Like many things, smartphone launches are cyclical. Samsung usually kicks off the first quarter by introducing its new Galaxy S phones, while Apple debuts its new iPhones in September. That will likely continue to be the case in 2025, but there also may be a few surprises in store, if reports and leaks are to be believed.

Apple and Samsung, for example, may shake up their approach with new “slim” models in 2025 that could be even thinner than the phones we know today. At the same time, we’re expecting to see a new wave of Android foldable phones later in the year. As was the case with new phones in 2024, AI features will likely continue to be a major theme amongst mobile devices in 2025. The new additions we saw in Apple Intelligence, Galaxy AI and Google’s Pixel AI features feel like just the start of a larger evolution of mobile software.

Otherwise, we can expect upgrades in all the usual places, such as processors, cameras and displays. Here’s a closer look at what to expect from new phones in 2025. 

Read more: After Using Apple Intelligence for Weeks, This One Feature Stands Out

Watch this: iPhone 17 Rumors: What Analysts Say Apple Is Doing Next

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Apple 

Apple iPhone 17 lineup

Apple is expected to release four iPhones next year as usual. The difference, however, is that it might replace the larger Plus model with a new iPhone 17 Slim, according to reports from The Information, Bloomberg and analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. This so-called iPhone 17 Slim would have a sleek design and a screen with a high refresh rate, but may only have one rear camera instead of the two found on the standard iPhone. 

Meanwhile, a report from ETNews suggests all four new iPhones will have a display capable of boosting its refresh rate for smoother scrolling, a feature that’s currently limited to the Pro models. Analyst Jeff Pu also expects the new phones to have a higher resolution 24-megapixel selfie camera, according to MacRumors. 

iPhone SE

Apple’s budget phone might make a comeback in 2025. The 4th-gen iPhone SE is expected to come with big changes that include an iPhone 14-like design with an edge-to-edge screen, Apple Intelligence support, the Action button and a 48-megapixel camera, according to MacRumors. If true, all of those upgrades could go a long way toward making Apple’s budget phone feel more modern and like a true competitor to Android devices in the same price range. Plus, it would presumably make Apple Intelligence more accessible, since Apple’s new AI features are only currently available on the iPhone 16 lineup and the iPhone 15 Pro. 

Samsung

Samsung Galaxy S25 lineup 

Samsung’s Galaxy S launch usually sets the tone for the company’s approach to mobile devices for the year, and we’re expecting that to hold true yet again in 2025. Samsung announced the Galaxy S24 lineup in January 2024, so there’s a chance it’ll pursue a similar timeline next year. 

Samsung is expected to release a regular, Plus and Ultra model next year, continuing the trend it established in 2020 with the Galaxy S20 lineup. These phones will likely run on Qualcomm’s newly announced Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, and a rumor from a prolific leaker, who goes by the alias Ice Universe, suggests that the base Galaxy S25 will have the same camera sensor as the Galaxy S24. 

What we know for sure is these new phones will be the first to come with Samsung’s One UI 7 software. Sally Hyesoon Jeong, Samsung’s electronics executive vice president and head of the framework research and development team, briefly teased the update during the company’s developer conference in October, saying it will introduce a “brand-new” user interface design. 

But perhaps what’s more interesting is that like Apple, Samsung is also rumored to be developing a slim version of its next major smartphone. The so-called Galaxy S25 Slim could arrive in limited quantities as a test to see if it’s worth adding to its mainline Galaxy S lineup in 2026, reports ETNews. 

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7

Samsung typically releases new foldable phones in the summer, and we have no reason to expect anything different in 2025. While we haven’t heard much about what Samsung may have in store for the Galaxy Z Fold 7 yet, it’ll likely have an upgraded processor to match the one in the Galaxy S25 lineup. 

If Samsung follows the same approach it’s taken in recent years, camera and design improvements are likely as well. What we probably won’t see, though, is an integrated S Pen, as Samsung’s Patrick Chomet told CNET in an interview that the company didn’t want to compromise on battery life, performance and design by adding an S Pen slot. 

Samsung also released a special edition of the Galaxy Z Fold 6 in South Korea with a thinner design, and analyst Ross Young — CEO of Display Supply Chain Consultants — said it will launch another variant like this next year. 

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7

Samsung’s next clamshell phone is expected to arrive in the summer alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 7. Like Samsung’s larger and more expensive foldable phone, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 will likely have the same processor as the Galaxy S25 series and some design improvements. 

But Samsung may take a different approach next year by launching two variants of the Z Flip 7: a standard model and a cheaper “fan edition.” That’s according to Young, who recently posted on X that a Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE is in the pipeline for 2025. This cheaper model would likely have the same display as the regular Z Flip 7, the analyst said on X, but could have a different camera and
processor. 

Xiaomi

Xiaomi 15 Ultra

Xiaomi already unveiled the Xiaomi 15 and 15 Pro, but it’s the 15 Ultra that we’re eagerly waiting for. The Xiaomi 14 Ultra wowed CNET’s Andrew Lanxon with its superb photography prowess thanks to its large 1-inch type image sensor, which resulted in some of the most impressive images he’s taken with a phone.

Rumors indicate its successor will follow suit. A well-known leaker who goes by the alias Ice Universe on X reports the Xiaomi 15 Ultra will have a 200-megapixel sensor, signaling an upgrade from the 14 Ultra’s 50-megapixel main camera. Since the Xiaomi 15 and 15 Pro run on Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, it’s likely safe to assume the Ultra will as well. 

Google

Google Pixel 9A 

Google’s cheaper Pixel phone is expected to get an upgrade yet again in 2025. According to Android Headlines, the next A-series Pixel device will have a slightly larger screen (6.3 inches versus 6.1 inches), a bigger 5,000-mAh battery, a main camera with a 48-megapixel sensor (making it a slightly lower resolution than the Pixel 8A‘s 64-megapixel camera) and Google’s Tensor G4 processor. Based on this leak, it sounds like the Pixel 9A will be an iterative upgrade over the current Pixel 8A, which I wouldn’t necessarily mind considering the Pixel 8A offered a solid value for the price. 

What’s interesting, though, is that Google may launch the phone earlier than expected in March, says the report, which would mark a departure from the company’s previous pattern of launching its Pixel A devices either at Google I/O or in the summer. If true, it could be a move to better compete with the rumored iPhone SE 4, since Apple usually launches the SE in the March or April time frame. 

Google Pixel 10 lineup

If the leaks turn out to be accurate, Google’s Pixel 10 lineup will introduce a flurry of new AI features, which isn’t surprising given the direction Google took with the Pixel 8 and Pixel 9. 

Read more: Pixel 9 Specs vs. Pixel 8: Here’s What You Get for an Extra $100

Google’s Pixel 10 family, which will presumably run on a next-gen Tensor 5 processor, could have new generative AI-based video editing features, as well as large language model-based tools for editing photos called “Speak to Tweak” and “Sketch to Image,” which both sound similar to the feature Samsung already offers for turning rough drawings into polished images. That’s all according to Android Authority, which claims to have gotten its hands on credible documents from Google’s chips division. 

In terms of the differences between the standard Pixel 10 and Pixel 10 Pro, we can likely expect to see more memory and a dedicated telephoto lens, just like on the Pixel 9 series. But Android Authority’s report suggests that bigger changes could be in store for the Pixel 11 like a 100x zoom, similar to the Galaxy S24 Ultra.

Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold

Google’s foldable phone took a major step forward in 2024 with the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, which feels like it’s been redesigned from the ground up over 2023’s Pixel Fold. If Google maintains the same approach it took with the well-received 9 Pro Fold, we can expect to see its next foldable sport similar hardware as the Pixel 10 Pro, packed into a book-shaped foldable design. That means it’ll also likely run on the Tensor G5 chip and support many of the same new AI features we may see on the Pixel 10 family. 

OnePlus 

OnePlus 13

The OnePlus 13 has already gone official in China, as reports from 9to5Google and other media outlets have reported, providing a peek at what we may be able to expect from a global release. Unsurprisingly, the Chinese version of the device runs on Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 8 Elite processor and supports 100W wired charging. The design has also been updated compared to the OnePlus 12, with the OnePlus 13 featuring a fresh look with flatter edges and a 6.82-inch screen. There’s also IP69 water and dust resistance on the Chinese model, making its durability rating slightly higher than the typical IP68 label found on most mainstream phones. 

OnePlus Open 2

OnePlus’ first foldable phone impressed us in 2023 with its attractive hardware, speedy charging and long battery life. The company didn’t release a new version in 2024, and it’s uncertain whether that will change in 2025. A report from Chinese news outlet Leifeng has resulted in speculation that OnePlus’ sister brand Oppo could be exiting the phone market, as reported by blogs such as 9to5Google and Android Central. If true, it would certainly leave a larger opportunity for companies like Samsung, Google, Huawei and Motorola to expand their respective footprints in the foldable market.

Motorola

Motorola Razr 2025 lineup

Motorola’s 2024 Razr Plus was one of the most memorable devices CNET tested this year, earning an Editors’ Choice award for its fun design, camera upgrades and larger cover display. While Motorola hasn’t said anything about future plans for the Razr, the fact that it launched new models in both 2023 and 2024 suggests these phones may be updated on an annual basis.

We don’t know what to expect from the next-gen Razr and Razr Plus. But judging by Motorola’s previous strategy, it seems likely that a new processor, camera tweaks and optimizations to the cover display are likely to be in store. 

Overall, new smartphones in 2025 are expected to provide iterative improvements over 2024’s handsets, including new processors, more AI features and updated designs. The exceptions could come from Apple and Samsung, if rumors suggesting both companies are planning to switch up their lineups with sleeker new models turn out to be true.