Some things are best left unchanged. Case in point: the camera rings on Samsung's Ultra devices.
The Galaxy S25 Ultra isn't much of an improvement over its predecessor, which isn't necessarily that big of a deal, considering the Galaxy S24 Ultra was a pretty perfect device. Samsung's latest phone brings a few important changes to the table, such as a slightly bigger 6.9-inch screen, the faster Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, a higher-resolution 50 MP ultra-wide camera, and an updated design.
The Galaxy S25 Ultra has traded its predecessor's sharp corners for subtly curved edges and has flat instead of rounded sides. While this may have been enough to distinguish the phone from the last-gen model, Samsung decided to add another layer of differentiation by carrying over the Galaxy Z Fold 6's bold camera rings. This may prove to be a bad idea in the long run, suggests a teardown conducted by the YouTube channel JerryRigEverything.
Samsung hasn't just switched up the S24 Ultra's metallic camera rings for black ones. According to a closer look provided by JerryRigEverything, the camera lenses are slightly elevated and not fastened to the device's base. The first potential problem with this design is that dust might accumulate under that space.
The second problem is that camera bumps are not attached to the rear, so they might come off easily. JerryRigEverything's Zack Nelson assures potential buyers that the camera rings don't exactly look detachable and are secure enough to not fall off on their own.
Galaxy S25 Ultra's camera rings are not securely attached to it. | Image Credit - JerryRigEverything
However, they appear merely glued into place instead of being firmly attached, and even Nelson's harmless-looking razer knife was enough to pry them off effortlessly. If something forceful were to tug at the cameras, it would be enough to remove a bit of the back glass. That's not the kind of durability one expects from a $1,300 phone.
Nelson has also discovered that the phone's display is easier to scratch than the Galaxy S24 Ultra's, but that's probably because Samsung has made the display a little softer to improve its shatter resistance. Harder displays may not scratch that easily, but they are easier to damage.
The teardown has also revealed that much like the past generations of the phone, it doesn't even flinch when bent.
The Galaxy S25 series starts shipping on February 7.
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Anam Hamid is a computer scientist turned tech journalist who has a keen interest in the tech world, with a particular focus on smartphones and tablets. She has previously written for Android Headlines and has also been a ghostwriter for several tech and car publications. Anam is not a tech hoarder and believes in using her gadgets for as long as possible. She is concerned about smartphone addiction and its impact on future generations, but she also appreciates the convenience that phones have brought into our lives. Anam is excited about technological advancements like folding screens and under-display sensors, and she often wonders about the future of technology. She values the overall experience of a device more than its individual specs and admires companies that deliver durable, high-quality products. In her free time, Anam enjoys reading, scrolling through Reddit and Instagram, and occasionally refreshing her programming skills through tutorials.
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