TL;DR
Smartphone design in 2025 moved beyond incremental updates, with makers experimenting in transparency, materials, modularity and folding mechanics. Advances in battery chemistry and magnetic charging, plus better fold durability, helped make unconventional phones practical as well as playful.
What happened
After a year of testing many handsets, reviewers found 2025 notable for its variety of bold and unconventional designs alongside mainstream thin flagships. Companies such as Nothing stood out with transparent backs, colored accents and notification Glyph lights, while the CMF Phone 2 Pro offered a sub-$300 device with a removable backplate and accessory attachment point. Fairphone’s Gen 6 emphasized repairability and scored highly with iFixit. Motorola’s Razr 2025 line leaned into diverse materials—Alcantara, vegan leather, polished glass and even certified wood—while keeping prices under $700 in many cases. Folding hardware saw durability gains: reinforced hinges, Google’s 10-plus-year folding pledge and Samsung’s 500,000-fold claim. Battery chemistry also progressed, with silicon-carbon cells appearing in phones from makers like OnePlus and Honor and enabling large-capacity but still thin designs. Android moved toward a magnetic charging standard with Pixel 10’s adoption of Qi2 magnets, edging closer to cross-platform accessory compatibility.
Why it matters
- Design experimentation broadens consumer choice beyond bland, utility-first phones.
- Improved folding durability and hinge engineering reduce a key barrier to adopting foldables.
- Silicon-carbon batteries offer a path to multiday battery life without bulky phones.
- Universal magnetic charging (Qi2) could simplify accessory ecosystems across Android and iPhone.
- Modular and repairable designs support sustainability and longer device lifespans.
Key facts
- Nothing Phone (3a) featured a transparent backplate, a small red accent square, and Glyph notification lights.
- CMF Phone 2 Pro is a sub-$300 model with a removable backplate and an Accessory Point module for attachments.
- Fairphone (Gen. 6) achieved a 10/10 repairability score from iFixit.
- Motorola’s 2025 Razr series offered variants with Alcantara, vegan leather, polished Gorilla Glass and FSC-certified wood finishes.
- Motorola’s Razr folding models are frequently priced below $700 and can drop to about $600 during sales.
- Manufacturers reported improved folding durability: Google described a 10-plus-year folding target and Google’s latest Fold earned an IP68 rating; Samsung claimed its Galaxy Z Fold7 can withstand 500,000 folds.
- Silicon-carbon battery technology appeared in phones from brands including Honor and OnePlus, enabling large capacities while keeping devices thin.
- OnePlus 15 and 15R were noted for large batteries of roughly 7,300 mAh and 7,400 mAh, respectively.
- Pixel 10 series introduced Qi2 magnetic alignment to help phones sit correctly on compatible chargers and mounts.
- Ultrathin designs persisted: Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Edge and Apple’s iPhone Air focused on reduced weight and thickness, with mixed trade-offs in battery life and camera setups.
What to watch next
- Rollout of Qi2 magnetic alignment on more Android phones in 2026 and interoperability with MagSafe accessories.
- Launch and market reception of Samsung’s Galaxy Z TriFold, a device that folds into a mini tablet.
- Whether Apple will pursue a folding iPhone and how lessons from thin designs like the iPhone Air influence a potential foldable.
- Not confirmed in the source: the specific release dates and pricing for the next-generation foldables beyond mentions of upcoming launches.
Quick glossary
- Glyph lights: Decorative LEDs or light patterns on a device that provide visual notification cues or aesthetic accents.
- Qi2: A charging standard that includes magnetic alignment features to position a phone optimally on compatible wireless chargers and mounts.
- Silicon-carbon battery: A battery chemistry that incorporates silicon into the anode mix to increase energy density and efficiency compared with traditional lithium-ion cells.
- Repairability score: A rating, often from third-party teardown groups like iFixit, that assesses how easily a device can be opened, serviced, and repaired.
- Hinge reinforcement: Engineering improvements—such as using stronger materials or redesigned plates—intended to increase the durability of folding phone mechanisms.
Reader FAQ
Were folding phones more reliable in 2025?
Manufacturers reported notable durability improvements: examples include reinforced hinges, Google’s 10-plus-year folding target and Samsung’s claim of 500,000 folds for the Z Fold7.
Did any phones emphasize repairability or modularity?
Yes. Fairphone Gen 6 prioritized repairability and earned a top iFixit score; the CMF Phone 2 Pro offers a removable backplate and accessory attachment point.
Is there a new standard for magnetic charging on Android?
Pixel 10 introduced Qi2 magnetic alignment, and the source says Qi2 is expected on more Android phones in 2026, moving toward cross-platform accessory compatibility.
Did Apple use silicon-carbon batteries in its 2025 iPhones?
The source indicates Apple may not have adopted silicon-carbon battery tech in its latest iPhones.
JULIAN CHOKKATTU GEAR DEC 25, 2025 6:00 AM 2025’s Best Phones Were Also Its Wackiest If anything, iPhones and Pixels are practically vanilla. The next generation is thinner, more transparent,…
Sources
- 2025’s Best Phones Were Also Its Wackiest
- These 8 New Phone Features Were the Best and Weirdest …
- I reviewed the most insane phones of 2025
- The Weirdest Phones We've Seen in Barcelona So Far
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