This year, Samsung unified the design language of its S-series flagships, making the S25, S25+ and the S25 Ultra look and feel the same (barring the c

Curvy sides, flat edges: The Galaxy S25 and the arbitrary shape of smartphones

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Style Pass

2025-01-24 14:00:06

This year, Samsung unified the design language of its S-series flagships, making the S25, S25+ and the S25 Ultra look and feel the same (barring the camera). The curving sides of the S24 Ultra are finally gone, replaced with the solid, squared-off lines seen on the cheaper Galaxy S handsets. Flatter sides make the device easier to grip, slide into your pocket, or prop up when you’re trying to photograph them for a tech website.

I’ll be honest, they look like iPhones. And older Galaxy S phones. And, well, even older iPhones. Smartphones have hopped from flat to curves for as long as smartphones have existed.

With Samsung, we’ve gripped onto rounded sides from the debut of Galaxy S (2010) through to 2015. Then, the Galaxy S6 (2015) had more flattened sides before the series returned to curves for the S8 (2017). It stayed that way until the more recent S24, with recent years gradually hammering out those curves. The S25 series, now, has flat sides for every model.

Are flatter sides actually easier to grip? I don’t know. I’m a hypocrite. I’ve found multiple reviews and impressions pieces where I love flat sides. I’ve found the same number of stories where I loved curved devices. Why should you ever believe me again? I’m sure there are tech journalists who have stuck with one form factor being better, but I couldn’t find them.