The Galaxy S25 Countdown Begins: What to Expect During the Samsung Unpacked Event and How to Watch

New year, new phones. Samsung is all set to unveil its new smartphone lineup at its winter Unpacked event. It’s only two days away and there are a slew of announcements to look forward to. In particular, we are waiting for the debut of the Galaxy S25, as well as additional expansions and updates for Galaxy AI.

Samsung sent out invitations for the event in early January, announcing what was to come. Here’s everything you need to know about the upcoming main event, including how to tune in and how to save on your S25 pre-order.

How to watch Samsung Unpacked 2025

Samsung Unpacked takes place this week on Wednesday, January 22 at 10 a.m. PT (1 p.m. ET). It will take place in San Jose, but you can also watch a live stream on Samsung.com, Samsung Newsroom And Samsung YouTube channel. CNET will also host a live broadcast, during which you can follow our experts.

Samsung typically hosts Unpacked twice a year: once in January or February, during which it unveils the latest Galaxy S line, and again in the summer, when it launches the next version of its foldables. Last year, it held its July Unpacked event in Paris, just before the Summer Olympics, and revealed the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6. There was also, unsurprisingly, a big focus on Galaxy AI.

What can we expect from the Galaxy S25?

We’re expecting three devices: the base Galaxy S25, the S25 Plus, and the S25 Ultra. All three devices could have a more rounded design, similar to Google’s Pixel phones, leak suggests Ice universe.

Korean site Hankyung also reported that all three Galaxy S25 devices would be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 processor. It is also hoped that all phones will support Qi2 wireless charging. Additionally, analyst Ross Young shared a list of colors rumors for the latest Galaxy S lineup, which includes silver, blue and mint.

The S25 Ultra will reportedly have a 6.9-inch display and a new 50-megapixel ultra-wide camera, according to several leaks.

Rumors are circulating about a slimmer version of the S25, with a tipster report an entry for the Galaxy S25 Slim on Geekbench. This coincides with rumors of a thinner version of the iPhone that could be released later this year, but it’s unclear if or when either device might actually be available. If the Galaxy S25 Slim East real, it may be a while before we see it in the real world.

And finally, there have been conflicting rumors about whether the S25 series will cost the same as last year’s lineup or get a price hike, so we’ll just have to see what’s in store.

Watch this: Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2025: Everything to Expect

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What’s next for Galaxy AI?

Unsurprisingly, AI is one of the main focuses of Samsung’s January Unpacked invitation.

The company notes: “The next evolution of Galaxy AI is coming and it will change the way you interact with the world every day. The new Galaxy S series is poised to once again set the bar for mobile AI experiences, today and in the future. “.

Samsung says the next iteration of Galaxy AI will be more natural and intuitive, and that the latest Galaxy S series will again build on advances in mobile AI. This could include an update to the Bixby virtual assistant, especially in light of Apple supercharging Siri to be more conversational and more helpful to users.

AI has been a priority for every major phone maker, from Samsung to Apple to Google, over the past few years. Whether it’s helping users compose text messages, summarizing emails, or simplifying photo editing, these companies have championed mobile AI as a way to make your life easier. So far, the progress has been met with mixed reception, as a CNET survey in August last year found that a quarter of smartphone owners don’t find AI features useful. That could change as phone makers continue to adjust their offerings to better meet what people want and consumers get used to the proliferation of AI-based features on their devices.

Will there be other materials – or surprises?

If there’s one thing about a tech event, it’s that there’s generally a sort of surprise or tease for an upcoming launch. After all, it was during the Unpacked event in January last year that we got our first look at the Galaxy Ring, which was eventually released in July. It’s possible we could get a glimpse of the next generation of the device, which could feature improvements like more accurate sensors and longer battery life. But given that the ring is relatively new, we’ll probably have to wait a bit before the next version becomes available.

Mixed reality could also make an appearance. Samsung revealed its Project Moohan headset in December, which the company plans to launch later this year. So it is possible that we can get an update on the current situation.

How to save on the Galaxy S25

Ahead of the Unpacked event in January this year, Samsung is offering customers a $50 credit on the latest Galaxy device during pre-orders. You can also get up to $900 in additional credit for trading in an eligible device, the company says, as well as an additional $300 instant credit by reserving and pre-ordering. The offer lasts until January 22 and can be found here.

CNET, as always, will be on the ground covering Unpacked on Wednesday, January 22.