Samsung’s New Lineup for 2025
At the first Unpacked event of 2025, Samsung unveiled its latest flagship smartphones: the Galaxy S25, S25+, and S25 Ultra. These devices bear a striking resemblance to their predecessors in terms of design, with the main improvements centred around software and AI integration.
Design and Build
The Galaxy S25 and S25+ remain almost identical to their predecessors in appearance. However, the S25 Ultra features slightly rounded corners for a more comfortable grip. The phones still use matte glass on the back and metal frames. The Ultra model features a titanium alloy frame, while the base models use aluminium.
AI-Powered Innovations
Samsung has integrated Google’s AI assistant, Gemini, with its own Galaxy AI, enabling advanced cross-app functionality. For instance, users can request recommendations for the best nearby restaurants, send a message to a contact, and schedule the outing in the calendar—all in one command. Samsung envisions a future where users rely on AI to process requests, rather than navigating individual apps.
Currently, this advanced AI works seamlessly with Google and Samsung apps, as well as a few third-party applications like Spotify and Uber. Samsung encourages other developers to adapt their apps to the system.
New AI Features
- Audio Eraser for Videos: Removes background noise from video recordings.
- Now Brief & Now Bar: These tools summarise information from multiple sources. The Now Bar appears as a small strip on the lock screen, while Now Brief is available as a widget or app.
- YouTube Integration: Users can get summaries and additional insights from videos.
Users can control AI settings, turning features on or off and disabling cloud access entirely to ensure privacy.
Despite the improvements, Samsung has retained the old Bixby assistant, which works alongside Gemini AI in certain areas like photo analysis. However, this dual-assistant approach raises questions about efficiency.
Software Support
Samsung guarantees seven years of Android and security updates for its new devices, ensuring software support until 2032, potentially up to Android 22.
Hardware Updates
The hardware improvements are minimal:
- Battery: Capacities remain the same—4,000mAh for the S25, 4,900mAh for the S25+, and 5,000mAh for the S25 Ultra.
- Display: Screen sizes and resolutions are similar to the previous generation, with only minor changes, like the Ultra’s slightly larger 6.9-inch screen.
- Build Quality: The S25 Ultra uses Gorilla Glass Armor 2, offering better durability and reduced reflections compared to other smartphones.
Camera Enhancements
- Galaxy S25 Ultra: Features a 200MP main camera, a 50MP ultra-wide lens (upgraded from 12MP), and two telephoto lenses with 3x (10MP) and 5x (50MP) zoom. A new macro mode with a 2cm focus distance is also available.
- Galaxy S25 and S25+: Retain the same camera specs as their predecessors, including a 50MP main camera and 10MP telephoto lens.
Performance Boost
The Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset delivers significant improvements in processing, graphics, and AI performance. To handle heat efficiently, Samsung has expanded the vapor chamber in its devices by 40% for the Ultra and 15% for the S25 and S25+ models. All three phones now come with 12GB of RAM, with the base S25 receiving an upgrade from the 8GB offered in the previous generation.
S Pen Changes
The S25 Ultra’s S Pen loses its Bluetooth LE module, making it a passive stylus. Samsung justified the change, citing low usage of Bluetooth features like remote camera controls.
Pricing
The pricing remains consistent with the previous generation:
- Galaxy S25: Starting at $899 for 128GB, $959 for 256GB, and $1,079 for 512GB.
- Galaxy S25+: Starting at $1,149 for 256GB and $1,269 for 512GB.
- Galaxy S25 Ultra: Starting at $1,449 for 256GB, $1,569 for 512GB, and $1,809 for the 1TB model available exclusively online.
Galaxy S25 Edge
Samsung announced a new addition to the lineup: the Galaxy S25 Edge. This slimmer model, expected in the first half of the year, was showcased behind glass at the event, with no further details on pricing or specifications revealed.