Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Rumors Hint At A New Shape (And That Solves A Big Problem)
It looks like Samsung has locked in the design language of its next flagship, and it just might surprise smartphone shoppers next year. According to reliable leaks account IceUniverse, the upcoming top-of-the-line phone from Samsung will embrace flat sides, but slightly rounded corners.
What is the biggest problem with the S24 Ultra design?
The number one flaw is that the horizontal screen-to-body ratio is too low. The body width is 79mm, of which only 72.3mm is the screen, and the remaining 6.7mm is all the frame and the middle frame, which makes the hand feel... pic.twitter.com/YjCVWgWeKi— ICE UNIVERSE (@UniverseIce) August 16, 2024
According to an alleged render shared on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, the Galaxy S25 Ultra will feature a metallic chassis that looks like a derivative of the Galaxy S24 Ultra, a design language that retains the center-aligned selfie but without its sharp corners. In a previous post, the account assured that the "Galaxy S25 Ultra will not crush your palm again," referring to pictures in which the Galaxy S24 Ultra's sharp corners can be seen painfully digging into a person's hands and leaving a deep imprint.
S23 Ultra vs S25 Ultra pic.twitter.com/IDwNRuMken
— ICE UNIVERSE (@UniverseIce) August 16, 2024
It seems Samsung is well aware of the customers' plight. One user mentioned on Threads that the "Samsung S24 Ultra is physically painful to use," adding that it's hard to use the phone for more than 10 minutes in a stretch. "THE EDGES HURT! Seriously why Samsung, why?" reads another post on the official Samsung Community forum. "After not even 5 minutes my hand is like cramping or something and it hurts," recalls another customer on Reddit.
A modest upgrade, at best?
The latest leak claims that the Galaxy S25 will be slightly narrower, which would make it easier to hold. "The thickness can be referred to that of iPhone 16 Pro Max. It still has a titanium alloy middle frame, and the arc near the back cover is slightly larger," notes the leakster. Now, this is an early leak, so process it with a healthy dose of skepticism. Moreover, it's entirely plausible that Samsung has other design variations in its test labs and could pick a different one for the final device.
It's very beautiful. The thickness can be referred to that of iPhone 16 Pro Max. It still has a titanium alloy middle frame, and the arc near the back cover is slightly larger.
— ICE UNIVERSE (@UniverseIce) August 16, 2024
Another post from the same account back in July claimed that the Galaxy S25 Ultra would come equipped with a 5,000 mAh battery with support for 45W wired charging. Now, those numbers aren't bad, especially when compared against the likes of the iPhone 15 Pro Max and the Google Pixel 9 Pro. However, they aren't really a new benchmark for Samsung itself. Moreover, it's still far off what the competition has to offer.
The OnePlus 12 supports 100W wired charging, and even the company's wireless charging stand can go up to 50W output. But it seems Samsung could still deliver some meaningful upgrades in other departments. One report mentions a 50-megapixel folded-lens zoom camera and an ultrawide-angle camera with similar sensor resolution. A shift to Qualcomm's next-gen Snapdragon 8 Gen series silicon is also naturally expected for the Galaxy S25 Ultra ahead of a tentative launch in the first quarter of 2025.