iPhone 17 Pro Max vs. Galaxy S25 Ultra: which will be the new flagship king?
Despite new competition arriving on the scene, Samsung's flagship phone continues to prove it's just as formidable as ever — thanks in part to its excellent cameras, powerful Snapdragon 8 Elite performance, and battery longevity. No other phone has yet to match or eclipse its utility, which goes to show how high the bar's been raised because of it.
For Apple, it really has to step up its game with the iPhone 17 Pro Max. While the iOS 26 release is looking to amplify the experience, it'll be interesting to see if there's going to be more Apple Intelligence features in its upcoming flagship phone. With a rumored September 9th event, it won't be long before we get all the details around this upcoming phone.
We'll take all the iPhone 17 Pro Max rumors and leaks to tell you how it stacks up against the Galaxy S25 Ultra.
iPhone 17 Pro Max (rumored)
Galaxy S25 Ultra
Display
6.9 inches
6.9 inches QHD+ (120Hz)
CPU
A19 Pro
Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy
RAM
12GB
12GB
Storage
256GB, 512GB, 1TB
256GB, 512GB, 1TB
Rear cameras
48MP main, 48MP ultrawide, 48MP 3.5x telephoto
200MP main, 50MP ultrawide, 10MP 3x telephoto, 50MP 5x telephoto
Front camera
24MP
12MP (f/2.2)
Battery
N/A
5,000 mAh
We'll likely know more about the iPhone 17 Pro Max's price, which is presumably one of many new devices in the iPhone 17 lineup that should be introduced at Apple's rumored September 9 event. Its pricing will largely depend on tariffs, with many reports hinting at an increase, but it's difficult to say by how much. The iPhone 16 Pro Max launched at $1,199, which was the same cost as its predecessor.
Even if Apple does end up increasing its price, it would have to be substantial to make it more expensive than the Galaxy S25 Ultra. That's because Sammy's flagship debuted at a whopping $1,299 price when it launched on February 7, 2025. If Apple can stave off another year from increasing its price, the iPhone 17 Pro Max has a good shot at proving it has more value.
Apple kept the design of its 'Pro' models largely unchanged ever since the iPhone 11 Pro, but that could change for the iPhone 17 Pro Max — which is tipped at getting a new, two-tone design according to early renders. The camera array is at the center of the debate, with the LED flash, microphone, and LiDAR scanner being pushed to the complete opposite side of the cameras. Plus, there's still debate on whether the camera housing on the back will have a different color from the rest of the phone.
Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.
While the Galaxy S25 Ultra saw an iterative design, it was heavily criticized for being too iPhone-ish. That's because it ditched the rounded edges and sharp corners of its predecessor for flat edges and rounded corners. Although the design is incredibly solid thanks to its titanium frame, the overall design lacks the charm and premium feel that Apple's iPhones are recognized for.
We're confident that the iPhone 17 Pro Max display is going to look gorgeous, Apple still has room for improvement. The rumors still hint at a 6.9-inch Retina Display, but they also suggest that the Dynamic Island cutout could be narrower. Specifically, this 'metalens' for Face ID would result in a smaller Dynamic Island because it would integrate the transmitter and receiver — reducing the size and its thickness.
Another rumor also suggests that it would offer a new 'Low-Dialectric TEE display' that would add more durability, power efficiency, and boost its overall performance. Combined with another report about the panel being combined with 'a super-hard anti-reflective layer,' it could greatly strengthen the display.
Impressively, though, the Galaxy S25 Ultra's 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2x display is really bright. In fact, it reached a peak brightness of 1,860 nits — a significant difference over the iPhone 16 Pro Max's reach of 1,553 nits.
Not only does it make it practical to use outside, but the AMOLED panel continues to produce vibrant colors that make everything so delightful to watch.
We put many of the best camera phones through a proper face-off to determine which one is better. In our 200 photo shootout with the Galaxy S25 Ultra vs. iPhone 16 Pro Max, it was Apple who came out on top — with one of the narrowest margins we've seen. According to the rumors, Apple could widen its gap in this area.
That's because iPhone 17 Pro Max camera leaks hint at Apple giving its flagship a trio of 48MP cameras. The change would come to the telephoto camera, which would be up from the iPhone 16 Pro Max's current 12MP sensor. However, this change could result in the zoom being 'downgraded' from 5x optical zoom to a 3.5x one. As we've seen countless times, Apple has leaned on different techniques to effectively enhance the performance of this telephoto camera. Meanwhile, the selfie camera is expected to be upgraded as well from the current 12MP shooter to a 24MP one.
Other new camera upgrades rumored to be coming include a variable aperture lens of some kind, but it's unknown how much control Apple's going to give shooters to adjust the aperture. Finally, Apple could finally give the iPhone the native ability to shoot video with the front and rear cameras simultaneously. This technically is a feature locked away and only accessible through third party apps, but this rumor suggests it could be natively offered through the iPhone camera app.
If that last feature sounds familiar, it should because the Galaxy S25 Ultra has offered dual capture for some time. The quadruple camera system on the back of the phone is still quite formidable, but Samsung definitely has an edge over Apple when it comes to the software. In fact, it has the most robust suite of tools and modes that cater to everyone — beginners to enthusiasts.
When the Galaxy S25 Ultra debuted, it certainly proved it had the muscle power to put it ahead of the iPhone 16 Pro Max in several categories. The Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC is no slouch, putting up a better score than the iPhone 16 Pro Max with its GeekBench 6 multi-core score of 9,829. It also delivered strong GPU performance that resulted in a much smoother average frame rate of 42.4 fps in 3DMark's Solar Bay Unlimited test.
These synthetic benchmark tests all prove that the Galaxy S25 Ultra is a powerhouse, but you only need to use the phone normally with day-to-day tasks to see it's legit. Not only is it smooth and responsive with basic actions like surfing the web and sending out emails, but it doesn't slow down either when it's multitasking upwards of three apps at the same time.
Naturally, Apple's expected to outperform its rival whenever it debuts its next flagship model. The leaks hint at the A19 Pro calling the shots, which was earlier reported to be built using a 2-nanometer manufacturing process — but it has since been rumored to come to the iPhone 18 Pro instead.
Despite this, the A19 chips Apple is expected to use could be produced using an upgraded version of TSMC's 3nm process. This should result in better power efficiency and increased performance. Other upgrades expected for the iPhone 17 Pro Max could include the introduction of a vapor chamber cooling system and 12GB of RAM, with the latter supposedly handling more on-device tasks with Apple Intelligence.
Apple has already introduced iOS 26, which is expected to be the software to launch alongside with the iPhone 17 Pro Max. There's already a lot of buzz around Apple's next mobile software, especially how it sees the biggest makeover in years courtesy of its Liquid Glass material design.
Aside from the visuals, iOS 26 is packed with rich new features such as Call Screening, expanded Visual Intelligence, Live Translation, and a redesigned camera app. There's a lot more too that we discuss in our iOS 26 guide, but it'll be interesting what Apple has in store specifically for the iPhone 17 Pro Max.
While the company did introduce a couple of new Apple Intelligence features with iOS 26, like the upgraded Image Playground and Genmoji, we were expecting a lot more. In fact, the Galaxy S25 Ultra arguably has the better AI features at this point — with new ones such as cross app actions and the Now Bar leading the way. And thanks to updates to the Gemini app, it gives the phone more multimodal AI features.
Beyond its extensive list of Galaxy AI features, the S25 Ultra is a productivity powerhouse that puts the iPhone to shame. Not only does it offer true multi-tasking, but it also has S Pen support as an added bonus and Samsung DeX for that desktop PC-like experience.
Based on all the rumors so far, Apple really has a good chance at coming out on top in an iPhone 17 Pro Max vs. Galaxy S25 Ultra comparison. If the A19 Pro chip proves to be the juggernaut that the leaks hint it to be, while introducing more Apple Intelligence features to round out its software package, the iPhone 17 Pro Max is in good shape at being the phone to beat this fall. Other upgrades, like its rumored 48MP telephoto camera and display improvements, could only widen the gap over the Galaxy S25 Ultra.
Follow Tom's Guide on Google News to get our up-to-date news, how-tos, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
43 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Melius Raises Apple (AAPL) PT to $260, Cites Upcoming iPhone Cycles
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) is one of the 10 AI Stocks Making Waves on Wall Street. On August 8, Melius analyst Ben Reitzes raised the price target on the stock to $260.00 (from $240.00) while maintaining a Buy rating. The firm is optimistic about the upcoming iPhone product cycles. It also believes that Siri AI concerns are overblown. 'Apple's stock has reacted nicely to tariff news, but we see focus starting to move toward new products and systematic increases in value for iPhones that drives growth for the next 3+ years. We raise our FY26 EPS estimate 12 cents due to higher gross margins and modestly raise FY27 EPS. Our target adjusts to $260, and we think concerns about the Siri delay are overblown since Apple isn't losing share. Reiterate Buy.' Melius is optimistic that a new iPhone product cycle starting in September will likely improve product mix. This will in turn boost growth in high single digits during some quarters. 'We are optimistic that our iPhone estimates can be conservative based on new product cycles that include an 'iPhone Air' this September, a foldable model in FY26 and the iPhone 20 line-up in late FY27 (20th year anniversary models). Luckily for Apple, its iPhone base doesn't seem to care about the Siri/AI delays, and we see no evidence of real switching.' With more iPhone catalysts, expensive models such as foldables will likely help increase total revenue. 'The iPhone has more catalysts in 2026 with the introduction of a foldable model that should be priced around $2,000 and then the iPhone 20 ('20th anniversary') cycle in 2027. As foldables 'mix in' there can be big revenue growth even on flat units.' Apple is a technology company known for its consumer electronics, software, and services. While we acknowledge the potential of AAPL as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: and Disclosure: None. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
43 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Apple Plots Expansion Into AI Robots, Home Security and Smart Displays
(Bloomberg) — Apple Inc. (AAPL) is plotting its artificial intelligence comeback with an ambitious slate of new devices, including robots, a lifelike version of Siri, a smart speaker with a display and home-security cameras. A tabletop robot that serves as a virtual companion, targeted for 2027, is the centerpiece of the AI strategy, according to people with knowledge of the matter. The smart speaker with a display, meanwhile, is slated to arrive next year, part of a push into entry-level smart-home products. Home security is seen as another big growth opportunity. New cameras will anchor an Apple security system that can automate household functions. The approach should help make Apple's product ecosystem stickier with consumers, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the initiatives haven't been announced. Apple shares climbed to a session high on Wednesday after Bloomberg News reported on the plans. The stock was up nearly 2% to $233.70 as of 2:17 p.m. in New York. It's all part of an effort to restore Apple's mojo. Its most recent moon-shot project, the Vision Pro headset, remains a sales flop, and the design of its bestselling devices has remained largely unchanged for years. At the same time, Apple has come under fire for missing the generative AI revolution. And OpenAI may even threaten the company's home turf by developing new AI-driven devices with the help of former Apple design chief Jony Ive. Though Apple is still in the early stages of turning around its AI software, executives see the pipeline of hardware as a key piece of its resurgence — helping it challenge Samsung Electronics Co., Meta Platforms Inc. and others in new categories. A spokesperson for Cupertino, California-based Apple declined to comment. Because the products haven't been announced, the company's plans could still change or be scrapped. Many of the initiatives and their timelines rely on Apple's continued progress in AI-powered software. Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook told employees in an all-hands meeting this month that Apple must win in AI and hinted at the upcoming devices. 'The product pipeline — which I can't talk about — it's amazing, guys. It's amazing,' Cook said. 'Some of it you'll see soon. Some of it will come later. But there's a lot to see.' Beyond the home devices, Apple is preparing thinner and redesigned iPhones for release this year. And further out, it aims to introduce smart glasses, a foldable phone, a 20-year anniversary iPhone and a revamped headset dubbed N100. It's also planning a large foldable device that melds a MacBook and an iPad. Apple is looking to boost sales after years of slowing growth for its flagship products. It also nixed some expansions into new areas, like self-driving cars, adding pressure to find other sources of revenue. Moreover, the new initiatives will help rebut the idea that the company is no longer innovating like it used to. Bloomberg News first reported last year that Apple was moving forward with a tabletop robotics project, code-named J595, and developing a new smart-home strategy. But now a clearer picture is forming of its push into that market — and what it means for its AI ambitions. Robots The tabletop robot resembles an iPad mounted on a movable limb that can swivel and reposition itself to follow users in a room. Like a human head, it can turn toward a person who is speaking or summoning it, and even seek to draw the attention of someone not facing it. The hope is to bring AI to life in ways that other hardware makers have yet to do. Apple imagines customers placing it on a desk or kitchen counter and using it to get work done, consume media and manage their day. FaceTime calls will also be a key function of the device. During videoconferencing, the display will be able to shift to lock on to people around a room. Apple is testing a feature that turns an iPhone screen into a joystick, letting users move around the robot to show different people or items in a room during video calls. But the hallmark of the device is an entirely new version of the Siri voice assistant that can inject itself into conversations between multiple people. It will be able to engage with users throughout the day and more easily recall information. The idea is for the device to act like a person in a room. It could interrupt a conversation between friends about dinner plans, say, and suggest nearby restaurants or relevant recipes. It's also being designed to engage in back-and-forth discussions for things like planning a trip or getting tasks done — similar to OpenAI's voice mode. Apple is planning to put Siri at the center of the device operating system and give it a visual personality to make it feel lifelike. The approach, dubbed Bubbles, is vaguely reminiscent of Clippy, an animated paper clip from the 1990s that served as a virtual assistant in Microsoft Office. Apple has tested making Siri look like an animated version of the Finder logo, the iconic smiley face representing the Mac's file management system. A final decision on its appearance hasn't been made, with designers considering ideas that veer closer to Memoji, the playful characters that represent Apple user accounts. Device prototypes use a roughly 7-inch horizontal display, approaching the size of an iPad mini. The motorized arm can extend the display away from the base roughly half a foot in any direction. Some people familiar with the product call it the 'Pixar Lamp,' referring to the animated film company's famous logo. Apple has previously disclosed some research in this area: It published a paper in January detailing a light fixture that uses robotics to move around. Apple has multiple teams across its AI, hardware, software and interface design groups tackling on the project. The work is being led in part by Kevin Lynch, who previously oversaw a push into smart watch software and cars. The technology giant is developing several other robots. It has teams exploring a mobile bot with wheels — something akin to Inc.'s Astro — and has loosely discussed humanoid models. Apple has a group actively developing a large mechanical arm for use in manufacturing facilities or handling tasks in the back of retail stores, a move that could potentially replace some staff. Such a robot, code-named T1333, remains several years away. Charismatic The smart-home push includes a standalone display poised to launch by the middle of next year. That device, code-named J490, is a stripped-down variant of the robot, lacking the arm and conversational Siri — at least to start. It will still have home control, music playback, note taking, web browsing and videoconferencing. It may also include the new Siri visual interface. Both the smart display and tabletop robot will run a new operating system dubbed Charismatic, which is designed to be used by multiple people. The interface largely centers on clock faces and widgets — small software features that are typically dedicated to specific tasks. Charismatic, which was previously known as Pebble and Rock earlier in development, blends the approach of the Apple TV and Apple Watch operating systems. It offers features like multiuser modes and clock-face themes, such as one based on Snoopy, the beagle from the Peanuts comic strip. The devices are meant to be easily shared: They include a front-facing camera that can scan users' faces as they walk toward it and then automatically change the layout, features and content to the preferences of that person. Some versions of the software use circular app icons and feature a hexagonal grid of apps. Apple is planning to include many of its core apps, including the calendar, camera, music, reminders and notes software. But the interface will be heavily reliant on voice interaction and widgets, rather than jumping in and out of apps. Though the device will have a touch screen, the primary input method will be Siri and an upcoming upgrade to a feature dubbed App Intents. That software lets users precisely control the interface and applications via voice. The hardware itself looks similar to a Google Nest Hub but is shaped like a square, with thin black or white bezels and rounded corners. The non-robotic 7-inch display sits on a half-dome-shaped base, which includes some of the electronics and is perforated around the bottom edges for speakers and microphones. It can also be mounted on a wall. The launch will mark the first time Apple is making a serious push into the smart home and comes nearly a decade after Amazon and Alphabet Inc.'s Google started shipping smart speakers with screens. The home is a critical space for Apple to target, especially as more users consume content from the living room and automate household functions. Apple has long had a strong foothold in mobile devices and quickly became a player in the automotive industry via CarPlay — but that success hasn't followed into the smart home. Though the company launched HomeKit for controlling third-party devices in 2014, it has had limited success with its own HomePod speakers. Linwood and Glenwood Core to the new home devices — and current products like iPhones and iPads — is an overhaul to the underpinnings of Siri. Engineers are working on a version code-named Linwood with an entirely new brain built around large language models — the foundation of generative AI. The goal is to tap into personal data to fulfill queries, an ability that was delayed due to hiccups with the current version. That new software, known internally as LLM Siri, is planned for release as early as next spring, Bloomberg News has reported. But work is going even further: Apple is preparing a visually redesigned assistant for iPhones and iPads that will also debut as early as next year. Craig Federighi, senior vice president of software engineering, hinted at a bigger-than-anticipated overhaul in an internal meeting with employees this month. 'The work we've done on this end-to-end revamp of Siri has given us the results we needed,' he said, adding that 'this has put us in a position to not just deliver what we announced, but to deliver a much bigger upgrade than we envisioned.' He said that 'there is no project people are taking more seriously.' Linwood is based on technology developed by the Apple Foundation Models team, but the company has a competing project dubbed Glenwood as well that would power Siri with outside technology. A final decision hasn't been made on which models will be used, but Apple has been testing Anthropic PBC's Claude for this purpose. Mike Rockwell, the former Vision Pro chief who was put in charge of Siri earlier this year, is overseeing both the Linwood and Glenwood efforts. During development of the tabletop robot, Apple engineers have made heavy use of ChatGPT and Google Gemini to build and test features. Within Apple's AI and Siri teams as a whole, software developers are increasingly using third-party systems as part of their development process. Ring Competitor Apple is working on a camera, code-named J450, designed for home security, detecting people and automating tasks. The device will be battery-powered and could last from several months to a year on a single charge, on par with rival products. The device has facial recognition and infrared sensors to determine who is in a room. Apple believes users will place cameras throughout their home to help with automation. That could mean turning lights off when someone leaves a room or automatically playing music liked by a particular family member. Apple is planning to develop multiple types of cameras and home-security products as part of an entirely new hardware and software lineup. The goal is to compete with Amazon Ring, Google Nest and Roku Inc., capitalizing on its customer loyalty to sell more products. It has also tested a doorbell that uses facial recognition technology to unlock a door. Apple already sells iCloud+ subscriptions with online storage for security footage, but they're aimed at third-party cameras. (Updates with Apple shares in fourth paragraph.) ©2025 Bloomberg L.P. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Forbes
an hour ago
- Forbes
Apple iPhone 16 Pro Prices Cut In New Offers Before iPhone 17 Release
With just weeks to go before the iPhone 17 series goes on sale (on Sept. 19 — full details here), the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max are seeing some serious discounts. Although Apple sells the phones at full price only, there are several U.K. retailers who have knocked £100 ($135) off some iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max models. And it's worth remembering that as soon as the new iPhones are announced, likely on Tuesday, Sept. 9, the current Pro models will be immediately discontinued — unless there's a radical change from previous years' policies. The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus are likely to remain in the range alongside iPhone 17 and will drop in price, but if you want the Pro model, they will almost certainly be phased out. Here are some of the best bargains currently. Electrical retail giant Currys is selling the iPhone 16 Pro with 128GB storage for £899 ($1,220), which is £100 ($135) down on the regular sticker price. The same £100 off applies to the 256GB model, which is £999 ($1,356) instead of Apple's £1,099 ($1,491) price. Same deal for the 512GB model, £1,199 ($1,627), instead of the £1,299 ($1,762) you'll pay Apple. The iPhone 16 Pro with 1TB costs £1,399 ($1,899), against Apple's usual £1,499 ($2,034) price. Meanwhile, John Lewis has similar prices, that is £899 ($1,220), for the 128GB model, £999 ($1,356) instead of Apple's £1,099 ($1,491) price for the 256GB model, £1,199 ($1,627) for 512GB and £1,399 ($1,899) for the model with 1TB storage on board. If either of these retailers is sold out, there's another retailer that is currently matching all these prices to the penny: Argos. Currys, John Lewis and Argos are uniform on their prices when it comes to the larger-sized iPhone 16 Pro Max. The model with 256GB storage, which is £1,199 ($1,627) at Apple, costs £100 ($135) less, £1,099 ($1,491), at all three retailers. For the 512GB storage, £1,399 ($1,899) at Apple, you'll pay £1,299 ($1,762) at John Lewis, Currys and Argos. For the 1TB storage model, which costs £1,599 ($2,170) at Apple, all three retailers have a £100 ($135) discount, taking the price to £1,499 ($2,034).
