Samsung has crafted a pre-order strategy that makes acquiring the Galaxy S25 Ultra almost too good to be true: no joke, you can get it almost for free. When you compare it to competitors like the iPhone 16 Pro (the 512GB version is sold for $1,299), the value proposition becomes very attractive.

With the new Galaxy S25 Ultra in my hand, I stand in the lobby of the LinkedIn building in San Francisco, which happens to be a POPOS: a privately owned public open space. It's a gorgeous hall, with long running panels of blonde wood on the ceiling and back wall.

Trade-in offers aren’t quite as generous in the UK. Samsung is offering up to $660 off the Galaxy S25 Ultra, and up to £540 off the Galaxy S25 and Galaxy S25 Plus. In Australia, Samsung offers up to AU$850 of trade-in credit for all three models.