Summary
- Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra may not use a higher capacity battery, sticking to the same 5,000mAh cell as its predecessor.
- The company might focus on optimizing the power consumption of internal components to ensure all-day battery life.
- The lack of a battery upgrade could be due to rumored major design changes in the S25 Ultra, including a thinner frame and improved ergonomics.
Almost all flagship Android smartphones launched this year ship with a 5,000mAh or bigger battery. The OnePlus 12 stands out among the lot with its beefy 5,400mAh cell. Rumors indicate 2025 flagship smartphones could pack even bigger batteries, with OnePlus already showing off its 6,100mAh Glacier battery. Given the intense competition, you’d think Samsung will also use a bigger battery on the Galaxy S25 Ultra next year. A new leak suggests that might not be the case.
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Samsung leaker Ice Universe claims Samsung’s 2025 flagship phone will feature a 5,000mAh cell, the same as the Galaxy S24 Ultra. The Korean company has been using a 5,000mAh cell on its flagship phones since the Galaxy S20 Ultra, which launched back in 2020. So, it would be the sixth straight year for the company to not bump the battery capacity on its flagship phone.
Worse, the leaker says the charging speed will remain unchanged at 45W.
The Galaxy S24 Ultra offers all-day battery life, and if Samsung can achieve similar numbers with the S25 Ultra next year, the lack of a bigger cell won’t be a problem. Rumors indicate Qualcomm’s next-gen Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 will be a power-hungry chip. This could force Samsung to focus on increasing the efficiency of other internal components, including a less power-hungry display, to achieve the same runtime as its current flagship.
More importantly, the 45W charging speed will likely disappoint many Samsung fanboys, especially since the company significantly lags behind its competition in this area. The OnePlus 12 supports 80W fast charging in the US, allowing it to top up its 5,400mAh cell to 100% in just over 30 minutes. For comparison, the Galaxy S24 Ultra takes over an hour to go from 0-100%.
There’s no mention of wireless charging speeds, but given Samsung’s track record, it might remain the same at 15W. Or, even if there’s a speed bump, it won’t be a significant one.
Samsung’s 2025 flagship phone might pack major design changes
Despite being over six months away from launch, the rumor mill has already revealed a fair bit about the Galaxy S25 Ultra. It will apparently be Samsung’s thinnest flagship in recent years, measuring just 8.4mm. This could also be a key reason behind the company’s purported decision to stick with a 5,000mAh cell on its flagship next year.
Other rumored design changes include a rounded chassis for a better in-hand feel and improved ergonomics, as well as narrower front bezels.
