Report: Samsung Galaxy S25 series could ditch the Plus model
Model numbers for the Samsung Galaxy S25 and S25 Ultra recently surfaced online, but the S25 Plus hasn’t.
News site Android Headlines noticed this discrepancy after diving into the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) database. When a tech company creates or develops a new smartphone, it uploads model numbers to the database, which are used to track lost or stolen devices. It’s also how people learn more about the phones before they’re officially announced.
Android Headlines found the SM-S931B/DS, which is likely for the base Galaxy S25 model. The S25 Ultra has four of them under its name: SM-S938B for global, SM-S938U for the US, SM-S938N for South Korea, and SM-S9380. It’s unknown if the latter listing is tied to a specific country, however. The absence of the S25 Plus IMEI number has led the publication to believe that Samsung may focus on just two models for the next-gen model.
They point out that “previous Plus models struggled to meet sales expectations.” Customers don’t really like them, as they apparently prefer the two extremes: the base phone and the Ultra. Plus, Samsung has a history of streamlining its lineups. It used to release four smartphones every year, but as of 2021, we’ve only seen three.
They claim that removing the S25 Plus to simplify things could encourage more people to adopt the S25 Ultra. It’s a good theory, admittedly, but it could also be a flawed one.
Dubious rumors
GalaxyClubA Dutch news site specializing in Galaxy technology claims that Samsung is not deviating from three phone lines and will launch the S25 Plus in January next year. The model number is SM-S936 and internally it is apparently called the F2 (the Galaxy S25 is F1, while the S25 Ultra is F3).
The website “has a solid track record for upcoming Samsung releases”, and therefore they are given the benefit of the doubt. However, it is unknown why the Galaxy S25 Plus did not appear in the IMEI database.
9to5Google believes the company may have simply never uploaded the info, given that the S25 series launch is still months away. Still, the exclusion of the S25 Plus is worth looking into.
The upcoming series looks set to be interesting. Other leaks claim they will feature “significant design changes” and feature larger batteries compared to the S24 line.
As with any leak, take everything you read here with a grain of salt. Be sure to check out TechRadar’s roundup of the best Samsung phones for 2024.
