Samsung Galaxy S25 range claims pole position for advanced AI in smartphones

Samsung has unveiled the Galaxy S25 Ultra, S25+, and S25 range which will be available from February 7, with prices ranging from £799 to £1,549.

Samsung says the advanced AI capabilities, powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, enable the Galaxy S25 series to deliver natural, context-aware interactions that redefine the mobile experience.

“This series is our most personal and intuitive yet, adapting to users’ unique needs,” said Annika Bizon, Director of Mobile Experience, Samsung UK & Ireland. “AI becomes a true companion, assisting with tasks, enhancing creativity, and saving time in daily life.”

The phones have the new Samsung interface One UI 7 with upgrades, such as smoother animations, more intuitive control bars and menus, and customizable shortcuts and quick actions. 

 One UI  also introduces AI-driven features that understand user preferences while ensuring privacy. Multimodal agents process text, speech, and visuals for seamless interactions. Upgraded tools, like “Circle to Search,” provide context-aware search and actionable suggestions, making multitasking effortless.

AI-powered enhancements extend to creativity and productivity. Features like **Call Transcript**, **Writing Assist**, and **Drawing Assist** simplify communication and content creation. Natural language processing allows users to locate photos, adjust settings, or schedule events with ease.

The Galaxy S25’s next-generation ProVisual Engine and 50MP ultrawide camera redefine mobile photography, while on-device AI ensures superior performance for tasks like real-time editing and noise reduction. The device also prioritizes sustainability, incorporating recycled materials and a battery made from reclaimed cobalt.

The Galaxy S25 series guarantees seven years of updates, enhanced security with Knox Vault, and features like post-quantum cryptography. Pre-orders start today, with exclusive offers including free storage upgrades and trial access to Gemini Advanced AI tools.

Ernest Doku, mobile specialist at comparison website Uswitch, says the new range is an impressive combination of bleeding-edge hardware and AI smarts, delivering “real, noticeable value at a range of price points.”

“Keeping pace with recent launches from competitors such as Honor, Xiaomi, and OnePlus, Samsung has introduced the S25 range with a set of important—yet somewhat predictable—upgrades. This means all major Android-powered handsets are now on a level playing field in terms of power under the hood, so it’s up to the brands to showcase their innovation.

“Data from Uswitch shows that people most value AI features that help with life admin and photo editing—an area that Samsung seems to have focused on in its latest upgrades. However, despite AI features being a major focus for manufacturers, we found that only six percent of people currently see it as the most important factor when upgrading their phone. The lukewarm reception to the iPhone 16, with its heavily hyped AI features, has likely left consumers skeptical. A lot is riding on Samsung to continue to get it right with Galaxy AI.

“While Samsung has integrated AI features into the everyday use of the new S25 handsets, the jury is still out on whether that’s enough to convince more UK consumers to upgrade their devices”

Ben Wood, Chief Analyst at  CCS Insight said:

Launching new flagship smartphones has become a considerable headache for all the leading smartphone manufacturers. Top-end products are now so good that it’s extremely difficult to deliver any meaningful differentiation from one year to the next. Samsung is not alone in this challenge, with Apple and all the other Android smartphone manufacturers in the same boat. Launches are now characterised by ‘slightly better everything’, be that screen technology, battery life, processor performance, camera specs and more. It’s little surprise that phone makers are hoping that a little ‘AI magic dust’ will help turn consumers’ heads, but that’s proving to be a tough sell too.”

“Samsung’s Galaxy S25 range ticks all the boxes for a flagship line up. If you want the best Android-powered smartphone Samsung can offer, and one of the best on the market, this is the product for you.  It’s well suited to the growing number of consumers who have a mobile phone that’s three or four years old but unfortunately for Samsung it’s unlikely to get people upgrading any sooner. The latest generation of smartphones have become so good that there are no longer game-changing features from one year to the next because products from the last 24 months are already extremely capable.”

“At a time when improvements to hardware capabilities and product design are largely incremental, Samsung is doubling down on its AI story. There are some clever enhancements included in the Galaxy S25 line-up, but it’s unlikely they’ll be enough to have consumers rushing out to upgrade their phones prematurely. However, this is far from being a unique issue for Samsung. Apple is facing the same challenges with the iPhone 16 and Apple Intelligence. AI is a boon for someone who needs an upgrade, but not enough to move the needle for consumers who already have a relatively up-to-date phone.”