Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2025: What to Expect and What Won't Happen [2025]

Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2025: What to Expect and What Won't Happen

Samsung's Galaxy Unpacked events are basically the Super Bowl of smartphone launches. And honestly, the anticipation leading up to them is almost as intense as the announcements themselves.

For years, Samsung has used these events to set the tone for the entire smartphone industry. They announce flagship phones, show off bleeding-edge technology, and make bold claims about what's next. But here's the thing: not everything you hope for actually makes it into the presentation.

This year's Galaxy Unpacked is shaping up to be different. The smartphone market is evolving faster than it has in years, thanks to artificial intelligence, improved camera technology, and a new wave of competition from startups and established brands alike. Samsung knows they need to deliver something that feels genuinely new, not just iterative.

The problem is that leaks, rumors, and speculation have already painted a pretty clear picture of what's coming. So instead of waiting for the event itself, let's break down exactly what you should expect to see, what's definitely getting cut from the lineup, and what that means for anyone considering an upgrade.

TL; DR

• Galaxy S26 will dominate: Expect significant camera improvements, enhanced AI features, and faster processors, with Samsung leaning hard into AI-powered photography and editing
• Foldables are getting thinner: The Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 will likely feature slimmer designs, improved durability, and better hinge technology
• AI integration everywhere: Every phone will include Samsung's latest AI tools for editing, generation, and real-time translation built directly into the operating system
• Battery technology stays similar: Don't expect breakthrough battery improvements yet, Samsung will focus on efficiency gains instead
• Satellite features won't expand much: Emergency SOS via satellite will remain niche, not becoming a mainstream calling feature
• Bottom line: This year is about refinement and AI, not revolution

The Galaxy S26 series is projected to start at

What You'll Definitely See: The Galaxy S26 Ultra

The Galaxy S26 Ultra is the elephant in the room at every Unpacked event. Samsung's flagship phone is the device that defines their year, and this time around, it's going to be refined to an almost unsettling degree of precision.

Expect the S26 Ultra to arrive with a processor that's genuinely faster than what came before. We're talking about a new generation of Samsung's Exynos chip, or more likely, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 (or whatever Qualcomm calls their next flagship). The real-world difference in performance? Probably not dramatic for most people. But video editing will be faster. AI-powered photo generation will process quicker. Gaming will remain silky smooth.

The design will be evolutionary, not revolutionary. Samsung has basically perfected the rectangular phone aesthetic. The bezels might shrink another fraction of a millimeter. The corners might be marginally sharper or rounder depending on which prototype won the internal design battle. But you'll look at the S26 Ultra and think "yeah, that's a Samsung phone" in much the same way you do now.

What's actually interesting is the camera system. Samsung is putting serious effort into computational photography. The main sensor will probably stay at 200 megapixels or thereabouts, because megapixel wars are kind of stupid at this point. But the real work happens in the image processing pipeline. Expect better low-light performance through improved noise reduction. Expect faster autofocus through better phase-detection algorithms. Expect more accurate color reproduction through newer ISP (image signal processor) improvements.

The zoom situation is worth paying attention to. Samsung's been pushing 50x Space Zoom for a while now, and the actual results have been mixed. This time, they might finally deliver on the promise that ultra-zoom can actually look decent, not like a blurry approximation of what you're trying to photograph. The trick is using multiple smaller sensors strategically, which Samsung's been experimenting with.

Battery capacity will increase slightly, probably to around 4,900-5,000 mAh depending on which variant you're looking at. But here's where Samsung gets clever: they'll talk extensively about battery efficiency, not just capacity. Faster processors that use less power when they're sleeping. Better power management at the OS level. The usual promises we hear every year, some of which actually pan out.

The display will be gorgeous, as always. Likely 6.9 inches with a 120 Hz refresh rate and brightness levels that make outdoor viewing actually pleasant. Samsung's AMOLED panels are legitimately industry-leading, and they'll probably claim some new efficiency gains that translate to slightly longer battery life during video playback.

What You'll Definitely See: Galaxy S26 and S26+

Samsung's non-Ultra flagships are where the real volume lives. Most people don't buy Ultra phones. They buy the regular S26 because it's what their carrier has in stock, or because their previous Samsung was a regular model, or because it's already plenty powerful for everything they do.

The S26 and S26+ will be almost identical to each other, differentiated mainly by screen size and pricing. The 6.3-inch S26 will be the true mainstream phone, hitting the sweet spot between pocketability and screen real estate. The S26+ at 6.7 inches will appeal to people who watch a lot of video and want more space for productivity apps.

Both will feature slightly scaled-down versions of the Ultra's camera system. Instead of the Ultra's triple or quad camera setup, expect a dual or triple configuration that still takes excellent photos. The main sensor will be solid, the zoom will be reasonable but not spectacular, and there will be an ultra-wide angle lens because people actually use those more than you'd think.

The processor will be identical to the Ultra, which is the real story here. Samsung isn't differentiating based on raw computing power anymore. The difference is in the features and the display quality. You're not buying a slower phone when you buy an S26 instead of an S26 Ultra. You're buying a phone with a slightly less impressive camera and a less bright display, in a physically smaller package.

The interesting part is what gets cut from software features. Samsung might reserve some AI capabilities for the Ultra line, forcing people to decide if they really need those features or if they're just nice to have. This is where the real differentiation happens now. Not in hardware, but in software gatekeeping.

There will be a vanilla S26, and then there will probably be a Plus version that costs more. The Plus will have a bigger battery, a bigger screen, and maybe slightly different camera positioning. But it'll be the same phone running the same processor with the same set of included apps and features.

Focus on the estimated 40% camera improvement and 30% software feature enhancements for key insights during the Samsung event. Estimated data based on typical release patterns.

What You'll Definitely See: Thinner Foldables

The Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7 are coming, and they're going to be noticeably thinner than their predecessors. Samsung's been obsessed with making these phones thinner, and they've finally cracked some of the durability issues that plagued earlier versions.

Expect the Z Fold 7 to be around 5mm thick when folded, down from roughly 5.6mm on the previous generation. That doesn't sound like much, but it feels dramatically different in your pocket. It means the folded phone stops feeling like a brick and starts feeling like a premium device that happens to fold.

The bigger story is the hinge. Samsung's been iterating on this hinge design for years, and each generation gets a little bit more reliable. This year's version will probably have fewer moving parts, better dust and water resistance, and a more satisfying mechanical feel when you open and close it. The crease on the folded screen might be slightly less visible, though calling it invisible is still overstating things.

The Z Flip 7 will be marginally thicker because of the battery capacity, but it'll still feel like a significantly slimmer device than what came before. The appeal of the Flip is that it's pocketable while still giving you a full-sized screen. Making it thinner is the entire point of the exercise.

Both foldables will feature the same processor as the S26 Ultra, which means they'll be absurdly powerful despite being niche products. Samsung is using foldables to showcase their best technology, even though the target market is much smaller than the S26 audience.

The displays will be sharper, brighter, and more efficient. Samsung's been working on improving both the inner and outer displays of these phones. The outer display on the Z Fold 7 is getting particular attention, because right now it's the weak point of the device. If they can make that outer screen feel less like a compromise and more like a full-featured display, it changes the entire value proposition.

Camera upgrades will be modest. These phones already have solid camera systems, and Samsung knows the real value is the form factor, not taking perfect photos. But expect modest improvements in zoom capabilities and night photography. The foldables are premium products, so they deserve premium camera performance even if it's not the headline feature.

What You'll Definitely See: Major AI Integration

This is the year Samsung goes all-in on artificial intelligence. They're not just adding AI features like everyone else. They're positioning AI as the core differentiator for their entire product line.

Expect Samsung to announce new features powered by generative AI that actually sound useful instead of gimmicky. Photo editing that lets you remove unwanted objects from pictures without making them look obviously AI-edited. Real-time translation that works well enough to actually communicate with people in different languages. Text summarization that actually saves time instead of just paraphrasing what you already read.

What's interesting about Samsung's approach is that they're trying to keep more of this processing on-device instead of sending data to servers. That's both a privacy win and a performance win. It means the features work when you don't have data, and it means Samsung isn't harvesting all your photos and messages to train AI models.

But here's the catch: on-device AI requires more processing power, which is why Samsung has been pushing these new processors so hard. The S26 processors aren't just faster at running Instagram and games. They're fast enough to run meaningful AI models locally.

Expect Samsung to make a big deal about this distinction. They'll compare their approach favorably to competitors who rely entirely on cloud processing. They'll emphasize privacy. They'll show demos of AI features working without internet connectivity. It'll be compelling, even if the actual feature set isn't that different from what competitors are offering.

The Galaxy AI features that already exist on current phones will get refined and extended. Samsung's AI will learn from your habits and anticipate what you need. It'll suggest actions based on context. It'll generate images that are context-appropriate. None of this is revolutionary, but all of it makes phones more useful.

One thing Samsung probably won't announce: a completely autonomous AI agent that can manage your entire digital life. That's pie-in-the-sky stuff that might arrive in 3-5 years, but it's not landing in 2025. The AI announcements will be impressive but grounded in actual usefulness.

What You'll Definitely See: New Color Options

This is the unsexy part of the announcement that somehow takes up 10 minutes of stage time. Samsung will reveal new colors for the S26 line, and they'll probably look nice. They always do.

Expect the traditional metallics: black, silver, and probably some shade of blue or green. But Samsung will also introduce one or two "exclusive" colors that you can only order online, creating artificial scarcity and driving some people to the company's website instead of retail partners.

The color marketing always sounds dramatic. "Midnight Black" sounds way better than "dark gray." "Moonlight Silver" sounds more premium than "light gray." These aren't accidents. Samsung's marketing team spent probably six months perfecting the color naming and messaging.

What you probably won't see: a truly wild color option. Red, purple, or orange. Samsung tried bold colors in previous generations, and the data showed that most people eventually regret buying phones in unconventional colors. So they stick with safe options that will look acceptable in five years when you're tired of the phone.

The Samsung Galaxy S26 series is expected to start at

What You'll Definitely See: Improved Durability Claims

Samsung will announce new Gorilla Glass with better scratch resistance. They'll talk about improved water resistance ratings. They'll probably demo dropping a phone from a table to prove how tough it is.

The actual improvements are usually modest. Gorilla Glass generations get incrementally better at resisting scratches without sacrificing clarity. Water resistance ratings go from IP67 to IP68 or vice versa, which basically means it still works fine if you drop it in the pool, just maybe for a slightly longer time.

But Samsung will make these seem like revolutionary improvements through careful presentation. They'll compare directly to competitors. They'll show before-and-after footage of stress tests. They'll make you feel like the phone you're using right now is fragile by comparison.

The reality: modern phones are incredibly durable. The difference between this year and last year is negligible for anyone who doesn't actively abuse their device. But Samsung needs to give people reasons to upgrade, so durability gets its moment in the sun.

Expect Samsung to also talk about repairability. They might announce longer parts availability or easier repair options. The right-to-repair movement has been gaining traction, and Samsung is trying to get ahead of it. Making phones that are easier to fix is good PR, even if most people will just buy a new phone instead of repairing the old one.

What You'll Probably See: Software Update Commitments

Samsung has been extending OS update commitments, and they'll probably expand that further in 2025. Expect promises of 7 years of OS updates and security patches for S26 devices. That's genuinely competitive and shows confidence that these phones will be relevant for a long time.

This is actually important and worth paying attention to. An extra year or two of updates means your phone stays secure and feature-current for longer. It means investing in Samsung isn't a three-year commitment anymore. It's more like a five-to-seven-year commitment.

Samsung will position this as evidence that they're serious about sustainability and long-term value. It's good marketing because it's actually true. A phone that gets updates for seven years is better for the environment and better for your wallet than a phone you need to replace after three years.

The catch: Samsung will probably only promise these extended updates to the flagship models. The budget and mid-range phones will get standard update cycles. But for anyone buying an S26, the extended support is genuinely valuable.

What You'll Probably See: Partnerships and Integrations

Samsung will announce some partnership with a major AI company. It might be Google (cloud processing), Open AI (integration), or some other player in the AI space. They need to show that Samsung devices are part of a broader ecosystem, not isolated products.

These partnerships are usually boring to watch but important to understand. Samsung is basically saying "we're not trying to replace all these other services, we're trying to make them work better together." It's the right approach because most people already use Google services, Microsoft services, and other third-party tools.

Expect announcements about Samsung Health improvements, Samsung Smart Things expansions, and Samsung Wallet enhancements. These are the services that actually matter to people who buy Samsung products, even if they're not glamorous features that deserve stage time at an event.

The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is expected to be 0.6mm thinner than its predecessor, while the Z Flip 7 will be 0.4mm thinner, enhancing portability and user experience. Estimated data.

What You Probably Won't See: Radical Camera Breakthroughs

Everyone wants Samsung to announce a camera that can see in complete darkness or zoom 100x with perfect clarity. Neither of those things are happening in 2025.

Smartphone cameras have reached a level of maturity where incremental improvements are the norm. Going from "great" to "perfect" requires solving problems that aren't really solvable. You can't get a huge sensor and a huge zoom range in the same phone without making it gigantic. The laws of physics don't allow it.

What Samsung might do is get marginally better at low-light photography through computational techniques. They might improve the zoom quality through better sensor technology and processing. But nobody's going to see the announcement and think "this changes everything about smartphone photography."

The reality that Samsung won't state directly: smartphone camera quality is good enough now. The limiting factor isn't the phone anymore. It's your skill as a photographer and the amount of light in the scene. A better camera won't make you a better photographer.

But Samsung needs to talk about cameras because they matter to people in purchasing decisions. So they'll announce improvements, and you'll see demo photos that look incredible (because they're taken by professionals under ideal conditions), and you'll believe that your photos will look better. And they probably will, marginally.

What You Probably Won't See: Breakthrough Battery Technology

Samsung has a lab where they're working on solid-state batteries and new chemistry that could theoretically triple battery capacity. That technology probably won't show up in the S26.

Why? Because it's not ready. It's not being mass-produced. It doesn't fit into the manufacturing process that already works. New battery technology is exciting in research, but actually shipping it in phones is a different challenge entirely.

Instead, expect Samsung to talk about battery efficiency. More processor cores that sleep when they're not needed. Better OS-level power management. Slightly larger capacity. The same incremental improvements that have added maybe 30% more daily battery life over the past five years.

It's frustrating because everyone wants all-day battery life without needing to charge. Everyone wants to go a week on a single charge. But the laws of thermodynamics and electrochemistry don't care what we want. You get a few percent improvement every year through better engineering, not revolutionary technology.

Samsung might make a vague reference to "next-generation battery research" to keep people excited about the future. But it'll be vague enough to mean basically nothing.

What You Probably Won't See: Major Design Overhaul

Some people hope that Samsung will completely rethink phone design. Maybe phones should be square. Maybe they should have a different aspect ratio. Maybe the camera should be hidden under the display.

None of that is happening in 2025. Samsung has settled on a design language that works. They're refining it, not reinventing it. The rectangle with rounded corners is here to stay because it's practical. It fits your hand. It fits your pocket. It gives you a usable screen without making the device absurd.

The under-display camera technology that Samsung has been working on will probably stay in development for at least another generation before it's good enough to use on the S26. It's still not there. The image quality through the display pixels is acceptable but not great, and Samsung is probably not willing to ship a flagship phone with an inferior camera.

Expect the design to be literally 98% identical to the S25. Maybe the corners are slightly different. Maybe the camera module is positioned differently. Maybe there's a new texture on the back. But you're not looking at a dramatically different phone.

This is actually fine. The current phone design works really well. Getting it 2% better is more valuable than disrupting the entire design for the sake of disruption.

Samsung is focusing more on on-device AI processing compared to competitors, emphasizing privacy and performance. Estimated data based on industry trends.

What You Probably Won't See: Sub-$500 Flagship

Everyone wants a premium phone at a budget price. Samsung occasionally teases this possibility with their A-series and M-series phones, but they won't undercut their S26 pricing dramatically.

The S26 will probably start at around

Samsung's strategy is to offer the S26 at a reasonable flagship price and then create other product lines for people with smaller budgets. The Galaxy A series is solid for people who don't need cutting-edge specs. It's basically the same strategy that every phone manufacturer uses.

But if you're hoping for flagship features at a $400 price point, you're going to be disappointed. That's not happening. The economics don't work. Flagship technology is expensive to develop and expensive to manufacture. You can either have it cheap or you can have it good. You can't have both in high-volume production.

What You Probably Won't See: Expansion of Satellite Features

Samsung added satellite connectivity to some phones recently, but it's basically a emergency-only feature. You can send SOS messages when there's no cellular coverage, which is genuinely useful for people in remote areas.

But don't expect satellite calling to become a mainstream feature. It won't replace your regular cellular service. It'll remain a premium feature available only on high-end devices and at an additional monthly cost.

Why? Because the infrastructure isn't there yet. The satellites can send and receive text-based messages, but full phone calls over satellite are still years away in terms of practical deployment. The latency is noticeable. The bandwidth is limited. It works for emergencies, not for daily use.

Samsung might talk about satellite connectivity improvements, but they won't fundamentally change what satellite features do. It's an insurance policy, not a replacement for cellular networks.

What You Probably Won't See: Foldables Becoming Mainstream

Samsung has sold millions of foldable phones, which is impressive. But foldables are still niche products. They're expensive, they're less durable than regular phones, and they're aimed at early adopters and people with specific needs.

Don't expect Samsung to announce that foldables are now the mainstream option. They probably won't even announce price drops or aggressive expansion. Foldables are a profitable product line, and Samsung likes products that are profitable. But they're not going to cannibalize their S26 sales to push foldables on people who are fine with regular phones.

The foldable market will continue to grow slowly. Eventually, maybe in five years, foldables will be common enough that your mom knows what they are. But that's not happening in 2025.

Samsung will probably allocate a significant chunk of stage time to foldables because they're cool and they deserve attention. But the real volume is going to the S26 line, not the foldables.

The Galaxy S26+ offers a larger screen, higher battery capacity, and an additional camera compared to the S26, at a higher price point. Estimated data based on typical model differences.

What You Probably Won't See: Complete Android Overhaul

Google controls Android's core operating system, and Samsung builds One UI on top of it. Samsung will talk about One UI improvements, but they won't completely redesign the user experience.

Expect incremental improvements to the interface. Better gesture navigation. Improved app drawer. Tweaks to the notification system. But the fundamental way you interact with the phone will remain recognizable to anyone who's used a Samsung phone in the past few years.

Samsung is being strategic with One UI. They've found a design language that works. Their customers recognize it. Changing it dramatically would alienate people who are comfortable with the current system. So they refine it instead.

There might be some fanfare around AI-powered suggestions for what to do next on your phone. Some marketing around intelligent widgets. Some features that anticipate what you want to do based on time of day and location. But these are enhancements, not overhauls.

What You Probably Won't See: Meaningful Audio Improvements

Smartphone speakers are still pretty mediocre, and Samsung knows this. They've tried to improve audio over the years with stereo speakers and collaborations with audio companies. But fundamentally, tiny speakers in thin phones can only get so good.

Don't expect Samsung to announce a breakthrough that makes phone speakers sound great. They might announce slightly louder speakers or more efficient sound processing. But you're still going to want to use headphones or a Bluetooth speaker if you care about audio quality.

The industry has basically accepted that phone audio is good enough for notifications and calls, but not good enough for music listening. Samsung isn't going to change that reality in 2025.

What You Probably Won't See: Revolution in Wireless Charging

Wireless charging has been around for years, and it's fine. It's not particularly fast, but it's convenient. Samsung could theoretically improve it, but they haven't invested heavily in doing so.

Expect wireless charging to remain somewhere in the 10-15W range, maybe slightly faster than before. It'll still take longer than wired charging, so people who care about speed will keep using cables. The people who value convenience will keep using wireless charging.

The real innovation in charging would be truly fast wireless charging that's faster than wired charging. That requires physics breakthroughs and serious power management, neither of which Samsung is going to announce in 2025.

The Announcement You're Hoping For (But Probably Won't Happen)

Everyone has their one feature they desperately want Samsung to announce. Maybe it's better zoom. Maybe it's a battery that lasts a week. Maybe it's a truly invisible camera. Maybe it's something that lets you record 8K video without filling up your storage in seconds.

Whichever feature you're hoping for, there's probably good reason why it hasn't shipped yet. Either it's technically not feasible, or the cost is prohibitive, or the engineering challenges are harder than they sound.

Samsung's strategy for 2025 is incremental improvement across the board. Better processor. Slightly better camera. Thinner foldables. More AI features. It's not the announcement that gets you excited, but it's the announcement that actually sells phones to people who upgrade every year or two.

The revolutionary features aren't coming from Samsung in 2025. They're coming from whatever startup is working on the next paradigm shift. When someone figures out how to make phones look like those sci-fi movies where people have flexible displays, that'll be revolutionary. Until then, we're in the era of refinement.

Why This Year's Unpacked Event Actually Matters

Despite being incremental, this year's Galaxy Unpacked event is genuinely important. Here's why: if the S26 nails the fundamentals and delivers on AI features that people actually want to use, it sets the tone for the industry. Competitors will copy. Technology blogs will analyze. Regular people will decide whether they want to upgrade.

The S26 might not be revolutionary, but it might be the best flagship phone money can buy. That's enough to matter. That's enough to influence what phone gets released next year by every major manufacturer.

Samsung's strategy is to own the middle ground. Not the most radical innovation, but not behind the curve either. Just the best execution of the current state of the art. For most people, that's exactly what they want in a phone anyway.

The companies that try to innovate too wildly often fail. The companies that play it safe eventually get lapped. Samsung has found a balance that works. The S26 will probably be excellent, even if it doesn't make headlines in the way that revolutionary products do.

Looking Beyond 2025: What's Actually Coming

If you're wondering what Samsung is working on that won't ship until 2026 or beyond, the rumors are interesting. Flexible displays that work like paper. Cameras with real optical zoom reaching 50x or beyond. Batteries that truly last days instead of hours. AI that's intelligent enough to actually replace human work instead of just assisting with it.

All of these technologies exist in prototype form somewhere in Samsung's labs. None of them are ready for mass production yet. Samsung will probably drop hints about this research at Unpacked, showing off prototypes or concept videos. But don't expect any of this to actually ship.

The phone you buy in 2025 will be a refined version of the phone you could have bought in 2024, with meaningful improvements in specific areas. That's not exciting in a headline sense, but it's reassuring. It means Samsung understands what people actually need and is delivering it.

What to Actually Pay Attention to During the Event

When Samsung takes the stage, forget about the marketing language. Forget about the dramatic video presentations. Focus on the actual features and actual specifications. Here's what matters:

How much faster is the processor? By what percentage does the camera improve in low light? What's the actual battery capacity, not the promised battery life? How much does each model cost? What software features are exclusive to the Ultra? These are the facts that matter.

Ignore the emotional appeals. Ignore the comparisons to competitors. These phones will be good. They'll be expensive. They'll be worth buying if you want a flagship phone. That's about all you need to know.

Pay attention to the software stuff. That's where Samsung actually differentiates from Apple and Google. The AI features they announce, the new widgets, the integration with their other services. This is where Samsung's unique value lies. Anyone can buy a fast processor from Qualcomm. Not everyone can build an ecosystem that actually works.

Making the Upgrade Decision

If you're currently using an S24 or S25, the S26 probably isn't worth upgrading for. The improvements are real but incremental. You'll notice faster processor performance if you do heavy gaming or video editing. You might notice slightly better camera performance if you shoot a lot in low light. Everything else will feel pretty much the same.

But if you're using an S22 or older, the S26 is genuinely worth considering. Four generations of improvements add up. The processor will be noticeably faster. The camera will be noticeably better. The software will have evolved significantly. It'll feel like a genuinely new phone.

The same logic applies to people using phones from other manufacturers. If you've been using an iPhone, the Galaxy S26 will be refreshingly flexible and customizable. If you've been using an older Android phone, the S26 will feel blazingly fast and incredibly polished.

Don't upgrade because it's new. Upgrade because your current phone isn't doing what you need it to do anymore. The S26 will still be impressive in 2026 and 2027. It's not going to become instantly obsolete the moment the S27 ships.

The Bottom Line on Galaxy Unpacked 2025

Samsung's Galaxy Unpacked in 2025 will be a showcase of incremental improvement. The S26 line will be excellent but familiar. The foldables will be thinner and more refined. AI integration will be expanded and more practical. None of this is revolutionary, but all of it is genuinely useful.

Don't go into the event expecting the future. Go in expecting a very well-executed version of the present. Expect Samsung to nail the fundamentals and deliver on the features that matter. Expect a phone that's worth the money if you're in the market for an upgrade.

And if you're not in the market for an upgrade, don't feel bad about sitting this one out. The S26 will be great, but your current phone is probably fine. Phones have reached the point where the limiting factor isn't the hardware anymore. It's what you actually need to do.

The real excitement in 2025 might come from unexpected quarters. Some startup could announce something nobody saw coming. Some manufacturer could take a bold risk that pays off. Some new technology could finally break through from research into actual shipping products.

But based on everything we know right now, Samsung's Galaxy Unpacked is going to be a refinement event, not a revolution event. And honestly, that's perfect. The phone industry needs more refinement and less hyperbole.

FAQ

What is Samsung Galaxy Unpacked?

Galaxy Unpacked is Samsung's annual keynote event where they announce new smartphones, tablets, and wearables. It's essentially Samsung's version of Apple's WWDC, designed to showcase the company's latest technology and set expectations for the coming year in mobile phones. The event typically features live presentations, product demonstrations, and official pricing announcements.

Will the Galaxy S26 have a better camera than the S25?

Yes, the S26 will feature improved camera performance, particularly in low-light situations and computational photography. However, the improvements will be incremental rather than revolutionary. Expect better noise reduction, faster autofocus, and more accurate color reproduction. The real differences will show up when taking photos in challenging conditions, not in everyday shooting scenarios.

When will the Galaxy S26 be available for purchase?

Historically, Samsung announces phones in January or February and makes them available for pre-order almost immediately, with retail availability following within a few weeks. Based on past patterns, you can expect the S26 to be available for pre-order shortly after Unpacked and in stores within 2-3 weeks. Exact dates will be announced during the event itself.

How much will the Galaxy S26 cost?

The S26 will likely start at around

Will the Galaxy Z Fold 7 be significantly different from the Z Fold 6?

The Z Fold 7 will be noticeably thinner (targeting around 5mm when folded) and will feature improved hinge durability and better crease visibility reduction. However, the core design will remain similar. The real improvements will be in feel and durability rather than in fundamental design changes. If you love the Z Fold 6, you'll love the Z Fold 7. If you didn't like the form factor, the Z Fold 7 probably won't change your mind.

Is it worth upgrading from an S25 to an S26?

Unless you need specific new features or your S25 is having issues, upgrading from an S25 to S26 probably isn't necessary. The improvements are real but incremental. If you're using an S23 or older, an upgrade to the S26 is more worthwhile as the accumulated improvements over three generations are substantial. Personal needs should drive upgrade decisions, not release cycles.

What AI features can I expect on the Galaxy S26?

Expect practical AI features including intelligent photo editing (object removal, background enhancement), real-time language translation, text summarization, and predictive suggestions based on time and location. Samsung is focusing on features that work on-device when possible to protect privacy. These won't be revolutionary AI capabilities but rather refinements of existing features with AI augmentation.

Will the Galaxy S26 support satellite connectivity?

The S26 will likely include satellite connectivity for emergency SOS messaging, continuing Samsung's strategy from recent releases. However, don't expect it to become a mainstream calling feature. It remains an insurance policy for extreme situations, not a replacement for cellular networks. The functionality and limitations will be similar to what's available on current Samsung flagships.

How long will the Galaxy S26 receive software updates?

Samsung is expected to commit to 7 years of OS updates and security patches for S26 devices, an extension of their current policy. This is one of the longest update commitments in the industry and provides genuine long-term value. Budget and mid-range Samsung phones typically receive shorter update cycles, so this extended support applies primarily to flagship devices.

Should I wait for the Galaxy S27 or buy the S26?

If your current phone is meeting your needs, waiting is fine. If your current phone is struggling or missing features you want, the S26 won't become obsolete when the S27 launches. The S27 won't be released for another 12+ months after the S26, and even then, the S26 will receive years of software updates. Buy when you need an upgrade, not based on the release calendar.

Key Takeaways

• The Galaxy S26 Ultra will feature incremental but meaningful improvements including faster processors, better low-light camera performance, and expanded AI capabilities
• Foldable phones are getting thinner, with the Z Fold 7 targeting around 5mm thickness and improved hinge reliability for better durability
• AI integration will be the major focus, with on-device processing for features like photo editing, real-time translation, and intelligent suggestions
• Battery technology will improve through efficiency gains rather than revolutionary new chemistry, with extended 7-year software support from Samsung
• Flagship pricing will remain consistent at approximately
  $799-$
  1,199 with color options and design refinements rather than major overhauls

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