OPINION: All-singing, all-dancing flagship phones like the OnePlus 13, Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra and Xiaomi 15 Ultra might’ve launched in the past few months, but that doesn’t mean we haven’t got anything to look forward to for the rest of 2025.
In fact, some of what I imagine will be the best phones of 2025 have yet to make an appearance, with this summer looking like a spectacular season for exciting smartphone launches.
Whether you’re excited for Apple’s ultra-slim iPhone, the seventh generation of Samsung’s Galaxy foldables or even the stylish Nothing Phone 3, there’s still a lot to look forward to in 2025.
Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip & Z Fold 7 foldables
That starts with Samsung’s next generation of foldables, likely in the form of the Galaxy Z Flip 7 and Galaxy Z Fold 7. And unlike in recent years when Samsung has refreshed, rather than upgraded, its foldable hardware, it sounds like this year’s update could be significant.
That starts with the Galaxy Z Flip 7, which is rumoured to finally sport a larger 4-inch cover screen to better compete with the Motorola Razr 60 Ultra, along with a larger 6.85-inch foldable screen within. But, despite the increase in screen size, the foldable is rumoured to sport a slimmer profile, with whispers pointing towards a reduction in the internal screen’s crease too.
It’s a similar story with the book-style Galaxy Z Fold 7, which rumours claim will sport a larger 6.5-inch cover screen and a more expansive 8-inch internal display to match.
There’s no word yet on whether Samsung has changed the aspect ratio of the traditionally narrow cover screen to better match the traditional smartphone experience. Still, I can only hope that it has.
There are also whispers about a more affordable foldable and possibly even a tri-fold resembling Huawei’s Mate XT, but these are far from confirmed at this point.
More interesting are the claims that the foldables will skip the OneUI 7 update altogether, potentially shipping with OneUI 8 based on Android 16. That could make the foldables among the first Androids on the market to run the upcoming Android update – aside from Google’s Pixel 10 range.
Google’s flagship Pixel 10 range
Speaking of, Google’s flagship Pixel 10 range is also set for release this summer. And, as with last year’s collection, it’s once again rumoured to consist of four models; the Pixel 10, 10 Pro, 10 Pro XL and 10 Pro Fold.
It’s the regular Pixel 10 that’s set to get the most exciting update, as it further improves the Pixel’s best feature – photography. That’s because Google is apparently finally giving the regular Pixel 10 a telephoto lens, allowing for hardware-based zoom rather than the digital alternative we’ve seen until now.
While the Pixel 9 is a great smartphone, the lack of a telephoto lens at the flagship price point is a massive weakness – especially when even budget phones like the £329 Nothing Phone 3a sports a high-res telephoto lens.
Elsewhere, upgrades in processing power across the range from the new Tensor G5 are expected, and as mentioned earlier, it’ll likely be the first smartphone collection to run the upcoming Android 16 update.
Google usually makes a point of being first to market with the new OS upgrades, and I can’t imagine that changing with the Pixel 10 launch.
The iPhone 17 Air – and the rest of the iPhone collection
Of course, we’ve also got the yearly iPhone release to look forward to. While not confirmed, it’s almost certain that, as with most previous releases, it’ll appear sometime in early September – and it’s set to be a way more exciting release than usual.
Most of the excitement is squarely focused on the rumoured iPhone 17 Air. A replacement for the Plus model in older ranges, the iPhone 17 Air is said to be the slimmest iPhone to date, measuring in at somewhere around the 5.5mm mark.
We’ve also seen real-world dummy units showcasing the dimensions, with a thickness not much wider than the power and volume buttons on its side. It’s an incredible feat of engineering if true, as despite its slim dimensions, it should be packed with hardware like a smooth 120Hz refresh rate and possibly even high-density silicon carbon battery tech, a first for Apple.
It’s not just about the iPhone 17 Air though; the regular and Pro-level iPhones are also said to get big upgrades this year. The iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max are said to sport a new camera housing that expands across the top of the phone, along with a new 48MP telephoto lens to match the high-res 48MP main and ultrawide lenses.
The iPhone 17 won’t look quite as dramatically different, but it’s rumoured to finally be getting a boosted 120Hz refresh rate.
Considering the iPhone 16 is the only phone at its price point to offer a slow 60Hz screen, the upgrade is desperately needed. It’ll essentially put the phone on par with the Pro models, which have offered a smoother, faster 120Hz refresh rate since the release of the iPhone 13 Pro.
The unique-looking Nothing Phone 3
Trusted Reviews’ Editor, Max Parker, waxed lyrical earlier this week about how the Nothing Phone 3 could be the most exciting phone to launch in 2025, and I’ve got to agree.
Even though we know very little about Nothing’s hotly anticipated flagship other than that it’s coming later this year, I’m confident that it’ll be worth waiting for.
Nothing has earned its place in the smartphone market over the past few years with the unique look of its phones, from the transparent rear panel showing components to the interesting Glyph lighting system.
Compared to the homogenous glass and aluminium slabs we see from most other manufacturers, Nothing’s phones are a legitimate breath of fresh air and genuinely exciting.
We’ve already seen fantastic-looking affordable phones from the company in 2025 with the Nothing Phone 3a, Phone 3a Pro and CMF Phone 2 Pro, and it’s safe to assume that trend will continue with the Nothing Phone 3 later this year.
Honor’s ultra-thin Magic V4
Last, but by no means least, I’m very much looking forward to the reveal of the Honor Magic V4 – or maybe the Magic V5, given Eastern culture’s approach to tetraphobia.
Why? Mainly because I hope Honor will be able to match the dimensions of Oppo’s impossibly thin Find N5 – the Magic V3’s 4.4mm thickness is already close to the 4.2mm of the N5, so it doesn’t have that far to go.
Of course, I’m not an engineer, and I could be massively oversimplifying how much work goes into slimming down a foldable, but Oppo has already proven it’s possible.
Plus, with the Find N5’s limited availability, Honor’s upcoming foldable could take the limelight as the thinnest foldable available internationally. Pair that with a top-end processor and improvements to the foldable’s camera setup, and Honor could have a winner on its hands.
So yes, while there are already plenty of tempting 2025 smartphones vying for your attention and hard-earned cash, I’d recommend waiting a few months before committing, because things are about to get very exciting indeed.
