With the launch of the Galaxy S25 Series, Samsung seems to be aligning more closely with Apple‘s approach than ever before. There are a few key reasons behind this shift, with the most notable being Samsung’s decision to maintain a largely unchanged design language for yet another generation. Additionally, the company has opted to offer a camera experience that closely mirrors those of previous models. Furthermore, Samsung is increasingly focusing on software-driven enhancements, rather than relying exclusively on hardware, to fine-tune the core experience. Here, let us tell you how Apple and Samsung are now similar in more ways than one. Read on.
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Camera hardware is now saturated, unless you are a Chinese OEM
While design is one factor, specifications are another. This is an area where Samsung has consistently lagged behind, offering more or less the same hardware each year with only minor software tweaks. This year, the story is much the same, and here’s why Samsung seems to be following in Apple’s footsteps.
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The camera experience on the S25 Ultra is largely similar to the S24 Ultra and the S23 Ultra before it. The S23 Ultra introduced a 200-megapixel main wide camera, and since then, Samsung has consistently used the same camera with each new generation. The S24 Ultra also featured the 200-megapixel wide camera, and now the S25 Ultra uses the same one.
Yes, there have been minor tweaks here and there, such as Samsung switching to a 50-megapixel 5x telephoto lens, upgrading (or downgrading?) from the 10x zoom lens seen with the S23 Ultra. With the S24 Ultra, we got the same 50-megapixel 5x telephoto lens, and now the S25 Ultra also features it. The main camera remains the same, and the telephoto camera has not changed. However, there is now a new 50-megapixel ultra-wide shooter. Overall, if you look closely, the core camera experience has remained largely unchanged. Yes, there are new AI tricks and refinements, such as the Virtual Aperture and the ability to shoot in Galaxy Log, but is it enough to attract enthusiasts?
Interestingly, Apple’s story has been similar—more or less the same camera system for the past few generations, with minor tweaks here and there. For instance, the iPhone 16 Pro switched to a brand-new 48MP ultra-wide angle lens, while the main 48MP wide and 12MP 5x telephoto remained the same as the iPhone 15 Pro. See the similarities?
In the sea of Chinese flagships, such as the Vivo X200 Pro and the Oppo Find X8 Pro, which are constantly innovating with each new generation, Samsung (and Apple) are starting to stand out—but not in a good way.
Much like Apple, Samsung has opted to maintain a tried-and-tested design language. But is that really a bad thing?
Take the S25 Ultra, for instance. The corners are slightly more rounded, the frame is flat, and overall, it appears more polished compared to previous generations. However, in general, the design closely resembles what we’ve seen before, with the camera layout remaining identical across both the standard models and the Ultra, in comparison to their previous versions. There are minor changes, such as the different texture on the camera rings, but for the average consumer, it’s difficult to notice the difference.
Let me highlight some similarities with the iPhone once again. The camera system on the iPhone (Pro models) has remained largely unchanged since the iPhone 11 Pro, with a triangular camera layout at the top-left of the phone. Now, if you were to place an iPhone 13 Pro next to the latest iPhone 16 Pro, apart from the colour differences, it would be hard to tell them apart. And this can be both good and bad. On the plus side, it strengthens the brand identity, making the phones instantly recognisable as premium Apple devices. However, it doesn’t exactly encourage upgrades from the previous generation.
Many consumers choose to upgrade to the latest model because it offers a fresh, new look. But if the latest generation looks almost identical to the previous year’s model, it offers little incentive for those who tend to upgrade frequently. The S25 series follows a similar pattern, as the phones look almost identical to last year’s models, especially when a case is added.
There have been some small tweaks, such as the flat display on the S24 Ultra from last year and the shift to a titanium frame with the S24 lineup. These are incremental changes, much like what Apple has been doing over the past few years.
That said, Samsung has continued to refine its quad-camera layout with the Ultra line, first introduced with the Galaxy S21 Ultra. Since then, incremental updates have become the norm. The S22 Ultra removed the camera island, opting for a minimalist design with individual lenses in the top-left corner of the rear. However, when comparing the S22 Ultra to the S24 Ultra or the new S25 Ultra, it’s hard to spot any notable differences.
Key word here? Refinement! For the past few years, companies like Samsung and Apple have only had ‘S’ years, and that is bad for innovation.
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AI is innovation these days
Software features incorporating artificial intelligence are another key similarity between Apple and Samsung. Just as Apple has integrated AI, Samsung has followed suit, building on its AI features with Galaxy AI on the S25 series. And of course, both companies are heavily marketing their respective AI platforms.
In a way, much of what’s new with these phones revolves around their AI features. Samsung introduced the Audio Eraser and a host of other on-device AI functionalities, which directly compete with the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16’s AI suite, known as Apple Intelligence. In fact, Apple’s marketing campaign for the iPhone 16 series has centred almost entirely around AI, with ads focusing on real-world benefits and how it can assist users.
It appears that Samsung is now following a similar strategy, but whether this is a good or bad development remains to be seen. One thing is certain: software features alone cannot make for a great user experience.
Looking ahead, next year looks intriguing because, based on current leaks, Apple seems poised for a major change. If Apple makes this move, Samsung will likely follow suit, ending the ‘S’ year upgrades, at least for a while.
