The Galaxy S25 Edge’s Main Camera Proves Samsung’s Favoritism

Samsung's S lineup of flagship phones has remained the same since 2020, with a regular, Plus, and Ultra model coming our way each year. However, 2025 seems to mean something different to the Korean OEM. This year, it'll be adding a fourth model to the family, which will be the very slim S25 Edge.

While I still don't understand why a thin phone was something Samsung wanted to do so badly, we're going to be getting it regardless, so I'm trying my best to appreciate it. However, with a new camera hardware leak, I'm finding it hard. All the S25 phones are flagships, but it's clear that Samsung is picking favorites. The S25 Edge is one of them.

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge Will Come With the S25 Ultra's 200MP Camera

It's been a very long time since Samsung has been overly concerned with thinness in its non-foldable phones. That's not necessarily a bad thing, since most OEMs have left chasing after slimmer and slimmer phones in the past. That's simply because phones have gotten to a point where they're thin enough. However, this year, Samsung (and Apple) has decided to chase smaller numbers in that dimension again.

This shouldn't be something to complain about, but the thinner a phone gets, the more compromises it needs to make—especially with its battery and camera. It also doesn't help the S25 Edge's argument considering it is meant to be priced right below the S25 Ultra. That's a lot of money to pay for compromises.

However, based on a new leak, the S25 Edge seems set to get a very solid main camera, so perhaps there aren't that many compromises. It'll borrow the same 200MP module from the Galaxy S25 Ultra, which means its camera will be as good as it gets in the Samsung ecosystem at the moment. It won't get the S25 Ultra's ultrawide, though, sticking to the 12MP unit that the “peasant” models have.

Here's what we know about the device so far, though this is all still rumored:

• Snapdragon 8 Elite
• 6.6-inch display
• 200MP main camera
• 12MP ultrawide
• 3,900mAh battery
• 5.84-mm thickness
• 163 grams
• Titanium frame
• Gorilla Glass Ceramic for the front glass
• May 13th launch date

Samsung's Camera Philosophy Is All Over the Place; S25 and S25 Plus Need Upgrades Too

I have a problem with Samsung choosing to give the S25 Edge a 200MP main camera. First, it shows that the reason why, out of the original S25 trio, only the S25 Ultra gets such a high-end shooter, isn't because of space constraints. If they can fit it into a 5.8mm device, they can fit it into the S25+.

I understand that the S25 Edge is going to be more expensive than the Plus model, but it still doesn't do enough to justify it for me. The S25+ is not cheap, yet it still uses essentially the same rear camera hardware as the vanilla Galaxy S22. Do the less expensive models not deserve upgrades, too?

Other manufacturers differentiate higher-end models based on upgraded telephoto or ultrawide cameras, typically giving the same primary camera across the lineup. Samsung doesn't want to take that approach; instead, it chooses favorites to bless, and I think that philosophy will do damage in the long term.