Samsung's Galaxy S25: The Most Anticipated AI Phone Is Coming—But Will It Deliver?

Samsung's Galaxy S25 is shaping up to be the most anticipated AI phone of the year. With the industry betting big on on-device artificial intelligence, expectations are sky-high for what could redefine the smartphone experience.

Based on the usual schedule, we expect the event to feature four new models in the Pixel 11 series, alongside the next-generation Pixel Watch 5.

There is currently no news regarding the Pixel "a" series—which has enjoyed a steadily improving reputation—or the Pixel Buds; updates for these are more likely to arrive next spring.
However, no one is immune to the realities of the current global supply chain environment. Beyond "steady updates," the defining theme for this year's Pixel 11 series remains price hikes.

Harware Highlights

There are few hardware highlights but plenty of points to criticize; much like last year's Pixel 10 series, this year's Pixel 11 lineup retains the familiar four-model structure—Google is clearly in no rush to join the "large-format foldable" craze. In other words, the Pixel 11 and 11 Pro will maintain their positioning as 6.3-inch "compact flagships." For those who prefer larger screens, there are the 6.8-inch Pixel 11 Pro XL and the large foldable Pixel 11 Pro Fold. 

The Pixel 11 series will also uphold Google's tradition of using its in-house Tensor G6 processor across the board, avoiding any tier-based differentiation within the same SoC generation for now. Fortunately, Google did not contract India's Tata Group for manufacturing, so there has been no repeat of the disastrous "total exposure" leaks seen with last year's Pixel 10. Current information indicates that the Tensor G6 will utilize TSMC's 2nm process and feature a 1+4+2 seven-core architecture. The heavy lifting will be handled by the ARM C1 Ultra "prime" core and four C1 Pro "performance" cores. Notably, reports suggest the Tensor G6 will ditch the Samsung Exynos modem in favor of MediaTek's M90 (MT6986D) modem. Notably, reports indicate that the Tensor G6 will move away from Samsung's Exynos modem in favor of MediaTek's M90 (MT6986D) modem. Unfortunately, even with the MediaTek M90, the Tensor G6 will still rely on an external modem; however, this should at least lead to some improvements over the unstable network performance seen in the Pixel 10 series.

However, while the Tensor G6 sees improvements in baseband and network performance, its GPU capabilities have actually taken a step backward. A leaked image from the well-known tipster channel Mystic Leaks reveals that the Tensor G6 utilizes the PowerVR CXTP-48-1536 GPU:
Although both are products from Imagination, the CXT-48-1536 was announced back in 2021—making it a regression compared to the DXT-48-1536 GPU found in the Tensor G5, a move that is truly baffling. The only logical explanation for this "reverse upgrade" is that Google wanted to balance chip area, power consumption, and AI performance on the Tensor G6, leading them to choose the older CXT model. While this might result in better power efficiency and thermal management, it further compromises the Tensor's already lackluster graphics performance, likely extending the time required for computational photography processing.

That said, the camera setup on the Pixel 11 series does offer some interesting details worth exploring. For instance, Google has finally ditched the temperature sensor—which lacked any practical use case—and repurposed the freed-up space in the camera module for a larger sensor and an LED light strip:

Yes, after the addition of a light bar to the Pixelbook, Pixel phones are also set to get some "light show" flair. According to leaks, this feature—dubbed "Pixel Glow"—will be exclusive to the three Pro models; the design could take the form of a light strip encircling the camera module or a small dot-matrix display similar to Nothing's. Beyond indicating AI activity status, it could also serve functions reminiscent of the classic notification light.

As for the sensors, after a period of stagnation with the Pixel 10 series, Google has finally decided to focus on camera hardware. Reportedly, the Pixel 11 and Pixel 11 Pro Fold will feature a new 50-megapixel main sensor—codenamed "chemosh"—while the telephoto and ultra-wide-angle lenses will remain unchanged from the previous generation.

For the Pixel 11 Pro and Pro XL, Google is expected to switch to high-resolution main and telephoto sensors—codenamed "Bastet" and "Barghest"—marking a significant hardware upgrade for the camera system after years of stagnation. Additionally, Google is finally raising the base storage from 128GB to 256GB, with a corresponding price hike of approximately €100 . Consequently, the starting price for the Pixel 11 (12GB/256GB) is projected at €999 , while the Pixel 11 Pro and Pro XL are expected to start at €1,199 and €1,399  respectively. The large-format foldable Pixel 11 Pro Fold could see its base price (12GB/256GB) soar to €1,999 , with the top-tier 16GB/1TB model potentially approachingthe €2,500.

Software Updates

Too many software promises, too few actual implementations
In recent years, it has become increasingly evident that the Pixel's hardware significance has been marginalized to the point of irrelevance, effectively turning the device into little more than a showcase for Android and Gemini. This shift is palpable in the fact that major Android version releases now occur independently of Pixel launches—by the time the official Android 17 rolled out, Pixel phones felt like mere sidekicks rather than the main event. If the history of Google I/O demos versus final Android releases has taught us anything, it is that "you can't take Google's animations at face value." I

n other words, even the high-profile "Neural Expressive" design language unveiled at Google I/O likely won't see a full rollout on the Pixel 11, remaining confined to Gemini-specific interfaces. That said, "Gemini Spark"—touted for its all-day operational capabilities—is gradually rolling out to Google AI Ultra subscribers, with access points now available on both desktop and mobile. 

However, features like the "Typeless" smart voice input for Gboard and the "vibe coding" desktop widgets remain absent from the official Android 17 release. (Related reading: Google Launches Android AI System—This Is What Apple Imagines for Itself.) Given this year's launch schedule, it is possible these two features could debut as key selling points for the Pixel 11. Yet, drawing on past experiences—such as with M3E—there remains a high probability that many of the Gemini AI features promised for Android 17 will fail to materialize on time. Unless Google steps up its game, the Pixel 11 series risks becoming a generic Android device—one lacking distinction in both hardware and software. Overall, Google’s persistence with the Tensor processor series is commendable.

The year 2026 marks a return to an era of diverse processor competition in the smartphone market. Beyond Qualcomm and MediaTek, we are seeing steady updates to Google’s Tensor, Apple’s A-series, Samsung’s Exynos, and Huawei’s Kirin chips—a positive development for both the Android ecosystem and consumers. However, when focusing specifically on the four new Pixel 11 models, we cannot ignore the reality that the Pixel is no longer the "king of computational photography" it once was. The fact remains that the Google Pixel—and indeed Android itself—is increasingly being relegated to a testing ground for Gemini AI technology. What Google is creating is no longer merely a mobile phone, but a form of HaaS (Hardware as a Service) for the new era; what users are buying is not simply a smartphone, but a gateway to integrated AI.