Samsung Galaxy S25 and S25 Plus: Familiar Features and Pricing

The Galaxy S25 and S25 Plus have been announced and they bring more of the same features that users have seen in previous models. The emphasis is on enhanced AI capabilities that promise smarter and quicker responses. However, it seems that not much has changed overall.

Samsung kept the design of these two models quite similar to their predecessors. The S25 has a 6.2-inch display, while the S25 Plus has a 6.7-inch display. Both screens can reach up to 2,600 nits of brightness and support a smooth 120Hz refresh rate.

When it comes to cameras, there are no new upgrades. Both models feature a 50-megapixel main camera, an ultrawide lens, a 3x telephoto lens, and a standard 12-megapixel selfie camera at the front.

If someone is thinking of upgrading from the S24 Plus to the S25 Plus, the main improvement is the new chipset, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy. The new phones are also “Qi2 Ready,” allowing them to charge at 15W on compatible Qi2 chargers when used with Samsung's official cases.

One positive note is that Samsung has not increased the prices of these new models. The S25 starts at $799.99, and the S25 Plus starts at $999.99, with preorders starting now and an expected launch date of February 7th. Samsung also continues to promise seven years of Android updates and security support.

The new S25 and S25 Plus are slightly lighter and thinner than the previous models. This might disappoint fans expecting a more radical redesign or features like the rumored S25 Slim, which seems unlikely to launch in the U.S. market. Overall, it feels like this release focuses more on software enhancements than hardware upgrades.

The new Galaxy devices include a wealth of AI features. Samsung states that these features will remain free for users, although future changes are unclear. Some features are carryovers from last year, like Google's Circle to Search and generative photo editing tools that improve results quickly due to better AI processing on the Snapdragon 8 Elite.

One notable AI feature is the Audio Eraser, which allows users to remove or lessen background noises in videos, such as music or crowd sounds. While this tool is new to Samsung devices, it has been available on Google Pixel phones for a while.

Another AI addition is AI Select on the Edge Panel, which provides suggested actions like cropping screenshots or creating GIFs. The daily summary feature called Now Brief gives users a heads-up about their daily schedule and commute. Samsung’s Now Bar presents real-time updates, similar to Apple's Dynamic Island feature, but its classification as an AI tool is debatable.

The AI assistant now uses Google’s Gemini, which has replaced Bixby as the default. This assistant can respond to natural language commands, allowing users to make adjustments or find specific content more intuitively. Gemini's functionality encompasses multiple apps in one request, adding to the convenience.

While these AI integrations show progress, they are somewhat challenging to evaluate in a launch setting with limited functionality. The real test will come when users can employ these features over an extended period with their own apps and settings.

The main issue for potential upgrades is the lack of distinct new features. Many software advancements are also expected to be rolled out to existing users of previous models, making it less compelling to switch to the new S25 series. As pointed out by industry experts, Samsung needs to create a stronger appeal for its annual releases, something that the S25 and S25 Plus have yet to accomplish.

Samsung, Galaxy, AI