Samsung recently launched the Galaxy S25, its latest feature packed compact pocket-sized phone. The latest from the South Korean smartphone maker follows in the footsteps of its predecessor in terms of looks, but there are numerous under the hood changes that make it stand out.
On the other hand, we have Apple’s iPhone 16 (review), which is cheaper than the latest vanilla Galaxy S series phone, but has a similar design and numerous hardware upgrades that makes it significantly better than the previous generation.
If you are confused between the decades old question of whether to buy the fastest compact Android phone or go with the latest iPhone, here’s a quick comparison between the two that will try to answer which one you should spend your money on.
Galaxy S25 vs iPhone 16 Price, AI features, software, display comparison:
Design
The Galaxy S25 looks just like its predecessor. (Photo Source: Samsung)
The Galaxy S25 and the iPhone 16 have rounded corners and aluminium frame, but the latter seems to have more edges compared to Samsung’s new phone.
Both phones come with a glass back and flat display, but the Galaxy S25 has a punch-hole display on the front, which subjectively looks better than the iPhone 16’s huge dynamic island.
One area where these two differ is the number of buttons. The Galaxy S25 has three buttons on the right side, while the iPhone 16 has two additional buttons – Camera Control and Action Button.
The Galaxy S25 and the iPhone 16 have vertically aligned camera lenses, but Samsung’s latest phone comes with three cameras compared to the iPhone’s two lenses.
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Also, like most modern flagships, these devices are IP68 rated, so you can take them for a swim or in a dusty environment without worrying about anything.
Display
The Galaxy S25 has a 6.2-inch 120Hz LTPO AMOLED screen protected by Gorilla Glass Victus 2, while the iPhone 16 has a slightly smaller 6.1-inch screen with 60Hz refresh rate and Ceramic Shield Glass.
While both screens are undoubtedly excellent to watch videos and play games on, if you are someone who reads text or scrolls on social media, the Galaxy S25 might appeal to you with its high refresh rate screen.
Performance and software
OneUI 7 will be based on Android 15 (Image credit: Samsung)
The Galaxy S25 is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy, while the iPhone 16 packs Apple’s in-house developed A18 chip. On paper, the Snapdragon 8 Elite is faster than the Apple A18 chip, but Apple’s software optimisation is so good that you won’t notice any difference between the two.
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Since these phones have flagship chipsets, you can easily run the most demanding apps and games without any hiccups. And while both devices come with up to 512GB of storage and support 25W wired and 15W wireless charging, the Galaxy S25 has a larger 4,000mAh battery compared to the latest vanilla iPhone.
The Galaxy S25 comes with One UI 7 based on Android 15 and has lots of AI features, while the Apple iPhone 16 runs on iOS 18 and comes with Apple Intelligence, the company’s AI feature suite.
Most AI features are more or less the same, but the Galaxy S25 has a useful trick up its sleeve. Not only can you try Gemini Advanced for free, but the AI chatbot can also control select built-in Samsung apps, which might be a game changer for some.
The Galaxy S25 does win over the iPhone 16 in terms of raw processing power, but the same cannot be said for the software. Depending on your personal preference, you cannot go wrong with either.
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Camera
The iPhone 16 has the same dual camera setup as its predecessor. (Express Photo)
One of the main differences between the two devices is that the Galaxy S25 features a telephoto sensor, which the latest vanilla iPhone misses out on.
The Galaxy S25 has a 50MP primary camera, a 12MP ultrawide sensor and a 10MP telephoto lens that supports 3x optical zoom, whereas the iPhone 16 features a dual camera setup with a 48MP main camera and a 12MP ultrawide shooter.
Both phones take excellent photos in broad daylight as well as in low light conditions, but the iPhone 16 may have an edge when it comes to video.
If the telephoto lens is a must have, the Galaxy S25 is the clear winner, but if you record a lot of videos and like Apple’s colour science, the iPhone 16 may be the one for you
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Samsung Galaxy S25 vs Apple iPhone 16: Which one to buy?
The Galaxy S25 is powered by Qualcomm’s fastest mobile chipset, packs several AI features and has a great camera, but if you are part of the Apple ecosystem, the iPhone 16 with Apple Intelligence is the way to go.
However, those who do not mind switching between iOS, don’t mind the absence of a telephoto lens and Android or just want to experience the iPhone should go with the iPhone 16, as it costs approx Rs 5,000 less.
The Samsung Galaxy S25 starts from Rs 80,999 while the Apple iPhone 16 can be purchased for as low as Rs 71,900.
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