Samsung Galaxy S25 launch live: Latest updates from Unpacked event – UK Times

While Apple is busy partnering with OpenAI and ChatGPT, Samsung appears to be partnering with Google and its Gemini AI model.

The latest rumour suggests that a year’s subscription of Gemini Advanced will come with every purchase of a Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra phone – a nice perk if you want even more complex Gemini features. Those who buy an S25+ will get six months of Gemini Advanced, while anyone who purchases an S25 phone could get a three-month trial.

And with the launch of the S25 Ultra on our doorstep, deals on the S24 Ultra are starting to drop.

You can currently save £350 on the Galaxy S24 Ultra – a huge phone with a giant display that’s ideal for getting work done. The S-Pen stylus slides out of a compartment in the frame and lets you stay productive with note-taking, while Galaxy AI features mean you can instantly transcribe meetings with dozens of speakers into neatly formatted minutes.

The Samsung XR headset looks like Samsung’s answer to the Apple Vision Pro. The headset is expected to blend augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) into one device.

While details are still a bit scarce, leaks suggest Samsung is working closely with Qualcomm and Google to develop the headset, but I’m hoping it won’t be as eye-wateringly expensive as the Vision Pro.

Unlikely. Samsung usually saves all of its wearables for its summer Galaxy Unpacked event in July and August. So if you’re hoping for a new smartwatch or earbuds, you’ll have to wait until then.

I’m not expecting to see any folding phones at this event either. Samsung also saves those for its summer Unpacked event.

Now, this is the battery rumour I’m most curious about. The S25 line-up could boast a MagSafe-like feature.

On 9 December, a leaker on X claimed all three S25 models will support Qi2 wireless charging. For those not in the know, Qi2 uses magnets to perfectly align accessories, allowing for faster 15W wireless charging speeds.

But then, on 11 December, a Finnish publication leaked info from a carrier about the S25’s official accessories. One of the listed items was a case with a magnet, suggesting customers might need to buy the case to use Qi2 wireless charging. If true, it sounds like Samsung isn’t building Qi2 directly into the phones but is relying on a separate case to make the magnetic charging tech work.

It’s not exactly MagSafe, but at least we’ll have the option.

In terms of battery life, the S25 Ultra will reportedly feature the same 5,000mAh battery that Samsung has used since the S22.

That’s not a huge issue, given the S24 Ultra lasts such a long time and charges in a snap.

We won’t know for certain until tomorrow, but the latest rumours suggest that the handsets will be available to pre-order starting from Friday 24 January. Insiders predict that the handsets will then be released and available on store shelves on 7 February.

If you pre-register your interest on the Samsung website, you’ll be able to claim £50 off the new handset when it is released. A nice perk for any loyal Galaxy fans and those who may be tempted away from their iPhone.

While Samsung hasn’t said anything substantial about the event, it has suggested that AI will play a big part in whatever it’s unveiling. In the invitation, Samsung says: “Get ready for AI that is more natural and intuitive. The next evolution of Galaxy AI is coming and it’s going to change the way you interact with the world every day. The new Galaxy S series is about to set the bar once again for mobile AI experiences now and into the future.”

Samsung says it will be sharing “a new chapter in mobile AI” and “premium Galaxy innovations that bring seamless convenience into every moment of your life”. We’re hoping that’s the case – we’ve seen lots of AI features gone wrong in recent months. Just look at Apple’s notification summaries on the iPhone.

I’ve been researching and tracking all of the Samsung Galaxy S25 rumours for some time, covering everything from how much it’ll cost to what the design and display may be like.

As far as I can glean, the latest handset doesn’t look like a huge upgrade on paper. It could feature a curvier design, MagSafe-style charging and a more powerful Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, but the 5,000mAh battery is suspected to be staying the same, and most of the changes feel more like refinements than breakthroughs. The Ultra’s camera updates could be nice, but we’ll still need to wait to see what Samsung has in store for One UI 7.1.

For the entire breakdown of my predictions, read the full piece now:

Samsung Galaxy Unpacked will be streamed live on Samsung’s YouTube channel, beginning at 6pm GMT. We’ll be here with all the highlights, but you can also watch it by clicking the play button below.