Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Samsung is increasing Galaxy S25 production by 800,000 units in May to get ahead of possible future US tariff changes.
- The S25 Ultra accounts for nearly half of May’s 3.3 million-unit total, and production is expected to dip in June.
- While South Korean-made phones are not currently tariffed, uncertainty around US trade policy is prompting caution.
While much of the trade talk recently is about how companies will adapt to current tariffs, the tech industry is also taking proactive actions as a precaution. In the latest example, Samsung is boosting Galaxy S25 output this month, reportedly manufacturing 800,000 extra units in May.
According to a report from Korean media source THE ELEC, the tech giant will increase production of the S25 models to a total of 3.3 million for the month, in a move likely aimed at getting ahead of potential new US tariffs. The last-minute production increase appears to be focused on the high-end Galaxy S25 Ultra model, which now accounts for 1.5 million of the May units. The standard and Plus models will comprise 1.3 million and 500,000 units, respectively.
Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority
The shift came after Samsung had previously told suppliers it would make around 2.5 million S25 units in May. In total, the company is set to produce 16.2 million smartphones and tablets this month, only about 400,000 of which are tablets.
The Trump administration had planned to impose a 25% tariff on goods imported to the US from South Korea before announcing a 90-day pause last month. The situation remains febrile, so Samsung is aiming to ship more finished phones before any future tariff changes come into effect.
Instead of all these new units being extra production, the company is expected to scale back slightly next month. It is reportedly now planning to produce 1.4 million S25 series phones in June, down from an earlier forecast of 1.9 million.
