Apple and Samsung are each anticipated to launch ultra-thin smartphones this 12 months. The iPhone 17 Air will likely be Apple’s thinnest iPhone 17 taste and the thinnest iPhone ever made. The Galaxy S25 Slim may also be a lot thinner than the remainder of the Galaxy S25 lineup.
The iPhone 17 Air was the primary to look in rumors and studies, whereas the Galaxy S25 Slim confirmed up in leaks solely just lately. Nevertheless, the discharge order will likely be reversed.
Phrase on the road is that the Galaxy S25 Slim will make an look at Unpacked this month however hit shops within the second quarter of the 12 months. The iPhone 17 Air will likely be unveiled within the first half of September and begin promoting in shops about 10 days later.
This is able to make it appear to be Samsung was the primary to the market with an ultra-thin telephone. Whatever the Slim’s attraction to the general public, I nonetheless count on Samsung to make use of it as a advertising software the second Apple unveils the iPhone 17 Air this September.
However who was actually the primary to give you the concept of creating an ultra-thin handset? A brand new story from Korea presents the reply you would possibly already expect.
Korean-language information outlet SisaJournal detailed each ultra-thin units in a report, repeating a few of the claims that appeared in different rumors.
The iPhone 17 Air can have a profile of round 6.25mm, which is as much as 1.6mm thinner than the iPhone 15 (7.8mm). The Galaxy S25 Slim will likely be barely thicker than the Air at 6.6mm, however the Samsung telephone will nonetheless be thinner than the 7.6mm Galaxy S24. The Galaxy S25 Slim might have a giant digicam advatage over the Air, a multi-lens digicam on the again.
The report additionally notes that the iPhone 17 Air will exchange the Plus mannequin. The Air will likely be unveiled in September and value about as a lot because the Plus. That is the place issues get fascinating, because the report quotes an unnamed trade official who mentioned Apple has already accomplished product planning for the iPhone 17 Air.
Shifting on to Samsung, the report says the Korean large will unveil the Galaxy S25 sequence quickly. However the Galaxy S25 Slim will likely be launched within the second or third quarter of 2025. This launch window would nonetheless make sure that Samsung’s ultra-thin telephone will likely be available in shops earlier than the iPhone 17 Air launches.
The Galaxy S25 Slim’s value will likely be decrease than the Extremely, which isn’t a stunning declare. The report cites an official from the smartphone trade saying that the Galaxy S25 Slim can’t be costly. Its principal objective is to answer the iPhone 17 Air preemptively. Samsung additionally needs to see how the market reacts to a thinner flagship telephone.
The report says that Samsung determined to make a Galaxy S25 Slim telephone solely when Apple determined to go ahead with the iPhone 17 Air mannequin. That might settle the upcoming dispute about which ultra-thin telephone got here first. Then once more, none of that is official.
How would Samsung even learn about Apple’s plans? For starters, we’ve had rumors concerning the iPhone 17 Air lengthy earlier than the Galaxy S25 confirmed up in leaks. We additionally know that Samsung telephones are by no means well-kept secrets and techniques. Neither is the iPhone, however Apple no less than manages to avoid wasting a couple of surprises right here and there.
Extra importantly, Samsung Show and LG Show are rumored to provide the LTPO OLED panels Apple wants for the complete iPhone 17 sequence. All 4 telephones ought to help ProMotion (120Hz refresh fee).
The iPhone 17 Air display screen will likely be smaller than the iPhone 16 Plus. It may need different particularities that Samsung and LG would have to concentrate on in the course of the manufacturing section. Due to this fact, Samsung would have some information that the iPhone 17 sequence would possibly see a particular design change.
Individually, I’ll level out that Samsung made an ultra-thin foldable final 12 months. The Galaxy Z Fold SE is a restricted version machine launched in Korea and China a couple of months in the past. Samsung solely developed it after years of strain from rivals. The handset appears to be successful, and rumors say the Galaxy Z Fold 7 will inherit that design.
What I’m getting at is that Samsung has the tech to make such units occur, whether or not they’re foldables or not. It doesn’t have the braveness to be first, even when it’ll say so as soon as the Galaxy S25 Slim beats the iPhone 17 Air to market.
