Samsung Says It's Not Copying Apple iPhone 17 Air
Samsung's new Galaxy S25 Edge is the slimmest ever Galaxy phone.
Samsung says Apple's iPhone 17 Air didn't factor into its decision to release the Galaxy S25 Edge, a similarly ultra-slim phone, this year.
'It's not related [to the iPhone 17 Air]. To make this phone, we had to redesign every component [to fit into a slimmer chassis], which isn't an easy feat.' Kadesh Beckford, Samsung smartphone product specialist, told me at a Galaxy S25 Edge briefing last week.
The new device measures in at 5.88mm, which Samsung claims is its thinnest ever Galaxy S smartphone. To make that possible, the company broke down every component, including the 200MP camera, to squeeze it into a smaller space.
Beckford explained that this takes research and development time, which started long before Apple's iPhone 17 Air rumours first surfaced. 'I've known about the Edge since the Galaxy Z Flip 5 launch week [August 2023]
Despite Samsung's claim that it took no notes from Apple's rumoured device, it will likely share some similarities. Leaks claim that the iPhone 17 Air will also have a reduced camera loadout with just one 48MP lens, a thickness between 5mm and 6mm, alongside pricing that places it below the top Pro Max model.
Samsung's new ultra slim Galaxy S25 Edge.
If Apple's rival svelte smartphone didn't inspire Samsung, why introduce another Galaxy variant? Beckford said that the company's market research pointed it towards people who want some Galaxy S25 Ultra features without the bulk of an 'ultra' phone. Hence the 200MP camera, Snapdragon 8 Elite (the full eight-core version) chipset, and titanium frame.
The Edge comes with some familiar Galaxy S25 flagship features, including the full Galaxy AI suite (and not the lesser 'awesome intelligence' toolkit found on cheaper Samsung phones), the aforementioned 200MP rear camera, which is backed up by a 12MP ultra wide lens and 12MP selfie sensor, seven years of software updates and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite processor.
The big question mark around the device is the battery life. The 3900mAh battery in the Edge is 1100mAh smaller than the Galaxy S25 Ultra's power pack. Chip efficiencies and software optimization have come a long way since slim phones were last on trend, but their poor battery life also played a role in their ultimate downfall. We'll have to see if the Galaxy S25 Edge has a similar fate, or if it can chart a new path for slim handsets that could be the new normal for future Samsung phones.
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