Samsung Unpacked 2025: Live updates on the Galaxy 25 launch, Galaxy AI and more

Everything Samsung announced at Unpacked 2025

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Two Galaxy S25 handsets flanking a Galaxy S25 Ultra, with their backs facing out. Each device is on a stand, and the middle device has its display facing front.

Thanks again for your time joining us on our coverage of Samsung Galaxy Unpacked today. If you'd like, you can always keep scrolling down this page to relive the liveblog — I certainly do that because I love seeing my own words. But if you prefer a neat little summary to recap with, we have a roundup article that should save you some time! From the Galaxy S25 Ultra and S25 series, to Galaxy AI and Google's Gemini, to the surprise tease of the Galaxy S25 Edge, there's plenty to catch up on. Stay tuned for our deeper testing and reviews of these devices, and we hope to see you again soon.

Read more: Everything Samsung announced at the Galaxy S25 launch event

Qi2 wireless charging support on the Galaxy S25 is... complicated

Photo by Mat Smith/Engadget

A Qi2 wireless charging case for the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra

Sam, who's our unofficial Qi2 beat reporter, has been lamenting the sad state of Qi2 support on Android devices for awhile. Despite the standard being announced about two years ago, there has only been one phone that actually has magnets and supports the Qi2 spec. Imagine our curiosity quickly giving way to frustration when we found out that, despite some clever wording, the Galaxy S25 series doesn't actually have magnets onboard that can help align it and lock on to wireless chargers. That MagSafe-like feature was arguably the most appealing update with Qi2.

As said in our piece, "Qi2 ready" is a far cry from "Qi2 certified."

Read more: The Samsung Galaxy S25 doesn't fully support Qi2 on its own

Samsung Wallet is becoming more like Apple Wallet, but better..?

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

A Galaxy S25 held in two hands, with the Samsung Wallet app on its screen.

Something that may have not gotten a lot of attention during Unpacked, and yet which intrigues me more than any of those Galaxy AI announcements, is Samsung Wallet. The company shared at a briefing with media that two updates are coming later this year: installment payments (aka Buy Now Pay Later) and "tap to transfer." Both of these are familiar to those on iOS, since Apple's had these features for awhile, with Tap to Cash being more recently released in iOS 18. But crucially, Samsung's Tap To Transfer is supposed to work with other digital wallets, so you won't be limited to just people with Samsung phones.

Read more: Samsung borrows from the Apple Wallet playbook with layaway and tap-to-send for Wallet

Bloomberg with more info on the Galaxy S25 Edge

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has a report with more information on the Galaxy S25 Edge, specifically around availability. According to Gurman, Samsung plans to launch the ultrathin device "in the first half of this year." It will reportedly have most of the same internal components as the S25 Ultra, and Gurman's source said that while the company "hasn't settled on a price," the Edge will be cheaper than the Ultra.

More details on the super slim Galaxy S25 Edge

Samsung

A side view of a Galaxy S25 Edge cast in shadow.

Though there are barely any actual details on the Galaxy S25 Edge, we've managed to piece together what we've learned from the lilting voiceover narration by Paul Bettany and the dark, blink-and-you'll-miss-it video footage of the super slim device. Those of us who've been around awhile will know that this is far from the first time Samsung has used the word Edge to name a device. An obsession, perhaps? You don't say...

Read more: Samsung teased a very slim phone called the Galaxy S25 Edge

Sneak preview of the Galaxy S25 Edge

That sneaky little tease that Samsung previewed of the Galaxy S25 Edge at the end of Unpacked? That's been accompanied by what appears to be very limited in-person showcases at various satellite events. We're seeing reports of the S25 Edge on display at events in Paris and Asia.

👋 Hello #GalaxyS25Edge ! pic.twitter.com/KEiMute4Gv

— JB – TheiCollection (@TheiCollection) January 22, 2025

Galaxy S25 Edge、理想的すぎるwwwめちゃくちゃほしい.... https://t.co/L1JBl8DCRD pic.twitter.com/zofJ3BLyGX

— ちえほん📱モバイルドットコム (@chehonz201) January 22, 2025

Did you know: The S Pen on the Galaxy S25 Ultra no longer has Bluetooth LE

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

An S Pen sticking out of its slot on the bottom left corner of a Galaxy S25 Ultra.

Now that the main event is over, it's time for me to shout out some noteworthy little nuggets of news that might have gotten glossed over during the keynote. For instance, Samsung quietly did away with the Air Commands on the Galaxy S25 Ultra's onboard stylus. You remember those, right? The feature that allowed you to remotely trigger the camera with the S Pen or do... some other things. I don't blame you if you don't recall, since Samsung itself acknowledged that well below one percent of users actually used those features. I think it's good for the company to be able to recognize when things aren't working and remove the Bluetooth radio and battery and avoid overengineering something that didn't need overcomplicating.

Read more: Samsung retires S Pen Air Commands because no one was using them

Video: 14 minutes with the new Samsung Galaxy S25 series

Our first hands-on of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Samsung's Galaxy S25 Ultra is the company's latest flagship smartphone.

Last year Samsung embraced artificial intelligence with its suite of Galaxy AI features. And while the new S25 Ultra is a bit faster, a little curvier and has a slightly bigger display than before, it's clear the company's primary focus was upgrading the software and machine learning capabilities of its top-spec flagship phone. But is that enough?

Read more: Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra hands-on: Faster, curvier and way more... AI-ier

Before I go, I want to point out that the Galaxy S25 Edge only has two rear cameras, which means Samsung may have had to sacrifice either an ultra-wide or telephoto lens in back. Even if the phone is super thin, that's not a great compromise to start with. But maybe that's just me.

Samsung Galaxy S25 and S25+ hands-on: Slimmer, but a little too similar

Mat Smith for Engadget

Samsung Galaxy S25 and S25+ hands-on

In just a few years, Samsung has built up a substantial collection of artificial intelligence tricks, features and apps. While some of them have been impressive, like live translation and annotation, others (often involving generative AI) aren't actually helpful — or notable — enough to warrant regular use.

The latest trio of Galaxy S flagship phones means another barrage of AI. Samsung has saved the best hardware for its S25 Ultra, of course, but the company also has smaller (and cheaper) flagships, with the Galaxy S25 ($800) and larger S25+ ($1,000) both launching at the same time.

And those AI features could be more crucial for the base S25 and larger S25+. Aside from the addition of a potent new chip, the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy, there's not a lot here to differentiate from last year's Galaxy S24. In fact, you really have to look for changes.

Read more: Samsung Galaxy S25 and S25+ hands-on: Slimmer, but a little too similar

Thanks everyone for tuning in. For more details please check out Engadget.com for additional info, specs and hands-on impressions!

I guess this is Samsung's mic drop moment for this event, because all it showed was a name and a handful of short clips, so I guess we'll have to wait to find out more sometime later this year.

That looked like the super slim variant of an S25 that people were speculating might be teased at Unpacked today. There wasn't much in terms of detail, but a mostly black video that showed an impressively thin device.

Aaaaaand, it looks like that's it for the first Unpacked event of 2025.

But of course, there's one more tease to talk about: the Galaxy S25 Edge.

Samsung

The Galaxy S25 series will be available from February 7.

We are being told Paul Bettany is now narrating the post-credits scene like he is Vision or something.

Samsung

You can preorder the Galaxy S25 series phones today.

Pre-orders are live now, with official sales beginning on February 7.

"Sounds like" is the key phrase in Sam's post below. It really sounded like a British voice robotically speaking.

The Galaxy S25 Ultra will be available starting at $1,299, while the S25 and S25+ will go for $799 and $999 respectively.

Samsung

Galaxy S25 series features.

And now it sounds like Samsung is using AI to give a summary of its own Unpacked event.

Samsung says it's also creating a circular battery supply chain to help prevent excessive e-waste. These batteries will use up to 50 percent recycled cobalt.

Samsung

The Galaxy S25 phones are made with recycled materials, externally.

And now here's your required section talking about Samsung's sustainability initiatives.

Samsung says it has four goals for 2025 such as eliminating plastic from packaging.

Samsung

Samsung says it's adding more security to its devices.

How many guest speakers has Samsung had take the stage today? And also there have been surprisingly few celebrity appearances. No Bruno Mars, no Sydney Sweeney, no Pokimane or Mr Beast...

Back to talking about security again. Samsung is dancing around the use of blockchains to ensure privacy.

Which is completely fair. I just have so many bad memories associated with Bixby being incompetent.

I think we asked Samsung about Bixby and its use cases on the smartphone, and the answer was something like Bixby is better suited for on-device settings changes, whereas Gemini might be better for generative AI tasks

Bixby still exists on the S25 Cherlynn! I'm just not sure why you'd pick it over Gemini.

Of course, like a lot of modern smart home devices, Samsung's offerings run on the Matter protocol for increased compatibility and interoperability.

Bixby! It still exists! Mostly in areas outside the smartphone it seems.

Now Drew Blackard is returning to the stage. He is reinforcing how Galaxy AI and SmartThings can be used to more tightly integrate devices, monitor your health and create new routines.

You'll even be able to monitor how your pets are doing while you're away or get input from professionals regarding their mood and health.

Specs on specs on specs

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

.The Samsung Galaxy S25, Galaxy S25+ and Galaxy S25 Ultra.

If all of this AI and wellness stuff is not what you're here for, our senior reporter for buying advice Jeff Dunn has a simple-to-read breakdown of all the key specs and features of the new Galaxy S25 family.

Read more: Here's how Samsung's new Galaxy S25 phones compare to each other

Samsung

Samsung is adding antioxidant tracking.

New for 2025 is a new anti-oxidant index to help you keep a better track of what you're eating and how that may affect your overall health.

Samsung

Health data you can track with Samsung Health.

Samsung is also showing how you can see health records from professionals on your phone. Though those are only available in the US and India at the mome

Naturally, because AI and health tracking are available across a wide variety of devices, these features aren't siloed strictly to phones.

Samsung is showing an assortment of metrics like Sleep Score, Energy Score and more to give you a better idea of how much exercise you should (or shouldn't be) doing.

Samsung says it's trying to create an end-to-end health experience powered by personalized insights and coaching.

Next up is Praveen Raja, Samsung VP and head of digital health.

All you need to know about the Galaxy S25 family's camera features

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Samsung's Galaxy S25 Ultra has a much higher resolution 50MP ultrawide camera

Samsung's Galaxy S25 smartphones launched today, but when it comes to the all-important cameras, the company leaned on AI rather than making any meaningful changes. There is one welcome addition, though. Samsung finally caught up to to rivals like Honor by introducing log video to allow more precise color grading. Other key updates include improved low-light capability on all models, the new "ProVisual engine," a "virtual aperture" and a much higher resolution ultrawide camera on the high-end Ultra.

Last year the Galaxy S24 Ultra's big selling point was the 200MP camera, which made the 12MP ultrawide look weak in comparison. Samsung remedied that with the Galaxy S25 Ultra by more than quadrupling that sensor to 50MP. That also helps Samsung match up better against Google's Pixel 9 Pro and its 48-megapixel ultrawide camera.

Read more: The Samsung Galaxy S25 lineup leans on AI to keep its cameras fresh

Now Samsung is trying to entice the teens by showing them how AI can help them turn around a video project in less time.

Samsung

Lower background noise in videos on the new Galaxy S25 series.

For content creators, Clay is touching on the S25's ability to now record in Galaxy Log and then grade colors during the edit with look-up-tables.

You can see the advantages of filming on a really small device, especially for underwater shots. Notably, the S25 Ultra still has a 5x optical zoom, which gives Clay more flexibility when trying to capture various subjects.

Okay I'm here for this crab documentary content though. I'm invested in this keynote now.

Now Samsung is getting some input from documentary filmmaker John Clay.

Samsung

The camera array on the Galaxy S25 Ultra.

Samsung says it's redefining camera technology. However, the only new hardware is a new 50MP sensor for the S25 Ultra's ultra-wide camera.

Filters... Best Shot... I know I've definitely seen similar features on Apple and Google phones already. In a way it's good to see Samsung come up to par?

Samsung

Photo customization options on new Galaxy S25 phones.

Meanwhile, for group shots, the phone can use AI to pick out the best expression among a series of pics, which the goal being to make sure everyone is happy and smiling.

Say hello to the Galaxy S25 and S25+

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Photo of the Samsung Galaxy S25+ in hand at a product demo.

As expected, Samsung used its first Unpacked shindig of the year to officially unveil the Galaxy S25 series. Although the Galaxy S25 and S25+ bring welcome hardware upgrades like more RAM (12GB) and a Samsung-centric flavor of Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, most updates revolve around new Galaxy AI features — many of which are on-device and context-aware.

The phones' display specs are unchanged from the S24 lineup: The Galaxy S25 has a 6.2-inch FHD+ screen, and the S25+ uses a 6.7-inch QHD+ panel. (Both are still Dynamic AMOLED 2X panels with a 120Hz max refresh rate.)

Read more: The Galaxy S25 and S25+ have more RAM and context-sensitive AI

Samsung has also made a new range of filters, but if you want you can create your own as well.

There's also a new virtual aperture feature that allows you to change depth of field on the fly.

On the Galaxy S25, portraits will have more depth thanks to a new object-aware engine that can recognize specific lighting and skin tones.

So far I'm hearing from industry friends that this is a fairly lackluster Unpacked. Do you agree, dear readers? Hopefully we're making it interesting for you with our Year of the Snake content.

Now onto cameras with Rachel Roberts speaking for Samsung.

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is more AI-focused and tougher than before

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

A white phone on a black surface.

Samsung has announced the latest version of its flagship device, the Galaxy S25 Ultra, and it will come with more AI-focused features than its predecessors like the other phones in its lineup.

Like the previous Ultra devices, the new Ultra is still bigger than the Galaxy S25 and S25+ with a 6.9-inch display, but it now comes with a more rounded edge for a "comfortable grip." The company describes it as the "slimmest, lightest, and most durable Galaxy Ultra device ever," with a body made of titanium and Corning's Gorilla Armor 2.

Read more: The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is more AI-focused and tougher than before

Samsung

New Galaxy S25 series.

For the S25 Ultra specifically, it has a slightly larger 6.9-inch display (up from 6.8 inches), but with 15 percent smaller bezels, so its overall footprint is the same as the S24 Ultra.

Samsung

The Galaxy S25 series comes equipped with Corning Gorilla Armor 2.

As an improvement over last year's phone, the Galaxy S25 Ultra also features Gorilla Armor 2 ceramic glass panels in front and back.

Meet the Galaxy S25 family's new SoC

Qualcomm

The S25 series features a custom version of Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite system-on-a-chip. Qualcomm is calling it "the world's fastest mobile system-on-a-chip" and it powers every Galaxy S25 version across the world, from the standard release to the Plus and the Ultra. This is only the second time the same chipset has been used to power Galaxy S-series handsets globally. Typically, North America gets a Qualcomm SoC and the rest of the world gets Samsung's proprietary Exynos system.

Read more: Samsung Galaxy S25 smartphones are powered by a custom Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC

Now Samsung is claiming that the S25 offers the best battery life yet, including video playback of up to 31 hours on a charge.

Samsung

"Faster and more effective heat transfer."

For the gamers out there, Samsung says framerates are up by 18 percent in Vulkan-based titles. Sustained performance should also be improved by a vapor chamber that's 40 percent larger than before. There's even a new thermal interface material (TIM) to better wick heat away from the SoC.

For its display, there's a new Proscaler that was created with help from Samsung's TV division to provide what the company is calling 40 percent improved image quality.

Samsung

The Galaxy S25 phone lineup gets the latest Qualcomm processor.

Samsung says NPU performance is up 40 percent compared to last year.

For this go around, Samsung is saying it worked with Qualcomm to more heavily customize the SoC, unlike some previous silicon which were simply overclocked.

Next up is a lovely clip showing of the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chip that's being used in the new phones.

Samsung

A watermark will be added to AI created content.

Samsung

Samsung will be watermarking AI-generated images.

Also, Samsung will add a watermark to AI-generated art, so there's no confusion about how a specific image or graphic was made.

Samsung is reiterating that data is stored on device and is deleted after use, so it won't be used to train

Now Samsung is trying to highlight the important of privacy in the AI era.

Samsung

Samsung provides an update on its AR/VR partnership with Google.

RE Android XR: "We can't wait to share more details later this year." Classic keynote tease. What if tomorrow never comes, Samsung and Google?

Samsung says the headset is going to be a part of a collaborative effort to open up the AI ecosystem.

Wow, Samsung is teasing its upcoming XR headset way before the end of the event.

Now to Jay Kim, head of user experience.

At the same time, it's clearly a strategic effort to get people to try out AI features in general.

It looks like all new S25s will come with six months of Gemini Advanced for free, which is a nice touch.

Samsung

Gemini is shown here "chatting" with the user, and giving photo tips.

By the way, a technical glitch ate my post about Google's VP of Gemini Experiences Sissie Hsiao taking the stage to talk about Gemini. She's doing a demo onstage now, talking to Gemini Live about how to better compose a picture.

During our hands-on briefing, Samsung even suggested that you could use the S25's camera to identify a bunch of food and then ask the phone to make a recipe based on those ingredients.

Samsung

Detailing expanded Google Gemini support on the S25 series.

Samsung apps will now be integrated into Gemini Live, so they'll be treated like first-party apps. You can ask Gemini to, say, add events to your Samsung Calendar.

Google's Circle to Search feature got smarter at Samsung Unpacked

Google

Three phone screens lined up horizontally, showing a new Google feature that lets you circle something on your screen to search for it. The left screen shows a picture of a dog wearing sunglasses in a social post with a user-scribbled circle over it. The center screen shows a results page that pops up at the bottom of the screen. The right screen shows an expansion of that with product pages for the goggles.

Today may seem like it's all about the Galaxy S25, but if you use an older Android phone, there's something new for you too. Starting today, Google is rolling out an enhanced version of Circle to Search to all Android devices.

As a reminder, Circle to Search is an AI-powered feature Google released at the start of last year. You can access it by long-pressing your phone's home button and then circling something with your finger. At its most basic, the feature is a way to use Google Search from anywhere on your phone, with no need to switch between apps. It's particularly useful if you want to conduct an image search since you don't need to take a screenshot or describe what you're looking at to Google.

Read more: Circle to Search now offers one-tap actions for phone numbers, emails and URLs

Samsung does a lot of talking about Circle to Search, which can now identify songs by listening to music or even humming into the phone. But it's important to remember that Circle to Search is still a Google feature at heart.,

Samsung

More info on Samsung's Galaxy AI.

One important thing to call out is that features like AI Select aren't brand new. They are improved versions of existing features like Smart Select, which never really lived up to its name.

A deep dive on Samsung's new AI features

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

A Now Brief brief appears on the Galaxy S25 Ultra

For the second year in a row, the story of Samsung's new flagship Galaxy phones isn't about hardware changes. For better or worse, the Galaxy S25 features few material changes from its predecessor, and many of the most substantive enhancements come courtesy of new AI features Samsung has built into One UI.

Read more: Samsung Galaxy AI becomes more personal and cohesive

Blackard is describing more about One UI 7 now, which will arrive on the Galaxy S25 lineup.

And we're getting more Personal Data Engine chat. It's getting a lot of hype from this presentation. but crucially, the only way we'll be able to see if it's a compelling feature is over time with the new phones. How about you show us those, eh, Samsung?

We've seen reports that some sort of "ongoing notifications" similar to Apple's Live Activities was on its way to Android, and this is ostensibly Samsung beating the rest of Android to the punch.

Blackard is describing a new feature called the Now Brief, which sounds like things I've heard from the likes of Apple and Fitbit. It's a daily report on things you've missed. Now Bar, like Mat said, is about real-time, developing notifications that can appear in your lockscreen or notification shade. It's extremely similar to Apple's Live Activities box.

He's now talking about a new feature called Now Bar, which shows real-time updates and info on your lockscreen.

Drew Blackard is on stage talking about new Galaxy AI features, and seems to be teeing up a future where your routines are "uninterrupted" and feel natural. I don't know that this is anything new to me.

We're watching a promo video showing how the Gemini integration can tie together multiple commands and actions from a single voice request.

This Personal Data Engine that Samsung is talking about sounds very similar to Apple's privacy-centric approach to AI, but doesn't seem as comprehensive.

TM Roh is now waxing lyrically on what AI features can offer, and the ability to tap into Gemini AI with a single button press.

Hassabis is running through Gemini, Google's general AI model.

Roh is introducing Google's Demis Hassabis, Co-Founder & CEO of Google DeepMind.

First up is Samsung president and head of mobile experience TM Roh.

And the livestream is officially kicking off now.

Maybe we'll finally see the Galaxy Home smart speaker? It's only been five and a half years since it was revealed...

I was kind of hoping for an hour flat, because there's only the three new phones to talk about. But I guess we'll see.

Samsung is already showing videos talking about privacy in AI. How long do we think today's event will last?

I feel like CES isn't over until the next big event happens, which I guess is today.

I would be intrigued if the slim phone exists. But what are the drawbacks? It'd be battery life, right?

What a throwback. I remember the VR roller coaster machines Samsung used to have at CES. Hey Sam remember CES 2025? Feel like forever ago to you?

Yea, it's been a long time coming, especially after Samsung ended the whole Gear VR headset category.

I might be hallucinating (like AI) but I feel like I remember this platform being mentioned at a Google I/O years prior as well?

Man they've been talking about that XR headset or platform forever! I know there's been documented talk since at least February 2023 — more in our article about Samsung making 'extended reality' wearable devices.

And if you'll remember Samsung teased the Galaxy Ring around this time last year, so I won't be shocked if there is some sort of surprise slated for the end of the event.

There's also a chance we may see a glimpse of the XR headset that Samsung teased late last year.

But there are some potential surprises lurking. There are rumors of a Galaxy S25 Slim which is positioned as a rival for Apple's iPhone 17 Air. But neither of those are confirmed or have been talked about in any official manner, so they are purely speculation for now.

Anyone still wearing their Galaxy Ring? Ready for Galaxy Ring S2

Samsung launched the Galaxy Ring last year and it's too soon for new watches or foldables, so we probably won't see any of those either.

Snakes on a phone, Sam. Snakes on a phone.

The big highlight is the new Galaxy S25 family, which like before is expected to consist of three devices: the S25, the S25+ and the S25 Ultra.

In the meantime, we should go over what we're expecting because it's shaping up to be a rather light session.

Here it is, your official 15-minute warning. Now is a great time to grab a drink or a snack before things officially kick off at 1PM ET/10AM PT.

Sssssssssssurprise! A Ssssssssamsung Ssssssss25!

Please don't summon the Galaxy S25 Snake edition into existence Cherlynn.

Minor piece of completely unrelated trivia: I've been reading up on the Chinese zodiac predictions for the year of the snake and somehow, contrary to western perceptions of the snake, this year might see many people find benefactors and supporters in various aspects of their lives? Maybe Samsung will have random partnerships? Will there be any cringey snake-related stunts like, I don't know, calling it the Galaxy Sssssssss25?

So I guess Samsung didn't promise that Galaxy AI suggested or concocted these drinks. We just want Mat to eat the edible (?) glitter with the words Galaxy AI on it. It might make you more charming Mat.

What could go wrong? Sparkly poops?

That's the Picante, which looks especially 'festive'. Is the glitter edible? Should I try?

Mat Smith for Engadget

Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2025

Did Samsung mention anything about if AI was used to create a drink recipe? That would be neat I suppose.

Mat — what's in your cocktail? What did Galaxy AI serve you? Inquiring (thirsty) minds want to know.

If anything it's too bright.

I wish, Cher. I wish.

Mat it looks like you need the Galaxy AI to brighten up your low-light shots for you.

Sam, I think you might not hear from me in this liveblog anymore if Rosé and Bruno Mars take the stage

I think I've found where Samsung keeps all the AI:

Mat Smith for Engadget

Samsung's Galaxy Unpacked 2025

Mat Smith for Engadget

Samsung's Galaxy Unpacked 2025

I know Cherlynn has been listening to a lot of APT by Rosé and Bruno Mars recently.

Ok, how about something a bit more likely? You think any members of BTS or Blackpink will make cameos today?

Looking back on our liveblog last year, I'm reminded that Samsung brought on special guests like Mr. Beast and Pokimane. I am not sure they'll be back today.

I am inside. Which is good because it is cold in London at the moment.

All I know is that Mat Smith is having Galaxy AI cocktails at the Samsung event in London and I have to wonder what Galaxy AI concocted.

I feel like a lot of people are waiting for that "killer" AI feature, but it just hasn't happened yet. Instead, we get some refinements or minor upgrades, which are fine in the general scheme of things. But these aren't exactly the kinds of thing that are making people run out to the store to buy new devices.

It feels like AI tech as a whole is in a weird place right now. There are a lot of duplicate features like being able to translate things or summarize things using AI, which isn't very exciting.

But at the same time, tools like AI photo editing can be genuinely helpful, especially if you aren't familiar with traditional tools like Lightroom or Photoshop.

In the YouTube description of its invitation video for Unpacked 2025, 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."

Seems like we can expect more Galaxy AI features today. Has anyone found any of these new generative-AI features genuinely reliable? I mostly like image generation tools that place weird-looking clones of me in random harmless situations.

Hi Sam! And also hello to our UK bureau chief Mat Smith, who's found his way to Samsung's satellite event in London

Apropos of nothing, today marks just under a week from the first day of the Lunar New Year. Come January 28, many people from my part of the world (Southeast Asia and Asia) will usher in the year of the snake. I have a feeling this played no small part in the scheduling decisions made by Samsung.

Yea, definitely. Samsung launched into its AI era last year with the S24 line. So it's basically a slam dunk that we're going to see a continuation of that in 2025.

Should you choose to stay with us, you'll be treated to the words (and bad jokes) of myself and senior writer Sam Rutherford. If you know Sam, you'll know his daily driver is a foldable and has been for years now.

Now, if at some point you decide you'd rather watch Samsung's livestream for yourself, or switch over to get the full experience of what we're describing, you can always go to the company's website. I won't be offended.

Read more: How to watch Samsung unveil the Galaxy S25 at its Unpacked 2025 event

Before we get too far ahead of ourselves, here's what we expect Samsung to unveil at Unpacked today. Spoiler alert: It's almost definitely the new S-series phones and a generous helping of AI. Our writer Will Shanklin's article covers more details on the rumored specs and components, as well as what other devices are likely to actually show up, based on leaks and reports.

Read more: Samsung Unpacked 2025: The Galaxy S25 and other news we expect to see today

Hello everyone and thank you for joining us today on our liveblog of Samsung's Galaxy Unpacked 2025. The company's livestream starts at 1PM ET. If you, like me, don't like keeping a video playing for various reasons, we've got you covered with words and images right here.