At Samsung's first Unpacked event of 2025, the tech giant unveiled the highly anticipated Galaxy S25 series, bringing new AI-driven features and upgrades to its flagship phones. While the hardware received only minor improvements, Samsung heavily focused on artificial intelligence to enhance user experience. These AI features are not only more context-sensitive and predictive but also designed to work seamlessly with the phones' upgraded hardware.

The standout model of the series is the Galaxy S25 Ultra, which remains the most advanced and expensive version, priced at $1,300. Sporting a 6.9-inch display and a sleek titanium body with Corning's Gorilla Armor 2, it promises better drop protection and scratch resistance. One of the key upgrades is the ultrawide camera lens, now boasting a 50MP sensor, significantly improving the quality of images taken with this device. Powered by a customized version of the Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, the Ultra model is designed to handle the phone’s advanced AI tasks on-device, improving both speed and privacy.

Alongside the Ultra, Samsung also introduced the Galaxy S25 and S25+ models, which come with 12GB of RAM and are powered by the same Snapdragon 8 Elite chip. While the overall design and display sizes (6.2 inches for the S25 and 6.7 inches for the S25+) remain similar to the previous generation, the inclusion of Samsung's new ProScaler AI tool aims to improve image quality by upscaling visuals in real time. Despite these enhancements, some critics are cautious about the true value of these AI-focused upgrades. Engadget’s Mat Smith pointed out that although some AI features are impressive, others, like generative AI, might not justify their regular use for most users.

AI takes center stage in the Galaxy S25 series, particularly with the integration of Samsung’s One UI 7 and Android 15. These updates aim to create a more personalized and context-aware experience for users. Among the most notable AI-driven features is the enhanced camera system, which uses AI to better handle noise reduction for improved low-light photography. The Audio Eraser tool, another AI feature, allows users to remove unwanted background noises from videos.

Samsung also showcased its new AI-powered "Now Bar," located on the lock screen, which offers personalized reminders based on user context. Additionally, Samsung introduced features like the "Drawing Assist" tool, which improves the accuracy and polish of the Sketch to Image feature, as well as an upgraded Google’s Circle to Search, which now identifies phone numbers, emails, and URLs with a single tap.

The Galaxy S25 Edge, teased briefly during the event, promises a slimmer profile and will likely share many components with the S25 Ultra. However, its price and release details remain a mystery for now.

Lastly, Samsung announced updates to its Samsung Wallet, introducing two new payment features: Instant Installment and Tap to Transfer. Instant Installment offers a "buy now, pay later" service for Visa and Mastercard users, allowing them to manage purchases as offline payment plans. Tap to Transfer enables peer-to-peer payments, allowing users to bump their phones to make payments, regardless of whether the recipient is using Samsung Pay.

Samsung also introduced the Galaxy Watch for Kids, a new configuration of its Galaxy Watch 7. This setup, made in partnership with Google, lets parents set up and manage their child’s watch remotely, enabling features like location sharing and app management.

SOURCE: ENGADGET | PHOTO: GSMARENA