Samsung's next Galaxy Unpacked event is nearly here. The Galaxy S25 series will take center stage in San Jose in three days. But while we look forward to the next-gen phones, there's another big reason (or four) we're excited for the next reveal.
Aside from marking the launch of new mobile hardware, Unpacked 2025 might also be the most notable event in Samsung's software history. Here are four main reasons.
Reason #1: One UI 7
Samsung's next-big OS upgrade for mobile devices is unlike the previous ones. Not only was Samsung's latest beta program for One UI handled differently than in previous years, but the scope of One UI is changing.
One UI 7 is built on three core principles Samsung labeled “Simple,” “Impactful,” and “Emotive.”
- Simple — One UI 7 aims for purposeful simplicity.
- Impactful — With One UI 7, Samsung wants to create a new signature impression.
- Emotive — Using carefully tuned graphical elements, Samsung wants One UI 7 to have tangible and intangible qualities that create a positive emotional response.
In other words, One UI 7 is one of the most ambitious One UI releases in recent years — probably ever. In theory, it will change many things about how you use your Galaxy phone and how you feel about your user experience.
One UI 7 is the first page in a new chapter for Samsung, and that makes Galaxy Unpacked 2025 a bit more exciting than usual.
Reason #2: Galaxy AI to the level
Speaking of Galaxy AI and One UI 7, Samsung has referred to its next OS upgrade as its “First integrated AI platform.” The company also claimed that One UI 7 will help Galaxy phones become “True AI companions.”
Although Galaxy AI debuted about a year ago on the Galaxy S24 series, One UI 7 will deepen its integration with AI.
As expected, many existing Galaxy AI tools will be upgraded. Not long ago, Samsung revealed new multimodal capabilities for Sketch to Image, which allow the tool to interpret voice and text commands on top of touchscreen inputs.
More importantly, rather than powering a set of tools, AI will now improve several core features in One UI 7. Notifications, for example, will be summarized, organized, and grouped cleverly through the power of AI.
The new Now Bar and Now Brief features in One UI 7 will also rely heavily on AI to deliver relevant controls and information at a glance.
Reason #3: Massive Bixby upgrade
Another reason why Galaxy Unpacked 2025 is huge for software is Bixby. Samsung's in-house virtual assistant is finally getting a massive upgrade, so much so that even those who don't normally utilize Bixby may want to hear what Samsung will have to say at Unpacked.
Bixby is about to get a lot more refined. It will have advanced natural language processing capabilities, meaning it will be more conversational and contextually aware.
Video credit: Samsung
Let's face it. Interacting with Bixby often feels like talking to an unintelligent robot centered on a series of pre-set answers ready to be read out loud.
But at least according to Samsung's recent teaser/demo, the next-gen upgrade could make the virtual assistant clever enough that we might end up liking it way more than we do now.
Samsung's demo showed us how Bixby can interpret multiple commands spoken in the same sentence and take more actions at a time. The virtual assistant will also be more cleverly integrated with Samsung apps.
Reason #4: Possible Android XR preview
The last big software thing Samsung might discuss at Unpacked 2025 is Android XR.
Samsung hasn't confirmed anything of the like yet, but if the company has any such plans, Galaxy Unpacked 2025 will be the first event in recent history where Samsung will discuss a new operating system and platform.
Google already took the wraps off Android XR late last year, and rumors say that Samsung intends to release its first Android XR headset this year.
Two years have passed since Samsung first revealed its plans for a new XR project, developed in collaboration with Google and Qualcomm. Samsung initially teased it at Unpacked 2023 in February.
Given recent developments and the fact that Google already spilled the beans on Android XR, we think Unpacked 2025 would be the perfect place and time for Samsung to finally tell us more about its next-gen XR platform.
Will it happen? Only time will tell, but even without Android XR present on stage, Galaxy Unpacked 2025 will be one of the most software-centric Samsung events in memory.
Join us on January 22 for more details about the new Samsung hardware and software.
