When it comes to the smartphone market, Samsung and Apple remain the undisputed heavyweights and biggest competitors. We often hear discussions among consumers about whether Samsung copies Apple or vice versa. Now that Samsung has unveiled its ultra-slim Galaxy S25 Edge, there is some chatter about whether it was inspired by Apple’s upcoming slim phone, the iPhone 17 Air. However, the Korean firm refuted those talks, claiming it has been working on the Edge model for nearly two years.
Samsung didn’t take cues from Apple’s iPhone 17 Air
In October 2024, we first heard that Samsung was developing a slim Galaxy flagship to challenge the iPhone 17 Air. So, reports of Apple developing a slim iPhone actually surfaced on the web earlier. However, during the Galaxy S25 Edge briefing last week, Kadesh Beckford, Samsung smartphone product specialist, told Forbes that “I’ve known about the Edge since the Galaxy Z Flip 5 launch week [August 2023].” Basically, Samsung wants to convey that the company did not take any note from Apple’s upcoming slim phone.
Beckford said, “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.” So, now the question is: is it a coincidence that both competitors planned to launch a slimmer model in their flagship smartphone lineup around the same time? Or perhaps it’s a result of a deep market study from the two smartphone giants.
What’s more surprising is that, like the Galaxy S25 Edge, the iPhone 17 Air may also feature two rear cameras. It may have a thickness of 5-6mm and sit below the top Pro Max model in terms of pricing.
Beckford said the company has made the decision to introduce a slim variant based on market research that suggests consumers want some Galaxy S25 Ultra features without the bulk of an “ultra” phone. That’s why Samsung implemented a 200MP main camera, Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, and titanium frame on the Galaxy S25 Edge. If you are interested in it, pre-orders are now open.
