With the launching of the forthcoming Galaxy S25 Edge and the iPhone 17 Air , slim phone are back in the public eye . It ’s a trend that frankly no one ask for and a class that has perhaps died a long time ago . So while Chinese OEMs hop onto the Silicon Carbon trend and cram as much bombardment as possible , Apple and Samsung are working on a style no one wanted : svelte phones . But why are both companies obsessed with something that no one cares about ? Well , there are multiple reasons , and it ’s time to decipher them .
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A Brief History of Slim Phones: Who Started This Trend and Why?
Samsung and Apple are n’t exactly reinvent the rack with slim phones . They go steady back to a decade ago when speech sound had fictile backs and obliterable battery . retrieve the Motorola Razr series and the Sony Xperia Z lineup ? Well , they made slim phones democratic even before they were a affair .
Samsung is no alien to svelte phones , as the company inclose the first Galaxy S measuring just 9.9 mm . It was thinner than the original iPhone that made its debut three years earlier and measured 11.6 mm . Even Apple learned a trick or two from Samsung when it launch the iPhone 4 by marketing it as the slimmest phone at just 9.3 mm .
Later in 2015 , Samsung introduced the Galaxy A8 , which was the slimmest phone yet at 5.9 mm . Other manufacturers followed suit of clothes with the Vivo X5 Max at 4.75 mm and the Oppo R5 and 4.85 mm . Even Motorola continued its bequest of making thin telephone set by creating the Droid Razr , measuring just 7.1 mm .
But these phones often compromised on assault and battery and durability to achieve their slim form factor . They lasted only a few hr compared to their regular counterparts .
Despite being shockingly thin , these slight phones still managed to proffer a 3.5 millimeter headphone jack , with the X5 Max having a built - in DAC . History example away , the point is that slim phones are n’t a completely unexampled trend , so why are Samsung and Apple caring about them now ?
Reason 1: Lack of Innovation
The smartphone market place has hit a point of saturation as manufacturers endeavor to stand out either with quirky software or by simply throw in more potent computer hardware . However , the hardware has pretty much matured to the point that the average individual can not differentiate between theSnapdragon 8 Eliteand8 Gen 3 . We are way past the hype over benchmarks and swiftness trial run , as most mid - range speech sound out there are flying enough for basic tasks .
Even for a power exploiter , a mid - range chipping like the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 or MediaTek Dimensity 8300 Ultra should suffice . But companies ask a new feature to advertise their phones every year , and giants like Samsung and Apple are n’t ordinarily the first to board the innovation string .
They want a “ innovative feature ” to make their phone stand out from the residual of the crew . For example , the principal marketing point of the S25 Ultra is the S - Pen , while Apple relies on the charm of its unsympathetic ecosystem to advertise numbers racket .
There ’s no concealing the fact that Apple and Samsung wish to spiel it good when it come to their flagship phones . Instead of gain the S25 Plus slimmer , Samsung wants to enclose theS25 Edgeto test the waters .
Similarly , Apple is planning to kill the less democratic Plus role model in favor of theiPhone 17 Air / Slimto bring back its lost mojo . After the intro ofAction ButtonandCamera Control Button , Cupertino does n’t have any major cards left up its arm , and shaking up the excogitation could be its last big wager .
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Reason 2: Fumbling Software and Failure to Keep Promises
Both Samsung and Apple have been faltering on the software front of late . Let ’s be honest , Samsung’sOne UI 7update is a huge quite a little with so many delays and bug that users have stop need for it . With many Samsung earpiece yet to getAndroid 15 , the company has n’t exactly been succeeding on the software front .
Similarly , Apple has been struggling with the rollout of Apple Intelligence to the extent thatlawsuitshave been filed against the society . iOS has n’t been the smoothest either , with plenty of hemipteron and hump along the path . So both companies postulate a beguilement , and what full than young ironware to snap up the consultation ’s ?
The iPhone 17 Air and the S25 Edge , with their razor - sharp designing , could add a desirability factor . Even though the majority of people use their phones with a event , there is no doubt that a lighter and slimmer gimmick will still have its appeal . It could disport all the eyeballs over the trouble brewing in those companies to their upcoming product .
Reason 3: One More Thing to Keep the Audience Excited
Apple always like to reveal that “ one more thing ” at the end of their presentment to keep everyone on the edge . While those surprisal reveals have take a backseat in late years , it was a frequent occurrence during the Steve Jobs epoch .
From the MacBook Air to the iPhone X , there are plenitude of “ one more things ” at Apple ’s annual events . This yr , it ’s the time for the iPhone 17 Air , which will have a individual tv camera and a completely different design from the eternal sleep of the card .
Similarly , after the S25 series propose only incremental update , Samsung teased the S25 Edge at the terminal of the keynote to reignite excitement . The South Korean giant has managed to keep the hype machine move by showcasing the S25 Edge at various events and having a separate launching timeline for it .
Samsung has also revealed that it’sworking on a tri - fold phonereportedly call in the G - Fold . Creating these alone product will not only aid these brands grab newspaper headline but also push sales by creating a buzz in the market .
Reason 4: Apple and Samsung Cannot Compete With Chinese OEMs
Apple and Samsung are among the last to adopt young tech . Take silicon - carbon batteries , for instance , both company are yet to utilise the tech in their smartphones . The upcomingGalaxy S26 might not get it .
Whether it ’s IP69 military rank , superfast charging , 1 - column inch tv camera sensors , high PWM dimming , or superzoom camera lenses , there are so many matter that Apple and Samsung could learn from their Formosan counterparts . Moreover , Chinese OEMs are n’t diffident of collaborating with trade name like Leica , Zeiss , or Hasselblad to improve their camera processing .
Ever since the Note 7 debacle , Samsung has stopped pick out risks and has been playing it dependable . From the S20 Ultra to the S25 Ultra , the barrage capacity and institutionalise speed have remained the same . aside from making reiterative change in design and software system , there has n’t been any major leap , to be honest .
Similarly , Apple conveniently simulate features like 120Hz , USB - C larboard , radio receiver charging , Always On Display , and more from Android phone once the technical school matures . And what ’s funny is the fact that the company often markets this as some sort of “ groundbreaking innovation ” .
What are Samsung and Apple Sacrificing to Make Phones Thin?
So what ’s the catch behind thin phones ? Well , the battery liveliness , for starter . Take the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge . It is expect to backpack a 3,900mAh barrage , the lowest among the S25 series .
It is even low than the 4,000mAh found on the Samsung Galaxy S25 . Similarly , the iPhone 17 Air is suppose to have a battery on par with theiPhone 16 , mean it could boast a 3,561mAh cell . Both phones will have the low-down capacity among their several lineup .
Despite what Apple and Samsung would wish you to believe that the efficiency gains could make up for smaller battery , they sadly ca n’t . Another disappointment is the cameras , as the S25 Edge and iPhone 17 Air have fewer camera than their compeer .
The S25 Edge skips on telephotograph lens while the iPhone 17 Air has a single tv camera apparatus , a huge letdown by 2025 standards . It is the monetary value that you ask to pay for getting that slim phone experience .
Some of the other tradeoffs include potentially less indestructible aim and a smaller cooling bedchamber , leading to humble efflorescence performance . While you might appreciate the slim design at first glance , the novelty element will eventually wear off as you realize that your flagship ca n’t even last an entire daytime .
Are Slim Phones the Future?
Maybe , but phones will be slim in the future , not because manufacturers require to make their phones slim , but as a natural outcome of atomic number 14 - atomic number 6 barrage fire . As barrage fire technology evolves , most flagship phones will mechanically become slimmer .
These slight earpiece are well-heeled to behave and fit inside your pocket . Their main target interview is influencers , celebrities , businessmen , and those who opt aesthetics over everything else . Many people want a smartphone without the heft and majority that comes with it .
It ’s a recess interview just like the market for compact phones . However , there is no one ranting on societal media to make phones thinner , unlike the demand for compact phones . It ’s the diametric since most user prefer a crowing battery over a slimmer plan .
So do n’t be surprised if your favourite celebrity is spotted using an iPhone 17 Air or S25 Edge . pay that both companies are the trendsetters in the industry , it wo n’t be a surprise if other manufacturers join the madness of work the slimmest phone potential .
Tecno recently showcased the Spark Slim at MWC , measuring just 5.75 mm . Unlike Samsung and Apple , it use silicon - carbon copy batteries . Still , it ca n’t beat the iPhone 17 Air and S25 Edge , which measure out 5.5 mm and 5.84 millimeter , respectively .
So , whether or not these svelte phones see a second destruction or take us back to those twenty-four hour period of glory when phones were fun is only a matter of meter .
