We’re now just a couple of days away from Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Ultra Unpacked event, and there’s still plenty to uncover about this highly anticipated handset. Today, I’ve got five fresh updates to share, so let’s dive straight in. What’s up, guys?
Sal here. First on the list, Samsung recently revealed in a blog post how they’re stepping up one of their standout AI features with the Galaxy S25 lineup. Remember the “sketch-to-image” feature that debuted with the Z Fold 6 last year?
It was easily one of the coolest AI tricks they’ve launched. Now, with the S25 series and One UI 7, this feature is evolving to become even better. Here’s how it works right now: you sketch an image—either with the S Pen or your finger—and the phone generates that image in various styles.
While it’s impressive, it has its limitations. If the image you’re imagining is too complex or if your drawing skills aren’t great, the AI might not produce a satisfactory output—or worse, you might just get an error. Samsung’s solution?
They’re expanding the input options. Instead of relying solely on sketches, you can now describe the image you want using text or even voice commands. For those who love drawing, don’t worry—the sketching feature isn’t going anywhere.
It’s just getting additional functionality to make it more versatile. For example, you could sketch a simple cat, then type “spacesuit,” and voilà—your cat will be rocking a spacesuit in space. Or you could draw a house and add text to specify its location.
These enhancements make the feature far more practical and less of a party trick. Samsung confirmed this is just one of many features coming to the S25 lineup, with more to be revealed on January 22nd. And for those of you wondering if this feature will come to older devices, the answer is likely yes—though it may work better on the S25, thanks to its upgraded Image Signal Processor (ISP).
Quick reminder before we move on: it’s your last chance to enter Samsung’s $5,000 giveaway and earn a guaranteed $50 Samsung credit. Even if you’re not planning to buy the S25, it’s worth entering since it’s completely free, with no obligation to make a purchase. Plus, if you decide to grab the S25 Ultra, you could save up to $1,250.
No strings attached, so don’t miss out! The link is in the description below. Now, let’s talk trade-ins.
Samsung has confirmed the trade-in value for the S24 Ultra will be $900. If you take advantage of the free reservation offer, you’ll also get an additional $50 credit. Assuming the S25 Ultra maintains its $1,299 price tag, that means you could upgrade for just $350.
Sounds like a solid deal, right? As for whether you should upgrade from the S24 Ultra—that’s a different question. Personally, I don’t think it’s a must-have upgrade, but if you’re all about having the latest and greatest, who am I to stop you?
Next up is something really intriguing: deeper integration of Gemini on the Galaxy S25 Ultra. You might have already heard that Gemini will play a big role in the S25 series, and recent promotional materials have heavily featured it. But what does this actually mean?
Here’s the scoop: Gemini is getting extensions for key Samsung apps like Calendar, Notes, and Reminder. This means it will be able to tap into these preinstalled apps to provide more personalized answers, perform tasks, and enhance productivity—with your permission, of course. For instance, in Samsung Calendar, Gemini will be able to create, edit, or delete events—even generate events from images.
Similarly, in the Reminder app, it can handle tasks like creating, editing, or deleting reminders. Samsung Notes integration will allow Gemini to create new notes, summarize existing ones, and even retrieve notes based on descriptions or titles. It doesn’t stop there.
Gemini’s reach extends beyond Samsung’s ecosystem. Current integrations include Gmail, WhatsApp, Google Workspace, Spotify, and more, allowing it to work across a wide range of platforms. This broader functionality means it can provide more tailored and useful responses, making it a genuinely helpful tool for daily tasks.
Samsung's marketing materials have also leaked showcasing some of these Gemini features on the S25 Ultra. Click here to watch the full video. I’ll see you there!
