Quick Summary
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra has been listed online, confirming the model number with IMEI.
A list of speculative specifications outline Samsung's next super phone.
In the world of cyclical smartphone launches, a year isn't a long time. The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra was announced on 17 January, but we're already talking about the next-gen device. We're not expecting that to launch until January 2025, but we've already seen the device being registered on IMEI, and a full set of specifications.
One side of this story - the IMEI side – you can take as a certainty (via Android Headlines). A device with the codename SM-S938U has been registered, declaring itself as the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra.
This was registered on 6 June 2024 and while this might seem like a run-of-the-mill listing, the more conspiratorial among you might think it's Samsung trying to own some of the headlines during Apple's WWDC – at which Apple Intelligence was announced.
The fact that the Galaxy S25 Ultra exists shouldn't be a surprise. So far, we've heard that there could be a camera upgrade, it could get an AI battery boost as part of a bigger move into AI. But now we have the suggestion of all the specs for the phone too, which is where you need to take a pinch of salt, because some of this may well be speculation.
The details come from @BennettBuhner on X, who says that we're looking at a 6.9-inch display, which most interestingly could be in line for a bump to 3,000 nits. The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra has a peak brightness of 2,500 nits, for context. Beyond that, the prediction of a Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 for Galaxy would seem logical.
On the camera front, we've already heard that Samsung is looking to bring better supporting sensors, to join the 200-megapixel main camera, and that could see it aligning on three 50-megapixel sensors – as well as a rumoured shift to squircle lens openings on the rear of the phone, as part of a redesign to give the phone a visual lift.
The battery is said to expand to 5,000mAh, but the exciting part is 65W wired charging – Samsung currently languishes at 45W, so a boost there would be great. It's also said to support Qi2 wireless charging at 25W.
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That all sounds like a comprehensive hardware package, but in the modern era, it's not only hardware that's important. With Apple joining the AI race, offering a smarter and more personalised smartphone experience will be key. It's already being suggested that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 will introduce new AI features, which will likely make up a part of the Galaxy S25 Ultra too.
The race for the best smartphone is about to get a lot more interesting. The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra was very well received, but there's no time for complacency - the S25 UItra has to take a big step forward to stay in contention.
Chris has been writing about consumer tech for over 15 years. Formerly the Editor-in-Chief of Pocket-lint, he's covered just about every product launched, witnessed the birth of Android, the evolution of 5G, and the drive towards electric cars. You name it and Chris has written about it, driven it or reviewed it. Now working as a freelance technology expert, Chris' experience sees him covering all aspects of smartphones, smart homes and anything else connected. Chris has been published in titles as diverse as Computer Active and Autocar, and regularly appears on BBC News, BBC Radio, Sky, Monocle and Times Radio. He was once even on The Apprentice... but we don't talk about that.
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