Samsung Galaxy S25: Latest rumors & everything we know

With recent reports highlighting that smartphone usage has almost totally eclipsed the camera market in the past decade, it’s arguably the best time to invest in the latest generation of phones. With the Samsung Galaxy S25, we’re set to see the latest generation of ultra-compact camera technology appear. But what will that entail?

It’s unlikely that it will hit shelves before the year is out, but we may get our first official look before then. Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked event in July showed off a number of other Galaxy devices, from the new Flip models and Galaxy Watches - but no sign of the flagship phone. Samsung phones tend to launch in January - give or take a week or two - so that would be a reasonable production pipeline. Given that the latest rumors regarding the iPhone 16 posit that it will launch before the end of the year, Samsung won’t want to lag too far behind.

We predict a December teaser for the Samsung Galaxy S25, followed by a formal release date in mid-January 2025. As with the recent trend of Samsung devices, you can expect a fairly steep price hike.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Camera Leaks

The initial leaks regarding the Galaxy S25 camera almost beggar belief. A leaker by the name of @BennetBuhner on Twitter has broken cover numerous times regarding the camera specs of this new smartphone, claiming in June that the Galaxy S25 Ultra would have a 200MP equivalent main camera and a trio of 50MP secondary lenses for ultra-wide-angle and telephoto purposes. This is all thanks to Samsung’s new 1” sensor, which has been touted as an ultra-powerful all-rounder.

Given that this would blow most full-frame cameras out of the water, we’re somewhat doubtful. Though claims about smartphone megapixel equivalents are always somewhat apocryphal, this more than ever feels like a marketing tactic. Given that the optics themselves would be too small for sampling that much detail, it is highly unlikely that the S25 range will truly live up to the promise.

Though the 50MP sensors on ultra-wide and telephoto modes sound more believable, the digital zoom that those lenses will implement likely means more zoomed photos will be subject to downgrades in resolution. Either way, we’re not hugely confident in the claims that this leak - and Samsung themselves - are making about this sensor.

One of the interesting elements that the leak highlights is an improved depth sensor to replace the previous infrared model used on older Galaxy smartphones. This would make for potential improvements in autofocus capabilities, and digital blurring to mimic wide-aperture shots. Likewise, how this actually plays in practice won’t be clear until the Galaxy S25 release date.

Other elements regarding this new sensor, such as video performance and file formats, are still as yet unknown. It’s expected that the S25 Ultra could have some RAW photo processing capabilities and a form of 8K video recording, but nothing has been confirmed. And likely won’t for a while yet.

Samsung Galaxy S25 - Other Features

For those looking for a smartphone more than a camera, there are plenty of other factors to consider. The Galaxy S25 range is set to have the most significant updates to the fundamentals of the Samsung Galaxy design. Here’s what the current leaks and rumors stipulate.

The majority of the speculation regarding the S25 comes courtesy of @BennetBuhner, who posted the following details in June:

1. Display:

• Size: ~6.9"
• Resolution: 1440p
• Brightness: ~3,000 nits peak (rumored)
• Type: AMOLED 2X; M10 panel (rumored)

2. Processor Specifications:

• SoC: Snapdragon 8 Gen4 for Galaxy
• RAM: 12 - 16 GB of LPDDR5X RAM
• Storage: 256 GB/512 GB/1 TB (so far)

3. Cameras:

• Main: 200 MP enhanced sensor (slightly larger; better)
• Ultrawide: New 50 MP camera
• Telephoto #1: New 3x 50 MP camera (allegedly)
• Telephoto #2: Improved 5x 50 MP camera (allegedly)
• Note: Ice Universe said to expect more!

4. Battery & Charging:

• Battery: ~5,000 to 5,500 mAh Lithium Ion
• Wired charging: 65 watt charging (in testing)
• Wireless charging: Qi2 (MagSafe compatible) 25 watt charging (rumored; likely)
• Reverse Wireless Charging: Might be bumped up to ~7.5-10 watts

4. Design:

• Exterior design: Brand new design; new camera layout, colors, frame design, etc.
• Frame: Potentially higher grade of titanium (not sure)
• Camera lenses: Currently feature a "squircle" shape (allegedly) in more recent prototypes

5. Software:

• One UI: The latest & greatest from One UI 7.1
• Android: Comes with Android 15, with deeper AI integration
• Galaxy AI: Better features & integration with Gemini Nano, Samsung Gauss, etc.
• Update Life: ~7 years of OS (feature & security) upgrades & updates

With all this and more to come, are you excited to see what Galay S25 Ultra will have to offer?

Source: @BennetBuhner on Twitter

There have been conflicting reports on a number of these factories, however, so we’ve broken down what has been said here along with our own takeaways…

Design

A recent leak has claimed that the Samsung Galaxy S25 will be as little as 77.6mm thick - down from the 79mm of prior generations. The screen would also be marginally wider than the S24, with the S25 Ultra set to have a 6.9” screen as opposed to the S24 Ultra’s 6.8”. Though mild changes initially, they highlight the quality-of-life improvements that Samsung prioritizes with each new iteration of smartphone.

A major sticking point for most hesitant to buy a Samsung Galaxy has been the sharp, almost blocky design: with 90-degree corners that make it uncomfortable to hold. According to tipsters, this is finally set to change, with the incumbent S24 Ultra being the first to feature rounded edges.

An exciting element that Buhner stipulates is the AMOLED screen, which makes for brighter colors and rich contrast. It’s something we’d certainly hope to see, for improved visuals at 1440p.

Processor

There has been much said about Samsung’s anticipated use of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 processor, which has the capacity for high-performance processing and even console emulation. However, it is a notably expensive chipset, and could lead to a further hike in prices for Samsung. Reports currently claim that different regions of the world will receive S25 models with different chips, varied by region and price to remain competitive.

Though this isn’t unheard of as a strategy, it could cause some serious regional disparities, especially if one chip is far more functional than the other. Samsung likely doesn’t want to become embroiled in geopolitics, so we’d assume it’s more likely that they will save the Qualcomm processor for the S25 Ultra and supplement the S25 with a different, more affordable unit.

Battery

Battery capacity is another field that seems disputed upon: some leaks say it retains the S24 battery, while others suggest a noticeable upgrade. We expect to see a mild improvement, but one measured in single-digit percentages overall. Buhner’s proposed specifications highlight a similar level of improvement: a decent 5,000-5,500mAh range.

Take these - scoops and predictions all - with a grain of salt, however. Nothing has been officially confirmed by Samsung, who are yet to announce anything further in the Galaxy S range. Given the number of products that have released or are tipped to release before the end of 2024, don’t expect to hear anything substantial from them officially.