Introduction: The Annual Rivalry Heats Up
As the rivalry between Samsung and Apple continues, the upcoming release of the Samsung Galaxy S25 series and the iPhone 16 promises to make 2025 a highly anticipated year for smartphone enthusiasts. Samsung’s Galaxy S25 is expected to launch in January 2025, while Apple’s iPhone 16 has already impressed many since its release in September 2024. In this battle of the titans, how will the base-model Galaxy S25 fare against the iPhone 16? Let’s dive into the details to see which phone may take the lead this year.
Figure 1: Leaked Images of Samsung S25 Series Smartphone
Design: Small Tweaks, Big Impact
Both Samsung and Apple are expected to deliver similar designs for their latest flagships. The Galaxy S25 will likely feature a 6.2-inch OLED display with smaller bezels and rounded corners. The phone will also carry a vertical triple-camera setup on its rear panel, offering a sleek and modern look. As Jamie Richards notes, “The S25 is tipped to launch with ‘significant design changes,’ but we don’t expect this to overhaul the design language established with the Galaxy S21.”
On the other hand, the iPhone 16 sports a 6.1-inch OLED display and rounded bezels. The camera arrangement is vertical, with two cameras, a slight difference from the Galaxy S25’s three-camera setup. As for colours, the iPhone 16 offers vibrant options like pink, teal, and ultramarine, alongside classic white and black. The Galaxy S25, however, is expected to offer new colours such as Pink Gold and Red Coral, with a more subdued black, silver, and blue palette.
Camera Performance: A Close Call
When it comes to camera quality, both Samsung and Apple have a reputation for delivering exceptional performance. The Galaxy S25 is likely to feature a 50MP main camera, a 12MP ultra-wide camera, and a 10MP 3x telephoto camera, the same setup found in its predecessor, the Galaxy S24. This camera configuration will give the Galaxy S25 an edge over the iPhone 16, as the iPhone 16 only offers a 48MP main camera and a 12MP ultra-wide camera.
Despite the slight camera advantage, the iPhone 16 brings its own innovation to the table. The iPhone 16 introduces the new Camera Control capacitive button, which adds versatility to the user experience. As Richards points out, “Samsung’s camera tech is generally considered class-leading, and we expect the S25 to be a great camera phone – though, despite lacking optical zoom, the iPhone 16 is too.”
Performance: Powering Through with Chips
The internal specifications of the Galaxy S25 and iPhone 16 reveal some notable differences. The Galaxy S25 is rumoured to launch with the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, which is expected to outperform Apple’s A18 in benchmark tests. According to Richards, “Samsung is saving camera upgrades for the Galaxy S25 Ultra this year,” but the base-model S25’s chipset will still pack a punch. There have been discussions about Samsung using Exynos chipsets for the S25, so this remains an area to watch closely.
The iPhone 16, powered by the Apple A18 chipset, offers excellent performance. Apple’s efficient optimisation ensures that the phone delivers snappy performance despite having fewer cores than the Snapdragon 8 Elite. In terms of RAM, the Galaxy S25 is expected to feature 12GB of RAM, while the iPhone 16 comes with 8GB. Despite the difference, Apple’s optimisation ensures smooth multitasking on the iPhone 16, even with less RAM.
Storage and Software: Customisation and Features
Both phones will offer similar storage configurations. The Galaxy S25 is tipped to start with 256GB of storage, possibly eliminating the 128GB variant. The iPhone 16 also comes with storage options ranging from 128GB to 512GB, giving users a range of choices depending on their needs.
In terms of software, the Galaxy S25 is expected to run on One UI 7, Samsung’s Android interface. This will come with new AI features to enhance the user experience, making it an attractive option for Android users. The iPhone 16, on the other hand, runs on iOS 18, which brings its own set of unique features and integrations. While both operating systems are known for their reliability, the choice between Android and iOS often depends on user preferences.
Battery Life: Staying Powered Up
Battery life is always an important consideration when purchasing a new smartphone. The Galaxy S25 is expected to come with a 4,000mAh battery, which should provide a solid performance throughout the day. The iPhone 16, with a smaller 3,561mAh battery, may struggle to compete in this area, especially with its larger display and processing demands. However, Apple’s efficient power management may help extend the battery life of the iPhone 16 despite the lower capacity.
Conclusion: The Final Verdict
As the rivalry between Samsung and Apple heats up, both the Galaxy S25 and iPhone 16 are set to deliver impressive features. “For everyone else, this year’s face-off between the S25 and iPhone 16 could be made more difficult by advancing performance and design refreshes,” Richards concludes. Both phones offer fantastic performance, camera tech, and design. Ultimately, the choice will come down to user preferences—whether you favour Samsung’s powerful chipset and larger RAM or Apple’s seamless integration of hardware and software.
Whichever phone you choose, it’s clear that the battle between Samsung and Apple will continue to shape the smartphone market in exciting ways in 2025.
