Samsung to hold first-ever online ‘Unpacked’ on Wednesday

Expectations are running high ahead of Samsung Electronics’ first-ever online unpacking event Wednesday, as the South Korean tech giant is expected to introduce the Galaxy Z Fold 2 with a fuller display.

At Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2020, which is scheduled for 11 p.m., Samsung will introduce five products -- the Galaxy Note 20 phablet, Galaxy Z Fold 2 foldable smartphone, Galaxy Tab S7 tablet, Galaxy Buds Live wireless noise-canceling earbuds and the Galaxy Watch 3 smartwatch.

Due to concerns over the coronavirus outbreak, Samsung will be streaming the event from inside Samsung Digital City in Suwon, south of Seoul, where its mobile communications business is located, and stream it online at www.samsung.com.

According to unofficial rendering images, Galaxy Z Fold 2, the successor to the original Fold released last year, retains the similar phablet-esque design but offers a bigger display by reducing bezels significantly and by placing an internal camera inside a punch-hole cutout instead of a massive indent in the screen.

With celebrities including MYTH, Khalid and BTS showing up in its official trailer, Samsung is expected to provide global fans some entertainment beyond the formal presentations, as it has during its previous unpack events, industry watchers said.

Industry watchers said the releases could help Samsung, which has been suffering from lackluster sales of its S20 series due to the pandemic. According to Counterpoint Research, Huawei of China has secured 20.2 percent of the global smartphone market share, narrowly beating Samsung’s 20.0 percent in the second quarter this year. The research firm said, however, that Huawei’s lead, which depends on its domestic market, could be short-lived, as other regions around the world show signs of rebounding.

By Kim Byung-wook (kbw@heraldcorp.com)