Galaxy S25 Series Wishlist

[DaverZ]

Hello, Samsung.

Here is a generalized wishlist of features for the Galaxy S25 series smartphones and beyond. I will add more features to this list if and when I think of them. Feature requests applyto all variants unless otherwise noted. Thank you for your consideration.

Estimated Reading Time: approx. 5 to 7 minutes

Last Updated: Friday, May 17th, 2024 @ 12:02am EST

(1) Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 chip worldwide (see #22 for details)

(2) satellite phone and internet

(3) flat displayswith rounded corners

(4) at least Corning Gorilla Glass Armor on the frontand back

(5) revert the Ultra's titanium frame back to aluminum for better cooling; titanium traps heat inside the device, as does glass

(6) manual battery bypass/direct power available whenever charging, regardless of activity, with settings for automation and scheduling; this feature would increase battery longevity, reduce heating when charging or using DeX, and make overnight charging completely harmless

(7) a smaller one-handed model which could be called the "Galaxy S25 Mini"

(8) larger batteries:

Mini model: 3,400mAh

base model: 4,300mAh

Plus model: 5,000mAh

Ultra model: 6,000mAh

(9) Qi2 magnetic wireless charging (MagSafe for Android)

(10) faster wired charging:

Mini model: 30 watts

base model: 45 watts

Plus model: 65 watts

Ultra model: 80 watts

(11) wider range of storage and RAM options (see #24 & #25 for more details):

Mini & base models:

• 256GB + 12GB
• 512GB + 12GB

Plus model:

• 256GB+12GB
• 512GB+12GB
• 1TB+18GB (yes, 18GB, not 16GB, due to having six memory channels instead of the usual four; see #24 for more details)

Ultra model:

• 512GB+12GB
• 1TB+18GB
• 2TB+24GB

(12) flush rear cameras with no bumps, while keeping the back panel perfectly flat

(13) sapphire crystal lens covers on the rear cameras

(14) upgraded rear camera cluster:

Mini model:

• 64MP 1/1.33" main/wide-angle sensor
• 16MP 0.5x ultrawide sensor
• 16MP 2-5x variable periscope telephoto sensor

base & Plus models:

• 64MP 1/1.33" main/wide-angle sensor
• 16MP 0.5x ultrawide sensor
• 16MP 2-5x variable periscope telephoto sensor
• 8MP IR-enhanced night vision sensor
• 320×180 thermal/infrared sensor

Ultra model:

• 256MP 1.0" main/wide-angle sensor
• 16MP 0.5x ultrawide sensor
• 64MP 3-10x variable periscope telephoto sensor
• 8MP IR-enhanced night vision sensor
• 320×180 thermal/infrared sensor

(15) under-display 16MP selfie camera in the centre of the screen (eliminates the perspective problem), with locally-processed AI dehazing, and OIS with Super Steady Video

(16) small touchscreen beside the rear cameras:

• provides a viewfinder for taking close-range group photos and selfies with the rear cameras
• can also show notifications, the Always On Display, playback controls and other things when the phone is lying face down
• flush with the back panel; no screen bump or bezel
• at least Corning Gorilla Glass Armor cover glass
• 16:9, Dynamic AMOLED 2X, Diamond PenTile, HDR10+, LTPO 5.0, 1-120Hz, 3,000 nits
• Mini model: 1.75", 768×432 @ 504ppi
• base model: 2.0", 896×504 @ 514ppi
• Plus model: 2.25", 1,024×576 @ 522ppi
• Ultra model: 2.5", 1,152×648 @ 529ppi

(17) improved front displays:

• new name denoting the under-display selfie camera: "Infinity-U"
• 20:9, Dynamic AMOLED 2X, Diamond PenTile, HDR10+, LTPO 5.0, 1-120Hz, 3,000 nits
• Mini model: 5.5", 2,400×1,080 @ 479ppi
• base model: 6.4", 3,200×1,440 @ 548ppi
• Plus model: 6.7", 3,200×1,440 @ 524ppi
• Ultra model: 7.0" 3,200×1,440 @ 501ppi
• again, Corning Gorilla Glass Armor or better

(18) improved S-Pen for the Ultra model:

• double the pressure sensitivity from 4,096 to 8,192 levels of pressure
• add a second function button to the S-Pen
• make both buttons programmable for various functions such as playback controls

(19) programmable volume buttons on the phone without the need to install Good Lock, with the option to press and hold to skip forward and backward, whether the phone is locked or unlocked

(20) programmable multifunction button in between the volume buttons, with a tactile bump, effectively giving the phone the same physical controls as a pair of headphones (please keepall buttons high enough to attach a phone cooler at the centre of the phone)

(21) programmable camera shutter button on the left side near the top when holding in portrait orientation

• for taking pictures when using either the front or rear display
• can be assigned other functions when not taking pictures

(22) Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 chip worldwide:

• TSMC N3P 2nd generation 3-nanometre manufacturing process
• 8-core Nuvia-designed CPU: • 2+4+2 core configuration • at least 16MB of shared L3 cache • single-core Geekbench 6 score of roughly 3,000 points • multi-core Geekbench 6 score of roughly 10,000 points • real-world performance roughly matching the Intel Core Ultra 7 155U laptop CPU from 2023, or the Apple M2 MacBook Air
• next gen Adreno GPU: • roughly 7 teraFLOPs of peak performance • real-world performance roughly matching the Nvidia RTX 2060 Max-Q laptop GPU from 2019
• 2x more powerful NPU than the previous generation once again, for radical on-device AI capabilities
• at least 24MB of system-level cache

(23) large, multi-level hybrid cooling system comprising a copper vapour chamber behind the screen, a copper vapour chamber behind the rear glass, and graphite sheets

(24) six-channel/96-bit LPDDR6 RAM @ 12,800MHz & 153.6GB/s, the same amount of memory bandwidth as the MacBook Pro with the M3 Pro chip

(25) quad-lane UFS 4.0 storage

(26) Thunderbolt 5 (TB5) port:

• DisplayPort 2.0 Alt Mode
• Multi Stream Transport for multi display output
• PCIe tunneling for an external GPU and storage
• these capabilities are mostly for DeX/desktop mode (see #29)
• yes, smartphone SoCs are easily powerful enough to drive multiple displays, and here's the logic supporting this notion: the 2020 MacBook Air M1 is still a powerful ultrabook in 2024, even with its passive cooling system→many desktop PCs could easily drive multiple displays 20 years ago→the MacBook Air M1 is ludicrously more powerful than any PC from 20 years ago→laptops much less powerful than the MacBook Air M1 easily support multiple displays→the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is roughly neck-and-neck with the MacBook Air M1→smartphones could easily drive multiple displays
• yes, smartphone SoCs are easily powerful enough to support eGPUs, and here's the logic supporting this notion: laptops less powerful than the S9 series phones have supported this technology since 2011→the processing power of smartphones increased rapidly after the S9 series→smartphones and laptops are almost neck-and-neck now, all things being equal→as stated previously, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is roughly neck-and-neck with the 2020 MacBook Air M1→smartphones could easily handle external GPUs

(27) Wi-Fi 7 tri-band

(28) Bluetooth 5.4

(29) substantial QoL improvements to DeX mode including, but not limited to:

• fully-desktop-grade web browser, email client, office suite, and file manager, all with a dynamic and scalable UI, and multi-instancing capability
• greater efforts to bring more desktop-grade software to Android, diligently optimized, and again with a dynamic and scalable UI, and multi-instancing capability
• inter-app communication in the foreground and background (also in phone mode)
• a lineup of Samsung-branded lapdocks with TB5, multi display passthrough via TB5, external graphics passthrough via TB5, Wireless DeX, a Qi2 magnetic wireless charging phone holder which flips around from the backside of the screen, a small compartment for a short TB5 ribbon cable, a trackpad with proper false touch rejection and palm rejection, 2-in-1 functionality including a reversible touchscreen with S-Pen support, reasonably large batteries, an HDMI input, and assorted I/O typically found on ultrabooks
• support for hover mode when using a stylus-enabled lapdock, a pen display/drawing tablet, or a screenless graphics board
• up to 4K output without installing Good Lock
• HDR10+ output
• unrestricted broad-spectrum support for various resolutions, aspect ratios, and refresh rates
• up to 165Hz output
• multi display output over TB5 via Multi Stream Transport, with support for at least two external displays, and ideally three (again, mobile SoCs are easily powerful enough to do this; see #26)
• support for external graphics over TB5 via PCIe tunneling (again, mobile SoCs are easily powerful enough to do this as well; see #26)
• a lineup of Samsung-branded external GPUs/eGPUs based on Qualcomm Adreno architecture, with a TB5 interface, and performance ranging up to the equivalent of an Nvidia RTX 4070, but with half as much power consumption or less, and a slim and portable form factor
• Wireless DeX output increased to at least 1080p @ 60Hz with HDR10+
  
• system backup button in the App Drawer and on the phone screen for one-click backup of the phone's internal storage to an external drive and/or the cloud; of course after the first backup, only new files are copied, and only modified files are overwritten
• safe disconnect button in the App Drawer and on the phone screen for one-click decoupling of all external hardware before unplugging the phone; cannot be used while performing file operations or system backup
• air mouse via the phone's motion sensors
• trackpad, air mouse, and air gestures via Galaxy Watch
• resizable and sortable App Drawer
• relocatable taskbar
• portrait orientation available on all external displays individually, including a lapdock
• manual rotation control for all external displays individually, including a lapdock, and also in phone mode
• multiple desktop pages in like manner to multiple homescreen pages
• system monitor with detailed readouts (also in phone mode)
• widgets
• live wallpaper
• customizable UI elements including colour schemes, themes, and icon packs
• screensavers
• sound effects
• a phone/tablet screen viewport in the notification area of the taskbar
• XR mode
• game console mode

*extra mentions:

• DeX available on the inner screen of the Z Fold, already strongly requested by nickthaskater, and the most liked topic on the Samsung Members Canada forum - https://r1.community.samsung.com/t5/galaxy-z/dex-on-fold-s-inner-display/td-p/13827668
• DeX on the Z Flip
• DeX on the A Series devices

Thank you again.

[Day_Walker]

(3) please NO!
I do NOT need nor want a phone to easily slip out my hands when using in the cold winter! Nor when hiking and need to use Satellite signal communications!

(15)Ultra model only. Base model nor plus doesn't need the extra cost

(19) why the he'll would anyone need programmable volume buttons?!
Camera zoom in/out.
Phone music alarm volume. KISS is a principle that always works. There is a reason Apples shortcut button started limited!!

(23) composite VC is THE best for ultimate cooling. All metals retain heat more than co.oosite materials. Also cheaper to fabricate design and manufacturer as well as easily to mould to a specific design reference and need.

26 = YES! USB4 would seriously ROCK aligning eith Samsungs portable drives!!

[DaverZ]

(3) I've seen too many people complain about the sharp corners on the Ultra. People also complain about flat edges digging a groove into their hand.

(15) The vast majority of customers will buy the base and Plus models, so it's important for them to be included. I can't imagine an under-display selfie camera being prohibitively expensive. New features generally add cost, and they get cheaper over time. Par for the course.

(19) You wouldn't have to program the volume buttons if you didn't want to, just like you don't have to use One UI's customization options, or Good Lock. The option would simply be available for power users and the tech-savvy. There's been plenty of times when I wanted the volume buttons to be programmable.

(23) Do you mean like the multi-level heat sinks used in gaming phones? Could you elaborate on this? Copper already has a very high thermal conductivity, so if there's a composite material that's even better, let's have it.

[Day_Walker]

(3) - a rebuttal to your reply above:
Strange people complain about the edges when it was VERY CLEAR & widely known the edges would NOT be round. To those complaining and not reviewers, it seems ridiculous to be honest, but allowed for their opinions and anecdots.

(15) rebuttal:
I'm a base model S23 owner myself!
Under display cameras DO add significant costs to production; not just for the component itself BUT to the OLED/LCD display design and for the display driver needed to work the camera use and disable it.
There is a SPECIFIC reason WHY only the top end gaming phones or top end camera phones (non global) have it.
This case is concluded easily by product offerings being so limited as proof. ;)

(23) - Sony's upcoming Xperia 1 VI has VC's both under the front and rear glass, as well as a layer of graphic for a more event heat disappation from the actual heat source.

I'm hope we'll see this across ALL of Samsung's products next year. The Tab S9 series got a healthy work of this.

Edit: added screenshot of press release leak of Sony Xperia 1 VI's VC + graphite sheets

[DaverZ]

(3) Fair enough. I have the S23 Ultra and I'm personally fine with the sharp corners. I have an Otterbox Defender case on it anyway, and I like everything about the way the phone looks (except the camera punch hole). I personally prefer the screen with sharp corners. I might remove this request from the list. I'll think about it.

(15) By my research, the under-display camera is not prohibitively expensive. It's a realistic new feature for flagship phones. We have to be willing to accept a temporary increase in cost for new features, otherwise we won't get new features. The Nubia Z60 Ultra is a premium 2023 phone with an under-display camera and it starts at $779 USD/$849 CAD (and it's available with 24GB of RAM; imagine that for DeX).

(23) Ah, so you were indeed talking about multi-layered cooling systems. They combine vapour chambers with graphite sheets. It's amazing that there's also a vapour chamber behind the rear glass because that's perfect for a phone cooler! I'm adding this to the list for sure! Thank you!

[Day_Walker]

Also Dex
Wireless with 120hz support and QHD as well as wired

[DaverZ]

This depends on the limitations of Miracast, Wi-Fi Direct, the device in use, and the network conditions. Currently, Miracast can do up to 4K60 only in perfect conditions, and it eats the battery. Wireless DeX currently only does 1080p30, so an increase to 1080p60 would be welcome, and it wouldn't kill the battery.

4K120 HDR with no form of compression would require a USB4 Gen 4 Asymmetric port @ 120Gbps, which is equal to Thunderbolt 5. That might get a little expensive. 4K60 HDR with chroma subsampling can work on a USB4 Gen 3×2 port @ 40Gbps which is more realistic.

EDIT: Actually 4K120 HDR without compression 'only' requires USB4 Gen 4 Symmetric @ 80Gbps. Also, 4K120 HDR should be possible on USB4 Gen 3×2 @ 40Gbps via Display Stream Compression/DSC.

EDIT 2: I confess that I backpedalled on TB5 being expensive. I changed request (26) to a TB5 port for multi-display support and optimal eGPU performance.

[Day_Walker]

I had thought with Good Lock that 2K was possible wirelessly already over WiFi. Am I mistaken?

Also TB5 isn't necessary for 4K60 over wire, TB3/4 is more than capable, but TB4 could do this?

[DaverZ]

I'm quite sure that Wireless DeX is limited to 1080p30, even though it could be better. At least 1080p60 with HDR would be great.

• TB2 is fast enough to do 4K60 with chroma subsampling.
• TB2 is equal to USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 @ 20Gbps.
• TB3 and TB4 are equal to USB4 Gen 3×2 @ 40Gbps.
• TB5 is equal to USB4 Gen 4 Asymmetric @ 120Gbps.
• yes, TB3/TB4/USB4 Gen 3×2 are fast enough to do 4K60 HDR

[Day_Walker]

Just to be careful Thunderbolt 4 is not equal to USBC4 in several aspects, although they both use teh same connector since TB3:

USB4: requires minimum 20Gbps link speeds, 7.5W minimum power requirement. USB4 cables can ONLY support 40Gbps within 1 meter, throttling down to 20Gbps on cables 2 meters or longer.

TB4: requires minimum 32Gbps link speeds and 15W minimum power requirement. TB4 can sustain 40Gbps over 2 Meters.

Furthermore, USB4 supports DisplayPort 2.0 and capable of video output at 8K and even 16K at 60hz but unlike TB4 there is NO dual monitor support.

just wanted to make it clear - as for a while I wasnt' sure the differences between the specs but overall you're correct. These are just nuances I've posted.