- Apple’s iPhone Air and Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Edge push the limits of ultra-thin smartphone design
- Specs highlight trade-offs between slim form, display sharpness, durability, and performance
- Cameras and batteries show distinct approaches, leaving consumers to decide which sacrifices are worth it
The battlefield for the thinnest phone is no longer a concept, it is here. Apple and Samsung are pushing design to its limits with the unveiling of the iPhone Air and Galaxy S25 Edge. These are not just devices for everyday use, but statements of how far technology can bend without breaking. With prices starting at $1,000 for Apple’s entry and $1,100 for Samsung’s, the stakes are high for consumers who care about power packed into impossibly slim bodies.
• Apple and Samsung are competing in the thin phone space
• iPhone Air priced at $1,000, Galaxy S25 Edge at $1,100
• Both aim to prove form can meet function in extreme designs
At first glance, millimeters matter. Apple’s iPhone Air comes in at 5.64mm, slimmer than Samsung’s 5.8mm Edge. Samsung, however, offers a larger 6.7-inch display against Apple’s 6.5-inch panel while shaving a few grams off the total weight. Visual design tilts toward Apple, with subtler lines and a less pronounced camera plateau. Samsung leans on higher resolution, topping out at 513 PPI compared to Apple’s 460, ensuring sharper detail for anyone looking closely at the screen.
• iPhone Air is slimmer but slightly heavier
• Samsung offers a larger screen with higher resolution
• Apple’s design creates the impression of greater thinness
Durability has not been ignored in this pursuit of slimness. Both phones feature titanium sides to ward off bending, but their glass choices differ. Samsung employs Gorilla Glass Ceramic 2 at the front and Victus 2 at the back, while Apple counters with Ceramic Shield 2 on the display and the original Ceramic Shield at the rear. Samsung maintains a physical SIM tray, a nod to practicality, while Apple doubles down on its eSIM strategy. For users unwilling to bulk up their devices with protective cases, the durability debate becomes critical.
• Both use titanium frames for strength
• Samsung relies on Gorilla Glass, Apple on Ceramic Shield
• Samsung retains SIM tray, Apple pushes eSIM only
Performance is defined by the brains inside. Samsung powers the S25 Edge with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite, complete with an octa-core CPU and Adreno 830 GPU. Apple arms the iPhone Air with its A19 Pro chip, optimized for single-threaded tasks. Yet the thin designs of both raise concerns over thermal management. No matter how powerful the chips, heat inside such constrained bodies can dictate how smooth performance truly feels over time.
• Samsung uses Snapdragon 8 Elite chip
• Apple iPhone Air runs on the A19 Pro chip
• Thermal limits may restrict real-world performance
Cameras and batteries close the story. Samsung’s dual-camera setup offers a 200MP wide sensor paired with a 12MP ultrawide, compared to Apple’s 48MP “Fusion” lens designed for flexible shooting. On the battery front, Samsung fits a 3,900mAh cell, while Apple claims “all-day battery” and 27 hours of video playback, supplemented by a MagSafe add-on that stretches to 40 hours at the cost of thickness. In the end, both devices reflect an experiment in how far the industry can go in making phones impossibly slim. Whether consumers embrace them will decide if thinness is the new standard or just a temporary trend.
• Samsung favors high-resolution photography with a 200MP lens
• Apple emphasizes versatility with its Fusion camera
• Battery life claims vary but remain unproven without real-world tests
