With hardware innovations becoming harder to distinguish, Samsung is betting big on artificial intelligence with the launch of its new high-end smartphone, the Galaxy S25.
There’s just one problem: Apple, Google and a litany of Chinese rivals are doing the same. So, why should you upgrade to Samsung’s pricey new phone — especially if you own the S24 (or the S23 for that matter)? After all, wasn’t Galaxy AI the big sell last year?
Sticking to the same line-up, there are three phones to choose from: the standard S25, the larger S25 Plus, and the souped-up S25 Ultra. But, this time round, AI is even more central to the experience.
All three S25 phones will arrive on February 7, but you can pre-order now to score double the storage at no extra cost. Samsung is also throwing in a pair of Galaxy Buds3 wireless earbuds, worth £159.
Here’s everything you need to know about the new devices, which were unveiled at the Samsung Unpacked event in California on Thursday.
How does Samsung’s new AI assistant work?
With a press of the S25’s side button, you can summon Google Gemini for a range of tasks (like you would Siri on the iPhone), including those that require it to talk to other apps, from Google Maps to Spotify.
For instance, you could ask it to find your favourite sports team’s fixtures for the season and add them to the calendar, so you never miss a match. Or, it could help locate a gluten-free restaurant and email directions to your dinner date.
More simply, it can dig out a photo buried deep in your gallery or even tweak specific settings.
What AI models does the S25 have?
For the unfamiliar, Gemini is Google's advanced multimodal AI chatbot. It’s essentially a large language model in the vein of ChatGPT, that you can interact with using text, your voice, images or video.
Gemini is already baked into the latest phones from Google and Xiaomi — now Samsung loyalists finally get their turn.
Samsung has hailed it as “a true AI companion” — and it’s being billed as a multi-tasking, productivity-boosting, time-saving miracle worker.
To provide even more support, Samsung’s AI-imbued Bixby assistant is on hand, too. The Korean firm hopes you’ll start talking to the twin helpers like you would a friend.
One UI 7 is here
The AI upgrades are made possible through a new update to Samsung’s Android-powered operating system, known as One UI 7. Among its bevvy of new features is “Now Bar” — a pill-shaped widget on the lock screen that displays live notifications. It also provides quick access to app activities using AI, similar to Apple’s Dynamic Island.
That’s on top of existing Galaxy AI features like Circle to Search, re-writing tools, Live Translation for phone calls, Generative Edit for intuitive photo editing, and Summarisation for automatic voice recording.
5 million people are now using Galaxy AI in the UK alone, Annika Bizon, Director of Mobile Experience, Samsung UK and Ireland, said.
“It’s a personal assistant in your pocket, it's about making your life simpler in anything you do,” she told the Standard in an interview.
For those concerned about privacy, all the AI magic happens on-device, so no one can peep your data. There’s also an extra layer of security via Samsung Knox, which keeps your info safe in an encrypted folder and strictly limits which processes can access it.
Samsung Galaxy S25 price
Prices for the new trio remain unchanged from last year: the Galaxy S25 starts at £799, the S25 Plus at £999, and the S25 Ultra at £1,249.
Compared to Apple, Samsung offers a much broader selection of phones, from the budget-friendly A-Series to the high-end Galaxy S range to the luxury foldables in the Galaxy Z lineup.
Samsung Galaxy S25 vs S25 Plus vs S25 Ultra
The new S25 lineup delivers more of the top-notch hardware we’ve come to expect from this reliable range of high-end 5G smartphones. All three models boast OLED screens with a super smooth 120Hz adaptive refresh rate, the latest WiFI 7 connectivity, 12 MP selfie cameras, and support for fast and wireless charging.
They also share the same Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, which is significantly faster across the board when handling AI, multiple apps, and gaming, according to Samsung. Speaking of which, the new chip offers improved ray tracing for even more realistic lighting and shadows in mobile games.
Plus, they’re built to take a beating. The trio is IP68-certified for resistance against dust and water (up to 1.5 meters for 30 minutes), while the Ultra also boasts a titanium frame and tougher, scratch-resistant screen for added durability.
Those are not the only premium perks on the priciest model. At 6.9 inches, the Ultra is the biggest of the bunch. On the rear of the device are four powerful cameras (versus three on its siblings), including an exclusive 50-megapixel ultrawide lens that allows you to take even better wide-angle photos.
To help give you your money’s worth, all three phones come with seven years of software and security updates.
Here’s a breakdown of their core features:
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus
Samsung Galaxy S25
Samsung Galaxy S25 colours
The Galaxy S25 Ultra is available in four shades: Titanium Silverblue, Titanium Black, Titanium Whitesilver, and Titanium Grey.
Meanwhile, the Galaxy S25 and S25+ come in Silver Shadow, Navy, Icy Blue, and Mint.
