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Android Authority
a day ago
- Android Authority
I don't buy Samsung's excuse for not using a silicon-carbon battery in the S25 Edge
Ryan Haines / Android Authority Samsung just launched the Galaxy S25 Edge, and it's probably the most polarizing Galaxy phone in years. The new phone brings an impressively thin and light design along with a 6.7-inch display. It also has the S25 Ultra's 200MP main camera. Unfortunately, this thin and light phone comes with several compromises, such as no telephoto camera and 25W wired charging power. However, the 3,900mAh battery is the Galaxy S25 Edge's biggest cutback. Samsung could have used a silicon-carbon battery, but it didn't. And the company's reasoning is questionable at best. Do you think Samsung should use silicon-carbon batteries? 0 votes Yes, they need to adopt it already NaN % They should adopt it after thorough testing NaN % No, lithium-ion batteries are good enough NaN % Why doesn't the S25 Edge use silicon-carbon batteries? Silicon-carbon batteries differ from conventional lithium-ion batteries by lacing anodes with (surprise) silicon instead of graphite. This change allows for greater energy density. Simply put, that means a larger battery capacity for the same physical size or the same capacity in a smaller physical battery size. It really seemed like a no-brainer for a thin phone like the S25 Edge, but Samsung decided against this. Samsung US executive Blake Gaiser had a rather curious explanation for this omission when he was interviewed by Tom's Guide: Samsung's always looking at every new emerging technology that's out there. So it's something that we're definitely not keeping our eyes off of. But with that new chipset, with agentic AI helping with performance and efficiencies of these batteries, we really felt that going with our traditional lithium-ion battery was the right move for this device. I don't know about you, but I'm not buying Samsung's reasoning at all. I especially take umbrage with Gaiser characterizing this as an 'emerging technology' when they've been used in commercial phones for over two years now. That doesn't sound like a long time, but there are more smartphone manufacturers using silicon-carbon batteries than brands that aren't, at least in the flagship space. Apple, Google, Sony, and Samsung are among the only holdouts in this space. Meanwhile, HONOR, HUAWEI, Motorola, OPPO/OnePlus, realme, vivo, Xiaomi, and ZTE have all released at least one phone with this tech. In fact, HONOR is readying fourth-generation silicon-carbon tech with the launch of the Magic V5 foldable. Don't get me wrong; there is a downside to silicon-carbon batteries. They can be more prone to swelling, but smartphone brands have addressed this issue by only using a small amount of silicon. We've also seen companies like HONOR gradually increase the silicon content as they get to grips with the tech. Samsung claims that silicon-carbon batteries are an 'emerging' technology, but they've been here for a while. If anything, I thought a limited release like the Galaxy S25 Edge would've been the prime candidate for a silicon-carbon battery. This would allow the company to iron out any minor kinks for more widespread releases like the mainline Galaxy S26 series. This battery tech would also allow Samsung to slim down its foldables without compromising endurance. I also take issue with Gaiser's claim that 'agentic AI' can help deliver a more efficient experience. Sure, AI and other software enhancements can indeed make a difference, but how much is highly debatable. Furthermore, AI won't make a real difference two or three years down the line when that already small battery degrades and you effectively lose 20% of the phone's battery capacity. And it's not like Samsung can't bring these AI-assisted battery improvements to other, less slim phones. Don't get me wrong. I wasn't expecting a silicon-carbon battery to be a silver bullet for the Galaxy S25 Edge. There's only so much you can do with a super-slim design. However, even an extra 300 to 400mAh would've made an appreciable difference to everyday usage. Samsung had the chance to step up its game but missed out, again. Ah well, maybe the company will adopt this tech when Apple eventually embraces it.
India Today
06-06-2025
- India Today
Samsung defends Galaxy S25 Edge battery and camera choices, calls it the right move
Samsung has defended its choices for the Galaxy S25 Edge's battery capacity and camera prowess, positioning them as intentional decisions aligned with the phone's core design philosophy. That philosophy, as it turns out, was to make an exceptionally thin and light phone that also offers a flagship experience. In essence, it is an ultra-phone without going ultra in while it is stacked in almost all the right ways, its 3900mAh battery and lack of a dedicated telephoto camera leave something to be desired, especially for those chasing 'big' numbers and benchmark Galaxy S25 Edge measures just 5.8mm and weighs only 163 grams, making it the slimmest and lightest Galaxy S series phone to date (excluding its foldables when unfolded). The 3900mAh battery appears to be a big trade-off for the incredibly thin profile – at least on paper – but according to Blake Gaiser, US Mobile Director for Samsung America, that is hardly an issue because, despite the smaller capacity, the phone is optimised to last 'all day' for most users and performs comparably to the Galaxy S25 with a 4,000mAh battery. 'I think enough battery life for most customers is just an all-day usage. What we've seen with this device is that it has worked as well or better than the S24 base model and very close to the S25 base model,' Gaiser said in an interview with Tom's Guide. 'As long as you can live with it from sun up to sun down without having any issues, we think that's a great experience. And personally, I haven't had much of an issue with the battery life whatsoever.'advertisementThe senior executive hinted that Samsung was exploring silicon-carbon batteries, though he fell short of revealing if it plans to use the technology in its phones anytime soon.'Samsung's always looking at every new emerging technology that's out there. So it's something that we're definitely not keeping our eyes off of,' Gaiser said while reiterating that the traditional lithium-ion battery was 'the right move' for the Galaxy S25 for the lack of a proper zoom camera, he said most users preferred ultrawide and while 100X Space Zoom was nice, many are less likely to use it every day or even every month.
Phone Arena
06-06-2025
- Phone Arena
Samsung executive defends Galaxy S25 Edge from critique: 'just hold it'
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge is a stunning feat of engineering, but compromises had to be made in more than one key aspect. Blake Gaiser — director of smartphone product management at Samsung Electronics America — defended the phone's shortcomings in a recent interview. In Gaiser's eyes, the S25 Edge isn't a phone where users should focus on the specifications. He says that he basically 'gave up' on trying to woo consumers with the hardware packed within the slim chassis. Instead, Gaiser now simply asks people to hold the phone before passing any judgment on it. — Blake Gaiser, Tom's Guide, June 2025 The Galaxy S25 Edge is, in Gaiser's opinion, a phone for the people who want a large and powerful phone without the weight and unnecessary features that they don't need. Gaiser defends the lack of telephoto zoom by saying that most users don't need it. He claims that 'people don't really understand the quality of their photos,' and as such can still take excellent pictures without telephoto zoom. The Galaxy S25 Edge provides an Ultra experience in a much slimmer form factor. | Video credit — Samsung One aspect that I personally dislike about the new slim phone craze is the smaller battery. Battery life has been a major concern for me for many years, but Gaiser says that most users just need 'all-day' battery. The S25 Edge battery isn't as bad as I had initially feared, so Gaiser is right about that. However, I would have definitely preferred a thicker phone with a bigger battery. But that's the entire selling point of the Edge, and something that Gaiser said multiple times throughout the interview. In his eyes, the slimness, weight, and distribution of said weight makes the S25 Edge a very compelling sidegrade to the Galaxy S25 Ultra, and a formidable competitor to the upcoming iPhone 17 Air. Apple is, of course, not far behind in the new slim phone race. The iPhone 17 Air is reportedly going to replace the iPhone Plus model, which had previously replaced the mini model. Reports indicate that the Air will have similar compromises to the Edge, opting instead for a more elegant form. But only time will tell whether super slim phones catch on, or whether the S25 Edge will flop.
Android Authority
05-06-2025
- Business
- Android Authority
Samsung tries to justify the Galaxy S25 Edge's shortcomings
Samsung's recently launched Galaxy S25 Edge is an impressive feat of engineering. At the same time, a few compromises had to be made to achieve its thin form factor. This has led to the handset becoming one of the most polarizing Android phones of this year. A new interview has now shed some light on why certain trade-offs were made. Speaking with Tom's Guide , Blake Gaiser, the director of smartphone product management at Samsung Electronics America, provided some insight into some the most controversial decisions Samsung made when developing the Edge. The executive also uses the interview as an opportunity to defend the device against its naysayers. One of the biggest points of contention with the Edge is the battery, which has a capacity of 3,900mAh. For comparison, the base-level Galaxy S25 features a 4,000 mAh battery, while the larger Plus offers 4,900mAh. In response to this criticism, Gaiser mentions that he thinks customers only care about 'all-day' battery life: I think enough battery life for most customers is just an all-day usage. You don't want to find yourself at lunch with an empty battery. And what we've seen with this device is that it has worked as well or better than the S24 base model and very close to the S25 base model. And so as long as you can live with it from sun up to sun down without having any issues, we think that's a great experience. And personally, I haven't had much of an issue with the battery life whatsoever. When asked why the company opted not to use a silicon carbide battery to get more capacity in the same amount of space, Gaiser stated: Samsung's always looking at every new emerging technology that's out there. So it's something that we're definitely not keeping our eyes off of. But with that new chipset, with agentic AI helping with performance and efficiencies of these batteries, we really felt that going with our traditional lithium-ion battery was the right move for this device. Samsung also made the decision not to include a dedicated telephoto lens in the Edge. While it's not a necessary feature, it's something that would've been nice to have. Gaiser's answer for why the telephoto lens was skipped is related to how often people use that particular lens: We are just so far ahead in our camera tech that people don't really understand the quality of their photos that they're getting. Not only is it things like optical zooms, but it's also the agentic AI that we have built in, from the chipset up, utilizing cognitive-aware engines so that your camera understands what you're taking photos of and is able to utilize AI to give you that perfect shot. But when we're looking at the usage of our cameras with our customers, we know a couple of things. We know that the most popular zooms that our customers use are the 0.6X to get those really wide macro views, the 1X, 2X and 3X. Is it nice to have the 100X Space Zoom at times? Absolutely. Sure. But is it something that you're going to use every day or even every month? When you're doing side-by-side comparisons, I think customers are really going to see that you're getting fantastic quality that meets or beats our competition. It's fair to say these answers feel somewhat lacking, especially for the battery question. But what's done is done. Here's to hoping Samsung will fix these flaws in the next iteration.
Tom's Guide
04-06-2025
- Business
- Tom's Guide
Exclusive: Samsung exec shuts down the Galaxy S25 Edge haters, talks triple foldable
The Galaxy S25 Edge is the thinnest Samsung S series phone ever at just 5.8mm. But a lot of people are focusing on the trade-offs that need to be made to get something so slim. Yes, the Galaxy S25 Edge has a smaller battery than the regular S25. There's no telephoto zoom. And it costs $1,099. But for Blake Gaiser, who is the director of smartphone product management at Samsung Electronics America, focusing on the specs over the user experience is besides the point of this device. In fact, Gaiser describes the Galaxy S25 Edge as the 'Goldilocks' of smartphones, giving you the same performance and camera quality of the best phones in something you can easily slip into a pocket and almost forget that it's there. 'And so when I hear those naysayers, I'm like, okay, get your hands on the device, and then let's see what your opinion is,' says Gaiser. I had a chance to sit down with Blake on launch day for the Galaxy S25 Edge to talk about how Samsung got the device so thin and to weigh in on those trade-offs. Plus, we discuss what's coming with Samsung's foldables — including a possible triple foldable design. Blake Gaiser: There is actually a pretty good segment out there that's right in between an Ultra owner or a Plus owner. They like the big screen, but they're not an S-pen user. They want a flagship camera, but they don't want the weight and heft that you get with the ultra. So there are quite a lot of people out there who just want a light, tech-forward, fashionable device that has all the performance that you would expect from a high-end flagship phone. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Gaiser: We do consider it to be a flagship. It is a new innovation piece that we're bringing forth where we're taking out so much weight, so much thickness of this device, while not compromising on the things that are really important to our customers, such as durability, the performance of the chipset, having that flagship 200MP camera. And so we do believe that this is that kind of Goldilocks for so many of our customers that is going to give them everything they want and not give them the things that they're not looking for. Gaiser: What's so amazing about this device is that I just kind of gave up on PowerPoint. I gave up on saying, here's the tech specs, here's why it's so cool. Before any of that, just hold it. Not only is it so thin, it has the full Plus screen to it. It almost doesn't feel real. When I hear those naysayers, I'm like, okay, get your hands on the device, and then let's see what your opinion is And so it's like, once people get it in their hand, that hand feel is not just about thickness, it's not just about weight, it's about weight distribution, it's about how you can reach across the screen. And so when I hear those naysayers, I'm like, okay, get your hands on the device, and then let's see what your opinion is. We really designed this from the ground up to be thin. The goal was to be thin without compromise. We really didn't want to take things away from a device to make it thin. We could have done that years ago. Everything about this device was focusing on that slimness. So making sure structurally it was going to be extremely durable. We're utilizing a titanium frame, we're utilizing Corning's Ceramic 2 glass. We're even putting in a vapor chamber cooling system that's larger than the Plus model. So that way, we're able to utilize every single component as efficiently and effectively as possible and making sure that how we put it together gives you a really good balance in the hand. So it wasn't top heavy or bottom heavy, but yeah, every single detail was meticulously planned out to make this device. Gaiser: We are just so far ahead in our camera tech that people don't really understand the quality of their photos that they're getting. Not only is it things like optical zooms, but it's also the agentic AI that we have built in, from the chipset up, utilizing cognitive-aware engines so that your camera understands what you're taking photos of and is able to utilize AI to give you that perfect shot. But when we're looking at the usage of our cameras with our customers, we know a couple of things. We know that the most popular zooms that our customers use are the 0.6X to get those really wide macro views, the 1X, 2X and 3X. Is it nice to have the 100X Space Zoom at times? Absolutely. Sure. But is it something that you're going to use every day or even every month? When you're doing side-by-side comparisons, I think customers are really going to see that you're getting fantastic quality that meets or beats our competition. Gaiser: I think enough battery life for most customers is just an all-day usage. You don't want to find yourself at lunch with an empty battery. And what we've seen with this device is that it has worked as well or better than the S24 base model and very close to the S25 base model. And so as long as you can live with it from sun up to sun down without having any issues, we think that's a great experience. And personally, I haven't had much of an issue with the battery life whatsoever. Samsung's always looking at every new emerging technology that's out there. So it's something that we're definitely not keeping our eyes off of. But with that new chipset, with agentic AI helping with performance and efficiencies of these batteries, we really felt that going with our traditional lithium-ion battery was the right move for this device. The S25 Edge has everything that the S25 family has. And probably the most exciting one that people are utilizing the most is Audio Eraser, where you can just take noise and pull it out of the video. So whether it be construction noise or nature noise or general audience noise or music, you can customize the EQ that to give you the video that you want. And it's something that you can play with real time that we've seen a lot of people extremely happy with that one. Gaiser: One of the things that we look at from a product standpoint is, how can we take clicks away from our customer? What we see is, after three or four clicks that you have to do, you kind of get overwhelmed or bored, or it's not worth it for you. So utilizing AI and multimodality to be able to do multiple things with just one voice prompt has been a real game changer. And we're just scratching the surface. So imagine you want to find a restaurant. You're not exactly sure what kind of restaurant. You want to invite some friends. You want to be reminded and then get directions there. That's like 20 clicks for you to go out, search Google, find the restaurant, go into your text messages, text your friends, put it on your calendar, then go into Google Maps. Gasier: You know, we have six generations out right now. Six years of learning how to make these very complicated, hard devices work beautifully. We're very proud of the state of our foldables. But we also recognize that awareness of foldables isn't near what it is for a traditional smartphone. A lot of people, even to our surprise, don't even know that they exist yet. I feel like a lot of your tech savvy listeners are going to say, how does nobody know about these devices? But it's very, very true. And One UI 8 and foldables, I think that [what] we're really excited about foldables is that with that different form factor of those devices, it allows us to do more with AI. Because it is a device that can do literally a lot more than a traditional smartphone can do. Gaiser: I would love to tell you all that I know about these kind of things. But what I can say is that we're looking at every single possibility of what a phone's going to look like a year from now, five years from now, 10 years from now. And what are the features and benefits of those different form factors? What we do know is that phones are going to evolve. We are uniquely positioned with our displays, with our engineering, with all the different things that Samsung does to really push the envelope on new form factors. And I would expect, without knowing much of the future, that Samsung would be first to innovate within those spaces.
