Report: Samsung’s Galaxy S25 series could ditch the Plus model

Samsung’s Galaxy S25 and S25 Ultra model numbers recently surfaced online, but the same can’t be said for the S25 Plus.

Android Headlines noticed the discrepancy after digging into the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) database. When a tech company creates or develops a new smartphone, it uploads the model numbers to the database, which are used to help track down lost or stolen devices. This is also how people learn about phones before they’re officially announced.

Android Headlines found the number SM-S931B/DS, which likely corresponds to the standard model of the Galaxy S25. The S25 Ultra has four under its name: SM-S938B for worldwide, SM-S938U for the US, SM-S938N for South Korea, and SM-S9380. However, it is unclear whether the last entry is tied to a specific country. The absence of the IMEI number for the S25 Plus led the publication to speculate that Samsung may be focusing on just two models for the next generation.

They point out that “previous Plus models have struggled to meet sales expectations.” Customers don’t really like them because they seem to prefer the two extremes: the base phone and the Ultra. Plus, Samsung has a history of streamlining its lineups. There used to be four smartphones per year, but since 2021, we’ve only seen three.

They argue that removing the S25 Plus to simplify things could lead more people to adopt the S25 Ultra instead. It’s a solid theory, to be sure, but it may be wrong.

Dubious rumors

GalaxyClub, a Dutch news site specializing in Galaxy technology, claims that Samsung is not straying from three phone lines and will, in fact, launch the S25 Plus next January. It carries the model number SM-S936 and is apparently internally referred to as the F2 (the Galaxy S25 is the F1 while the S25 Ultra is the F3).

The website “has a solid track record for upcoming Samsung releases,” so it’s given the benefit of the doubt. It’s unclear, however, why the Galaxy S25 Plus doesn’t appear in the IMEI database.

9To5Google believes that the company may simply have never released this information, since the S25 series is only scheduled to launch in a few months. Still, the exclusion of the S25 Plus is worth keeping an eye on.

The upcoming series looks interesting, with other leaks claiming it will feature “significant design changes” and house larger batteries compared to the S24 lineup.

As with any leak, take everything you read here with a grain of salt. Don’t forget to check out TechRadar’s roundup of the best Samsung phones for 2024.

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