Samsung's annual Galaxy Unpacked event is about to be underway.
We'll likely get a lot of what you might expect — more AI and the new Galaxy S25 lineup of phones to name a couple — but there might also be some big splashes.
Rumors suggest a pair of AR glasses is on the way and maybe a first look at Samsung's Project Moohan XR headset which could challenge Apple's Vision Pro and Meta's Quest 3.
No matter what happens, we'll be here to keep tabs on all the news as it rolls in so you don't miss a single thing. Buckle up, because this might be a more impactful Unpacked than usual.
-
8:09 p.m. Eastern: Catch up with the most interesting parts of today's Samsung Unpacked event:
- With the S25, Samsung might have cracked the code to be your "true AI companion"
- Is Samsung's Edge the dawn of the slim phone era
- Every new Galaxy AI feature Samsung just announced for the S25
- Samsung Galaxy Edge first look: How thin is Samsung's ultra-slim phone?
- I'd throw money at Samsung's Galaxy S25 if it solved this one problem with mobile gaming
- Samsung Galaxy S25 preorder deals: Early discounts, trade-in offers, freebies
- Here's a brief look at Samsung's new XR headset
- Samsung's Galaxy S25 phones offer a big performance boost and even more AI
Well, well, well, here we are again
It’s that time of year for Samsung and new Galaxy phones are on the way. This year’s Galaxy Unpacked will most likely give us some of the obvious — the Galaxy S25 lineup of phones for example — but may also usher in a new era for more than one category.
Among the truly new devices could be Samsung’s “Project Moohan” which would be a first-ever XR headset from the company. It’s hard to say exactly what such a device would have in store, but early rumors suggest it could be priced in between the Vision Pro and Meta’s Quest 3.
A Galaxy Ring 2?
It’s not just XR either. Samsung is also rumored to release a second version of its smart ring, the Galaxy Ring 2. Samsung might not be the first major player in this space — Oura takes that title — but given its corresponding platform and the popularity of Galaxy phones, it has a real opportunity to move the burgeoning category forward.
One thing I’d like to see from a new Galaxy Ring 2 is an even smaller, slimmer product and also the addition of more features. Oura, for example, can assess users’ sleep style, which is huge for people who lean into sleep tracking.
A big test for AI phones
This will be an interesting moment for Samsung’s Galaxy AI, a suite of AI-centric features that are meant to change the smartphone experience. With one year in the books, people have been fairly tepid on generative AI on their phones but features like Circle to Search, which are more practical than flashy, have translated well.
This will be Samsung’s biggest test yet when it comes to Galaxy AI and a big test for AI phones in general. According to leaks, Samsung may lean further into AI summaries, but I’m curious what new uses Galaxy AI may have in store, if any. Generative AI may be the future of phones, but it’ll take some creativity on the part of companies like Samsung and Apple to figure out just how to use it.
Samsung’s take on XR
This could be Samsung’s big foray into XR and should be an interesting take on how one of the biggest tech companies out there sees emergent products like glasses and headsets. While Meta has targeted entry-level consumers with its Meta Quest 3S, Apple has taken the stereotypically premium approach with the Vision Pro.
That leaves the middle of the field open for Samsung and the potential for a unique offering. One thing Samsung doesn’t have, however, is the same ecosystem as Meta or Apple. Meta, having been in the game for a while now, has a strong network of developers that provide the backbone for new games and apps. Apple, similarly, has its own native apps and a beloved ecosystem of its own.
Another year, another Galaxy phone
Like in years past, the Galaxy S25 has been the subject of quite a few leaks.
We can expect the S25 in three tiers: a base model, Plus, and Ultra, which is nothing new. Hardware-wise there’s also evidence of some small design tweaks that include more rounded corners and thinner bezels. Unless AI has a big impact, it’s looking like the S25 might be another incremental upgrade, but that’s par for the course in the world of year-over-year phone drops.
The leaks just keep leaking
@ Samsung@ THIS IS GALAXY S25 lineup!!The colours look great 💫 pic.twitter.com/DBBLGuYzhGJanuary 22, 2025
Just a few hours before Samsung's Unpacked event we're still seeing some product leaks. Here's an alleged look at the IRL phones — not renders.
Samsung Galaxy S25 pricing
One major question this year will be whether Samsung ups the price on its line of flagship phones. If you're in the market for a new Galaxy device, there's some good initial news.
Leaks suggest that the whole lineup will remain the same price as last year's phones. Now, whether that portends a minor upgrade is up for debate, but you can't argue with static pricing.
How much AI is too much AI?
Samsung will be tasked with turning the dial on Galaxy AI to make its case for the future, but so far people have been less than enthused with LLMs on their phones.
This is a big opportunity to showcase Galaxy AI and integrate LLMs even further into the smartphone experience. Maybe you're not pumped to have generative AI around every corner, but it looks like it's coming either way.
Will the U.S. see a slimmer Galaxy phone?
If you're in America and are pumped about the prospect of a special edition Samsung phone with a thinner chassis, you may want to brace for disappointment.
According to a recent rumor, the Galaxy S25 "Slim," which may end up being called the Galaxy S25 "Special Edition" or "SE" might skip America altogether after reportedly being delayed til May.
It'll be up to Apple then to eat Samsung's lunch with its rumored iPhone Air 17 in September.
How to watch
By the way, if you want to watch Samsung's Unpacked event at 1 pm Eastern time you can check it out live on their site.
Just make sure you follow along here as well for all that precious context and analysis.
A pre-S25 deal that's hard to beat
Ahead of the S25 launch we're already seeing some major deals on the S24.
"If you take the maximum trade-in value of $750 and choose one of the three Samsung exclusive colors (Titanium Blue, Titanium Green, Titanium Orange) for an additional $200 discount, you can now pick up an unlocked Galaxy S24 Ultra for just $350 at Samsung."
That's a steal for a phone that's only one year old.
Laptop Mag is on the scene
We'll be covering Unpacked in person this year so stay tuned for both live and hands-on coverage of all the latest greatest devices that Samsung has ready.
T-minus
Only 10 minutes until Samsung's Unpacked event kicks off and we're inside the building.
Let the AI fest begin
Samsung's Unpacked event is underway and President and Head of Mobile Experience (MX) Business at Samsung Electronics, TM Roh, kicked things off diving into new AI features.
Fit check
Part of Samsung's vision for generative AI is a personalized agent that can give you style tips by looking at what you're wearing and offering suggestions.
If you get dunked on by your friends for having a bad fit you'll have someone (or something) to blame, at least.
AI that's all about you
Clearly Samsung is turning the lens inward to consumers with AI.
Lots of the new Galaxy AI features are about providing a more personalized experience that centers on an AI agents. Using your own personal data Samsung positions Galaxy AI as way to provide a more "fluid" experience.
At the core of that is on-device AI which is more secure than the cloud-based alternative.
Search your photos with AI
Samsung also teased a super-powered native search experience that can trawl your photos and find the picture you're looking for.
This isn't a new concept — Apple Intelligence has something similar — but it's a step in the right direction for using LLMs to make your phone experience less painful.
More on Samsung's personalized AI
Ian Horrocks, Professor of computer science at the University of Oxford, explained in a prerecorded video how Samsung's personal data engine works:
"We've been developing the technology behind the [Samsung] personal data engine, known as knowledge graph technology. Knowledge graphs provide a natural and powerful way to combine complex data and background information similar to the way human memory and reasoning works. I like to call this knowledge-based AI."
"Using knowledge graphs allows computers to better understand information, to draw more accurate conclusions and deliver more accurate insights. This can have a huge positive impact on the usefulness for smaller and other devices. Until recently, smartphone services and applications have operated independently of one another. limiting their ability to provide insightful responses."
— Nick Lucchesi
Gemini for all
All new S25 phones will come with six months of Gemini Advanced for free and also 2TB of cloud storage.
Going big on mobile gaming
Samsung dedicated quite a bit of time to gaming on the S25, trumpeting the phones' high-refresh screen, better cooling, and performance.
A slight glow-up
As expected, the S25 phones have minor but nice, hardware improvements. Among them are slimmer bezels and the use of titanium which is lighter and very durable.
Lights, camera, S25
Rachel Roberts comes on stage at the SAP Center to tell the story of the cameras on the Galaxy S25, leading with the Next-Gen Provisual Engine.
Galaxy S25 camera features focus on AI enhancements and Virtual Aperture, giving you more control over your smartphone photography. New features can analyze each frame of motion in photos to identify and recommend everyone's best photo.
— Sean Riley
Hubert Lee, who leads MX Design at Samsung says the shades of blue for the Galaxy S25 phone is inspired by AI.
“Galaxy has 25 ultra has rounded corners, which create a holistic similarity between profile and form of the S25 and the S plus. Galaxy S25 Ultra's design is more compact, slimmer, and lighter, but its display is actually bigger.“
The galaxy S25 series comes in luminous shades of blue, inspired by the brilliance of AI.
— Nick Lucchesi
Jonathan Clay, a documentary filmmaker, highlights using the Galaxy S25 Ultra for his nature filmmaking.
"The beauty of filmmaking with the S25 is that they are all there (multiple lenses) with just the tap of a button."
A video showing Audio Eraser helping to eliminate distracting background noise from Clay's video draws one of the biggest applause breaks of the day.
— Sean Riley
AI meets health
Samsung is making its health experience more personalized, too.
One of the new health features will be the antioxidant index which is designed to help monitor you new nutrition while a new mindfulness feature in Samsung Health will look to offer guidance on your mental health.
To my knowledge, an "antioxidant index" is a new metric for any health-tracking tech company.
Can Samsung beat Google and Apple in the personal health game?
Can Samsung Health topple Google and its Fitbit or Apple and the Apple Watch? It's certainly making a strong case with its software and ecosystem, being — ahem — unpacked by Praveen Raja, Ph.D., VP, Head of Digital Health for Samsung.
"Our goal is to shape a new era of personalized tech... " Raja says.
"In 2025, we're excited to launch new features that make it easy to improve your health, from nutrition, and heart health to mental well-being," he added.
— Nick Lucchesi
Samsung Galaxy S25 specs
If you're thinking about buying the S25, here's everything you need to know.
For a full rundown of the phones and what they're bringing to the table, check our coverage here.
One more thing...
Undoubtedly the buzziest announcement is the one we know very little about.
At the end of its Unpacked event Samsung alluded to the "Edge" which is an extra slim Galaxy phone. And that's about all we know.
No release date or specs. A tantalizing bit! But I guess we'll have to hunker down and wait for more info.
How slim is the Edge?
We can't say for sure but Laptop Mag's Sean Riley got a brief look at the device after Samsung's Unpacked event.
Will the S25 be a gaming beast?
It's hard to say, but we're hoping that the Galaxy S25 becomes the ideal way to play Xbox Game Pass.
In order for that to happen, some pieces of the puzzle will have to full into place, in particular ARM adoption. For our full thoughts, read:
"I'd throw money at Samsung's Galaxy S25 if it solved this one problem with mobile gaming"
Where was all the XR?
This might not have been the XR coming out party we wanted for Samsung but it did show off its Project Moohan headset a little after Unpacked.
Here are some prototype pictures to ogle until we get more information.
