The Samsung Galaxy S25 series has landed, and it’s a tech marvel, no doubt. Shiny new features, dazzling cameras, and performance that’ll make your jaw drop — it’s all there. While early reviews are raving about its cutting-edge quality, some eagle-eyed users have spotted a few quirks that might raise a playful eyebrow. The latest lineup, powered by One UI 7, seems to have bid farewell to a couple of pre-installed apps and a familiar shortcut.

Ever since the launch of the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6, Samsung has been trimming the fat by removing certain pre-installed apps, and the Galaxy S25 continues this trend. Users quickly noticed that Samsung Internet and the Samsung Calendar app are nowhere to be found by default. But don’t panic — both apps are still available to download if you need them.

Perhaps the most talked-about change is the disappearance of a beloved shortcut. On previous models, you could effortlessly summon Google Assistant by swiping inwards from one of the bottom corners — a nifty gesture that quickly became a favorite among many. However, Galaxy S25 owners will have to rely on the power button to wake up their digital helper. While this swipe feature still makes an appearance on the Galaxy S24 running One UI 6.1.1 and even on the latest One UI 7 beta 3 for the S24 series, it’s noticeably absent on the S25.

Swipe-to-launch-Assistant-missing-S25

With the Galaxy S25 launch, Samsung and Google teamed up to showcase a new way to interact with your AI assistant. The official Android account on X shared a video demonstrating how to launch Gemini—Google’s next-gen AI assistant—by long-pressing the power button. This same video is prominently featured on the official Galaxy S25 product pages, but there’s no mention of the beloved corner-swipe shortcut. Coincidence? Maybe. But it’s hard not to connect the dots.

With Gemini taking center stage, it seems Samsung and Google are steering users toward a new way of interacting with their devices. The long-press power button gesture is sleek, intuitive, and arguably more accessible than the corner swipe. But for die-hard fans of the old shortcut, the change might feel like a step backward. Either way, the Galaxy S25 series continues to offer a robust and innovative package that’s sure to keep tech enthusiasts on their toes.

Hillary Keverenge
619 Posts

Tech junkie. Gadget whisperer. Firmware fighter. I'm here to share my love-hate relationship with technology, one unboxing at a time.

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