The Vergecast Samsung’s S25 Ultra and the end of the flagship phone
106 snips
Feb 4, 2025 
Joining the discussion are Allison Johnson, a tech reviewer from The Verge, who dives into the Samsung Galaxy S25, highlighting its lack of groundbreaking features. Cooper Quintin, from the EFF, sheds light on privacy issues surrounding popular apps like TikTok and RedNote. Jennifer Pattison Tuohy offers insights into the Meta Portal, revealing its impact on family connections during the pandemic. The conversation touches on the future of smartphones, the stagnation in innovation, and the urgent need for better data privacy regulations.
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Samsung S25 Ultra Feature Removal
- The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra removes features like the 10x zoom and stylus capabilities.
- Allison Johnson notes this makes the "Ultra" label confusing, as it's no longer packed with features.
Smartphone Innovation Plateau?
- Samsung's approach of simplifying phones by removing less-used features is generally positive.
- However, this raises questions about the future of smartphone innovation and the justification for an "Ultra" model.
Ultra Phone Focus: Battery or Durability
- David Pierce suggests focusing on significantly improved battery life or durability for a truly "Ultra" phone.
- He believes these are compelling upgrade reasons, unlike minor camera improvements.