Skip to main content

Samsung may do something unheard of with the Galaxy S25

galaxy unpacked 2025
This story is part of our Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2025 coverage

The back of the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Rumors about the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S25 series are slowly emerging, some more believable than others. The latest rumor falls into the “take it with a grain of salt” category.

Recommended Videos

A new report from The Financial News out of South Korea states that Samsung might choose to add a MediaTek chip in its latest flagship devices, at least for handsets in some regions. If this news is accurate, it would represent a significant change for Samsung’s Galaxy S phones.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

For years, Samsung has elected to include the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon chips in its top mobile product lineup in most regions, although some have received versions of its Exynos chips. For instance, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is the high-end chip found in the Galaxy S24 Ultra in all regions and the Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24 Plus in certain areas, such as the U.S. On the other hand, the Samsung Exynos 2400 is present in certain Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24 Plus models in other parts of the world.

This latest news suggests Samsung could use three chips in some combination of the Galaxy S25, S25 Plus, and S25 Ultra. The report says high prices on Qualcomm Snapdragon flagship chips are the reason for the possible change.

Someone holding the Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus with its screen turned on.
Joe Maring / Digital Trends

It’s unlikely that Samsung will change its chip in 2025. Instead, the Galaxy S25 series is expected to use the upcoming Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 and the in-house Exynos 2500. Interestingly, just days ago, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said Qualcomm would be the sole chip supplier for the entire series, so obviously, the rumors are all over the place for now.

The new Galaxy S25 smartphone series will likely be announced early next year. Previous rumors suggest significant camera upgrades are coming for the Galaxy S25 Ultra. Beyond this, little is known about the upcoming launch.

Bryan M. Wolfe
Bryan M. Wolfe has over a decade of experience as a technology writer. He writes about mobile.
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra could get a surprisingly big redesign
A person holding the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra.

Galaxy S24 Ultra Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

A day after Samsung tipped its hand on the possible camera array for the Galaxy S25, we’ve already gotten a new leak. This one comes from reliable tipster Ice Universe, giving us new details about the Galaxy S25 Ultra's supposed design changes.

Read more
Excited about Samsung’s new folding phones? Here’s the best leak yet
Rear profile of Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6.

It seems like Samsung’s design team is going through some kind of design crisis. Just a day ago, we got our first detailed look at the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra, and to say that it borrowed some aesthetic inspiration from the Apple Watch Ultra would be a cruel understatement.

The train didn’t stop there. Samsung’s next mainline earbuds seem to have blatantly copied the AirPods 3, while the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro seem to have pulled off a similar stunt after stealing a gander at the latest AirPods Pro, abandoning Samsung’s own standout looks.

Read more
The OnePlus 13 is coming on January 7 — along with a surprise
The OnePlus logo on the back of the OnePlus Open Apex Edition.

It's official: the OnePlus 13 will launch on January 7, 2025. Preempting the anticipated event by several weeks, OnePlus has officially confirmed the date we’ll see its next major smartphone release outside of China. Additionally, it has revealed some key features and news of a surprise new launch to go along with the phone.

OnePlus will release the OnePlus 13 in three different colors — Black Eclipse, Arctic Dawn, and Midnight Ocean. It’s the latter that is likely to be the model to have, as it is wrapped in a material called micro-fiber vegan leather, which is apparently corrosion and scratch-resistant but still luxurious to the touch. For the Arctic Dawn phone, the glass will have a special coating to give it a silky-smooth finish. It’s likely these are the same colors offered in China, where the phone has already been announced, just with different names.

Read more