The smartphone wars in January set the tone for the mobile landscape in 2025.

As 2024 draws to a close and the first day of 2025 arrives, let's take a look at Lei Technology's monthly smartphone preview and exposure summary as usual.

In previous years, mobile phone brands would temporarily halt their battles near the Spring Festival to prepare for the post-festival flagship competitions. However, due to the advanced launch schedule of this year's flagship phones, many brands have moved their subsequent product launches to January.

Unlike previous years, some of the new phones launched in January 2025 include iterative products of popular models, such as the REDMI Turbo4 and realme 14 Pro+, which is quite surprising. It seems that brands intend to engage in a chaotic battle at the beginning of the year, preparing for the upcoming flagship competitions.

Of course, releasing new phones near the Spring Festival also targets the festive season market. If friends who have just received their year-end bonuses want to buy some "New Year goods" for their parents and children, they will have more options. Next, let's take a brief look at which phones will be released in January 2025.

REDMI Turbo4: Raging in Cost-Effectiveness

Image source: REDMI

As one of Xiaomi's best-selling product series, the REDMI Turbo series attracts much attention every year, ranking among the top three in sales in the entry-level and mid-range markets.

While last year's REDMI Turbo3 was released in April, this year's REDMI Turbo4 has been advanced to January and will be the first to feature MediaTek's Dimensity 8400-Ultra. As MediaTek's newly released secondary flagship processor, its AnTuTu benchmark score is even higher than that of the Snapdragon 8s Gen3, demonstrating impressive performance.

The REDMI Turbo4 will also come equipped with a new generation of 1.5K LTPS screens, enhancing brightness performance, along with a 6500mAh battery and support for 90W fast charging. Judging solely by this configuration, as long as the price of the REDMI Turbo4 remains below 2000 yuan, as it has in previous years, its product competitiveness remains strong. However, this new processor is not without flaws; its GPU performance is relatively weak, resulting in a significant gap in gaming performance compared to the Snapdragon 8s Gen3.

Moreover, the REDMI Turbo4 adopts the IP68 drop-resistant design from the Note 14 series, offering upgrades in durability compared to its predecessor. However, according to leaks, the REDMI Turbo4 will feature a plastic mid-frame, which is a minor disappointment. The good news is that at least the glass back cover remains, so there won't be too much of an issue with hand feel. Considering last year's popular Harry Potter edition, there may also be new collaborative models released this year, so stay tuned.

Image source: iQOO

The iQOO Z9 Turbo Long Battery Version is the fifth model in the series and has the longest suffix, making one wonder if iQOO's designers are struggling with naming. Since the iQOO Z9 series launched its first batch of three models in April this year, followed by the iQOO Z9 Turbo+ in September, and now the Long Battery Version in January, the entire series' release span is close to a year. It can be said that iQOO is making the most of the Z9 series' reputation.

Despite its long name, the iQOO Z9 Turbo Long Battery Version is essentially a larger battery version of the iQOO Z9 Turbo, featuring a massive 6400mAh battery and offering a 16GB RAM option. Considering that the iQOO Z9 Turbo is powered by the Snapdragon 8s Gen3 processor, along with a 1.5K 144Hz high refresh rate screen and 80W fast charging, it's a suitable daily driver for those who don't have high demands on camera performance.

Currently, it is expected that the price of the iQOO Z9 Turbo Long Battery Version will be below 2000 yuan, making it a direct competitor to the REDMI Turbo4.

realme 14 Pro+: A Camera-Centric Tent Phone?

Image source: realme

As the third confirmed January release, the realme 14 Pro+ lags behind the previous two models in CPU performance, utilizing the Snapdragon 7s Gen3 processor with an AnTuTu benchmark score of 750,000 to 800,000 (compared to 1.5 to 1.8 million for the other two processors). While its GPU performance is adequate for casual gaming like "Honor of Kings" and "Game for Peace," it can maintain a stable 60 frames per second in "Genshin Impact" with low graphics settings and frame interpolation.

The realme 14 Pro+ also features a full-depth quad-curved screen design with left and right bezels measuring only 1.6mm. Although the screen itself only offers FHD+ resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate, it is sufficient for daily use, and considering the processor's performance, FHD+ is a better choice. Additionally, it is equipped with a 5000mAh battery and 80W fast charging, supporting IP69 dust and water resistance.

Interestingly, judging from its specifications, the selling point of the realme 14 Pro+ lies in its design and camera performance. Its back cover utilizes temperature-sensitive color-changing technology (a global first), where the Pearl White color shifts to a high-saturation blue when the temperature drops below 16°C and returns to Pearl White as the temperature rises, making it appealing to female users.

Moreover, as a phone destined to cost less than 2000 yuan, its camera system boasts a "luxurious" configuration with a 50MP 1/1.56" main camera, a 50MP 1/1.95" periscope lens, an 8MP ultra-wide-angle lens, and a "MagicGlow" flash system featuring three dual-color temperature flashes (also a global first), providing more uniform and brighter fill light during photography.

If you have high standards for design and camera performance but a limited budget, the realme 14 Pro+ might be a viable option, and its performance is more than adequate for daily use.

Huawei Enjoy 80: A More Affordable Huawei is Back

Image source: Huawei

Based on currently exposed information, the Huawei Enjoy 80 will return to the Kirin chip platform, adopting a new generation of Kirin 7-series chips, replacing the previously used Qualcomm Snapdragon mid-range processors. However, there isn't much known about this model at this time, and it is likely still targeted at the entry-level market without significant upgrades to its camera or screen.

Nevertheless, with the Enjoy series also returning to the Kirin platform, all Huawei phone series currently on sale have reverted to Kirin chips, marking a significant milestone. According to leaks, it is expected to be released at the end of January, barely making it to the Spring Festival market, and more information is expected to be revealed next month.

Samsung S25: Will the Concert Killer Strike Again?

Image source: Twitter

Although Samsung's market share in China is minimal, the S25 series actually sells quite well domestically, especially the Ultra version, renowned as the "concert killer." Previously, Samsung announced that the S25 series would be launched on January 22, featuring Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor across the board, no longer mixing Exynos and Snapdragon processors. Additionally, the storage capacity has doubled, with memory starting at 12GB.

The screen sizes are 6.16 inches, 6.66 inches, and 6.86 inches, respectively, consistent with the previous generation but with a more unified design overall. The most crucial upgrade is in the camera system. The S25 Ultra will feature a 200-megapixel wide-angle main camera, with the ultra-wide-angle camera upgraded from 12 million to 50 million pixels, along with a 10-megapixel 3x telephoto lens and a 50-megapixel 5x telephoto lens, resulting in significant upgrades across the board.

However, the camera systems of the S25 standard and Plus versions have not changed much, likely only receiving minor sensor upgrades. The overall upgrade intensity is much less significant than that of the Ultra version. As for the starting price, it remains the same as the previous generation. It is not recommended to rush for the first batch, as Samsung is known for its price drops in China. By the time of events like 618, you can usually get it at a 40% discount.

Mobile Phone Brands Compete Fiercely During Spring Festival Holidays, Setting the Tone for a Bloody Battle in 2025?

The Spring Festival has always been one of the peak periods for mobile phone sales. Whether it's buying a new phone for oneself after receiving a year-end bonus or giving one as a New Year gift to parents, such demands are robust. Therefore, many mobile phone manufacturers put effort into marketing during the Spring Festival every year. In January, we can see that many new products are targeting this market.

For example, the REDMI Turbo4 is one of the strongest mid-range phones in January in terms of product strength. The Dimensity 8400-Ultra's CPU performance enhancement provides users with a smoother daily use experience. Additionally, it is equipped with MediaTek's new-generation NPU, the most advanced among chips of the same level, enabling it to meet future AI application deployments and experiences.

Image source: MediaTek

Overall, although its gaming performance is average, it focuses more on daily performance planning. Coupled with its enhanced protection and drop-resistant features, the REDMI Turbo4 becomes a very suitable phone for middle-aged and elderly users. In Lei Technology's view, Xiaomi's decision to advance the release date of this phone to January is deliberate, aiming to position it as the "best New Year good" of 2024.

While the iQOO Z9 Turbo Long Battery Version also targets the Spring Festival season, unlike the REDMI Turbo4, it is more oriented towards younger consumers, especially those working outdoors, such as delivery riders and couriers. The larger battery can meet the needs of prolonged outdoor use, and the overall performance of the Snapdragon 8s Gen3 is also capable of meeting gaming and other demands, making it a more clearly defined model for specific users.

Regarding pricing, I am more inclined to believe that it will maintain the same launch price as the iQOO Z9 Turbo (or even lower). After all, the battery capacity is only 400mAh larger, and with other configurations remaining unchanged, the increase in battery life will not be significant, making it less attractive to users. Moreover, the current price of the iQOO Z9 Turbo has dropped to around 1600 yuan, offering high cost-effectiveness. If you are interested in purchasing, my advice is not to wait and go for the regular version instead.

Whether in design or target audience selection, the realme 14 Pro+ has blazed a new trail. Previously, realme was known more for its cost-effectiveness, with a predominantly male user base. Although the realme 14 Pro+ is not the first of its kind, it is the most thorough embrace of the female market. If priced competitively, its competitiveness will be strong.

Image source: Weibo

However, realme's biggest weakness is its insufficient offline stores, making it difficult to directly convey the experience of temperature-sensitive color-changing and cross-grade camera performance to users through offline experiences. Relying solely on online promotion makes it challenging to compete with OV's peer main products. Therefore, I am not very optimistic about the market performance of this product.

Overall, January is quite lively, with flagship phones like the Samsung S25 and a plethora of mid-range and secondary flagship models being released (the OnePlus Ace 5 was announced on December 26 and may officially go on sale in January). Processors from Qualcomm, MediaTek, and Kirin are all represented.

Moreover, the series of flagship phones previously released will likely engage in a new round of competition. Perhaps the first round of promotions that everyone has been waiting for is about to arrive, coupled with the upcoming release of a series of low- to mid-range phones. The opening battle of 2025 is likely to be more intense than many people expect, setting the tone for the entire year's mobile phone battle: there is no such thing as being too competitive; only more competitive. Lei Technology will closely monitor new products and competitions in the mobile phone market.

Source: Lei Technology