I just spent a week with the Samsung Galaxy S25, and you know what? I turned off half its new tricks – and loved it more for it. Don't get me wrong, I'm a sucker for innovative tech, but sometimes I think these phone manufacturers get a little too excited about features that, honestly, I just don't need.
Take, for example, the S25's Enhanced AI Camera mode. Sounds cool, right? It's supposed to magically make my photos look like they were taken by a pro. But let's be real, I'm not exactly the next Ansel Adams. I just want to take decent pics of my cat without having to futz with a bunch of settings. So, I turned off the AI mode and stuck with the regular camera app. And you know what? My cat still looks adorable.
But seriously, after a week of using the S25, I found myself disabling a bunch of other features that just got in the way. The Edge Panels, which are supposed to give me quick access to apps and features, just seemed like clutter to me. And don't even get me started on the Virtual Try-On feature – I mean, who uses their phone to try on virtual clothes? It's like something out of a bad sci-fi movie.
Now, I'm not saying the S25 is a bad phone. Far from it. The screen is gorgeous, the battery life is amazing, and it's crazy fast. But I think Samsung needs to dial it back a notch and focus on the features that actually matter to most people. Remember when Samsung first introduced Bixby, their AI assistant? Yeah, that didn't exactly take off, did it? I mean, how many people actually use Bixby to control their smart home devices or set reminders? I use Google Assistant for that stuff, like most normal people.
I think what Samsung needs to realize is that less can be more. I don't need a phone that tries to do everything under the sun. I just want a solid device that makes calls, sends texts, and takes decent photos. And, you know what? The S25 does all those things incredibly well. So, why clutter it up with features that just get in the way?
In my experience, the best tech is the kind that just gets out of the way and lets me do my thing. The S25 is a great example of this. Once I turned off all the extraneous features, I was left with a phone that was fast, sleek, and easy to use. It's not revolutionary, but it's a damn good phone.
So, if you're in the market for a new phone and you're considering the S25, my advice is to ignore the hype around all the fancy features. Just turn them off and enjoy the phone for what it is: a solid, reliable device that will get the job done. Trust me, you won't be missing out on anything.