A new year has dawned, which means new smartphones will soon be on the way, as phone makers prep new models to replace their best phones from 2024. And we won't be waiting long to find out what 2025 holds on the smartphone front, as at least one major flagship is already set to debut this month as another one waits in the wings.
But there's a lot more smartphones launches coming after that, with some big-name models from Apple, Google, Samsung and more likely to pop up throughout the year. So with that in mind, these are the 10 biggest smartphone releases we're tracking, along with what we know so far about these rumored phones.
OnePlus 13/OnePlus 13R
When it could happen: There's no guesswork here. OnePlus says it's holding an online launch event on January 7 at 10:30 a.m. ET/7:30 a.m. PT/3;30 p.m. GMT. This is the global launch for the OnePlus 13, as the phone already debuted in China in late 2024. Oh, and the OnePlus 13R — the midrange version of the OnePlus 13 with a lower price and some scaled-back specs— is arriving alongside the flagship phone, too, according to OnePlus.
What we're expecting: The OnePlus 13 launch in China gives us a pretty good idea of the specs likely to appear in the global version of the phone. We're expecting a 6.82-inch phone powered by a new Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset — that latter feature should provide boosts to both performance and battery life based on our Snapdragon 8 Elite benchmarks. On the camera front, it looks like OnePlus is keeping its partnership with lens specialist Hasselblad that's helped improve camera performance on the OnePlus flagships in recent years. If the phone in China is any indication, OnePlus is going to turn to a trio of 50MP sensors to handle the main, ultrawide and telephoto lenses.
News about the OnePlus 13R is less definitive, though leaked specs suggest the phone will use the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset found in 2024's flagship phones. That's significant as it should mean only a modest drop in performance from top flagships that cost hundreds of dollars more than the 13R. OnePlus' midrange phone also features three lenses, though a telephoto lens is unlikely to join the main and ultrawide shooters. If the 13R follows the OnePlus 12R's lead, expect a dedicated macro lens.
What it's likely to cost: Pricing is the big unknown. In China, the OnePlus 13 costs 200 yuan more than the OnePlus 12, but that would translate to a pretty negligible price increase based on currency conversions. We're looking for the OnePlus 13 to cost between $699 and $799, with the latter price matching the OnePlus 12's debut cost.
With the OnePlus 13R, the big question is whether OnePlus offers a lower-cost 128GB version of the phone as it did with the 12R (at least in the U.S.); that phone cost $499. Otherwise, if OnePlus only features a 256GB OnePlus 13R, we could see a $599 starting price.
Samsung Galaxy S25 and S25 Ultra
When it could happen: Samsung hasn't set a date for its next Galaxy Unpacked event, though the last two Galaxy S launches were held on February 1, 2023, and January 17, 2024. That's fueled speculation that Samsung will announce an event in January for this year's Galaxy S25 models, with a launch date rumor pointing to January 22 as the day of the big event.
What we're expecting: As usual, Samsung is expected to introduce three new models, with the standard Galaxy S25 joined by Plus and Ultra versions. The Galaxy S25 Ultra will be the premium phone in Samsung's lineup, with features to match.
In recent years, Samsung has split up which phones released in which regions use which chipsets. This time around, though, rumors suggest that every model released throughout the world will feature a Snapdragon 8 Elite system-on-chip. If Samsung sticks with its recent strategy, look for Exynos 2500 silicon in some S25 and S25 Plus models.
The Galaxy S25 Ultra appears to be in line to get the most significant camera upgrades, with a 50MP ultrawide sensor and a variable telephoto lens apparently on tap. The latter feature would mean smoother zooms, particularly when capturing video. The Galaxy S25 and S25 Plus are expected to see more modest changes like a new main camera sensor.
Following last year's Galaxy AI debut, expect AI-powered features to continue to be a focus with Samsung. Rumors point to the Bixby assistant getting an AI makeover, with the digital assistant now able to understand your on-screen context like looking up directions to an address in one of your emails.
What it's likely to cost: Current Galaxy S25 pricing rumors aren't all that encouraging. The Snapdragon 8 Elite is said to be a much more expensive chip than previous versions, and overall manufacturing costs are on the rise. That could translate to an increase in price for some models, though rumors haven't really specified which ones and how much prices would rise. The current Galaxy S24 lineup starts at $799 for the standard model, with the Plus and Ultra versions costing $999 and $1,299, respectively.
iPhone SE 4
When it could happen: It'll be three years this spring since Apple released an iPhone SE model, and that's apparently long enough. Multiple rumors point to a new version of Apple's midrange phone coming out in 2025, with Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reporting that a spring launch is likely for the phone. The three previous SE models all debuted in the spring as well. Our best bet is March.
What we're expecting: The iPhone SE 4 is in line for several changes, not the least of which would be an overhaul of its design. The current model remains stuck in 2017, with chunky bezels on the top and bottom of its 4.7-inch screen. For the iPhone SE 4, Apple will reportedly modernize things witha more edge-to-edge display, along with a notch on the top of the screen to accommodate Face ID sensors and the front camera.
As a result, the iPhone SE should get a bigger screen — 6.1 inches, according to rumors that also have Apple replacing the LCD penal on the current model with an OLED screen. In addition, Apple could introduce two iPhone SE models, with the iPhone SE Plus offering a larger display.
The biggest change to the iPhone SE could be under the surface in the form of the chipset Apple uses. Past iPhone SE models have used the same silicon as the flagship iPhone Apple released the previous fall. With the iPhone SE 4, that's likely to be the A18 system-on-chip found in the iPhone 16. Not only would that mean a significant performance boost for the iPhone SE 4, it would also allow the midrange phone to run the same Apple Intelligence features Apple has been introducing to its recent flagships. The iPhone SE 4 is also tipped to be the fist iPhone with Apple's own 5G modem.
What it's likely to cost: The larger display, more powerful processor and potential switch to OLED makes it unlikely Apple will be able the iPhone SE's current $429 price. But given the phones Apple is competing against and the fact that a discounted iPhone 14 is available for $599, it's not unreasonable to assume that Apple would eye that $499 price as the ideal one for its new iPhone SE.
Google Pixel 9a
When it could happen: After a couple years of releasing its A Series phone at its annual developer conference in May, Google threw us a curveball in 2024 by releasing the Pixel 8a ahead of Google I/O. It's unclear if history will repeat itself this year, but we'd certainly expect a Pixel 9a no later than May with at least one rumor suggesting a mid-March announcement. That could be fueled in part by Google's decision to roll out the Android 16 update earlier than normal. (A developer release of Android 16 is already available.)
What we're expecting: Google doesn't exactly break new ground with its A Series phones, using the release to introduce existing AI capabilities to a wider audience that doesn't want to pay flagship prices for a phone. Indeed, that's likely to happen here with the Pixel 9a probably adopting the Tensor G4 chipset introduced with the Pixel 9 models and running the same AI-powered features debuting with last year's flagships.
That said, rumors point to Google adopting a new design, with the phone-spanning camera bar shrinking down into a oval camera array on the left side of the phone. An early spec leak has Google replacing the Pixel 8a's 64MP main camera with a 48MP sensor — a downgrade on paper unless the new sensor offers other features besides megapixels. With the Pixel 9a set to use an older modem, too, the new phone may also cut out the Satellite SOS feature supporting emergency message as part of a cost-cutting move.
What it's likely to cost: There's an upside to Google saving costs on the Pixel 9a — it could allow the phone maker to maintain the $499 starting price from the Pixel 8a. One early pricing rumor suggests that's the goals, with the $499 Pixel 9a likely to go toe-to-toe with the iPhone SE 4 as we figure out once and for all who makes the best cheap phone.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip FE
When it could happen: With a Galaxy Unpacked event happening soon rather than later, there's always the chance that the Galaxy Z Flip FE could join the Galaxy S25 models with a sneak preview if not an outright release. But Samsung is likely to keep the phone focus on its flagship models, so a more likely release date for this foldable would be later in the year. Right now, that would appear to be a launch alongside the Galaxy Z Flip 7 toward the middle of 2025, though there is a possibility of an earlier launch. (See the Galaxy S25 Slim section for more on that.)
What we're expecting: For years, Samsung has talked about getting its foldable phones in the hands of more people, and one way to do that is to make them more affordable. While a lower-cost version of the Galaxy Z Fold had been rumored for a time, Samsung's focus now seems to have shifted to a discounted edition of its Galaxy Z Flip flip phone.
We can look to devices like the Galaxy S24 FE for clues on how Samsung might approach the Galaxy Z Flip FE. One way Samsung saves on pricing is by scaling back on the system-on-chip — the Galaxy S24 FE turns to an Exynos 2400e instead of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, for example, so Exynos silicon is likely on tap for the Galaxy Z Flip FE. Samsung might also scale back on the camera specs or use less costly materials to bring the cost of its foldable phone down.
What it's likely to cost: The entire reason to come out with an FE of the Galaxy Z Flip is to beat the standard flip phone's price, especially after the Galaxy Z Flip 6 ushered in a price hike to $1,099. You'd expect that Samsung is shooting to bring the phone in for less than $1,000, with the $699 Motorola Razr (2024) — the best foldable phone in our estimation — as a good target.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Slim
When it could happen: Here's another instance where an unexpected phone could be a part of the Galaxy S25 launch, where one rumor tips Samsung to tease the Galaxy S25 Slim at Unpacked in January before releasing the phone later in the year. There are clashing rumors as to when that might be — one report says April, another says June. Depending on when the phone comes out, it could be joined by the Galaxy Z Flip FE mentioned above.
What we're expecting: The main draw for the Galaxy S25 Slim is right there in the phone's name — it's rumored to be among the thinnest smartphones Samsung has ever released. Just how thin is still left to speculation, but the thinking seems to be that Samsung would shoot for the 5.6mm thinness of the Galaxy Z Fold 6 when that foldable phone is opened up.
How thin the phone is could put a limit on the kind of features the Galaxy S25 Slim offers. For example, the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset may run too hot for such a thin device, so rumors tip the S25 Slim to feature an Exynos chip of some sort — possibly an older Exynos 2400.
Samsung reportedly wants to go big on cameras, with a rumor claiming the S25 Slim will match the 200MP main lens offered by the current Galaxy S24 Ultra. It's unclear how many other lenses Samsung would be able to fit into a thin, compact phone beyond that main shooter, though.
There's one other Galaxy S25 Slim rumor worth considering: It may not be widely available. It's suggested that Samsung may release the Slim in limited markets to test consumer response before a wider release in 2026. It's unclear which markets Samsung would target, though certainly Korea would be a likely candidate.
What it's likely to cost: Pricing details about the Galaxy S25 Slim have yet to emerge, another reason we think it's unlikely the phone will launch alongside the rest of the S25 lineup. One rumor has suggested the Galaxy S25 Slim is essentially an FE edition of the S25 lineup, which would suggest a lower price than whatever Samsung charges for its standard S25. For context, the current Galaxy S24 FE costs $150 less than the $799 Galaxy S24.
OnePlus Open 2
When it could happen: No one seems to agree about when we'll see the long-awaited follow-up to the OnePlus Open, though there is consensus that it will happen in 2025. One school of thought is that the OnePlus Open 2 would make an appearance during the first three months of the year, while another leaker is expecting it toward the latter half of 2025. Assuming OnePlus wants some space between the OnePlus 13 launch and its foldable release, the second half of the year seems the more likely time.
What we're expecting: Going more than a year between updates gives OnePlus plenty of ways to improve its foldable phone. For instance, the OnePlus Open figures to run on the Snapdragon 8 Elite, which is two generations ahead of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 powering the current OnePlus Open. OnePlus is apparently looking to make its foldable phone thinner, too, with an eye toward boosting its portability.
Recent leaks have touted other potential changes like a bigger battery to combat the shorter battery life that large-screen foldable phones suffer from. The phone could also gain an IP68 rating for water resistance, as OnePlus looks to reassure customers about the durability of foldable phones.
There aren't many camera rumors, but there's an expectation that the main camera will see a slight increase in resolution from 48MP to 50MP. OnePlus is tipped once again to offer a 3x zoom lens, but any other significant improvements have yet to emerge. That also makes us think the later release date for the OnePlus Open 2 is more likely.
What it's likely to cost: Foldable phones are pricey — especially the ones that open and close like a book — so don't expect the OnePlus Open 2 to reverse that trend. That said, with the current model starting at $1,699, we'd expect OnePlus to continue to offer its foldable for less than the Pixel 9 Pro Fold ($1,799) and Galaxy Z Fold 6 ($1,899).
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7/Galaxy Z Flip 7
When it could happen: There's no firm rumors about when Samsung plans to release its foldable phones in 2025, as most people are focusing on the Galaxy S25 launch at the moment. But Samsung nearly always holds this event in either July or August.
That said, the launch of the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6 did move forward by a few weeks as Samsung looked to get in front of the Olympics. With no Summer Olympics in 2025, though, Samsung might go back to a more tradition release schedule.
What we're expecting: Starting with the Galaxy Z Fold 7, early rumors suggest Samsung is going to produce larger displays, taking cues from the special edition of the Galaxy Z Fold 6 released exclusively in Korea this past year. Samsung watchers expect an 8-inch main display and a 6.5-inch cover screen. Reportedly, Samsung is also looking to make the Galaxy Z Fold 6 as thin as the 8.6mm Galaxy S24 Ultra when the foldable phone is closed up — that would mean shaving 3.5mm off the Galaxy Z Fold 6's thickness.
The Galaxy Z Flip 7 is rumored to be getting a larger interior display, too, with a foldable 6.85-inch panel replacing the 6.7-inch screen on the current version. Another rumor claims that Samsung will turn to the latest Exynos silicon for the Galaxy Z Flip 7 instead of using Qualcomm's top-of-the-line Snapdragon 8 Elite system-on-chip.
What it's likely to cost: Hopefully, Samsung got price hikes out of its system last summer when both the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6 rose by $100. But for now, we haven't heard any pricing rumors about either foldable phone. Chances of a price cut seem remote, given remotes that Samsung plans on producing fewer Flips and Folds this year.
Google Pixel 10
When it could happen: Google used to be one of the more predictable phone makers, releasing its new Pixel flagships in October every year. Then, in 2024, the Pixel 9 models arrived in August, as Google looked to beat the latest iPhones in the store. Does that continue in 2025? Rumors have yet to emerge about a Pixel 10 launch date, but with Android 16 expected to come out earlier than usual, it's likely the Pixel phones will too.
What we're expecting: Rumors about the Pixel 10 features have been few and far between, though it's safe to assume the phones will be powered by a new Tensor G5 chipset. Reportedly, the Tensor G5 will be built on a 3nm process — as the Tensor G4 is a 4nm chip, that could mean better performance and more efficient power usage for the new phones.
A leaked Pixel 10 case shows a rear design that looks a lot like the Pixel 9, with a horizontal camera bar with rounded edges. That seems to contrast with the rumored look of the Pixel 9a, which supposedly features a more compact campera bar, but it's possible Google has decided to differentiate the design of its flagship phones and its more affordable A series models.
What it's likely to cost: It's way too early for any definitive pricing rumors to emerge. With the Pixel 9 raising its starting price to $799 and Google charging $999 for a smaller Pixel 9 Pro, we hope Google's price fluctuations don't recur in 2025.
iPhone 17/iPhone 17 Air
When it could happen: This phone launch may be the farthest out of any of the rumored models on the list, but it's also the timing we're most confident about outside of the already confirmed global launch date for the OnePlus 13. Apple always reveals new phones in September, barring any global pandemics or similar mishaps. So look for the iPhone 17 launch to happen sometime in September 2025, with Apple tending to hold its events in the first half of the month.
What we're expecting: Look for three models to return in the fall, based on iPhone rumors thus far — a standard iPhone 17, an iPhone 17 Pro and an iPhone 17 Pro Max. It seems like the three models will have the same screen sizes as their iPhone 16 predecessors, but that the iPhone 17 is in line to finally get an upgrade to a Pro Motion display. That would mean a 120Hz refresh rate for Apple's entry-level model.
All three iPhones are likely to run on an A19 chipset, with the Pro models packing in more RAM to better handle Apple Intelligence features. The iPhone 17 Pro Max may also see all three of its rear lenses served by 48MP sensors; it's unclear if the iPhone 17 Pro is in line for a similar upgrade. Updated front cameras appear to be in the works for all three returning iPhones.
A fourth model may join the mix, but it's not like anything you've seen before from Apple. This is the rumored iPhone 17 Air, also known as the iPhone 17 Slim in some corners. Leakers tout this phone as the thinnest iPhone ever — so thin, in fact, that there may be room for just one rear camera in the form of a 48MP shooter.
What it's likely to cost: Early pricing rumors suggest a potential price hike for the iPhone 17, though which models would be affected is not clear. While the iPhone 17 Air would replace the iPhone 16 Plus as the fourth model in Apple's lineup, it wouldn't necessarily inherit the Plus model's price; in fact, many expect the Air to be more expensive than the iPhone 17 Pro Max.
More from Tom's Guide
- Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra vs OnePlus 13: Which flagship could win?
- What to expect from Samsung's Galaxy phones in 2025
- The best AI phone feature I tried in 2024 isn’t from Apple or Samsung
