's latest foldables are ultra-thin. Credit: Joseph Maldonado / CNET Group

As stated above, the main distinguishing factor of the new Z Fold 8 is its wider 4:3 proportions compared to the Z Fold 8 Ultra. If the latter is a book-style foldable, the former can almost be called a tablet-style foldable, instead. We think the wide screen will serve even better for reading books or multi-tasking with several apps open at once.

Also, at 201g, Samsung is really emphasizing how light the device is. The company is calling it the "world's lightest fold ever."

And while the device may be light, its no lightweight. Samsung's newest foldable features Flex Titanium technology, which makes the Galaxy Z Fold 8 more durable. Speaking of durability, it also boasts  Samsung's advantage hinge technology, Armor Flexhinge.

The Z Fold 8 feels like a solid middle point between the premium Z Fold 8 Ultra and the comparatively affordable Z Flip 8. All three phones use the same chip, but the Z Fold 8's 4,800mAh battery is smaller than that of the Z Fold 8 Ultra. However, the Z Fold 8 does have an option for 16GB RAM and 1TB of storage, similar to the Ultra.

Where the Ultra will feel distinctly more premium than the Z Fold 8 is in the camera array. The Ultra comes with a 200MP main shooter, while the Fold 8's is only 50MP. The former also has a telephoto lens, while the latter does not. Its relatively meager camera specs are closer to those of the Z Flip 8, meaning it's probably best for social media shots, not professional photography. However, Samsung says the Fold 8 can still shoot 8K video at 30 frames per second.

Speaking of social media, Samsung showed off a brand new feature called My Fancam. This feature can automatically track a person in a video with the help of AI and crop to the desired video dimensions of their choice to create tailor-made clips for social media.

All eyes are on Apple now. We can't wait to directly compare the Z Fold 8 to whatever Apple is cooking up. Hopefully, all will be revealed in September.

Where to buy the Galaxy Z Fold 8

You can purchase the new Galaxy Z Fold 8 at Samsung, Amazon, and other mobile retailers. If you're looking for the best pre-order launch offers, check out the new offers from mobile carriers like Verizon and T-Mobile as well.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 $1,899.99 at Samsung
  Pre-order Here

Astronomers are homing in on a distant realm where the lines between star, planet, and moon are blurred. 

Researchers have recently discovered that something appears to be orbiting a brown dwarf in the CD-35 2722 system, about 73 light-years away in space, that defies the usual labels. 

A brown dwarf is already something of a cosmic maverick — too large to be called a planet, too small to be a star. Experts sometimes refer to brown dwarfs as "failed stars" because they're not quite massive enough to sustain hydrogen fusion in their cores.

That leaves researchers at a loss for what exactly to call this thing circling it. Because the object orbits a brown dwarf that is orbiting a star, it's kind of an "exomoon," they said, a satellite of a planet found outside the solar system. 

"Being the third wheel in this system makes us want to call it a moon, even if it is nothing like the small, rocky moons we have in our system," said Kevin Hoy, lead author of the study published in Nature, in a statement. 

SEE ALSO: Webb telescope found the missing architect of another star system

If confirmed, the research team believes this could be the first documented exomoon.  

But it's nothing like typical moons. The new object, which the team is calling an "exosatellite" for now, is roughly the weight of Jupiter, with the brown dwarf, known as CD-35 2722 B, more than 30 times more massive. 

A brown dwarf is too large to be called a planet, but too small to be a star and make its own nuclear power. Credit: NASA illustration

At that scale, it's likely a gas giant, not rocky. Right now, there are nearly 1,000 known moons orbiting planets, dwarf planets, and asteroids — all within our own solar system. 

Some scientists might argue that such an object should be considered an exoplanet. But that term doesn't fit perfectly either. 

“The exosatellite is clearly massive enough to be a planet, but it does not orbit a star," Hoy said, "though it orbits an object that orbits a star."

This is not the first time astronomers have found something that appears to be orbiting a brown dwarf, but previous detections involved objects that were much more separated. Because of that, whether those companions were moons or planets is debatable. In this case, the satellite orbiting CD-35 2722 B is hugging the brown dwarf so closely, it completes a trip every 170 days. 

Researchers used the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope in Chile to make the discovery. Instead of taking a picture of the moon, the researchers used the observatory to see wobbles in the brown dwarf. Those tiny back-and-forth movements are caused by the gravity of something orbiting it. The method, known as the radial velocity technique, is frequently used to find new exoplanets. 

Over more than two years, the team collected 23 observations. They saw a signal repeat every 170 days, suggesting that something had been tugging on the brown dwarf at regular intervals. 

Astronomers have been trying to find an exomoon for many years. In 2024, for instance, a research team inferred a rocky moon around exoplanet WASP-49 b, about 635 light-years from Earth. Though they couldn't see it, the researchers proposed it as a candidate based on spectroscopic evidence of a cloud of sodium gas. The team believes volcanic eruptions from a hidden moon, similar to Jupiter's Io, is replenishing that cloud. 

Years earlier, in 2018, a team found evidence of a potential Neptune-size exomoon orbiting Kepler-1625 b using the transit method, which looks for tiny, temporary dips in a star's light, caused by orbiting objects passing in front of it. 

Though a handful of exomoon candidates has been reported in scientific journals over the years, none of them have been confirmed yet. The CD-35 2722 B candidate also will require more observations before it gets such a designation, but Alice Zurlo, an astrophysicist at Universidad Diego Portales in Chile and a coauthor, is convinced this is the first "plausible" detection of an exosatellite. 

"As exotic as it is," Zurlo said in a statement, "this system is truly unique and represents a breakthrough."

Update, July 22, 10:50 AM EST: Now that Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2026 has wrapped, here's everything announced at the event. For all the details, check out our Galaxy Unpacked Live Blog.

Samsung is set to capture the tech world's attention next week when it hosts its next big mobile launch event.

The Korean tech giant is hosting a Galaxy Unpacked event in London on July 22, and Mashable will be there, reporting live on all of the big announcements. We're fully expecting to see at least five new devices from Samsung, including the latest batch of flagship foldable phones. As per usual with Samsung, these devices haven't been leaking so much as flooding.

So, as we prepare for the big show, here's everything we know (and everything we think we know) about the Galaxy Unpacked 2026 event.

When is the next Galaxy Unpacked?

The next Galaxy Unpacked Event takes place on Wednesday, July 22 in London. The livestream will begin promptly at 9 a.m. ET. We expect all the new devices to be available for pre-order immediately after the event.

Mashable will be attending the event and hosting a live blog, so check back next week to unpack all of the day's news with us.

SEE ALSO: Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2: What's actually new (and what's not) Three new foldables are arriving, including the Z Flip 8, Z Fold 8, and Z Fold 8 Ultra. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Samsung's new foldable phones typically debut during a summer Galaxy Unpacked event, and Samsung recently confirmed that it will be announcing new details about its next-gen foldables on July 22.

We don't have official confirmation on which devices will be announced, but all reports indicate that three new foldable phones will arrive at Galaxy Unpacked 2026:

• Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8

• Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 (previously known as the Z Fold Wide)

• Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra

This is where things get a little confusing. You'd think the Z Fold 8 Ultra would be the new addition to the lineup, but recent reports indicate that the Z Fold 8 is actually a new device this year. Rumors for months have pointed to Samsung releasing a wider foldable this year, and it sounds like that phone will take the Z Fold 8 name, while a true successor to the Z Fold 7 will be called Z Fold 8 Ultra.

The new phones will probably arrive with price increases

Again, we don't have any official details, but it's very likely the successors to the Z Flip 7 and Z Fold 7 will indeed cost more. Most early reports and leaks indicate a price increase of $100, which is in line with the price increases we've seen from Motorola. The global memory crisis has led to price hikes for laptops, smartphones, gaming consoles, and virtually every product that requires memory, and Samsung probably won't be the exception.

Recently, South Korean outlet SEDaily reported that the starting price of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra will be $2,099, a $100 price increase over the Galaxy Z Fold 7. The same outlet reported the new Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide model will start at $1,899.99. Finally, according to leaker Lanzuk (as reported by PhoneArena), the new Galaxy Z Flip 8 will likely have a starting price of $1,199, or $100 more than its predecessor.

TL;DR: Thanks to RAMageddon, do not be surprised to see year-over-year price increases for all of the new devices.

A new Z Fold 8 to compete with the iPhone Ultra Fold

Rumors indicate that the new Z Fold 8 will potentially have a 5.4-inch outer display and a 7.8-inch inner display when unfolded. With a 4:3 aspect ratio, it will be a book-style foldable. These dimensions are very similar to the rumored design of the still-unannounced foldable iPhone, suggesting Samsung wants to introduce this third foldable as a direct competitor to Apple's upcoming device. It's the latest salvo in the ongoing Apple iPhone vs. Samsung Galaxy battle for smartphone dominance.

Featured Video For You More Folding iPhone Reports and Rumors

The Z Fold 8's rumored specs, via PhoneArena:

• Processor: Snapdragon Elite 8 Gen 5 for Galaxy

• RAM: 12GB

• Storage: 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB

• Main display: 7.6 inches

• Cover Display: 5.5 inches

• Cameras: 50MP primary lens, 50MP ultra-wide lens, 10MP selfie lens

The new flagship: Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra The Galaxy Z Fold 7 (pictured here) was surprisingly thin and lightweight. Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

As mentioned above, we think the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra will actually be a successor to last year's Z Fold 7, which we enjoyed testing. This new foldable should have a new chip and a stronger 200MP main camera on the back. Samsung is also said to have done some work to make the crease on the folding display less visible this year. Finally, a Korean news report indicated the Z Fold 8 will be slightly lighter than the Fold 7, which was already impressively thin and lightweight.

At this point, pretty much all of the specs for the upcoming devices have leaked. So, while none of these details are official, we think the Z Fold 8 Ultra will have the following specs, via PhoneArena:

• Processor: Snapdragon Elite 8 Gen 5 for Galaxy

• RAM: 12GB or 16GB

• Storage: 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB

• Main display: 8 inches

• Cover display: 6.5 inches

• Cameras: 200MP wide, 50MP ultra-wide, 12MP telephoto

This week, Samsung revealed that its new foldables (which it didn't mention by name, unfortunately) will feature a new Flex Titanium technology. In short, a titanium-alloy film and a titanium plate will better support the phones' flexible display, creating a more durable device and a less noticeable crease. Samsung said more details will be revealed on July 22.

The new Z Flip 8 will look very familiar Last year's Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 on display. Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

If the rumored specs for the new Galaxy Z Flip 8 are correct, this year's flip phone-style foldable will look a lot like the Z Flip 7, but with a better processor and a less visible crease.

Until recently, the rumor mill indicated that the Z Flip 8 would get a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor. However, leaker WinFuture (as reported by 9to5Google) claimed that instead, the flip phone will get a new Samsung Exynos 2600 processor.

And here are the rumored specs:

• Processor: Samsung Exynos 2600 or Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5

• RAM: 12GB

• Main Display: 6.9 inches

• Cover Display: 4.1 inches

• Storage: 256GB or 512GB

• Cameras: 50MP main, 12MP ultra-wide, 10MP selfie

New Galaxy Watches are also on the way

Samsung usually uses this summer event to showcase its latest smartwatch advancements, and 2026 looks no different. This year, we expect to see two new Samsung watches:

• Samsung Galaxy Watch 9

• Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2

It's generally accepted that both of these watches will see fairly incremental changes from before. There will surely be new health-tracking features, and some small design changes, with the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 in particular said to incorporate classic numbers on the watch face, a thinner bezel, and better side buttons. Most importantly, for some, it sounds like Samsung is skipping out on a new Galaxy Watch Classic this year. You'll get a base model and a premium model, and that's it, as far as anyone can tell.

Finally, don't forget that Samsung is all-in on artificial intelligence, so we expect major upgrades to the Samsung Health app and the watches' overall health-tracking features.

Could we see Galaxy Glasses make their big debut? The upcoming Galaxy smart glasses as designed by Gentle Monster (left) and Warby Parker (right). Credit: Samsung

Lastly, Samsung's long-awaited smart glasses could also make their debut at Unpacked in July. Most likely called Galaxy Glasses, we expect these specs to work similarly to the ones Meta has been releasing for a few years now. We saw a preview of these specs at Google's recently developers' conference, and we know Samsung is working with Warby Parker and Gentle Monster on the designs.

These smart glasses will not include any augmented reality or heads-up display features, focusing instead on on-board cameras and a built-in AI assistant, courtesy of Google Gemini, to provide information about what you're seeing, should you ask. We expect the first generation of these glasses to arrive in 2026, and we're holding out hope that the glasses will get a shoutout or even a proper introduction at the London Galaxy Unpacked event on July 22.

It should be a pretty packed showcase, so stay tuned for all of our coverage as we get closer to Galaxy Unpacked.

Remember: Mashable will be attending the live keynote in London, and we'll have a live blog with real-time updates on all the day's news. Don't miss it!

The next big Galaxy Unpacked launch event is upon us, and we're expecting big news for Android users — and Android-curious users.

Samsung's big event is scheduled for July 22 at 9 a.m. ET, and this year the action takes place in London. Mashable will be attending the London launch event, and we'll be posting live updates before, during, and after the event in this live blog. Keep checking back to see all of the biggest announcements, product launches, and, hopefully, a couple of surprises as well.

The Korean tech giant is expected to launch at least five new devices today, including three new foldable phones:

• Galaxy Z Flip 8

• Galaxy Z Fold 8

• Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra

• Galaxy Watch 9

• Galaxy Watch Ultra 2

So, catch up on the latest Galaxy Unpacked rumors, tune into the livestream, and join us for one of the biggest tech launch events of the summer.

TL;DR: Get the brand-new Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 for under $100 when you activate a line on an Experience More or Experience Beyond plan with T-Mobile.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 Save $1,100 when you activate a line or trade in an eligible device on an Experience More or Experience Beyond plan. Shop Now

Samsung Unpacked is officially here. Samsung wants you to drop a small fortune on its latest wave of foldables, but T-Mobile has other plans for you.

If you've been sitting on the fence about switching to a flip phone, the mobile carrier just removed your biggest excuse. Starting today, T-Mobile is giving away the new Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 for under $100, and you don't even need to trade anything in to qualify for this preorder promo.

Here's the breakdown of how to claim yours.

How to get the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 for under $100

To qualify for T-Mobile's generous launch promotion, you need to tick a few boxes:

• To qualify for the $1,100 discount without trading in a phone, you must activate a new line of service on an Experience More or Experience Beyond plan.

• You will need to pay sales tax on the full $1,199.99 retail price upfront at checkout, plus T-Mobile's standard $35 connection charge.

• Your $1,100 in savings are distributed evenly as monthly bill credits over 24 billing cycles. Canceling the line early means any remaining unpaid balance on the $1,199.99 retail cost becomes due immediately.

Credit: Joseph Maldonado / CNET Group

By offering a straight-up $1,100 discount simply for adding an eligible line, T-Mobile is slashing the Z Flip 8's $1,199.99 retail price to under $100. That's easily one of the best "no trade-in" foldable launch promotions on the market today.

Samsung held its highly anticipated Galaxy Unpacked event in London on Wednesday morning.

The showcase featured three new foldable phones and two new smartwatches, plus more. Spider-Man even made an appearance. Here's everything you need to know from the latest Galaxy Unpacked livestream, plus a first look at the devices.

SEE ALSO: Spider-Man swung through Samsung Galaxy Unpacked Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 is the cheapest and most fashionable new foldable Cute little guy. Credit: Rene Ramos/Mashable

The most affordable foldable Samsung's new lineup is also undeniably the cutest. The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 is a fairly straightforward successor to last year's Z Flip 8; it's still a clamshell-style foldable with a small 4.1-inch outer display that mostly exists for checking notifications, and a bigger 6.9-inch inner display where you'll do most of your serious business. It starts at $1,199. The color options are pink, cream, graphite, and mint.

Most of the changes from last year are fairly modest. The new Z Flip is about 12 percent smaller than the Z Flip 7 was, and 8g lighter. All three of these new foldables feature Flex Titanium technology, which is intended to make the folding hinges both more durable and less visible to the naked eye.

Samsung kept most of the core specs, like RAM, storage, battery size, and camera megapixel counts the same this year. Perhaps the biggest improvement is the presence of a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy chipset, the same as the other two new foldables. The Z Flip 7 ran on a comparatively weaker Exynos chip, so you can expect better performance and maybe even more efficient battery usage out of the Z Flip 8.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 is not actually a follow-up to Z Fold 7 Widely anticipated. Credit: Joe Maldonado/Mashable

Pre-event rumors had us a little confused about Samsung's device naming scheme this year, but all has been clarified as of Wednesday. Yes, there is a device called the Galaxy Z Fold 8. No, it is not a true successor to the Z Fold 7. Instead, it's a brand new device, and it starts at $1,899. It comes in lavender, cream, graphite, and pistachio colors.

This device sits at a midway point between the Z Flip 8 and the new Z Fold 8 Ultra (more on that in a bit) in terms of price and specs. It has a 5.5-inch outer display and a 7.6-inch inner display with a 4:3 aspect ratio, thought to be analogous to that of the upcoming iPhone Fold. At 201g, Samsung is calling it the "world's lightest Fold." With a 4,800mAh battery, it promises 26 hours of video playback on a single charge.

Camera-wise, it's closer to the Flip, with only two rear lenses rather than three. That means no telephoto lens, unfortunately. The 50MP main and 50MP ultra-wide lenses should allow for decent social media photos.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 UItra is the most premium device of the bunch Still my favorite one. Credit: Samsung

Remember how I said the Z Fold 8 does not actually exist as a sequel to the Z Fold 7? That's because the Z Fold 8 Ultra does, instead. Yes, Samsung gave an old name to a new phone and a new name to an old phone this year. Don't worry about it. The new one starts at $2,099, and its color options are violet shadow, green shadow, cream, and graphite.

Despite the new moniker, the Z Fold 8 Ultra is arguably the most similar to its predecessor. It's still a very light, thin phone, but its dimensions are almost identical to those of the Z Fold 7. RAM and storage counts haven't changed, but one major thing has: the battery size. Samsung went all the way up from 4,400mAh to 5,000mAh, the biggest battery in any Samsung foldable to date. The company is promising 27 hours of battery life, which would be a big improvement over last year.

Lastly, it has a new 50MP ultra-wide lens, up from 12MP a year ago. That's on top of the 200MP main lens and 10MP telephoto lens it already had. This will easily be the best camera array on any of these phones.

Galaxy Watch 9 and Watch 2 Ultra have plenty of AI health tracking features That's an expensive watch. Credit: Joe Maldonado/Mashable

Moving on from phones, Samsung also spent some time talking about the latest additions to its smartwatch portfolio. Meet the Galaxy Watch 9 and Galaxy Watch Ultra 2.

The former comes in 40mm and 44mm sizes, and starts at $379. The latter, meanwhile, is 47mm and starts at a staggering $699. Both, of course, come with way too many band options and colors to write down in one place, but rest assured you can customize the look about as much as you want.

As usual, most of the upgrades this year deal with exercise and health tracking. The Ultra 2, in particular, has a lot of tracking features for outdoors activities. Trail Run will track elevation and terrain impact for hikes, Nutrition Alert will give you hydration advice in conjunction with the existing Sweat Loss feature, and an upcoming Diving app will offer detailed dive tracking because this phone is waterproof enough to actually go on dives with you.

Both phones will also benefit from a cornucopia of new AI health guidance features. A new Vitals feature will track deviations in your basic vitals, while the devices can also offer personalized insights regarding disruptions to sleep, daily cardio load, and loud noise alerts to protect your hearing.

As for hardware, the upgrades are more modest, but the Ultra 2 comes with an exceptionally bright 5,000 nits of peak brightness, making it great for outdoor use. Both Watch 9 models have larger batteries than before, and the Ultra 2 has a very big (by watch standards) 800mAh cell inside it. The Ultra 2 is definitely the one to get if you're all about endurance.

More info about upcoming Samsung smart glasses Those look like glasses, alright. Credit: Screenshot: Samsung

Last but not least, Samsung gave us a little bit of information about its upcoming Galaxy Glasses effort, with a short on-stage presentation that confirmed some rumors from ahead of the event. The upcoming smart glasses, which were previously announced, will be designed in collaboration with brands like Warby Parker and Gentle Monster, with at least four designs to come. They'll run on the new Android XR platform and will launch this fall, but we don't know how much they'll cost yet.

The glasses don't contain displays, but have speakers, microphones, and cameras on them, similar to other competitors. You can use it to talk to Gemini hands-free while connected to an Android phone or Wear OS watch. Battery life is supposedly around nine hours, with an additional seven charges in the charging case. It seems like we'll have to wait a little bit to hear more, though.

I pay for Netflix and Amazon Prime, but I still spend most of my time watching free streaming services. We keep Netflix largely because my wife despises commercials, while I use the other benefits of Amazon Prime throughout the year and treat Prime Video as a bonus. The bottom line, however, is that when I’m choosing something for myself, I usually end up opening Pluto TV, The Roku Channel, or Tubi.

FREE AMAZON GIFT CARD: As of July 22, when you preorder one of Samsung's new 2026 foldable phones — the Galaxy Z Fold 8 or Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra — you'll get a free $350 Amazon gift card. The offer ends Aug. 6, the day before the phones are officially released.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 $1,899.99 at Amazon
+ free $350 Amazon gift card Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra $2,099.99 at Amazon
+ free $350 Amazon gift card Get Deal

Samsung's new foldables have arrived after weeks of anticipation. Announced at Samsung's July Galaxy Unpacked event, the 2026 foldable phones include the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra — both of which Mashable's tech editor says have "a cool factor the iPhone can't match." With an official launch date of Aug. 7, they're now up for preorder.

We recommend heading to Amazon instead of Samsung directly to preorder your new device, as you'll get a free gift card with your purchase. And when you see the prices of these phones, you'll want that free cash, trust me.

SEE ALSO: T-Mobile is giving away the new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 for free — how to claim

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8, the midrange option, features a 5.5-inch fold screen and 7.6-inch full-size screen. It's suspiciously similar to the rumored foldable iPhone. It can film in up to 8K at 30 fps, has a dual lens camera, and starts at 12GB of RAM. It comes in lavender, graphite, and cream at Amazon and starts at — brace yourselves — $1,899.99. By pre-ordering at Amazon, you'll get a free $350 gift card to spend later. Using girl math, that means you'll get the phone for $1,549.99.

The Z Fold 8 Ultra is the flagship Samsung foldable and successor of the Z Fold 7. It's the largest of the bunch, with a 6.5-inch fold screen and 8-inch full screen. It's also the only option with a three-lens camera (closer to the Galaxy S25 Ultra). It comes in cream, graphite, and violet shadow at Amazon and has a starting price of $2,099.99. Like the Fold 8, the Fold 8 Ultra comes with a free $350 gift card when you preorder at Amazon.

Amazon says you'll receive an email once your gift card is available and it won't be until after the product has shipped. Keep an eye out in your inbox so you don't miss out. Also note that your new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 or 8 Ultra device will be unlocked, so you can take it to any carrier you wish.

In London during Galaxy Unpacked 2026, Samsung debuted new foldable phones and a new generation of smartwatches. On those new watches, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 and Ultra 2, there's a whole host of new health insights, including sleep apnea detection. But the new Vitals feature on Samsung Galaxy Watches knows when you're getting sick before you do.

Using five different biometric markers — heart rate, heart rate variability, respiratory rate, skin temperature, and blood oxygen saturation — Vitals creates a health baseline for users and detects when those baselines deviate. Users then get an alert that something's off, so you can note when you might be getting sick or need some extra recovery time.

Samsung's Vitals feature use five different health biometrics to detect for symptoms. Credit: Samsung

While this feature is new to Samsung Galaxy Watches, it's not new in the world of health trackers. Oura Ring, the leader in smart rings, has its own Vitals page, the hub for all your health biometrics. Within Vitals is Symptom Radar, a feature that tracks your biometrics, detects any signs of strain, and encourages you to make daily decisions based on how you feel.

Samsung's Vitals seems to be the brand's own version of Symptom Radar. The new batch of Galaxy Watches, including the Galaxy Watch 9 and Ultra 2, comes with boosted battery life for round-the-clock wear. That means they'll always be monitoring your biometrics so that you can have deeper health insights and access to features like Vitals.

The new Samsung Galaxy Watches are now up for preorder and will be available on Aug. 7.

At Samsung Galaxy Unpacked on Tuesday, Samsung provided a closer look at its upcoming smart glasses. Samsung is working with Korean eyewear brand Gentle Monster and Warby Parker on the design, and the glasses will run on Google's new Android XR operating system.

SEE ALSO: Samsung reveals undeniably hip Galaxy Z Flip 8 foldable at Galaxy Unpacked in London

We first saw these glasses at Google I/O 2026 in May, and there will be at least four designs, according to CNET, with different frame styles. Google has been teasing its smart glasses collaboration with Samsung for months, and previously said the first pair of smart glasses would be released in 2026.

During the Galaxy Unpacked event, Samsung gave another peek at the glasses:

Credit: Shannon Connellan / Mashable Credit: Samsung

According to CNET, these glasses are display-free but have a camera, microphone, and speakers. It supports Gemini AI and can connect with Android phones and Google Wear OS watches. The glasses will run both Google Gemini and Samsung Bixby AI.

Samsung's COO of mobile experiences, Won-Joon Choi, told CNET that the glasses can run for 9 hours on a single charge, while the case can charge them an additional 7 times.

The glasses will not have a built-in display, but will have built-in cameras for content capture and microphones to help power AI features. During Samsung Galaxy Unpacked, the glasses presentation demoed different uses, such as asking the device to summarize meeting notes or tell you the next step in a recipe. You can also use the glasses' POV in Google Meet meetings.

Actions with the glasses "flow" into using other Samsung devices — for instance, double-pinching to answer calls.

The full collection from Gentle Monster and Warby Parker is coming this fall, the company announced on Wednesday.

Large language models (LLMs) might be the most accessible and flexible technology we've ever had access to. By default, they're presented as chatbots—but that's just one way to interact with them. With the right prompts, you can transform an LLM into something that behaves like an entirely different app, complete with its own custom interface.

TL;DR: Mattel and Hasbro revealed the $33 My Little Pony x Polly Pocket Compact at SDCC. The collectible combines Polly Pocket’s tiny playset style with classic Generation 1 My Little Pony details, including Firefly, Glory, and a mini Polly figure.

Mattel and Hasbro are joining forces for the first time, and the result is a tiny collectible packed with big nostalgia.

Announced at San Diego Comic-Con, the new My Little Pony x Polly Pocket Compact brings together Polly Pocket’s miniature world with the colorful charm of classic Generation 1 My Little Pony playsets. The collaboration is designed for longtime fans of both franchises while introducing the iconic toy brands to a new generation of collectors.

Priced at $33, the My Little Pony Polly Pocket Compact is more than just a display piece. The compact features Polly and Starshine on the outside and opens to reveal a pony-filled world inspired by the original My Little Pony playsets. Inside, collectors will find a fold-down waterfall and castle, a cozy stable for the ponies, and a rainbow ride where the characters can clip in for imaginative adventures.

Credit: Hasbro / Mattel Credit: Hasbro / Mattel

The set includes a micro Polly figure alongside My Little Pony favorites Firefly and Glory, both featuring brushable tails. Fans will also spot extra nostalgic details throughout the compact, including character artwork and a rainbow brush accessory.

The My Little Pony Polly x Pocket Compact is available now through Mattel for $33 and will also be showcased at both the Mattel and Hasbro booths during SDCC, giving attendees a closer look at the first-of-its-kind collaboration.

GET A FREE $200 GIFT CARD: Pre-order the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Z Flip8 for $1,199.99 at Amazon by August 6 and get a $200 gift card for free.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip8 Unlocked Cell Phone + $200 Gift Card, 256GB Graphite $1,199.99 at Amazon
  Pre-order Here at Amazon

Getting a new phone is almost never cheap. But if you're already planning to upgrade to Samsung's latest flip phone, you might as well get paid to do it.

SEE ALSO: T-Mobile is giving away the new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 for free — how to claim

Right now, if you pre-order the 256GB Samsung Galaxy Z Flip8 in Graphite at Amazon for $1,199.99, they'll throw in a $200 Amazon gift card. You just have to place your order by August 6 (its official release date is August 7).

The Z Flip8 features a 6.7-inch main screen and a 4.1-inch cover screen (which Samsung calls the FlexWindow). It lets you check notifications and send messages without opening your phone. As for the cameras, you get a 50MP wide lens and a 12MP ultrawide lens on the back, plus a 10MP front camera. Thanks to the folding design, you can set it down half-open on a table to take hands-free photos or shoot Super Steady video — no tripod required.

Considering a $200 gift card basically covers your screen protectors, a durable case, and a few other things in your cart, this is a pretty good pre-order bonus.