Galaxy Unpacked Puts Gemini at the Center
At Galaxy Unpacked in London, Google and Samsung jointly unveiled the next phase of their AI partnership, embedding Gemini Intelligence deeply across Samsung's new hardware lineup. The Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, Fold8, and Flip8 will ship with Gemini-powered features that move beyond simple voice commands into proactive task automation and multimodal research assistance.
The headline capability is an expansion of Gemini's task automation beta, introduced in February, from a handful of apps to more than 40 popular applications. Users can now delegate everyday tasks such as ordering rideshare services, booking dinner reservations, purchasing event tickets, and arranging travel experiences. On the Galaxy Z Flip8, this assistance is accessible directly from the Flex Window via a long press of the power button, allowing action without unfolding the device.
Gemini Notebook Lands on Foldables
A major software addition is Gemini Notebook, formerly NotebookLM, which comes preinstalled on Samsung's new foldables. The app functions as a research and synthesis partner, letting users drag and drop photos, documents, whiteboard images, and voice recordings into a side-by-side workspace on the Fold8's large display. Beyond querying sources, Gemini Notebook can generate custom outputs including slide decks, videos, flashcards, quizzes, and podcasts, tailored to individual learning preferences.
Google is bundling a six-month trial of Google AI Pro with every Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, Fold8, and Flip8, unlocking advanced features such as Audio Overviews, Video Overviews, and Slides generation. This positions the foldables as productivity devices aimed at users managing complex, multi-source projects.
AI Moves to Wrist and Face
The partnership extends beyond phones. On the Galaxy Watch 9, Gemini activates with a wrist raise, no wake word required, enabling on-the-go queries. More notably, Google revealed additional details about its upcoming intelligent eyewear, developed with Samsung and set to launch this fall. Two new frame designs join existing partnerships with Gentle Monster and Warby Parker. A key integration detail: users wearing compatible Wear OS watches will be able to control the glasses through hand gestures, suggesting a coordinated ecosystem of wearable AI interfaces.
Context and Competitive Positioning
These announcements arrive as the AI assistant race intensifies. Apple is expected to deepen Apple Intelligence integrations across its hardware this fall, and OpenAI continues to expand ChatGPT's capabilities. Google's strategy with Samsung appears to be about ecosystem breadth: by placing Gemini on foldables, watches, and glasses simultaneously, it creates a multi-surface AI experience that no single-device competitor can match.
The task automation expansion is particularly significant. If Gemini can reliably handle complex, multi-app workflows (booking a flight, reserving a car, and adding the itinerary to a calendar), it moves from an information retrieval tool to an action-oriented agent. The risk, as with all current AI agents, is reliability. Google emphasizes that users can track step-by-step progress, intervene on specific details, and receive notifications when tasks need final confirmation. This human-in-the-loop design acknowledges that full autonomy remains premature.
For Samsung, the deep Gemini integration helps differentiate its foldables in a market where hardware differentiation is narrowing. For Google, it provides a high-volume distribution channel for Gemini at a moment when consumer awareness of AI assistants is accelerating. Whether the utility matches the marketing will depend on how well the 40-app automation works in practice, but the ambition is clear: turn Samsung's ecosystem into the most AI-capable hardware platform available.