Samsung announces another phone and two iPad rivals just days before iPhone 17 launch

The Galaxy S25 FE, Galaxy Tab S11 and Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra are official.

By John McCann Published September 4, 2025

The Galaxy S25 FE held in front of a white cushion with the words 'Galaxy AI' written on it — John McCann / Digital Trends

What’s happened? Samsung has announced the Galaxy S25 FE phone and a new tablet series with the introduction of the Galaxy Tab S11 and Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra.

The new devices were announced at Samsung’s Unpacked event during the IFA 2025 trade show in Berlin, Germany.
The Galaxy S25 FE brings some of the flagship features and AI tools from the S25 series to a lower price point, starting at £649 (US pricing TBC).
Meanwhile, the Tab S11 series is Samsung’s new flagship tablets.
The Galaxy Tab S11 comes with a 11-inch screen and will set you back £799.
The Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra has a 14.6-inch display and a starting price of £1,199.

This is important because: With Apple getting in on the ‘affordable flagship’ market earlier this year with the arrival on the iPhone 16e, pressure has been added to Samsung’s FE line.

Samsung has brought a series of improvements to the S25 FE over is predecessor, as it looks to cement its ‘Fan Edition’ device ahead of Apple’s.
Meanwhile, the iPad Pro series has new competition too, with the Tab S11 slates offering up an Apple Pencil-like S Pen stylus, super slim design and bright, bold displays.

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Okay, what’s next? The Galaxy S25 FE is available immediately in the US and Europe, while the Tab S11 tablets are available only in Europe for now. We’re waiting to hear from Samsung about US availability of the slates.

We’ve been hands-on with all three devices, so make sure you check out our previews.

The timing of this Samsung launch is an interesting one, as it occurred five days before Apple’s highly-anticipated iPhone 17 event on September 9.

Samsung’s new products are unlikely to directly rival whatever Apple announces, but I can’t help but think the timing is a ploy to get into the news cycle before the iPhone is revealed
As well as the iPhone 17, 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max, we’re expecting Apple to also launch the iPhone 17 Air.
This rumored super-slim handset would be a direct challenger to Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Edge.

Former Managing Editor

John has been a consumer technology & automotive journalist for over a decade.

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