The year 2025 will be the year of the thinnest smartphone. Large rival, Apple and Samsung, allegedly operated by the next generation chipset and AI features, are preparing to launch their thinning smartphones yet. While the discussion about Apple’s iPhone 17 air is mainly based on leaks, Samsung has already confirmed the arrival of its Galaxy S25 Edge with a teaser in the Galaxy Unpacked Event 2025.

In fact, recent leaks suggest that Samsung may launch the new Galaxy S25 Edge in April, it is likely to be on 16 April. A recent report by Sammobile shows that the device will be available in Europe on 15 April, which will be 16 April according to the Indian Time Zone. For iPhone 17 Air, this flagship is expected to come up with the iPhone 17 series, possibly in September 2025.

While the launch of both smartphones is still a lot of time left, leaks are painted a picture that clarifies one thing-the phone will be an ideal mix of the phone ultra-slim design and high-end display. But, certainly both devices will take different approaches to achieve this balance.

Depending on leaks and speculation, here is a wide breakdown on how these two tools will compare in terms of design, performance, camera, battery life and AI abilities.

Design and build-altra-thin shodown

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge: The Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge is rumored only 5.84 mm thick – this is the thinnest Galaxy S series phone. However, despite its thin profile, the device will reportly use a titanium frame, ensuring the durability of connecting without bulk. The phone is expected to weigh about 162 grams, which is one of the lightest premium smartphones in the market.

Leak render also suggests that it will come in new colors like Titanium IC Blue, Titanium Jet Black and Titanium Silver.

iPhone 17 Air: Meanwhile, Apple is expected to introduce the iPhone 17 Air as its thinnest iPhone, with a thickness of just 5.5 mm at its thinner point. Unlike Samsung’s titanium approach, Apple may stick with aluminum to keep the cost low, although it may mean slightly less durability. In fact, Apple is rumored to remove the titanium from its pro lineup, according to its carbon neutrality project.

The removal of another major design shift physical sim slot required for the iPhone 17 Air is completely dependent on ESIM technology. This is a step that Apple is slowly applying in its lineup.

Display

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge: The S25 Edge features a 6.7 -inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, which offers smooth scrolling and vibrant colors. Samsung’s displays are known for their deep blacks and high brightness, and getting a similar display in a slimmer profile would certainly be an exciting experience.

iPhone 17 Air: The iPhone 17 Air is rumored to sport a 6.6-inch OLED panel with promotion (120Hz), finally high refresh rates in Apple’s non-ex-pro iPhones. This will probably maintain the dynamic island for information and face ID but in a slimmer form factor.

Major demonstrations in slim bodies

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge: While the body will be slimmer, the device will not slow down. Instead, it is expected to promote a significant performance. Under the hood, the S25 Edge is expected to run on the Snapdragon 8 Elite Chipset, which is paired with 12GB RAM. Chipset is capable of handling multitasking and gaming easily. Samsung will adapt thermal management to prevent overheating in such thin chassis.

iPhone 17 Air: Meanwhile, Apple is rumored to use its latest A19 chip (built on 3Nm process) to power the iPhone 17 Air. However, it can only come with 8GB of RAM, relying on iOS optimization for efficiency.

A major surprise can be Apple’s in-house C2 modem, which will improve power efficiency and allow Apple to offer better battery life despite a slim profile. Apple first introduced the C1 modem with the iPhone 16E, which helped improve the battery life on the flagship model.

Camera

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge: In its teaser, Samsung has already confirmed that the device will have a dual-camera setup. Rear, Samsung is reportedly equipped with 200MP main sensors (similar to S25 Ultra) and 50-megapixel ultra-wide lens. This setup should be distributed incredibly detailed photos, combined with AI-Enhanced processing.

iPhone 17 Air: Meanwhile, the iPhone 17 Air can have just a 48MP camera. However, even with a lens, Apple is likely to make the camera powerful through computational photography. This software can allow for features such as 2x optical-quality zoom through cropping.

Battery and charging

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge: Despite its thinness, the S25 edge is rumored to pack a 4,000mAh battery with 25W wired charging – the slover but still decent compared to the ultra model of Samsung.

iPhone 17 Air: The iPhone 17 can have a small battery (3,500mAh) in the air, but Apple’s A19 chip efficiency and the new C2 (possibly C1) modem can help it match it or even the battery of thick iPhones can cross life. It is also likely to support Magsafe wireless charging and 20W wired charging.

AI and software

AI will definitely be the main focus for both slim devices.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge: Samsung’s Galaxy AI is expected to increase real-time translation, AI photo editing and cross-app automation, productivity.

iPhone 17 Air: On the other hand, Apple is expected to introduce Apple Intelligence from iOS 19, including a smarter Siri, Text Summer, and Advanced Photo Tools.

Launch date and pricing

Slim, powerful, but will not be cheap. Both devices are expected to sit in the premium pricing category.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge: It is expected to be launched on 16 April 2025, with an initial price of Rs 1,200 (about Rs 1,13,000 in India).

iPhone 17 Air: It is expected to arrive in September 2025, priced at around $ 899 (about 89,900 rupees in India). The device is asked to replace the existing iPhone 16 Plus model and is likely to be placed at the same price point.