Samsung’s huge Galaxy S25 launch is true across the nook. The first Galaxy Unpacked occasion of 2025 is confirmed for January 22 at 1PM ET in San Jose, CA, the place Samsung’s “Next Big Thing” (to borrow a 14-year-old advertising slogan) might be revealed. What precisely might be on faucet? Properly, other than a number of positive bets and a few doubtless leaks, solely these sworn to a blood oath beneath an NDA know for sure. However listed here are the most probably merchandise and options we’ll see.
Galaxy S25, S25+ and S25 Extremely
Very like Apple reveals its newest iPhones at its first fall occasion, Samsung sometimes launches its mainline Galaxy S flagships at its first Unpacked shindig of the yr. You’ll be able to wager the farm that there will be Galaxy S25 telephones at this occasion. And given Samsung’s latest development of launching three tiers of flagships — normal, Plus and Extremely — you possibly can wager we’ll see that once more. (Samsung may technically change the model names, however the three-layered lineup is virtually assured.) There’s even an FCC certification (first noticed by 91Mobiles) to dispel any doubts.
The diploma of certainty falls sharply as soon as we dig into the telephones’ options. A delicate redesign with rounded corners, flatter edges and thinner bezels seems doubtless primarily based on a leaked video posted to Reddit and photos from respected tipster Ice Universe. However this isn’t anticipated to be the era the place Samsung’s hiring of a former Mercedes-Benz designer will result in drastic aesthetic modifications.
No less than within the US, the cellphone is virtually assured to make use of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, which the chip-maker revealed in October. (Qualcomm even listed Samsung among the many corporations launching gadgets with that processor “in the coming weeks.”) Like nearly each flagship processor lately, the Snapdragon 8 Elite is constructed for on-device generative AI, which aligns with Samsung’s Galaxy AI blitz in latest fashions.
We don’t know whether or not the corporate will cut up its S25 processors between Snapdragon (US and different markets) and Exynos (in every single place else), however Ice Universe has claimed it is going to be all Snapdragon this era. That might be a superb factor, given what’s usually a obvious efficiency and battery life disparity favoring Qualcomm.
The cellphone will run Samsung’s One UI 7 on prime of Android 15. We all know this as a result of Samsung mentioned in October that its person expertise (primarily based on Android 15) will launch on the following Galaxy S flagships. It’s already obtainable in beta for Galaxy S24 telephones.
Samsung is rumored to stay with last-generation OLED shows (made with M13 natural supplies) as an alternative of the brighter and extra environment friendly M14 OLED panels used within the iPhone 16 Professional and Google Pixel 9. Logic suggests Samsung would need its finest selfmade display in its finest telephones — particularly when its opponents are already utilizing it. However it may persist with the cheaper panels to maintain the invoice of supplies down. Maybe it calculated that higher shows don’t make for higher generative AI (the obsession of practically each tech firm proper now), whereas the most recent Qualcomm chip does.
Talking of AI, count on Samsung to dedicate a maybe agonizingly lengthy portion of the occasion to generative AI options. The hit-or-miss DigiTimes reported final month that the Galaxy S25 sequence will embrace “an AI Agent that provides personalized clothing suggestions and transport information.” What that might appear like in follow is anybody’s guess, however I’m undecided I wish to know.
On the digicam entrance, Ice Universe claims (through Android Headlines) it’s “confirmed” that solely the ultra-wide sensor will see an improve within the Galaxy S25 Extremely — to 50MP from 12MP in final yr’s mannequin. The leaker says the S25 Extremely will persist with a 200MP most important sensor, 10MP 3x zoom and 50MP 5x zoom.
Samsung will add the Qi2 wi-fi charging normal to its new flagships — and that comes straight from the horse’s (aka, the Wi-fi Energy Consortium’s) mouth. Nevertheless, leaker chunvn8888 (aka “yawn”) says Samsung’s telephones gained’t have built-in magnets for Qi2’s native MagSafe in all the things however title charging. As an alternative, the leaker says Samsung will promote a first-party case with a Qi2 magnetic ring to allow that. (Gotta transfer these equipment, child!)
Rumors have buzzed about an alleged Galaxy S25 Slim with a — you guessed it — slimmer design becoming a member of the trio in some unspecified time in the future this yr. That’s one thing Apple is additionally rumored to be engaged on. Nevertheless, given the FCC certifications solely seem to cowl the acquainted trio of flagships, that cellphone (if it’s within the pipeline in any respect) might not arrive till later within the yr.
Galaxy Ring 2, Samsung XR and AR glasses
DigiTimes reported in December that Samsung would exhibit (or possibly simply tease) the Galaxy Ring 2 and augmented actuality (AR) glasses throughout its January Unpacked occasion.
The Taiwanese publication says the Galaxy Ring 2 will add two extra sizes to the 9 from the unique mannequin, which solely launched in July. The second-gen wearable well being tracker is alleged so as to add new AI options (shock!) and up to date sensors for extra correct measurements. The Galaxy Ring 2 can be rumored to last more than the present mannequin’s most of seven days.
DigiTimes additionally claims Samsung’s AR glasses — which the corporate has confirmed it’s engaged on — will appear like common prescription glasses and weigh round 50g. It says the futuristic glasses would use Google’s Gemini AI, which aligns with what we already learn about Samsung’s partnership with Google and Qualcomm on Android XR. However given the shortage of provide chain rumors surrounding the glasses, it’s doubtless that any point out on the occasion would quantity to little greater than a teaser, a la its grand reveal of… a stinkin’ render for the primary Galaxy Ring at Unpacked 2024.
We additionally know Samsung is co-developing an Android XR (prolonged actuality) headset — codenamed Venture Moohan — alongside Google and Qualcomm. The “lightweight” and “ergonomically designed” headset could have a “state-of-the-art display,” passthrough video and pure multi-modal enter. Google’s renderings present a wearable paying homage to Apple’s $3,500 Imaginative and prescient Professional.
Since Google solely not too long ago started providing a developer package and API for the platform, any glimpse of it at Unpacked wouldn’t doubtless embrace an imminent launch or deep dive into its {hardware}.
Engadget could have full protection of Samsung’s first Unpacked occasion of 2025. Extra to return on January 22!
