News

Samsung Sets July 9 For Unpacked Event, New Foldables Expected

The Korean tech giant has confirmed its next Galaxy Unpacked event will take place on July 9, with AI and foldable devices expected to be the focus.

Published

1 year ago

June 24, 2025

Nour Nasir

samsung sets july 9 for unpacked event new foldables expected

Samsung’s next Galaxy Unpacked event is scheduled for July 9 in Brooklyn, New York, with a livestream available via Samsung.com and YouTube. The company is expected to unveil the latest models in its Galaxy Z series of foldable phones, alongside updates to its AI-powered features.

In recent promotional material, Samsung has signaled a strong emphasis on artificial intelligence. One release describes its evolving product line as “anticipatory smart companions,” reflecting the company’s broader investment in AI across its S-series, foldables, and even budget devices.

The Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6 are likely to headline the event. While Samsung hasn’t named these models directly, several statements point to thinner, lighter versions of its existing foldables. One release describes the upcoming devices as “the thinnest, lightest and most advanced foldable yet,” suggesting a design shift aimed at improving portability and addressing bulk concerns when closed.

AI-powered photography is also expected to feature prominently. In a separate release, Samsung outlined plans to enhance camera functions using AI, particularly in combination with foldable displays. The company claims these updates will make image capture and editing more dynamic and responsive.

Also Read: Oakley And Meta Reveal Performance-Focused AI Smart Glasses

Though no pricing details have been confirmed, the Z Fold series typically sits at the high end of Samsung’s portfolio. While the S25 Ultra is still expected to retain the company’s most advanced camera system, the new foldables may introduce AI tools tailored to their flexible form factors.

More detailed announcements — including hardware specifications and software features — are expected during the event. Tech Magazine will provide full coverage of the Unpacked keynote and product reveals on July 9.

News

Visa’s Return To Syria Starts With A Test And A Bank In Lebanon

Foreign visitors will be the first users to benefit, but whether Syria’s own banks and cardholders follow is still an open question.

Published

2 days ago

August 27, 2026

Dana Saadeh

visa's return to syria starts with a test and a bank in lebanon

Visa is returning to Syria. Its first live international card transaction in the country was a test rather than a launch, and the milestone event ran through a Lebanese bank.

The acquirer (the bank on the merchant’s side of a card payment) was Fransabank Lebanon, with Paymera as the other named partner. Nadim Moujaes, who heads a Fransabank Group subsidiary, describes the test as both the culmination of “longstanding efforts to link Syria back to international payment networks” and “the first step in a larger path”.

Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa makes the first electronic payment in Syria using a @Visa card at a store in Damascus, following the lifting of US sanctions on Syria. pic.twitter.com/lpAN7nQ6Fc

— Tech Magazine (@TechMGZN) August 27, 2026

“We are excited to have successfully tested live transactions today as we plan to enable international visitors to use their Visa cards while in Syria,” says Leila Serhan, Visa’s senior vice president and group country manager for the North Africa, Levant and Pakistan region. Although a significant first step, that plan doesn’t come with a hard date for when a visitor’s card will work normally.

Mohammed Safwat Raslan, governor of the Central Bank of Syria, says the test paves the way for international card acceptance in Syria and that maintaining strong compliance, risk management and operational controls will remain essential. Serhan likewise stresses that Visa has worked within applicable legal, regulatory and compliance requirements. For a test transaction, it seems there was a great deal of attention paid to the rules, with the entire operation being carefully managed.

Also Read: Lebanon’s 5G Era Begins With 150 Stations And A $1M Budget

The test is the latest step in a sequence that began in December 2025, when Visa announced a strategic roadmap to support Syria’s integration into the global digital economy. In February 2026 it hosted its first industry gathering of banks, ecosystem partners and policymakers in Damascus and, the same month, signed an agreement with Syria’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology in San Francisco.

Michel Kattouah, Paymera’s CEO, called the test “the return of international card acceptance,” but while that’s positive news, there’s no word yet on when a Syrian bank will issue a Visa card to a Syrian customer.