What to expect at Samsung’s Unpacked event

Samsung is about to show off its next generation of flagships and, crucially, its next foldable phone.

The company is holding its annual Unpacked event in San Francisco on Feb. 11 where the phone maker is expected to reveal its S20 lineup, an improved AirPods competitor, and an intriguing-sounding foldable phone. 

Mashable will be reporting live from the event, which you can also follow along via live stream on Samsung’s website starting at 2 p.m. EST/11 a.m. PST. And, by most indications, the event will be jam-packed with announcements. 

Here’s what we’re expecting:

Three versions of the S20

As with last year, it looks like Samsung is set to unveil three different versions of its next flagship, all of which will have 5G capabilities: the Galaxy S20 5G, S20 Plus 5G, and S20 Ultra 5G. 

As we previously noted, the S20 and S20 Plus should be about the same specs-wise. Both are expected to have three rear-facing cameras, a 12MP main camera, 64MP telephoto, and 12MP ultra-wide, as well as 10 MP selfie camera. 

The main difference between the three models will be screen size and battery life. The base-level Galaxy S20 5G will have a 6.2-inch display with a 4,000 mAh battery; the Galaxy S20 Plus 5G will have a 6.7-inch screen and 4,500 mAh battery; and, at the high-end, the Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G will have a 6.9-inch screen and a 5,000 mAh battery. 

If that sounds on the large side, you’re not wrong. All three models will be substantially larger than their S10 predecessors, which came with 5.8-, 6.1-, and 6.4-inch displays. 

Still, there are a few question marks we’ll need to wait for Samsung to fill in. While all the phones will be 5G-ready, we don’t yet know what kind of 5G they’ll support. The addition of 5G could also affect the phones’ battery life, though we won’t know for sure until we’ve been able to fully test them. Finally, we don’t have exact pricing details, though some rumors say the basic S20 will start at $899.

iPhone-friendly Galaxy Buds

We will almost certainly see a refreshed set of Galaxy Buds, Samsung’s AirPods competitor. Specs for the new Galaxy Buds+ have already leaked and, thanks to an early App Store update, we know Samsung’s buds will officially be iPhone-compatible.

Image: raymond wong / mashable 

Other than that, the “plus” version of the Galaxy Buds look like they’ll bring a few modest improvements, namely better battery life, and improved speakers and microphones. The new buds won’t, however, come with noise cancellation, which will be a bit of a bummer for anyone hoping for a cheaper AirPods Pro alternative. But with a $149 price tag, the company might just be able to attract a few would-be AirPods buyers. 

A better foldable phone

The biggest question mark going into Unpacked is the Galaxy Z Flip, Samsung’s next-generation foldable phone. Not because we haven’t already seen a ton of leaked details about it — we have — but because Samsung has so much to prove with the Z Flip.

Last year’s Galaxy Fold shipped with a big ugly crease and, even more worryingly, a faulty display. The company eventually fixed the display, but the crease was a constant reminder of the phone’s imperfections.

Image: zlata ivleva / mashable

Initial reports suggest Samsung has learned some lessons from the Fold. Instead of folding out horizontally into an awkward, extra-wide display, the Z Flip will have a clamshell design like the Motorola Razr. The 6.7-inch display will also reportedly be able to adapt to two different orientations, depending on whether it’s fully unfolded or “locked” in a 90-degree position.

The Z Flip will also reportedly sport a glass display, not the fragile, plastic panel we saw on last year’s Galaxy Fold. On the other hand, there could still be an unsightly crease that even a shiny purple exterior can’t make up for.

Unpacked is only a few days away, so we’ll know the full (and potentially ugly) truth soon enough.