Subj : I cant believe the Samsung Galaxy S25 is still the only phone of To : All From : TechnologyDaily Date : Thu Jan 30 2025 18:00:07 I cant believe the Samsung Galaxy S25 is still the only phone of its kind to have this one crucial feature Date: Thu, 30 Jan 2025 17:57:01 +0000 Description: The Samsung Galaxy S25 is here, and with it a reminder that Samsung is still leading the competition when it comes to camera versatility. FULL STORY ====================================================================== Samsung Galaxy Unpacked has been and gone, and were busy working through the newly confirmed details about the Samsung Galaxy S25 , S25 Plus, and S25 Ultra as we wait for all three new phones to hit shelves on February 7. Though were getting a decently refreshed S25 Ultra and an entirely new model in the S25 Edge , our hands-on Samsung Galaxy S25 review found that the baseline S25 has received a comparatively smaller update this year than either of its larger siblings. However, as important as it is to celebrate innovation, I also think its worth taking a step back before casting judgment over the new vanilla Galaxy S25, and appreciating that the S25 offers a lot of value for its $799 / 799 / AU$1,399 price tag, even if it is broadly similar to last years Samsung Galaxy S24 . Indeed, when it comes to one specific camera feature, the S25 is still the only phone of its kind. The S25 is still the only globally available current-gen flagship of its price to come with an optical telephoto zoom lens, and, personally, I think thats worth raving about. Optical zoom gives users so much more capability and versatility when it comes to taking snaps and videos, offering more consistent quality and enabling the accompanying digital zoom to reach out further. The Samsung Galaxy S25 has three rear cameras (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future) An optical zoom camera is one of those tech features that you dont know you need until you have it, like a 120Hz display or an under-display fingerprint scanner. While those other two features have found their way to dozens of models at all kinds of price points, telephoto cameras are still typically relegated to only the most premium units. The S25 has three cameras, but its two main rivals the iPhone 16 and Google Pixel 9 both opt for a two-camera system comprising a main and ultra-wide camera. Apple and Google fans need to step up to the pricier iPhone 16 Pro ($999 / 999 / AU$1,799) or Google Pixel 9 Pro ($999 / 999 / AU$1,699) to get their hands on a telephoto zoom. Ive been using telephoto-equipped phones for close to six years now, and would go so far as to call optical zoom an essential feature (depending, of course, on your budget). The extended reach is great for concerts and wildlife photography, while the narrower field of view and longer focal distance of telephoto cameras makes them ideal for portraits. In the examples below, I effectively took the same photo with the S25s 3x telephoto camera and the iPhone 15 at 3x digital zoom. Feel free to draw your own conclusions and let me know in the comments section, but if you ask me, the S25 wins thanks to its richer detail and bolder lighting. iPhone 15 camera samples: 3x digital zoom Image 1 of 3 (Image credit: Jamie Richards / Future) Image 2 of 3 (Image credit: Jamie Richards / Future) Image 3 of 3 (Image credit: Jamie Richards / Future) Samsung Galaxy S25 camera samples: 3x optical zoom Image 1 of 3 (Image credit: Jamie Richards / Future) Image 2 of 3 (Image credit: Jamie Richards / Future) Image 3 of 3 (Image credit: Jamie Richards / Future) I previously voiced my distaste for ultra-wide cameras , but my appreciation of the S25s camera system is more than just the flip side of this long-standing annoyance. As well as giving users more options for photography, the continued inclusion of the 3x camera symbolizes what I see as Samsungs genuine commitment to equipping users with higher-quality hardware. In fact, the S25 overall is probably the most technically advanced phone in its price bracket, sporting a massive 12GB of RAM and the class-leading Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, as well as its well-furnished camera system. So, can we hope to see Apple and Google catch up any time soon? Im not so sure. The baseline iPhone generally inherits features from the Pro models one, two, or three years after they debut, but telephoto cameras have remained the preserve of the very best iPhones since the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max . It's the same story for Google's Pixel phones, with telephoto cameras still exclusive to the XL, Pro, and Pro XL models. It seems like Samsungs lead is pretty safe, then. It's worth mentioning here that there are cheaper telephoto-equipped phones available from phone makers like Xiaomi, Oppo, and even Samsung itself (see the Galaxy S24 FE ), but these aren't globally available and don't match the S25 in hardware power. Additionally, you can currently pick up last year's telephoto-sporting OnePlus 12 for $799 / 799, though with the OnePlus 13 now out in the wild, this isn't part of the same generation as the S25. Samsung's baseline flagship, then, remains one-of-a-kind. You might also like The iPhone SE 4 might miss out on the Dynamic Island after all but it could get a different iPhone 16 feature Nothing hints that the Phone 3 could have the one feature it needs to rival the Samsung Galaxy S25 Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra review: the ultimate Android ====================================================================== Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/phones/samsung-galaxy-phones/i-cant-believe-the-sams ung-galaxy-s25-is-still-the-only-phone-of-its-kind-to-have-this-one-crucial-fe ature --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A47 (Linux/64) * Origin: tqwNet Technology News (1337:1/100) .