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 has started testing Android 16-based One UI 8 on the Galaxy Z Fold 5. This big result shows that the Korean tech giant is considering the 2023 foldable, which could also be included in the Open Beta program this year.
After Galaxy S and A series devices, Samsung’s Android 16 optimization for Galaxy devices is in full swing, with foldable models not being added to the testing zone.
A reliable tipster, @Tarunvats has spotted a new One UI 8 build for the Galaxy Z Fold 5 on the testing platform. The testing build, F946BXXU5FYG2, hints that Samsung is actively working on One UI 8 for the Galaxy Z Fold 5.
Notably, last month, a carrier-locked variant (SM-F946U) of the Galaxy Z Fold 5 for the US was spotted on Geekbench running Samsung’s Android 16-based One UI 8.0.
The One UI 8 update will bring meaningful changes to the UI. The company is also working on redesigning apps and core functionality to further improve the appearance and foundation laid by the Android 15-based One UI 7 update.
Samsung has confirmed that the One UI 8 rollout for Galaxy devices will begin in July 2025. Alongside the beta update for the Galaxy S25 series, Samsung is also internally testing the One UI 8 build for several Galaxy devices. New information suggests that the One UI 8 update for the Galaxy S22 series will be released soon after the stable rollout begins.
A reliable tipster has spotted a new One UI 8 build for the Galaxy S22 Ultra on the testing platform. The testing version, S908BXXUFGYG1, indicates that the Korean tech giant is actively working on next One UI for the Galaxy S22 series.
Additionally, some reports suggest that the Galaxy S22 series will not receive the One UI 8 beta update; instead, these devices will receive the stable update directly. The One UI 8 update for the Galaxy S22 series is expected to be released in October or November 2025.
Recently, Samsung confirmed the stable Android 16-based One UI 8 update rollout for older devices in July 2025. This update will first be available for the Galaxy S25 series, Galaxy Z Flip 6, and Galaxy Fold 6. Afterward, the company will roll out the update to more Galaxy devices.
Apart from that, there are notable changes in One UI 8, but they don’t make it a major upgrade, tagged along with the new Android version. The new update is still in the beta stage, and there are likely to be more tweaks and changes by the time the official update rollout begins.
Right now, Samsung’s One UI 8 beta program is only available to users of the Galaxy S25 series. Older Galaxy devices, including the Galaxy S22 series, are not part of the public beta. Instead, the company is testing One UI 8 internally on several older models.
Samsung has started testing One UI 8 (Android 16) on the Galaxy S24 FE. It’s the first time that the software server has listed the latest build for the device. An internal test build has been spotted, suggesting the Beta is unlikely for the Galaxy S24 FE.
Recently, an internal build of One UI 8 (Android 16) appeared on Samsung’s software server for the Galaxy S24 FE. This build carries the version number PDA S721BXXU6CYG1, where “C” indicates a major update coming soon.
Samsung has significantly delayed this year’s beta program. Galaxy S24 smartphone users still do not have access to the One UI 8 beta. The public release has been postponed to the third quarter of this year.
The One UI update is expected to roll out for your Galaxy S24 FE by September 2025. Samsung will unveil the final version alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Flip 7 in July 9. After that, eligible devices will start receiving the major firmware update.
The One UI 8 beta program is currently only available for the Galaxy S25 series, while older flagship and mid-range models are undergoing internal testing.
Galaxy S24 FE users are eagerly waiting for this update. After the official announcement at Galaxy Unpacked, Samsung is expected to roll out the stable version of One UI 8 for more devices, including S24 FE 5G, in the coming days or months.
Although there is no public beta planned for this device right now, internal testing progress suggests that they may get a stable update soon. Make sure your Galaxy device stays updated to be ready for the Android 16-based One UI 8 update.
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