Samsung may have already tipped its hand about some of the key specs of the Samsung Galaxy S25. Though we’re many months out from the anticipated launch of the Galaxy S25 (the S24 was only launched in January of this year), Samsung has announced three new camera sensors that seem likely to be featured on the S25: the 200-megapixel ISOCELL HP9, the 50MP ISOCELL JN5, and 50MP ISOCELL GNJ.
For the 50MP GNJ sensor, we’re looking at what’s likely to be the Galaxy S25’s primary camera. It has a sensor size that’s roughly on par with the Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24 Plus, with 1-micron pixels. For reference, 50MP is the approximate sensor and pixel size that’s been on phones since the Galaxy S22 and S22 Plus. If this is the primary sensor for the S25, it means we’re going another year without a major change to the primary sensor, though Samsung claims efficiency gains of 29% in preview mode and 34% with 4K video at 60 frames per second.
That said, according to Samsung, the new camera sensor will have dual pixel technology and in-sensor zoom for clearer video and higher-resolution images. It will also have an improved “anti-refractive layer” and better pixel isolation material to improve light capture, reduce reflections, improve color reproduction, and deliver more accurate shadows and dark areas.
“Enhancing image sensor performance and bridging the gap between main and sub cameras to offer a consistent photography experience across all angles is the new direction of the industry,” said Jesuk Lee, executive vice president and CTO of the System LSI Sensor Business Team at Samsung Electronics. “We will continue to set industry standards and push technological boundaries with our new lineup of mobile sensors that integrate the latest advancements.”
As for the other sensors, there’s the 200MP HP9, which actually already exists on some phones like the Vivo X100 Ultra. If this sensor comes to the Galaxy S25, it’ll likely be the telephoto camera, which puts it in line with the 200MP cell on the Galaxy S24 Ultra. Despite the changes, Samsung claims there are improvements in low light with pixel binning, improved color capture, 12% better light capture, and 10% better autofocus contrast performance.
Last is the 50MP JN5. This might be the selfie camera with HDR and autofocus tweaks, dual slope gain, and Super Quad Phase Detection autofocus. It’s a small sensor, and potentially it can be used for many purposes, including the main camera, ultrawide camera, telephoto, or front-facing camera. It sounds like it’s fairly versatile, and it should be capable of 2x in-sensor zoom as a main camera and 6x in-sensor zoom when used on a 3x telephoto camera. It supports low-power, always-on mode with motion recognition as well.
It’s still early days, though, so it’s premature to assume that any of this is guaranteed to appear on the S25. Undoubtedly, more leaks will start trickling in as the year goes on.
Samsung’s scandal over its Game Optimizing Service, or GOS, has returned with a bill attached. South Korea’s Fair Trade Commission has tentatively fined the company 20.1 billion won, or about $15.1 million, over gaming claims made for the Galaxy S21, Galaxy S22, and Tab S8.
The regulator says Samsung promoted the devices as gaming powerhouses without disclosing that GOS placed preset CPU and GPU limits on certain demanding games. Samsung disputes that conclusion, calling GOS a legitimate way to manage heat.
Apple's next cheaper iPhone could get a brand-new processor while keeping its most stubborn display compromise. Digital Chat Station tips the iPhone 18e for a 2027 release with a 2nm A20 chip and a 6.12-inch OLED screen still limited to 60Hz.
The rumored camera setup includes a single 48MP rear camera and a possible 24MP selfie camera. There's new hardware to consider, but buyers hoping Apple would extend that upgrade generosity to smoother scrolling could be disappointed.
Google Photos is introducing a new design for the Collections tab on Android, giving users more control over their albums, folders, and photo categories. The update is all about customization, allowing users to pin collections they access often, hide sections they use rarely, and rearrange the layout to make their photo libraries easier to navigate.
According to a 9To5Google report, the change comes after Google rolled out the redesigned floating navigation bar on Android earlier this year. Rather than inventing a brand new way to store photos, Google is making it easier to get to the content people want, without having to scroll through sections they rarely open.