The S25 Ultra still has an S Pen, but Samsung removed Bluetooth features that allowed you to use the stylus like a magic wand. Samsung says few people used those features, and on balance, it’s no great loss. But it’s the principle more than anything that stings.

The company's flagship phone line received a new chipset and a slightly enhanced camera system. Otherwise, it’s all about the AI software features.The new Samsung flagship phone line (left to

People tend to keep phones longer than they used to, though, and anyone upgrading to the S25 from an Android phone released more than a couple of years ago won't mind that, visually, it looks like Samsung's released the same phone three years in a row. Next to a modern Google or OnePlus phone, though, the Galaxy S25 looks awfully basic.