Galaxy S25 Ultra: If you're hoping for a camera upgrade, you'll probably be disappointed

New year, new game: A new flagship series from Samsung will also be released in 2025. However, you shouldn't expect big jumps with the Ultra model's camera.

That's why it's important: The annual flagship upgrade is always associated with hopes for exciting innovations – at least in the case of the Galaxy S25 Ultra, we will probably have to say goodbye to this.

In detail: As the usually well-informed leaker UniverseIce explains on X/Twitter, the Galaxy S25 Ultra will use the same camera as the current Galaxy S24 Ultra.

• This sensor is the ISOCELL HP2which Samsung has been using since the Galaxy S23 Ultra.
• The 1/1.3-inch sensor has 200 megapixels with a size of 0.6 µm each, which can also be combined to 50 MP and 12.5 MP via pixel binning.
• When it comes to video recordings, however, up to 8K resolution with 30 frames per second is possible.

Link to Twitter content

Why does the HP2 sensor remain? The statement about sticking with the 200 MP sensor came during a discussion about the basic design of Samsung flagships.

• According to UniverseIce, Samsung will “sooner or later have a problem” if it continues to rely on a flat design.
• If a 1-inch sensor or a better telephoto camera is introduced, the increased thickness also results in the camera module becoming “enormously bulged”.

With a flat smartphone design, this would be a clear disadvantage in terms of both looks and feel.

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Samsung presents the design of the new Galaxy S24 models

This is also the reason why Chinese smartphone manufacturers rely on a curved design for their flagships.

This in turn hides the “optical thickness” created by the larger sensors.

Apple as a role model? According to UniverseIce, in order to be able to advertise with a larger sensor in the Ultra models at a later date, Samsung is particularly monitoring the competition from Apple.

• According to rumors, the iPhone 16 Pro (Max) is said to have a “stacked” camera.
• In this case, the photodiodes and pixel transistors are built one on top of the other.
• This means that the diodes can be made significantly larger, which in turn also allows a larger sensor to be integrated.

This sensor is again probably a Sony product.

As a result, the iPhone 16 Pro (Max) uses the Sony IMX903, which at 1/1.14 inch would be the largest Apple sensor to date – and at the same time trumps the Samsung flagship.