NEWS
Why Samsung’s 200MP ISOCELL HP9 telephoto lens isn’t used in the Galaxy S25 Ultra
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra has the best camera features among all S series models, with its five cameras, this flagship phone is optimized to capture incredibly detailed and vibrant photos in a variety of settings. However, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra doesn’t use Samsung’s best camera hardware, the bonkers 200MP ISOCELL HP9 telephoto lens.
On the other hand, Samsung is selling the 200MP HP9 sensor to its competitors. So why can’t it be used in the flagship Galaxy S25 Ultra smartphone?
Now, in this article, we are sharing why the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra doesn’t use Samsung’s best camera hardware. The Korean tech giant could have put its 200MP ISOCELL HP9 telephoto camera lens on the Galaxy S25 Ultra, but it didn’t, let’s find out.
Why was Samsung HP9 telephoto lens not used as a telephoto lens in the Galaxy S25 Ultra?
While Samsung hasn’t said anything clear on the matter or explained its decision-making process, a well-known tipster @UniverseIce is attempting to solve this mystery and provide some answers.
According to the leaker, phones using ISOCELL HP9 are “not flagship models, but products to show strength.” In other words, they are not manufactured or sold in large quantities, and they are not helping companies make enough profit.
Even all rival Ultra models combined cannot reach the sales of the S24 Ultra (16.82 million units), so it is not enough for Samsung to abandon its current thinking and pursue a big and ugly design. Notably, he also said that unless Samsung abandons its current design and goes too bulky, sensors like the HP9 will never be used in Galaxy phones.
The Galaxy S25 Ultra’s camera system also features advanced AI features, allowing for better low-light performance and vibrant, true-to-life colors. With intelligent scene recognition, the AI adjusts settings for optimal lighting, contrast, and color, which ensures great photos every time.
Samsung’s latest Fan Edition tablets, the Galaxy Tab S10 FE and the Galaxy Tab S10 FE+, are happy as they receive the latest January 2026 security update. Notably, the firmware contains the newest safety improvements that will improve the tablet’s current health for a reliable experience.
According to the inputs, the Galaxy Tab S10 FE series tablet with model numbers SM-X520, SM-X526N, SM-X620, and SM-X626N is receiving the latest patch via the One UI versions X520XXS6BZA3, X526NKOS6BZA4, X620XXS6BZA3, and X626NKOS6BZA3, and a software package of 500MB. Though the firmware doesn’t weigh much, we suggest using a stable Wi-Fi connection for installation.
This update doesn’t add any significant new features to the device, aside from the January 2026 security patch. However, you can expect some underlying performance optimizations and fixes for glitches that could have negatively impacted the user experience.
It’s important to note that this update will not harm your personal data. However, it’s always a good idea to back up your data beforehand. Also, the update package will be automatically deleted after the installation is complete.
Samsung’s January 2026 security patch addresses 55 security vulnerabilities. Google helped fix one critical vulnerability and 20 high-risk issues found in Android. Samsung also added 30 additional security fixes specifically for Galaxy phones. These fixes address both critical and medium-level risks.
The Samsung Galaxy S26 series has started emerging in the leaks, and the latest one has shed light on the camera button of the upcoming 2026 flagship.
As mentioned by Android Authority, a former employee at a Samsung supplier revealed on LinkedIn that they contributed to an initiative developing a new camera button with swipe gesture functionality for the Samsung Galaxy S26.
This report states that Samsung is working on an Apple-style Camera Control button for the upcoming Galaxy S26 series. An Apple-style Camera Control button on iPhone models lets you quickly open your iPhone camera and access common camera settings.
We can now say that the Galaxy S26 series will be the first Samsung phones in years to feature a dedicated camera button.
For your information, the last Samsung phone with a dedicated camera button was probably the Galaxy K Zoom from 2014, which was essentially an Android-powered digital camera that could also make calls.
On the other hand, Samsung has not yet officially confirmed the Galaxy S26 lineup. However, according to reports, the company may unveil the Galaxy S26 series at a Samsung Unpacked event in February 2026. This upcoming series could be available in early March. Stay tuned for more information.
Samsung is preparing to release its next major software update, One UI 8.5, which is expected to arrive next month with the Galaxy S26 series. Testing of the initial beta builds of this update has already begun, and new information suggests that Samsung is planning a significant upgrade to Game Booster+ in One UI 8.5.
Game Booster+ is the tool that improves gaming performance and controls on Galaxy phones. According to information via Samsung Community, the One UI 8.5 update with Game Booster+ will bring many new features, including Gamepad Touch Mapping, CPU and GPU Settings, Fast-forward Game Intros, and more.
The Gamepad Touch Mapping is one of the biggest additions, which allows you to control even touch-only games with the pad.
Moreover, this upcoming Game Booster+ update will replace the “Turn on Game Booster GPU Settings” with CPU and GPU Settings. Gamers can tweak their CPU and GPU for game-specific performance optimization.
Last but not least, One UI 8.5 also brings the Fast-forward Game Intros videos option in the Game Booster+, which lets users play much faster, so players can start gaming almost right away.
Currently, these features are only available on Galaxy S25, Galaxy S25 Plus, and Galaxy S25 Ultra phones running One UI 8.5.
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