Samsung Galaxy S series

The year is 2010. The smartphone market is coming of age and Samsung launches the very first Samsung Galaxy S. The aim was clear: to establish a serious competitor to the iPhone, which was already popular at the time. The Galaxy S combined a Super AMOLED screen – impressive for its time – with the flexibility of the Android operating system. This proved to be a winning formula.

Galaxy S = Super Smart

From that moment on, the ‘S’ stood for Super Smart. Each new generation in the S series became a showcase for Samsung’s latest technological innovations, focusing on three pillars:

• Display quality: The best displays on the market
• Camera performance: Pushing the boundaries of mobile photography
• Processing power: Lightning-fast performance for gaming and multitasking

Galaxy S models

The composition of the Galaxy S series has changed frequently over the years. For example, a Plus model was introduced in 2017, and since 2020 we have had an Ultra model in the range. In 2025, Samsung added the ultra-slim Edge model to the line-up. The series currently consists of:

• Standard model: The Smart All-rounder – Ideal for everyday use and easy to carry, with the same powerful chipset as its bigger brothers and a versatile camera system ready for all your social media posts and precious memories.


• Plus model: The Multimedia Champion – Larger display for a better viewing experience with films and games, more battery capacity to get you through the day, yet more compact than the Ultra.


• Edge model: The Fashion-conscious Choice – A wafer-thin model for those who want to be at the forefront of fashion and are prepared to sacrifice battery capacity to do so.


• Ultra model: The Uncompromising Innovator – Unrivalled camera capabilities with the best sensors, the fastest performance for greater productivity, the brightest display made from the most premium materials, and the precision and functionality of a stylus.

Which Galaxy S model is right for you?

If you simply want a good phone, don’t need all the bells and whistles, and are mainly looking for a compact model, then the standard model is the best choice.

Do you watch a lot of media, play games constantly and always find yourself running out of battery by the end of the day? Then the Plus model is the one for you.

Do you want the best of the best, the most powerful performance, the best and most comprehensive cameras, and the very best display? Then the Galaxy S Ultra model is the one for you. This is also the only one that can be operated with an S Pen stylus. Ideal for anyone who wants to take notes or sketch whilst on the move.

The days when you needed a new model every year just so you had to have the best and latest features are now behind us. A new generation of Galaxy S phones can be seen more as an evolutionary successor rather than a revolutionary one. If you’re actually looking for something completely different, do take a look at the Galaxy Z series.

Meaning of the Galaxy S number

Galaxy S phones are identified by a number. Since the Galaxy S20, this number has corresponded to the year of release. This is handy, as it allows you to see straight away in which year that model was released. Samsung usually launches its latest Galaxy S phones at the start of the year during a special Unpacked Event.

As well as a name, Galaxy S phones also have a model number, which often began with i9xxx in the early days but is now frequently SM-S9xx.