As we approach the end of February 2025, we have already witnessed two of the most significant smartphone unveilings this year. OnePlus initiated the excitement in January with the OnePlus 13, and just earlier this month, Samsung introduced its Galaxy S25 series.

Both the OnePlus 13 and Samsung’s Galaxy S25 family have garnered favorable reviews, yet the nature of their launches was strikingly different. The OnePlus 13 marks a notable advancement over the OnePlus 12, featuring significant internal and external modifications that contribute to its overall impressive upgrade. In contrast, the Galaxy S25 series provides minimal enhancements compared to the S24 lineup, offering a rather uninspiring update.

This is not to imply that Samsung’s Galaxy S25 devices are subpar—they certainly are not—but the company’s traditional approach of offering modest year-over-year changes has become evident. When comparing the remarkable progress made by the OnePlus 13 with the subdued updates of the Galaxy S25 series, it becomes clear that Samsung is lagging.

Last year’s OnePlus 12 set a high bar, providing a solid upgrade over the OnePlus 11 and establishing a strong platform for the OnePlus 13. While the OnePlus 13 doesn’t revamp the overall experience dramatically, it implements enough thoughtful and substantial changes to feel distinctly different.

At the core of this evolution is the redesigned aesthetic. The OnePlus 12 featured impressive hardware with its elegant “Flowy Emerald” green hue and distinctive camera design. The OnePlus 13 maintains a similar foundation but introduces extensive enhancements. This year’s “Midnight Blue” finish is particularly striking, displaying a deep blue that contrasts beautifully with the white camera housing and silver accents. It creates an exceptionally stylish device. Additionally, I appreciate the vegan leather finish, which offers a secure grip and resists fingerprints effectively.

OnePlus seems to have heeded the suggestions from its users and critics, opting to replace the OnePlus 12’s heavily curved display with a flatter one on the OnePlus 13. Coupled with the flat frame, this redesign enhances both the aesthetics and usability of the OnePlus 13. Instead of sticking with the design of the OnePlus 12 for another year, the company bravely chose to innovate, resulting in a better overall device.

Beyond the visible upgrades, the OnePlus 13 boasts robust IP68 and IP69 ratings—an impressive leap from the OnePlus 12’s basic IP65 protection. Traditionally, OnePlus has been conservative with IP certifications, often providing lesser ratings than rivals. Now, with the introduction of the OnePlus 13, the brand stands out as a leading player in the market, showcasing one of the few IP69-certified devices available today.

The improvements of the OnePlus 13 extend beyond just the overall design and hardware. This model introduces new ultrawide and telephoto lenses that weren’t present in the OnePlus 12. Additionally, it has a significantly larger battery, an impressive Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, and an enhanced version of OxygenOS 15, which has quickly become my favorite Android interface. The fingerprint sensor has also been upgraded from an optical to a faster ultrasonic version.

While these enhancements may seem modest in isolation, they collectively create a remarkable user experience. The OnePlus 12 was commendable, but the OnePlus 13 is truly exceptional, thanks to the thoughtful and effective upgrades made within just a year.

While the OnePlus 13 shines with its impressive features, the recent launch of Samsung’s Galaxy S25 series highlights a stark resemblance to its predecessor, the Galaxy S24. This comparison underscores just how conservative Samsung’s design choices have been this year.

Take the Galaxy S25 Ultra, for instance. Samsung’s flagship model is undeniably a high-quality phone, and considered in isolation, you might even label it nearly flawless. However, line it up against the Galaxy S24 Ultra, and the differences are virtually indistinguishable. Seriously—take a look at the images. Can you differentiate which is which?

Despite the uninspired aesthetics, functional changes are scarce. The S25 Ultra has the same battery life and charging specifications as the S24 Ultra. The display has received only minor size adjustments, and the camera system has seen slight alterations, most notably the inclusion of a new 50MP ultrawide lens. Curiously, Samsung downgraded the S Pen features by removing the remote Bluetooth capability that has been available since the Galaxy Note 9 in 2018.

The Galaxy S25 and S25 Plus face similar feedback. Their designs remain unchanged, with displays that mirror previous models. The camera setups? Essentially identical. Additionally, the battery life and charging capabilities are the same as well. All Galaxy S25 devices are equipped with Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, introducing some AI enhancements, but that’s the extent of the innovation. Samsung might argue that the necessity for radical changes is diminished given its historically higher starting point compared to OnePlus. While that may have held true in previous years, it carries far less weight today.

For phones priced at $800 and $1,000 respectively, it’s hard to justify the unchanged camera technology from the Galaxy S22 series. The fact that the Galaxy S25 has not updated its battery capacity and charging specifications from the five-year-old Galaxy S20 is equally perplexing.

I’m not advocating for Samsung to overhaul its entire design philosophy every year, and I doubt anyone is. However, it’s essential to recognize that the Galaxy S series has not been free from flaws and missed opportunities for improvement over recent years.

As we examine this situation, the conclusion is somewhat disheartening. There is a consensus on the fact that the OnePlus 13 represents a significant improvement over the OnePlus 12, ranking among the top Android smartphones available today. Conversely, the Galaxy S25 series falls short as a lackluster successor to the S24 lineup. Unfortunately, unless there are drastic shifts, it’s unlikely to forecast substantial changes in Samsung’s approach anytime soon.

Samsung holds a powerful position in the U.S. smartphone landscape, with its phones ubiquitous in carrier stores and remarkable brand recognition reflected in impressive sales numbers. We may all acknowledge that the OnePlus 13 surpasses the Galaxy S25. However, unless this begins to impact Samsung’s revenue—which is improbable—they have little incentive to invest heavily in research and development for innovative designs, battery technology, and more, choosing instead to maintain the status quo with minimal upgrades yearly.

I yearn for Samsung to reclaim its role as a pioneer of smartphone innovation, a position it has repeatedly demonstrated it can achieve. Samsung is fully capable of creating far superior and more compelling devices than the Galaxy S25, and whether prompted by the OnePlus 13 or other factors, I sincerely hope that change is on the horizon.