Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2025: The tech world is abuzz with anticipation for Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2025 on January 22, where the South Korean technology major is expected to unveil its latest and greatest flagship, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra alongside the relatively more mainstream Galaxy S25 and Galaxy S25 Plus.
As we gear up for this exciting launch, let’s take a nostalgic trip down memory lane and revisit every Samsung Galaxy Ultra phone that has graced the market, pushing the boundaries of smartphone technology with each iteration.
Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra (February 2020):
Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra review: “The phone seems all about making a point that there’s still a lot that Samsung can pull off from its default Galaxy and while phones like the Fold and Flip are the future, the Galaxy S (and even Galaxy Note) are here to stay.”
“Everything about the Galaxy S20 Ultra looks and feels like a monstrosity. It’s like Samsung went to Walmart or something, bought the whole store because it wasn’t totally sure how much (of a thing) would be enough, and got some more stuff on the way back, just in case.”
The first Ultra phone from Samsung—the Galaxy S20 Ultra—as you can probably tell from the pointers above, was all about abundance with specs and features unheard of, at launch both from Samsung and smartphone industry in general. This was the first time Samsung put big megapixels to work on the camera front, after years of sticking with small sensors. It was a numbers game. Get this—it had an 108MP main sensor sitting behind an f/1.8 aperture lens with OIS, 48MP periscope-style telephoto sensor behind an f/3.5 lens with OIS capable of 4x optical, 10x hybrid and 100x “space” zoom, and another 12MP ultra wide-angle sensor behind an f/2.2 lens. The front camera was a massive 40MP.
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra (August 2020):
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra review: “The Note 20 Ultra seems all about improving upon the S20 Ultra. Whether it be in design, display, performance, cameras, even battery life, while bringing its own set of “note” skills to the table including the one-of-its-kind S-Pen. The new Note is about power, it is about productivity, and no other phone does it better.”
The quote from the review says it all, doesn’t it. Here’s a quick FYI though: the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra was Samsung’s first 5G phone in India.
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra (January 2021):
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra review: “If the S20 Ultra was all about setting great expectations, with the S21 Ultra, Samsung has finally met those expectations. The design and build are spot-on. The performance is great across the board. So is the battery life. In some cases, it has even exceeded those expectations. Case in point: the S21 Ultra camera system is fantastic. The S21 Ultra is Samsung’s redemption song. It is the third ultra to have come out of its banner and as they say, third time’s the charm.”
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (February 2022):
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra review: “We don’t know what the future holds but for now at least, the Note—even though it’s technically dead— lives by another name, the Galaxy S22 Ultra. The big difference—from the last few generations – is that it does not have to compete with anything else. It is, for all intents and purposes, the one and only ultra-phone to rule them all.”
The S22 Ultra marked the merger of the Note and S series, inheriting the Note’s iconic design and integrated S-Pen stylus.
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra (February 2023):
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra review: “Samsung’s plan for the S23 Ultra was simple: take everything about the S22 Ultra and make it better. Not just in one area alone, or even two, or three but on the whole. Each of the core areas— design, performance, and cameras — has received subtle yet meaningful upgrades, those that matter and enhance the experience of using this super-premium smartphone. The S23 is using more sustainable build materials, too, while long-term support mean you can hold on to it, for longer.”
The Galaxy S23 Ultra made headlines with its 200MP main camera sensor while also introducing improved zoom capabilities and enhanced low-light performance.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra (January 2024):
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra review: “We had to really stretch ourselves to list hardware upgrades [on the S24 Ultra] because unless you’re really looking for them with eagle vision or something, there’s very little that differentiates this year’s top-tier Galaxy from last year’s. Maybe it’s a sign. And yet, Samsung somehow managed to convince everyone on stage— at Unpacked— that its Galaxy S24 Ultra is all brand-new. Not just that, it marks the beginning of an all-new era for smartphones as we know it. A tall claim, but one that seems believable for some reason. Even if the secret sauce— Galaxy AI— is a thing you can’t exactly quantify.”
The S24 Ultra was the first Samsung Ultra phone to launch with Galaxy AI, a suit of AI applications that Samsung now relies heavily on to make a selling.
Looking Ahead: Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra (January 2025)
Galaxy AI will be a big value-add inside the S25 Ultra, Samsung has confirmed ahead of Galaxy Unpacked 2025. The hardware upgrades should bring along next-generation specs including Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, but AI is going to be the buzzword with expected announcements around tricks and features promised to bring “more natural and intuitive experience.” Watch this space for all the updates from Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2025 event on January 22, 2025.
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