One more year, some Samsung Galaxy Unpacked. The Android giant has grown accustomed to hosting at least two such events each year, one for foldable devices and one for just about everything else. Since foldable devices took a mid-level last time, it’s probably time for the rest of their products, adding the Samsung Galaxy S25 series, to have their turn. While only those under NDA know for sure what we’ll see, here’s what we expect to see when the next Samsung Galaxy Unpacked comes out on January 22 at 1 p. m. Eastern Time.
There are several tactics to watch the Samsung Galaxy Unpacked on January 22. Samsung would actually appreciate you checking out their site, but assuming you’re like me, you’d probably prefer to watch it on Samsung’s YouTube channel, where the event will be simulcast. I’ve also embedded the feed below.
Note that at least visiting Samsung’s site before the broadcast gives you a slight advantage, as you can make a reservation for the new phones that will be announced at the event. This will give you $50 in Samsung Store Credits when you check out with your pre-order (assuming you place the pre-order using the same email you pre-ordered with). While you’re at it, you can also enter to win $5,000 in store credits at the same time, and this one requires no purchase if you end up winning.
Samsung likes to kick off each year by announcing its latest non-folding phones, and there’s no reason to expect this year to be different. Typically, this means a standard variant, a larger screen “plus” size, and a more powerful “ultra” version. Given that Samsung has already registered three new model numbers with the FCC (thanks, 91Mobiles), that’s what we can expect this year, too (prior leaks had pointed at a “slim” model, although there’s no FCC listing for it yet).
When it comes to specs, this is where it gets a little interesting. The most important detail of the FCC leaks is possible support for 45W fast charging; Android Headlines claims to have images of the devices themselves. These show a move towards rounded corners and thinner bezels, but the rest of the design appears largely intact.
As for internal components, leaks expect all S25 models to use the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, which was revealed in October and is expected to arrive in Samsung products. This matches previous Galaxy devices, which also used the same chip in all models; The main points have differed between regions in the past. Now those regional differences would not be at play.
The Snapdragon 8 Elite promises innovations ranging from 35% to 62% depending on the task at hand, with the biggest improvement being Internet browsing, essential for a mobile phone.
Samsung phones are also known for their cameras, Android headlines and popular leaker Ice Universe claim that only the Galaxy S25 Ultra will see an improvement here, and only for its ultra-wide lens, which will increase from 12MP to 50MP.
The presentations are unlikely to replace your existing OLED setup and, on the software front, the phones are set to use Samsung’s One UI 7, which is already in beta and runs on Android 15. Wait, you also get a bunch of AI-focused features. advertisements, even if they are false. leaks have still appeared.
There are also possible accessory developments on the horizon, as the Wireless Power Consortium has said that Samsung will include Qi2 wireless charging in its new phones. According to leaker chunvn8888, this does not mean that it will have integrated magnets (via Qi2), Samsung will still sell a case with an integrated magnetic ring.
News on the Galaxy Ring 2 is a bit less clear, but hit-or-miss Taiwanese publication DigiTimes says Samsung might tease it during the event. The publication is expecting two additional sizes, updated sensors, and new AI features, but given that the first model launched in July, it’ll likely be some time until you can buy a follow up. However, Korean leaker Lanzuk says Samsung might launch the wearable a bit earlier than expected.
Finally, it’s possible we’ll hear more about Samsung’s augmented and extended reality initiatives. Samsung has previously announced an Android-based extended reality headset alongside Google called Project Moohan, so it’s possible the company might demo it during Unpacked, but don’t expect it to be available right away. Google is still seeding developers with software and equipment for the new platform, although the company does say it expects Moohan to start selling by the end of the year.
On that note, don’t expect to see anything really extensive related to the AR glasses that Samsung showed off in the past, either. DigiTimes claims that the glasses will look modest, but since they will also rely on Google technology, they will most likely still be in the oven as well.
Michelle Ehrhardt is an associate technical editor at Lifehacker. He’s been writing about generation and pop culture since 2014 and has edited to add Gizmodo and Tom’s Hardware.