The Galaxy S25 Ultra is already arriving to excited Galaxy fans that pre-ordered the device. In addition to the numerous features announced at Unpacked, we’ve discovered a few things that Samsung forgot to mention. Namely, quite a few hardware and software options on the Galaxy S25 series are still carrier or region restricted. It’s quite annoying to hear about an amazing feature on Galaxy phones, only to find out your device can’t access it. I think we speak for everyone in saying: Please stop it, Samsung.
Here’s a list of a bunch of Galaxy S25 Ultra exclusive software and hardware options that aren’t widely available.
Native Video Calling (Carrier Restricted)
Last year, Samsung removed the native video call option from most Galaxy phones in the US, with only a few carrier locked devices retaining the feature. The native video call feature was replaced by Google Meet. Many Galaxy fans, myself included, lamented this change. Google seems to be taking over everything on our Samsung devices these days – from Gemini, to Google Messages. It’s getting a bit annoying. On the Galaxy S25 series, we were hopeful that Samsung would bring native video calling back to unlocked units.
Unfortunately, despite wider availability, there is still a carrier restriction for the native video calling feature. Unlocked models of the S25 Ultra do not have the native video call option, regardless of which carrier sim you choose to use inside.
Good Lock Region Restrictions (Mostly Going Away)
Good Lock has long been a hidden gem of the One UI ecosystem. The software suite, developed by Samsung themselves, offers numerous options for customizing your Galaxy phone. From custom icon packs, to hot-key triggers via back tap actions, Good Lock truly has it all. Unfortunately, the entire set of apps sat behind a region-locked gate for far too long. Many regions around the world (outside of Europe, Korea, and the US) were excluded from all of these amazing goodies.
Recently, Samsung opened up Good Lock to all regions and even brought the suite to the Play Store for official download. This is certainly an instance where Samsung understood the importance of opening up their best software to all Galaxy users.
Galaxy S25 Ultra Exclusive Drag and Drop Features in China (Region Restricted)
The Galaxy S25 series ships with a number of exciting upgrades in the AI department. On top of One UI 7, this makes for a very compelling software experience. However, S25 owners in China get some exclusive features not available in other regions. The Chinese model of the S25 Ultra allows users to drag and drop information across apps, including third party apps.
The process is smooth and enhances multitasking on the device, but it is not available outside of China. A massive bummer for global users, to be sure. The new version of Bixby is also enhanced in the Chinese variant of the S25 Ultra, adding more salt to the wound for international buyers.
Samsung Official Magnetic Case for the S25 Ultra (Region Restricted)
In a very weird decision, Samsung opted to make the new Magnetic Clear Case for the Galaxy S25 Ultra a region exclusive accessory. After touting the Qi2 compatibility of the new S25 series, we found out that the Qi2 features are only available when using a compatible case. It is strange indeed that Samsung chose to then restrict availability of their own OEM solution to particular countries. While the case is available in the US and Europe, it is not available in India, a very important market for Samsung.
Galaxy S25 Ultra Exclusive 1TB/16GB Model (Region Restricted)
Need maximum storage on your Galaxy S25 Ultra? Well, you’re in luck, if you live In South Korea or China. The maximum storage variant of the Galaxy S25 Ultra, which also has 16GB of RAM, is restricted to these Asian markets. Many users in the US and Europe felt betrayed by Samsung in losing the option for the top spec model.
Most users don’t need 16GB of RAM or 1 TB of storage, but it is still very weird to produce these SKUs only in certain regions. I’m quite sure there isn’t much cost-savings associated with such supply chain decisions and Samsung risks alienating hardcore Galaxy fans.
Satellite Messaging (Carrier restricted)
Satellite Messaging is a very useful feature for any smartphone, particularly in emergency situations. Apple released the feature with the iPhone 15 Pro Max and Galaxy fans have long wondered when it would come to the Galaxy S lineup. With the Galaxy S25, Samsung took important steps in making that dream a reality. The Galaxy S25 Ultra features Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Satellite platform. This hardware enables satellite messaging capability. However, carrier and provider partners are needed to implement the service in each region.
In the US, Satellite messaging is available through T-Mobile (in partnership with Starlink) and Verizon (in partnership with Skylo). Currently, T-Mobile allows SMS text over satellite at any time (with beta registration), but Verizon customers can only use the service for emergency SOS situations at the moment. Eventually T-Mobile and Starlink plan to charge for satellite messaging services and Verizon/Skylo will likely follow suit.
That’s all we could think of for now, but surely we missed some. Let us know which carrier and region exclusive features Samsung needs to end ASAP. While you’re at it, check out our new SammyGuru Rewards program and get free accessories when you buy a new Galaxy device.
