Front and back of the S24 Ultra
S24 Ultra.

Samsung

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra: News and Expected Price, Release Date, Specs; and More Rumors

The next Samsung Ultra could get a processor and RAM boost to run AI

By
Jon Fisher
Jon Fisher
Editor and Lifewire Technology Review Board Member
  • Wichita Technical Institute
Jonathan Fisher is a CompTIA certified technologist with more than 6 years' experience writing for publications like TechNorms and Help Desk Geek.
lifewire's editorial guidelines
Updated on May 29, 2024

Samsung's next flagship phone is scheduled to arrive early next year. We've collected all the rumors about the Galaxy S25 Ultra so you can decide whether to wait for it or stick with the latest phone in the Galaxy lineup.

When Will the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Be Released?

The Galaxy S25 Ultra release date hasn't been revealed yet, but we're watching for it in early 2025. This is when Samsung typically releases new Galaxy S series phones, so this is essentially already confirmed. It will arrive next to the S25 and S25+.

Lifewire's Release Date Estimate

The Galaxy S25 Ultra will likely be available in January or February 2025.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Price Rumors

We hate to say it, but this phone will probably be a little more expensive than the S24 Ultra. And that's a bummer because this is the highest-end phone from the set, so it's already priced above the other options.

You might need to pay more for the Galaxy S25 Ultra if rumors of increased RAM are true. If so, here's a comparison of the S25 Ultra and S24 Ultra prices:

  • S25 Ultra (256 GB): $1,299.99 (same)
  • S25 Ultra (512 GB): $1,469.99 ($50 more)
  • S25 Ultra (1 TB): $1,709.99 ($50 more)

Remember, these figures aren't set in stone. Samsung increased the price of its top-of-the-line phone between the S23 and S24 series, so they could just as easily do it again with the S25 or take a year to pause the price hikes.

We're still very early, so make sure to check back later as we update this page with more precise pricing information.

Pre-Order Information

Samsung Galaxy 25 Ultra pre-orders will start following the phone's announcement at the Samsung Unpacked event in early 2025. It should last around two weeks before the phone becomes available. We'll provide the link at that time.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Features

When a new phone rolls out, one of the main things that gets a makeover is its operating system. The Galaxy S25 Ultra is expected to hit shelves with Android 15 and One UI 7.

In addition to the changes expected in Android 15, the S25 Ultra will likely run v2 of Google's mobile-optimized language model, Gemini Nano. The first version is present on the S24 phones, so Gemini Nano 2 is expected to power the next generation of Galaxy AI features.

Without a doubt, Samsung will further improve AI on the Galaxy S25 Ultra. Previously, features like Circle to Search, Photo Assist, and Live Translate were added to Samsung's phones and we expect even more changes next year. There's no telling what, exactly, is to come, but expect a focus on photography and text generation.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Specs and Hardware

A Samsung fan shared some disappointing news about the S25 Ultra on X: it seems it will keep the same battery size and charging speeds as previous Ultra models. If this turns out to be true, it means the phone will still charge at 45W with a wire, 15W wirelessly, and 4.5W reverse wireless charging. And, naturally, it'll stick with the same 5000 mAh battery.

Also from Sawyer is a look at the S25 Ultra's storage specs. According to their sources, the base model's storage and memory aren't changing. As for the other two, Samsung is expected to increase the RAM quite a bit.

Here's an overview of how this compares to the S24 Ultra:

  • 256 GB / 12 GB RAM (same)
  • 512 GB / 16 GB RAM (4 GB RAM)
  • 1 TB / 16 GB RAM (4 GB more RAM)

This is, of course, not yet confirmed. But it makes sense. More memory is always useful, but it's especially helpful for running AI features.

Like the other two phones in this series, the S25 Ultra will most likely run on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 (the S24 Ultra uses Gen 3) or the Exynos 2500 processor, depending on where you live.

This phone seems to be getting even larger, with rumors suggesting that the screen will bump up slightly from 6.8 inches to 6.9 inches. We're still in the dark about other screen specifics, though, so Samsung might stick with the same 120Hz AMOLED display.

Ice Universe suggests the Galaxy S25 Ultra will maintain its 200MP main camera and 50MP 5x camera while upgrading the ultrawide and 3x cameras to 50MP each. Upgrading the 3x camera from the current 10MP sensor could enhance low-light performance and hybrid zoom quality.

The Latest News About the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra

You get more smartphone news here at Lifewire. Below are some of those stories and more on Android and Samsung.