Samsung Galaxy S25 Unpacked: Everything Announced
Samsung's first Unpacked event of 2025 delivered the Galaxy S25 series, as expected. Here's a breakdown of the key announcements:
Galaxy S25 Ultra
- The biggest and most expensive of the bunch with a 6.9-inch display and a more rounded edge for a "comfortable grip."
- It's the "slimmest, lightest, and most durable Galaxy Ultra device ever," featuring a titanium body with Corning's Gorilla Armor 2 for advanced drop protection and scratch resistance
- Upgraded ultrawide lens: 50MP, up from 12MP in the previous model.
- Powered by a customized Snapdragon 8 Elite processor for on-device AI processing.
- S Pen included, but Air Commands have been removed due to low usage.
- Starts at $1,300 with 12GB of RAM and 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB storage options.
Galaxy S25 and S25+
- Upgraded RAM to 12GB (from 8GB in the S24).
- Snapdragon 8 Elite processor for better handling of AI features.
- Same 6.2-inch and 6.7-inch displays as the S24 and S24+, but with Samsung's new ProScaler AI tool for real-time image upscaling (up to 40% quality improvement).
- Unchanged storage options: 128GB or 256GB in the Galaxy S25 and 256GB or 512GB in the Galaxy S25+.
- Same pricing as the S24 series: $800 or more for the S25 and $1,000 and up for the S25+.
Galaxy AI
- A major focus of the S25 series, with Samsung's One UI 7 on top of Android 15 creating a "new AI-integrated OS" for a more personalized and context-sensitive experience.
- AI plays a central role in the camera features, improving low-light performance and offering tools like Audio Eraser to remove unwanted noise from videos.
- Personal Data Engine: a collection of on-device AI tools that includes AI Select (context-aware tasks like creating a GIF from a YouTube video) and the Now Bar (generates reminders and summaries based on context).
- Upgraded Drawing Assist (formerly Sketch to Image) with more polish, accuracy, and the ability to import existing images for prompts.
- Improved version of Google's Circle to Search (activated by long-pressing the home button) that can now recognize phone numbers, emails, and URLs for quick actions.
Galaxy S25 Edge
- Teased but not fully revealed.
- Expected to be slimmer than the S25 Ultra and use many of the same components at a lower cost.
Samsung Wallet Updates
- Two new payment features:
- Instant Installment: a "buy now, pay later" service for offline purchases using Visa and Mastercard.
- Tap to Transfer: a peer-to-peer payment service similar to Apple's Tap to Cash, working with Visa, Mastercard, and third-party apps.
Galaxy Watch for Kids
- A new setup option for the Galaxy Watch 7 (and likely future wearables) that allows parents to manage a child's watch without a paired phone.
- Offers features like app controls, do not disturb during school hours, location sharing (optional), and kid-focused apps and watch faces.
Overall, the Galaxy S25 series focuses on improved AI features, some hardware upgrades (especially the S25 Ultra), and a continued push towards a more integrated and intelligent user experience. While the S25 and S25+ offer modest hardware upgrades, the S25 Ultra boasts a more powerful processor, a better ultrawide camera, and a slimmer, more durable design. Samsung is also making a big bet on AI with its new One UI 7 and Galaxy AI features, which aim to personalize and streamline the user experience.
