Samsung may make some of the best phones money can buy, but its flagship still lacks some features that its rivals have offered for years. One of those missing features, car crash detection, may finally be coming to Samsung's Galaxy S25 Ultra.

A leaked firmware file (via Android Authority) suggests that the Galaxy S25 Ultra will include a car crash detection sensor. Curiously, this appears to be the same combined sensor found in the Galaxy S24 Ultra and Galaxy Z Fold 5, suggesting that both models could (in theory) support car collision detection if Samsung updates them with the appropriate software.

Samsung appears to be using a virtual composite sensor, which takes data from several different physical sensors. In other words, Samsung does not need to make room for another sensor in the phone and instead uses components that are already in place for other reasons, such as accelerometers and gyros.

Even more interesting is the clue that Samsung may have been working on this feature as early as One UI 5.1.1, released in July 2023. This does not explain why Car Crash Detection is not yet available, but may explain why the sensor is on older phones. Samsung has had problems getting this sensor to work, but may have wanted to have everything in place in case there was a breakthrough.

In other words, if the Galaxy S25 Ultra has Car Crash Detection, it could be included in the Galaxy S24 Ultra and Z Fold 5. All it would require is a software update, and the upcoming One UI 7 upgrade would be the perfect place to make that happen. However, we will have to wait and see what happens, as there is no indication that the current One UI 7 beta version will include this feature.

One of the biggest changes we expect to see in the Galaxy S25 ultra is the design. Previous Samsung flagships have had a very angular design with flat edges and sharp corners, but this is likely to change. Various leaked renderings show something like the S25 Ultra with curved corners like the iPhone 16 and Pixel 9. The screen may also go from 6.8“ to 6.9”, comparable to the iPhone 16 Pro Max.

The S25 series is also rumored to feature Qi2 magnetic wireless charging, which is currently limited to the iPhone and mid-range HMD Skyline. Not only will it offer faster wireless charging speeds, but it will also mean that Samsung's flagship will be able to utilize all the MagSafe accessories that iPhone users have enjoyed for years.

Rumors suggest that the ultra-wide-angle lens may be upgraded, jumping from the S24 Ultra's paltry 12MP to 50MP. There is also speculation that a “variable” telephoto lens that can switch between two different focal lengths may be in the works, and there are rumors that a single camera lens may allow 4-5x and 6-7x optical zoom. There is also talk that all Galaxy S25 models, regardless of sales region, will run on the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, offering the power and energy efficiency improvements that Qualcomm's latest chips are known to be capable of.

Finally, we look forward to a number of new Galaxy AI features coming to the Galaxy S25 Ultra and One UI 7. We will have to wait until Galaxy Unpacked for more details. Rumor has it that the event will take place on January 22. Until then, check out the Samsung Galaxy S25 and Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra hubs for all the latest news and updates.