The Samsung Galaxy S series is a flagship line of Android-based smartphones manufactured, developed, produced and marketed by Samsung Electronics. It serves as Samsung's high-end line of its wider Galaxy family of Android devices, and, in conjunction with the Galaxy Z series, it also serves as its flagship smartphone and tablet lineup (for the Galaxy Tab S series), positioned and slotted above the entry-level & mid-range Galaxy A series since 2019, and below the historical Galaxy Note series until 2020.
Initially only a base model at its launch in 2010, Samsung began introducing the S Pen and its dedicated slot only for its "Ultra" models in the Galaxy S line of series in 2022 (since the Galaxy S22). Since the release of the Galaxy S24 series in early 2024, software support for all Galaxy S series phones now matches those of the Google Pixel lineup.
Timeline
Legend:
ModelAnnouncedReleasedDiscontinuedSupportedLifespanDateWith OSEndedFinal OSGalaxy S23 March 20104 June 20102.1 Eclair6 March 201210 January 20122.3.6 GingerbreadGalaxy S II13 February 20112 May 20112.3.4 Gingerbread9 April 20134.1.2 Jelly Bean Galaxy S III 3 May 2012 4 September 2012 (LTE) 29 May 2012 3 October 2012 (LTE) 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich 4.1.1 Jelly Bean (LTE) 4.3 Jelly Bean (Neo) 15 March 2014 9 December 2014 (LTE) 4.3 Jelly Bean 4.4.4 KitKat (LTE & Neo) (LTE) Galaxy S4 14 March 2013 27 April 2013 4.2.2 Jelly Bean 11 April 2017 5.0.1 Lollipop Galaxy S5 24 February 2014 11 April 2014 4.4.2 KitKat 5.1.1 Lollipop (S5 Neo) 9 April 2019 6.0.1 Marshmallow 7.0 Nougat (S5 Neo) Galaxy S6 1 March 2015 10 April 20155.0.2 Lollipop5.1.1 Lollipop (S6 Edge+) 11 February 2016 12 February 2019 7.0 Nougat Galaxy S7 11 February 2016 11 March 2016 6.0.1 Marshmallow 21 April 2017 14 April 2020 8.0 Oreo Galaxy S8 29 March 2017 21 April 2017 7.0 Nougat 11 March 2018 11 May 2021 9.0 Pie Galaxy S9 25 February 2018 11 March 2018 8.0 Oreo 20 February 2019 12 April 2022 10 Galaxy S10 20 February 2019 4 March 2019 9.0 Pie 10 (Lite) 6 March 2020 12 March 2024 12 13 (Lite) Galaxy S20 11 February 2020 6 March 2020 10 12 (FE 2022) 29 January 2021 8 April 2025 11 November 2025 (FE) 13 Galaxy S21 14 January 2021 29 January 2021 11 12 (FE) 25 February 2022 4 February 2026 Expected Q1 2027 (FE) 1516 (FE) Expected 5 years Galaxy S22 9 February 2022 25 February 2022 12 17 February 2023Expected Q2 2027 16 Galaxy S23 1 February 2023 17 February 2023 13 31 January 2024 Expected Q4 2028 17 Galaxy S24 17 January 2024 31 January 2024 14 7 February 2025 Expected Q4 2031 Expected 7 years Galaxy S25 22 January 2025 7 February 2025 1516 (FE) 11 March 2026 Expected Q4 2032 Galaxy S26 25 February 2026 11 March 2026 1617 (FE) Expected Q4 2033
Lineup
Samsung Galaxy S
The original Galaxy S smartphone was announced in March 2010 and released on 4 June 2010. Galaxy SDisplay4.0" Super AMOLED (480x800px)ProcessorSamsung Exynos 3110 (S5PC110)Storage8–16 GB (expandable up to 32 GB using microSD card)RAM512 MBBattery1500 mAh (user-replaceable)CameraRear5 megapixels, 720p (HD) videoFront0.3 megapixelsOthersTouch sensors for navigation keys; no dedicated camera shutter button
Samsung Galaxy S II
The company announced the Samsung Galaxy S II on 13 February 2011. In 2013, a "Plus" variant was released with only 8 GB of internal storage and slightly different chipset. It also features the TouchWiz "Nature UX" user interface, and the brushed dark blue colour variant ("Pebble Blue"), both known from the Galaxy S III. Galaxy S IIDisplay4.3" or 4.5" Super AMOLED (480x800px)ProcessorSamsung Exynos 4 DualTexas Instruments OMAP4430Qualcomm Snapdragon S3 APQ8060Storage16/32 GB (expandable up to 32 GB using microSD card)RAM1 GBBattery1650 or 1800 mAh (user-replaceable)CameraRear8 Megapixels, 1080p (Full HD) videoFront2 megapixelsOthersUSB On-The-Go (OTG), Mobile High-definition Link (MHL) to HDMI Samsung Galaxy S III
The Samsung Galaxy S III was announced on 3 May 2012, and also became one of the most sold S series phone. Key features introduced on the device include split-screen multitasking, video player with pop-up window, "Ambient Light" setting that adjusts screen brightness, and a "Smart Stay" feature that keeps the screen on when looking at the phone. It was also the first Samsung phone with wireless charging support that can be enabled using a special back cover that connects to dedicated pins under the rear cover. Galaxy S IIIDisplay4.8" Super AMOLED (720x1280px)ProcessorSamsung Exynos 4 QuadQualcomm Snapdragon S4 MSM8960Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 MSM8228Storage16/32/64 GB (expandable using microSD card)RAM1 GB (S3 GT-I9300)1.5 GB (S3 Neo GT-I9301)2 GB (S3 LTE GT-I9305)Battery2100 mAh (user-replaceable)CameraRear8 megapixels, 1080p (Full HD) video at 30 fpsFront1.9 megapixels 720p (HD) video at 30 fpsOthersFM radio receiver (GT-I9300 only) Samsung Galaxy S4
The Samsung Galaxy S4 was announced by Samsung on 14 March 2013. More than 80 million units of the Galaxy S4 were sold, making it one of the best selling S series phones. Some of the highlighted features mostly include the Air Gestures (using the device's proximity and light sensors)What is Quick Glance feature in Samsung Galaxy S4 – Samsung.com and an IR blaster. The Galaxy S4 is one of only two Samsung mobile phones to be equipped with thermometer and hygrometer sensors (the other being the Galaxy Note 3). Some praised the innovation inherent in all of the Galaxy S4's new features, while others criticized it as feature creep.
Other variants of the device are the rugged and water-resistant S4 Active, the lower-priced mid-class S4 Mini, as well as the hybrid S4 Zoom, which is equipped with an optical zoom lens with 10× magnification, more powerful Xenon flash, tripod mount, and rotary knob lens ring, combining a mobile phone with a dedicated digital camera. Galaxy S4Display5" Super AMOLED (1920x1080px)ProcessorSamsung Exynos 5 Octa 5410Qualcomm Snapdragon 600Storage16/32/64 GB (expandable using microSD card)RAM2 GBBattery2100 mAh (user-replaceable)CameraRear13 megapixels, 3840x2160p (4K UHD) video at 30 fpsFront2.1 megapixels, 1080p (Full HD) video at 30 fps Samsung Galaxy S5
The Samsung Galaxy S5 was announced on 24 February 2014, offering improvements over its predecessor including a heart rate monitor, IP67 water resistance, a fingerprint scanner, 4K video recording, phase-detection autofocus plus enhanced low-light photography, a "Download Booster" feature, and USB 3.0. It lacks the thermometer (temperature) sensor, hygrometer (humidity) sensor, and "Story Album" features from the preceding Galaxy S4, but largely inherited Air View and gesture-related functionality. "Quick glance" was replaced with "Air wake-up", which allows waking up the smartphone from stand-by mode by hovering over the proximity sensor.
The Galaxy S5 is the first Samsung mobile phone where the touch key on the left side of the home button is a task key instead of an option key. It also the last mobile phone in the Galaxy S series with a micro-SIM card (later phones use a nano-SIM card) and a user-replaceable battery.
Since the Galaxy S5, the model number (e.g. SM-G900F) is no longer displayed on the boot screen. Galaxy S5Display5.1" Super AMOLED (1920x1080px)ProcessorSamsung Exynos 5 Octa 5422Qualcomm Snapdragon 801Qualcomm Snapdragon 805Storage16/32 GB (expandable using microSD card)RAM2 / 3 GBBattery2800 mAh (user-replaceable)CameraRear16 megapixels, 3840x2160p (4K UHD) video at 30 fpsFront2 megapixels, 1080p (Full HD) at 30 fps Samsung Galaxy S6
The Samsung Galaxy S6 series was first announced on 1 March 2015 with the release of the Galaxy S6 and S6 edge. It marks a counter-utilitarian and fashion-oriented course in the Galaxy S series as it debuted with a new metal and glass build. The Galaxy S6 series improves upon its predecessors by adding the ability to quickly charge the phone with up to 15W using Qualcomm's Quick Charge 2.0, virtual reality (compatible with the Galaxy Gear VR), a "Smart Manager" feature, and the ability to customize the interface with themes. There were also other variants that were released under the S6 series, which includes the Galaxy S6 Active (first released on 12 June 2015), and the Galaxy S6 edge+ (first released on 13 August 2015, along with the Galaxy Note5).
The phone marked its several firsts within the series. It introduced features such as OIS, quick launch to open Camera, and a Slow Motion Video Mode. But it is also the first device to remove the microSD card slot, Mobile High-Definition Link (MHL) support, water protection, Air Gestures, and USB 3.0 support. In addition, the batteries in the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge are smaller than the battery in the Galaxy S5, and are not replaceable by end users.
Justin Denison, then vice president of product strategy at Samsung, stated on stage at the Unpacked 2015 Episode 1 keynote event that they had opted for a built-in battery now that "consumers could feel confident in charging their phones". The previous year, a Samsung commercial for the Galaxy S5 had mocked the iPhones' non-replaceable batteries, referring to iPhone users as "wall huggers", citing their incessant dependence on wall charging. Galaxy S6Galaxy S6 edgeGalaxy S6 edge+Display5.1" Super AMOLED (1440x2560px)5.7" Super AMOLED (1440x2560px)ProcessorSamsung Exynos 7 Octa 7420Storage32/64/128 GB (non-expandable)32/64 GB (non-expandable)RAM3 GB4 GBBattery2550 mAh2600 mAh3500 mAhCameraRear16 megapixels, 3840x2160p (4K UHD) video at 30 fpsFront5 megapixels, 1440p (QHD) at 30 fpsOthersnano-SIM card slot Samsung Galaxy S7
The Samsung Galaxy S7 series was first announced on 21 February 2016, with the release of the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge. It introduced new features such as adding an always-on display feature, "Dual Pixel" camera feature for faster autofocus, and improved low-light photography. Water resistance (IP68) and a microSD card reader were returned, both of which had been present on the Galaxy S5, but neither present on the Galaxy S6. However, the IR blaster was removed from the Galaxy S7. Another variant under this lineup, the Galaxy S7 active, was released on 6 June 2016. Galaxy S7Galaxy S7 edgeDisplay5.1" Super AMOLED (1440x2560px)5.5" Super AMOLED (1440x2560px)ProcessorSamsung Exynos 8890Qualcomm Snapdragon 820Storage32/64/128 GB (expandable)RAM4 GBBattery3000 mAh3600 mAhCameraRear12 megapixels, 3840x2160p (4K UHD) video at 30 fps1080p (Full HD) at 30/60 fpsSlow-motion 720p (HD) at 240 fpsFront5 megapixels, 1440p (QHD) at 30 fps Samsung Galaxy S8
Samsung announced the Samsung Galaxy S8 series smartphones on 27 March 2017. They feature an iris scanner, which would be the first of the two S series devices to feature this. S Voice has also been replaced by Bixby. In addition, the microUSB port has been replaced by a USB-C 3.0 port, and the physical home button and capacitive buttons have been replaced by on-screen keys. All previous Galaxy S series smartphones featured a 16:9 aspect ratio which was replaced on the Galaxy S8 (18.5:9) for the first time. A new feature called Samsung DeX was added, allowing the phone to get a desktop user interface when plugged in a monitor. Another variant under this line-up, the Galaxy S8 active, was released on 7 November 2017. Galaxy S8Galaxy S8+Display5.8" Super AMOLED (1440x2960px)6.2" Super AMOLED (1440x2960px)ProcessorSamsung Exynos 8895Qualcomm Snapdragon 835Storage64 GB (expandable)64/128 GB (expandable)RAM4 GB4/6 GBBattery3000 mAh3500 mAhCameraRear12 megapixels, 3840x2160p (4K UHD) video at 30 fps1080p (Full HD) at 30/60 fpsSlow-motion 720p (HD) at 240 fpsFront8 megapixels, 1440p (QHD) at 30 fps Samsung Galaxy S9