Samsung says the advanced AI capabilities, powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, enable the Galaxy S25 series to deliver natural, context-aware interactions that redefine the mobile experience.

“This series is our most personal and intuitive yet, adapting to users’ unique needs,” said Annika Bizon, Director of Mobile Experience, Samsung UK & Ireland. “AI becomes a true companion, assisting with tasks, enhancing creativity, and saving time in daily life.”

The phones have the new Samsung interface One UI 7 with upgrades, such as smoother animations, more intuitive control bars and menus, and customizable shortcuts and quick actions. 

 One UI  also introduces AI-driven features that understand user preferences while ensuring privacy. Multimodal agents process text, speech, and visuals for seamless interactions. Upgraded tools, like “Circle to Search,” provide context-aware search and actionable suggestions, making multitasking effortless.

AI-powered enhancements extend to creativity and productivity. Features like **Call Transcript**, **Writing Assist**, and **Drawing Assist** simplify communication and content creation. Natural language processing allows users to locate photos, adjust settings, or schedule events with ease.

The Galaxy S25’s next-generation ProVisual Engine and 50MP ultrawide camera redefine mobile photography, while on-device AI ensures superior performance for tasks like real-time editing and noise reduction. The device also prioritizes sustainability, incorporating recycled materials and a battery made from reclaimed cobalt.

The Galaxy S25 series guarantees seven years of updates, enhanced security with Knox Vault, and features like post-quantum cryptography. Pre-orders start today, with exclusive offers including free storage upgrades and trial access to Gemini Advanced AI tools.

Ernest Doku, mobile specialist at comparison website Uswitch, says the new range is an impressive combination of bleeding-edge hardware and AI smarts, delivering “real, noticeable value at a range of price points.”

“Keeping pace with recent launches from competitors such as Honor, Xiaomi, and OnePlus, Samsung has introduced the S25 range with a set of important—yet somewhat predictable—upgrades. This means all major Android-powered handsets are now on a level playing field in terms of power under the hood, so it’s up to the brands to showcase their innovation.

“Data from Uswitch shows that people most value AI features that help with life admin and photo editing—an area that Samsung seems to have focused on in its latest upgrades. However, despite AI features being a major focus for manufacturers, we found that only six percent of people currently see it as the most important factor when upgrading their phone. The lukewarm reception to the iPhone 16, with its heavily hyped AI features, has likely left consumers skeptical. A lot is riding on Samsung to continue to get it right with Galaxy AI.

“While Samsung has integrated AI features into the everyday use of the new S25 handsets, the jury is still out on whether that’s enough to convince more UK consumers to upgrade their devices”

Ben Wood, Chief Analyst at  CCS Insight said:

Launching new flagship smartphones has become a considerable headache for all the leading smartphone manufacturers. Top-end products are now so good that it’s extremely difficult to deliver any meaningful differentiation from one year to the next. Samsung is not alone in this challenge, with Apple and all the other Android smartphone manufacturers in the same boat. Launches are now characterised by ‘slightly better everything’, be that screen technology, battery life, processor performance, camera specs and more. It’s little surprise that phone makers are hoping that a little ‘AI magic dust’ will help turn consumers’ heads, but that’s proving to be a tough sell too.”

“Samsung’s Galaxy S25 range ticks all the boxes for a flagship line up. If you want the best Android-powered smartphone Samsung can offer, and one of the best on the market, this is the product for you.  It’s well suited to the growing number of consumers who have a mobile phone that’s three or four years old but unfortunately for Samsung it’s unlikely to get people upgrading any sooner. The latest generation of smartphones have become so good that there are no longer game-changing features from one year to the next because products from the last 24 months are already extremely capable.”

“At a time when improvements to hardware capabilities and product design are largely incremental, Samsung is doubling down on its AI story. There are some clever enhancements included in the Galaxy S25 line-up, but it’s unlikely they’ll be enough to have consumers rushing out to upgrade their phones prematurely. However, this is far from being a unique issue for Samsung. Apple is facing the same challenges with the iPhone 16 and Apple Intelligence. AI is a boon for someone who needs an upgrade, but not enough to move the needle for consumers who already have a relatively up-to-date phone.”

Customers can sign up online and connect to local networks at their destination or before they travel for instant connection on an eSIM-compatible device. The travel eSIMs use mobile data onl and exclude regular network calls or SMS messages.

Uswitch.com says it is now the first major UK comparison website to offer travel eSIMs alongside traditional UK SIM deals. The eSIMs come with several data package options, including 3GB, 5GB, 10GB, and more. When compared to roaming charges for Pay As You Go mobile provider offers in the UK, eSIMs come out as the clear winner.

Uswitch calculates that someone traveling to Morocco without a roaming cap and using 10GB of data could be billed £56,166, compared with £17 with a Uswitch eSIM.

“Even those visiting European countries may still benefit from an eSIM depending on their contract. UK mobile providers charge Pay As You Go roaming fees around 2p per MB for France, Spain, and Greece, for instance. A UK customer without EU roaming included in their home package using 10GB of data could see a bill of £214, compared to just £11 with a travel eSIM,” says Uswitch.

Zacchary Couldrick, CEO and Co-Founder of eSIM Go, comments: “Partnering with a UK consumer champion like Uswitch is a really exciting opportunity to bring high-quality eSIMs to a wider audience in time for the big summer getaway. We’ll be helping holidaymakers and other travellers get their first taste of how easy it is to stay connected abroad.”

Ernest Doku, Uswitch head of commercial for broadband and mobile, added: “After years of campaigning for better roaming protection, it’s brilliant to be able to offer a solution that really can give consumers peace of mind against shock roaming charges.

Ofcom says the quality of information being provided to roaming customers has been inconsistent and unclear and that its research found 19 per cent of holidaymakers were unaware they could face roaming charges.

Network operators need to notify customers when they start roaming and provide clear, free-information too esure they understand any roaming charges, fair-use limits or time limits that apply.

“Some customers aren’t getting clear information from their provider to help them manage their mobile use and plan their spend. Our new protections will mean you’re told what it’ll cost when you start roaming,” said. Cristina Luna-Esteban, Ofcom’s Director of Telecoms Consumer Policy.

An O2 spokesperson said: We’re proud to stand out as the only major mobile provider not to reintroduce roaming fees in Europe, saving our customers money and providing them with incredible value when they travel to the most popular holiday destinations.Our customers benefit from using their calls, texts and data as they would at home when they’re in Europe, up to 25GB, and wherever our customers go we send them a text message when they arrive at their destination explaining any data limits and charges”.

Ernest Doku, telecoms expert at Uswitch.com said roaming protections for consumers have been eroded since Brexit, including the £45 worldwide data roaming cap which has now fallen away.

“There is now virtually nothing to stop providers from charging enormous sums when you use your phone abroad. While we support these new rules they fall vastly short of the protections that consumers had come to expect. They will only come into force from October. Those traveling abroad this summer will still need to take extra precautions to avoid any surprises”

Respondents were asked:

 ‘In 2023 mobile providers will start to switch off their 3G networks to focus on 4G and 5G. Were you aware of this before today?

Fifty one per cent said they didn’t know. Around 27 per cent of people surveyed knew 3G was for the chop.

Networks will switch off 2G and 3G over the next decade to free up spectrum for 4G and 5G.

EE also plans to start its switch-off in early 2024 Three aims to switch off its entire 3G network by the end of 2024. O2 has not yet announced plans but the Government has requested all 3G networks to be closed by 2033.

Vodafone’s 3G shutdown started this month and will apply to its MVNOs including Lebara Mobile, Asda Mobile, Talk Mobile and VOXI,

“3G is used by more than 30 million people. Our research shows more than 15 million aren’t aware it is being phased out or how this will impact their ability to get online. Focusing investment on 4G and 5G networks is a sensible move, However it’s important to make those relying on 3G networks are not caught unaware said uSwitch head of commerce; for broadband and mobile Ernest Doku

It is estimated that 5.3 billion phones will be thrown away this year, according to research by international waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE).

The research, reported by the BBC, focused on the growing environmental problem of e-waste, as many people keep their old phones instead of recycling them.

WEEE director general Pascal Leroy says: “People tend not to realise that all these seemingly insignificant items have a lot of value and together at a global level represent massive volumes.”

An estimate of 16 billion mobile phones worldwide and a third in Europe are no longer in use and the research highlights that e-waste is the fastest growing and most complex waste streams that affects both human health and environment, as it contains harmful substances.

The organisation Material Focus suggests that in the UK, more than 20 million households have working but unused electrical items which are worth £5.63bn.

The article also highlighted that only 17pc of the world’s e-waste is properly recycled – but the United Nations International Telecommunication Union has set a target to raise that to 30% by next year.

Analyst comments

Ernest Doku, telecoms expert at Uswitch.com, comments: “Having a backup handset for emergencies or to pass on to a family member makes sense, but some households will have many old devices gathering dust in their drawers. Hanging onto old mobiles means consumers miss the chance to save money by trading them in and bringing them back into service.

“To help cut back on e-waste, consider doing an early spring clean and make sure unused tech is either reused, resold or disposed of sustainably.

“If changing your handset, consider picking a refurbished model. This will save you money at the same time as reducing the e-waste produced from buying a new smartphone.”

HMD Global has announced the launch of the Nokia 5710 XpressAudio- a 4G feature phone with built-in wireless earbuds and environmental noise cancellation.

The wireless built-in earbuds are detachable and are housed beneath a sleek slider on the back of the phone and are compatible with your smartphone if users want to switch between devices.

The 5710 delivers a 1450mAh battery, lasts for weeks on standby, and the device has gone through extensive testing so that it meets durability standards. 

Expert comments

Uswitch tech expert Ernest Doku said: “The rise of the ‘fun phone’ is testament to consumers’ unwavering desire for quality and simplicity above all else from their technology.

“More than just a fad or a phase, we’re seeing devices focused on what matters most – impressive battery life, capable connectivity and affordability – draw huge interest across many demographics in multiple territories. 

“These feature phones are the intersection of novelty, nostalgia and individuality – whether it’s a clamshell form factor or cool, quirky design accents, we’re seeing new generations drawn to the appeal of a device that nails the essence of what it means to stay connected. 

“From the practicality and durability of a robust handset in festival season, to those looking for a ‘digital detox’ with the aim of getting back to basics, this wave of feature phone counter-culture crashes against the smartphone norm – it’s incredibly exciting to see It not only gain traction in social media circles but deliver meaningful volumes to manufacturers.” 

Since separating from parent company Huawei in November 2020, Honor has been trying to prove itself as a standalone brand, releasing the likes of the Honor 50, X and Magic4 smartphone series.

First founded in 2013 as a sub-brand to Huawei, Honor phones were marketed to a younger audience and offered a cheaper alternative to its parent’s mid-range devices.

Since being sold to Shenzhen Zhixin New Information Technology in 2020, Honor has expanded from its low-budget origins, as the global launch of the Honor 50 series in November 2021 came with a mid-range price tag.

In addition, the company has launched the Magic4 Pro, a global premium flagship, which it brought to the UK in May.

The Chinese vendor also aims to become known as a reliable technology brand through its products and innovations.

Bond Zhang, country manager for the UK, said the likes of the Magic4 Pro are helping Honor to establish itself internationally.

“We want to make our products available and easy for UK consumers to access, so we currently sell through Three, Vodafone, Currys, Amazon, Argos, John Lewis and Very,” says Zhang.

Zhang’s roles

Zhang has been in his current role since 2017, following more than a decade at Huawei, where he worked across Asia and saw success as the brand expanded to Malaysia, India and Japan by mid-2015.

Honor became number one in China’s smartphone market for the first time in Q1 2022, according to Canalys, shipping 15 million units for a 20 per cent market share.

In the global smartphone market, meanwhile, the vendor saw its shipments grow 148 per cent year-on-year in Q1 2022, according to Counterpoint Research.

This gave Honor a five per cent share of the total market, up three percentage points from a year earlier.

Zhang emphasises that it was a substantial achievement to reach number one in China, believing innovation is a driving force behind the figures.

“Globally, we have 12,000 employees, six research and development centres and over 100 innovation labs to create cutting-edge technologies and IoT capabilities,” he says.

“We adapt and keep up with consumer needs while combining innovative technology to help us be in a good position in the global market.”

Honor’s current market share in the UK is unknown, with Zhang saying the company hasn’t had these figures for a while.

“Market share isn’t our priority at the moment,” he says. “Instead, we want to provide best in-class products, improve brand awareness and grow our list of partners.”

Making waves

For a new smartphone player to make waves in the market, it needs to have the right products, competitive prices and a marketing budget, says CCS Insight chief analyst and CMO Ben Wood.

“In the case of Honor, it clearly has some attractive products which build on its Huawei heritage, and it appears the company is happy to make an investment to try and build share in the UK,” he says.

“Many would say that Apple and Samsung are Honor’s biggest competitors, but my opinion is that Honor is primarily going head-to-head with Oppo and Xiaomi to compete for the ‘third slot’.

“Ultimately, Honor will have to try and displace a rival to get any traction.”

Uswitch broadband and mobile expert Ernest Doku agrees that the competition for Honor comprises the likes of Oppo, Xiaomi and Google, and that the vendor will have to forge its own path to achieve success.

“The UK mobile market is a unique and fiercely brand-loyal sector,” he says. “However, the cost-of-living crisis has seen some consumers make changes in their purchasing decisions.

“There’s every opportunity for Honor, with a strong portfolio of handsets in all segments, sustained marketing efforts, and important network and retailer support, to make headway in a competitive field.”

Honor is in competition with other vendors to replace what Huawei used to be, according to Canalys research analyst Runar Bjorhovde.

“In Q1 2022, Apple and Samsung took over 80 per cent of the UK market combined and the opening for third place requires much lower market share,” he says.

“Oppo, Xiaomi, Motorola, HMD Global, Google and TCL all have between one and five per cent market share, but none of these brands have been able to provide a unique enough proposition to capture third place long-term.”

Marketing push

For Honor to attract UK consumers, Doku believes that it needs to commit to a strong marketing presence and home in on a specific consumer segment.

Zhang acknowledges that Honor needs to increase its brand awareness and has recently worked with the London Film School, where students used the Magic 4 Pro to take pictures and shoot videos.

“We will continue our nationwide campaigning efforts, build an offline and online presence, and continue training our staff, while collaborating with our partners to help improve our branding and awareness in the UK,” he says.

Wood encourages Honor to make its mark on the smartphone industry through spending money on advertising and sponsorship, like Oppo did recently at Wimbledon.

“It took nearly a decade and billions of dollars for Huawei to build its brand, so if Honor is serious, it needs to be in it for the long haul and exceptionally well funded.”

But sponsorship, marketing and advertising are not the only things Honor needs to do to create awareness.

“Rebuilding trust will also be a key aspect for Honor after Huawei has gained a poor reputation over the last two years,” Bjorhovde adds.

“According to Canalys consumer research, trust is among the key drivers for consumers– both in relation to whether people can rely on the hardware and software over time, as well as data protection.”

Paving a path

The downfall of Huawei meant that associated brands were tarred with the same brush by some and had to prove themselves as individual companies.

Honor was one of those brands, but the manufacturer has been gaining international momentum and was regranted access to Google Mobile Services when it launched the Honor 50 series in 2021.

But there is still a long way to go before Honor can see similar success to Huawei and completely rid itself of the association with its former parent company, according to observers.

Bjorhovde says that Honor is facing tougher competition from other Chinese brands than when Huawei entered the market.

“The trick for Honor will be in how it interacts with channel partners,” he says.

“Unique contribution and strong collaborations can be important to understand consumers locally and understand where the challenges lie for those who face consumers directly.”

According to Doku, Huawei’s rise in popularity was driven by the uniqueness of its devices, pricing, specs and marketing spend.

He thinks Honor will need to replicate success in these types of areas to gain more significant traction itself.

“The performance of the Magic4 Pro will be a great leading indicator to see if the fortunes of Huawei can be repeated,” he says. “Convincing consumers to commit to a high-end device is a massive hurdle, so if Honor can clear that hurdle then there’s a greater chance of victory.”

For Zhang’s part, he says he always believed Honor would be able to pave its own way in the market, separately from Huawei.

“I’ve always been confident, even in 2020 when we knew we would be separate,” he says. “Since then, we have formed strong relationships with global industry partners. For example, Honor’s R&D team has worked with the Qualcomm team more closely than ever to unleash the power of its chipset.

“Last year, we mainly focused on the channel market, and within a year we were number one in China.

“Now, we are investing in overseas countries and improving revenue, market share and brand awareness for the premium segment.”

Range Expansion

Zhang wants to expand the vendor’s consumer range, offering products that range from entry to premium level, and bring some leading innovations to the brand.

Tackling all segments of the market can be complicated, but Bjorhovde believes that if the Magic4 Pro really gains a foothold, such success could filter down to other parts of the market for Honor.

“A combined portfolio of devices across the price bands is important, as the marketing of an impressive premium device can result in a stronger performance of cheaper devices,” he says.

“Building into the high end sustainably will take time for Honor, and starting out with a wide portfolio will help it leverage opportunities and maintain strong connections with the channel.”

However, both Doku and Wood think that it’s not always beneficial to target different price segments.

“Having a halo product is always a strong asset – it resonates well with the tech media and helps drive awareness,” said Wood.

“However, Honor may find it has more success being ranged in affordable segments when it comes to driving volume.”

Doku, meanwhile, believes the Magic4 Pro is a capable device, but that Honor’s younger demographic may not follow into the premium segment.

“It’s a matter of being front of mind in a fast-paced and highly competitive market that will make the difference, regardless of the segment they focus on,” he says.

Extra products

Now the Magic4 Pro has been launched across the world, Zhang hopes to also further establish a range of additional products to mobile phones in Honor’s wider ecosystem, and become a leading technology brand in various countries.

So far, Honor has released earbuds, wearable devices and laptops, and Zhang revealed that more work will be put into the smart home, as well as health and fitness products.

Bjorhovde says that it is necessary for a vendor like Honor to provide IoT devices, although this may no longer act as a differentiator in the market. That means other strategies will be needed to achieve that.

“Honor’s IoT products will allow it to open doors into the channel, but building a brand through different marketing channels will be key,” he says.

Meanwhile, Doku says that Honor still needs to carry out a bit of brand education in the mobile space before branching out with other products.

However, he says, the company can achieve success “if the innovation is there and priced in such a way to drive adoption”.

“More efforts in the product and IoT space, continued focus on the European market – where price is the determining factor – and a pipeline of strong devices across all consumer sectors could see Honor become a force to be reckoned with in the next few years.”

Brits could face a phone bill of £787 for a week’s holiday in certain destinations when roaming abroad, according to Uswitch.com.

Roaming fees for the EU usually equate to around £14 a month and are free for O2 and Virgin Media customers, but outside of the EU fees are considerably more.

Egypt, Morocco, South Africa, Saudi Arabia and UAE are the most expensive destinations for roaming across seven days on the Virgin Media network, as it will set you back £787.

These countries are excluded from overseas data, call or text bundles and customers can face charges of £7.20 per MB on data, £5 per minute to make calls, and 60p to send texts.

Vodafone offers the cheapest roaming packages for a seven day trip, costing £42 for a whole week or just £6 a day outside the EU.

Many Brits are confused about charges, as 24 per cent say they have no idea how much it will cost to use their phone abroad, 24 pc said they will use their phone less on holiday because of fees, and 16 pc said they are concerned about big bills when they return.

The government imposed a worldwide roaming data cap of £45 a month, but this does not cover calls and texts which can be expensive outside of the EU.

Uswitch.com telecoms expert Ernest Doku said: “There’s a huge difference in costs between countries, so it’s worth checking with your provider how much you will pay to make calls, send texts and use data in your destination, and if there are any passes or add-ons that could help you use your data abroad for a minimal cost.

“With a quarter of mobile users unaware of what roaming costs they face, providers must do more to guide customers through these changes and offer cheaper options, particularly on popular non-EU destinations not covered in their travel bundles.

“If you regularly travel abroad, it may be worth considering switching to a provider without EU roaming fees, or looking at a 30-day SIM-only deal to reduce your charges while you’re away.”

You can read Uswitch.com’s guide to roaming here.

Broadband disruption has cost the UK economy £1.3 billion and 11 million consumers were left without internet for three or more hours in the past year, according to Uswitch.

The comparison and switching service released its annual outages report, which also showed that 51 per cent of UK workers work from home, therefore hitting them hardest.

One in ten home workers said poor broadband caused their bosses to complain, and another 10 pc prefer to work on key projects in the office due to bad broadband. 

However, 13 pc said the cost of living crisis means they have to work from home more often despite faulty services.

Out of those who suffered a long outage, 52 pc contacted their provider and 23 pc received compensation for it- meanwhile 14 pc of broadband users have noticed their service getting worse.

Uswitch.com broadband expert Ernest Doku said: “Stable broadband should not be the thing that you worry about when you are trying to impress a new employer.

“When people reach the point that their bosses are commenting on their connection issues, it’s time to consider an upgrade. You may find that better service often comes at a cheaper price when you have been with the same provider for a number of years.

“Many households who took out a broadband deal during lockdown in the 2021 January sales will now be reaching the end of their contract, so it’s the perfect time to shop around, especially if you rely on your home internet to do your job.”

Uswitch have also released advice on what to do if your internet is down.

Virgin Mobile was the most-complained-about mobile network in Ofcom’s latest telecoms and pay-TV complaints report.

The regulator recorded four complaints per 100,000 customers about the MVNO in the three months to December last year.

It’s the same number that Virgin Mobile received in Q2 of 2021, when it also saw the most complaints. Meanwhile, it received the second-most complaints in the third quarter, with three per 100,000.

The industry average in Q4 was two, with Three and Vodafone also falling below this threshold by each receiving three complaints per 100,000.

Strong

Meanwhile, Tesco Mobile and EE continued their strong recent performances, with each only seeing one complaint per 100,000.

Sky Mobile also scored one, while iD Mobile, BT Mobile and O2 posted two. According to Ofcom, Virgin Mobile’s issues were down to poor handling of complaints (32 per cent), while faults, service and provisioning issues were responsible for 27 per cent of complaints. Issues relating to billing, pricing and charges accounted for 23 per cent of complaints.

“When it comes to mobile services, it is disappointing to see Virgin Mobile customers are experiencing the most problems, especially as Virgin Media is also above the industry average for broadband complaints,” said Uswitch telecoms expert Ernest Doku.

“With budgets being squeezed more than ever before, providers need to not only offer products which are good value for money, but prove that they are genuinely focused on delivering customer satisfaction.”