Samsung Galaxy S25: Here are the New Android Features

Image: Google

Samsung today unveiled the Galaxy S25, Galaxy S25+, and top-of-the-line Galaxy S25 Ultra at its Galaxy Unpacked event in San Jose, California. At the same event, Google announced several new Android 15 features to go along with Samsung’s new flagship lineup.

During Galaxy Unpacked, Google touted new AI capabilities, accessibility features, and family tools the company said are coming to the Galaxy S25 series “and more.” Perhaps most interestingly, Galaxy S25 users will be able to hail Google’s AI assistant, Gemini, by simply long-pressing the Power button out-of-the-box .

It appears that after the limited success of its Bixby smart assistant, Samsung is relinquishing the coveted real estate of the Power button’s long-press to Google. Gemini will bring significant cross-app functionality to the Galaxy S25 series, tapping into Google apps like Maps, Youtube, and Messages, along with Spotify, while also including support for Samsung apps like Samsung Reminder, Samsung Calendar, Samsung Notes, and Samsung Clock thanks to new “Gemini Extensions.”

Samsung’s new “Now Bar” for the Galaxy S25 series will also feature Google AI integration, providing users with relevant updates right on their lock screen. This will range from live coverage of sports games featuring the teams you follow on Google to Google Maps directions and schedule reminders.

The Galaxy S25 lineup will also debut an improved iteration of Google’s uber-helpful Circle to Search feature, introducing one-tap actions for phone numbers, email addresses, and URLs and adding AI Overviews to even more visual searches. Google said in a blog post that these new AI features are part of its plans to “reimagine the Android smartphone experience with AI at the core.”

In addition to AI features, Google also announced new accessibility features and parental control tools coming to the Galaxy S25 lineup. Samsung’s S25 series will boast improved hearing aid experiences, allowing for “hands-free calling, easy-to-use personalized audio adjustments and a low-latency connection to GN Hearing and Oticon Intent hearing aids.” The devices will also offer better support for braille displays, in addition to the new-and-improved TalkBack 15 with plans for detailed image descriptions.

Parents with a Galaxy S25, S25+, or S25 Ultra will be able to use Google Family Link to set up and manage their child’s Galaxy Watch7 LTE smartwatch with a Galaxy Watch for Kids experience. This will make it so they can approve contacts, manage apps, monitor the smartwatch’s location, and more.