Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra with 5-year-old telephoto: Only one camera sensor gets an upgrade according to leaker

It looks like some of the early Galaxy S25 Ultra leaks aren’t quite true. Just this morning we learned that the final model will apparently feature an ultra-wide-angle sensor upgrade from 12 megapixels to 50 megapixels (more details here), and now the usually very reliable leaker Ice Universe on X (formerly Twitter, see below) reveals that apart from that, no changes are planned compared to the camera on the Galaxy S24 Ultra (available here on Amazon).

The same sensor for 4 to 5 years

This is in contrast to previous leaks, which had suggested a sensor upgrade for ultra-wide angle and 3x telephoto based on test devices, in both cases with a new 50 megapixel sensor. Why Samsung has now apparently changed its mind is not known, but this baby steps strategy is nothing new for long-time Samsung observers. If this leak turns out to be true, Samsung will be using a tiny 10 megapixel sensor as a 3x telephoto for the fifth year in a row; the Galaxy S22 Ultra had a minimal upgrade to the IMX754 with 1/3.52 size.

Only the ultra-wide-angle sensor is new

This exact sensor is also to be recycled in the Galaxy S25 Ultra, and according to the leaker there is also a minimally adapted 200 megapixel ISOCELL HP2 sensor as the main camera, the IMX854 that was replaced last year as a 50 megapixel 5x periscope telephoto and the ISOCELL JN3 as a 50 megapixel ultra wide angle. Of course, it should be emphasized that these specs are not yet officially confirmed facts, but the leaker is considered to be very reliable and has often provided correct information.

Analogy to Apple iPhone 16 striking

In 2025, the Galaxy S25 Ultra will primarily be thinner and rounder, but the camera and battery specs will remain comparatively ultra-conservative in view of the competition from China. This will hardly surprise those in the know, because Samsung is primarily orientating itself towards Apple. The iPhone 16 Pro will also probably only have an ultra-wide-angle sensor upgrade this year, and the 48 megapixel telephoto is not expected until the iPhone 17 Pro in 2025, which also means that Samsung will follow suit with the Galaxy S26 Ultra and finally replace the 3x telephoto in 2026.

As a tech-loving youngster with a background in assembling and overclocking, I worked as a projectionist with good old 35 mm film before I entered the computer world professionally and spent 7 years looking after customers at the Austrian IT service provider Iphos IT Solutions as a Windows client and server administrator and project manager. As a freelancer who travels a lot, I have been writing for Notebookcheck from all corners of the world since 2016 about the latest mobile technologies in smartphones, laptops and gadgets of all kinds.