The Samsung Galaxy S25 is likely to land in early 2025, with leaks pointing to a January launch. And when it does land, it could stand out as one of the best Android phones you can buy.
But to achieve that, Samsung will have to upgrade it in meaningful ways from the Samsung Galaxy S24.
With that in mind, below we’ve detailed the five biggest things we want to see from the Samsung Galaxy S25, to make it as good as possible. These are all things that wouldn’t be unrealistic for Samsung to do, but we’re not necessarily expecting them all, as while leaks point to some of these, others are just things we wish for.
Note also that this wish list is specifically for the Samsung Galaxy S25 itself – not the Galaxy S25 Plus or the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra.
1. Slicker software
Our biggest complaint in our Samsung Galaxy S24 review was about the software, which we described as “harder to use than ever before, with hidden menus and features.” So for the Samsung Galaxy S25, we want to see the software massively improved.
Samsung’s Galaxy phones have become ever more packed full of features and modes, especially now that AI tools are being added, so some level of complexity is probably almost unavoidable. But we want to see Samsung make a real effort to simplify and streamline the interface where possible.
We want to see fewer pre-installed apps, more intuitive menu layouts, and an interface that’s altogether more approachable for newcomers.
2. A Snapdragon chipset everywhere
Samsung has a weird approach to chipsets, with its Galaxy S-series phones often using different chipsets in different regions.
This is a problem for multiple reasons. First, it means any review you read of a Galaxy S phone might not fully reflect the phone you can buy. But more significantly, it means inevitably that some versions of these phones are better than others – despite them carrying a similarly high price everywhere.
So using the same chipset in every region with the Samsung Galaxy S25 would simplify things and ensure everyone is getting equal hardware.
Ideally though, we want that chipset to be the Snapdragon 8 Elite, as Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chipsets tend to be the best non-Apple chipsets used by smartphones, and going by benchmarks, the Snapdragon 8 Elite might even have the iPhone 16 Pro Max’s chipset beat in some ways.
The good news is that while some early leaks suggested some Samsung Galaxy S25 units would get an Exynos or MediaTek chipset, more recent leaks seem in agreement that the Snapdragon 8 Elite will be used globally.
3. Faster charging
While the Samsung Galaxy S24 has generally solid specs, its charging speeds don’t impress, as it tops out at 25W wired charging and 15W wireless.
For comparison, the OnePlus 13 for example supports 100W wired charging and 50W wireless, while the Xiaomi 14T Pro offers 120W wired charging and 50W wireless.
Now, key rivals like the iPhone 16 and the Google Pixel 9 aren’t quite so fast, which is probably why Samsung feels able to stick with such low speeds. But faster charging would certainly be useful, and would help the Samsung Galaxy S25 stand out from the latest Apple and Google phones.
4. Improved cameras
The Galaxy S24 actually has quite good cameras, but Samsung hasn’t substantially upgraded them for several generations, so we’d love to see meaningful improvements for the Samsung Galaxy S25.
That could mean new, larger sensors, more megapixels, longer range optical zoom, an additional lens, or any number of other things.
Unfortunately, leaks suggest the Samsung Galaxy S25 will have exactly the same cameras as the Galaxy S24, so don’t count on this happening.
5. The same price as the Galaxy S24
While the Samsung Galaxy S24 isn’t as pricey as some phones, it’s still one of the more expensive handsets you’ll find. And while it’s probably not realistic to hope that the Samsung Galaxy S25 is cheaper, we do hope it at least doesn’t cost any more than the Galaxy S24. That phone, for reference, starts at $799 / £799 / AU$1,399.
So what are the chances the Samsung Galaxy S25 could have the same starting price? Well, so far leaks suggest the main upgrades could just be the chipset and perhaps the amount of RAM. That doesn’t sound substantial, so it’s possible Samsung will be able to deliver this phone at the same price as its predecessor.
On the other hand, the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset that we’re hearing will be used is expected to cost quite a lot more than the chipset used by the Samsung Galaxy S24, so that could well push the price of the phone up. For now, we’re not sure what will happen.