Samsung Unpacked Wearable Countdown: Galaxy Watch 9, Ultra 2, and Galaxy Glasses — What to Buy

Samsung Unpacked is nine days away. On July 22 in London, Samsung is expected to unveil the Galaxy Watch 9, the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2, and the company's first true smart glasses, Galaxy Glasses. With leaked pricing, specs, and pre-order details now largely locked in, here's everything wearable buyers need to know before the event — and what we'd actually buy.

What Wearables Are Launching at Unpacked?

Samsung is expected to headline July 22 with three wearable launches:

• Galaxy Watch 9: The mainstream flagship, replacing the Galaxy Watch 8 with a modest spec bump and a price increase.
• Galaxy Watch Ultra 2: The rugged flagship, adding 5G RedCap connectivity for the first time in Samsung's smartwatch lineup.
• Galaxy Glasses: Samsung's first consumer smart glasses, built with Warby Parker and running Android XR with Gemini AI.

Notably absent: the rumored Galaxy Buds On earbuds, which multiple leakers now say have been delayed out of the July 22 event and pushed to later this year. If you were counting on new Samsung earbuds at Unpacked, temper your expectations. Read our full breakdown of the smart glasses landscape for context on how Galaxy Glasses fits into the broader market.

How Much Will the Galaxy Watch 9 Cost?

Leaked European retail listings put the Galaxy Watch 9 between €409 and €489depending on size (40mm/44mm) and connectivity (Bluetooth vs LTE). That's roughly a €30 increase over the Galaxy Watch 8's launch price — part of a broader industry-wide price hike driven by rising DRAM and component costs.

The Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 is expected to start at €749, positioning it well above Apple's Watch Ultra 3. Pre-orders open the moment Unpacked ends on July 22, with shipping confirmed for August 6. If you want day-one availability, set a reminder — Samsung pre-order windows tend to sell out of launch colorways quickly.

Is the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 Worth the Premium?

The Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 is shaping up to be Samsung's most significant Ultra update yet:

• 5G RedCap: The first Samsung smartwatch with 5G, expected in the US and Korea (LTE only in Europe)
• Snapdragon Wear Elite: Built on a 3nm process for a major efficiency jump over the previous Exynos chip
• 784mAh battery: Samsung's largest smartwatch battery yet, aimed at multi-day rugged use
• 5000 nits peak brightness: Among the brightest smartwatch displays on the market, built for outdoor visibility

Against the Apple Watch Ultra 3, the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2's 5G support and brighter display are genuine advantages — but Apple still leads on app ecosystem maturity and cross-device integration for iPhone owners. Android users, especially Samsung phone owners, will find the Ultra 2 the more compelling buy at launch.

What Do We Know About Galaxy Glasses?

Galaxy Glasses, internally codenamed Jinju, is Samsung's most-anticipated Unpacked reveal. Leaked details show:

• Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon AR1, purpose-built for lightweight smart glasses
• Camera: 12MP Sony IMX681 sensor for photo and video capture
• Weight: Approximately 50g, in line with Meta Ray-Ban
• Software: Android XR with Google Gemini AI built in for voice and visual queries
• Privacy: Dual privacy LEDs to indicate recording, addressing a common criticism of camera glasses
• Design partner: Warby Parker, offering multiple frame styles at launch
• No display: The first-generation model is audio and camera only, with no heads-up display

Expected pricing is $379–$499, putting it in direct competition with Meta Ray-Ban. The absence of a display keeps the first generation squarely in Meta's territory rather than competing with heads-up-display glasses like Even Realities.

Should You Pre-Order or Wait?

Here's how we'd approach the decision based on what you actually need:

• Pre-order Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 if: You want the first 5G Samsung smartwatch and don't mind paying a premium for the newest Snapdragon Wear Elite chip and brighter display.
• Buy the current Galaxy Watch Ultra now if: You want Ultra-class durability and battery life without waiting three weeks or paying the Ultra 2's higher launch price — it's already $639.14 on Amazon.
• Pre-order Galaxy Glasses if: You're invested in the Android/Samsung ecosystem and want Gemini AI baked into your smart glasses from day one.
• Buy Meta Ray-Ban now if: You want proven, mature smart glasses software today rather than a first-generation Samsung product with unknown early bugs.
• Consider the iPhone alternative: If you're not tied to Android, the Apple Watch Series 11 at $299.99 remains the best value smartwatch for iOS users, especially with Series 12 not arriving until September.

Google's Pixel Watch 5 launches just three weeks later on August 12 — read our Pixel Watch 5 preview if you're weighing both Android options. For a deeper dive into the Watch Ultra 2 vs Apple's current flagship, see our Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 vs Apple Watch Ultra 3 comparison. Browse all current options in our smartwatch guide and smart glasses guide, or check the latest prices on our comparison page.