Samsung beats Apple to punch, launches ultrathin Galaxy S25 Edge months before the 'iPhone Air'

Mon, May 12, 2025, 5:00 PM 3 min read

Samsung on Monday unveiled its ultrathin Galaxy S25 Edge smartphone, just months before Apple (AAPL) is expected to launch its own superthin phone.

The S25 Edge, available for preorder for $1,099 and going on sale May 30, features a 6.7-inch AMOLED 2X display and two rear cameras in a body that is both thinner and lighter than Samsung's and Apple's existing phones.

According to Samsung, the S25 Edge is 5.8 millimeters (0.22 inches) thick. Apple's iPhone Pro and Pro Max each measure 0.32 inches thick, and Samsung's S25+ and S25 Ultra are 0.28 and 0.32 inches thick, respectively.

According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the so-called iPhone Air will take about 2 millimeters off the iPhone's frame, which would bring it down to 6.2 millimeters, or 0.24 inches — a bit thicker than the S25 Edge.

A few millimeters might not sound like much on paper, but it makes a big difference in real life. I got my hands on the S25 Edge ahead of launch and was surprised at how truly thin it felt compared to my everyday iPhone 16 Pro.

And thanks to its lightweight design — the S25 Edge weighs just 5.7 ounces compared to the iPhone 16 Pro's 7 ounces and Pro Max's 7.9 ounces — you'll almost forget you're carrying the phone with you, whether you're hustling around the office or hanging out at home. Heck, you'll feel as if you can toss the S25 Edge like a Frisbee, though I'd suggest against it.

Inside, the S25 Edge gets the same Qualcomm (QCOM) Snapdragon 8 Elite processor as the rest of the Galaxy S25 lineup. You also get 12GB of RAM and your choice of 256GB or 512GB of storage.

Unfortunately, the S25 Edge has only two rear cameras: a 12MP ultra-wide-angle camera and a 200MP main camera. The company’s S25+ and S25 Ultra, which start at $999 and $1,299, respectively, both get three cameras, including a telephoto camera.

Samsung, however, says the S25 Edge uses AI technologies to give you an "optical-like" 2x zoom on its 200MP main camera and the ability to jump to 10x zoom. The ultrawide camera also now comes with autofocus, so you can take macrophotography pictures, like detailed close-ups of flowers.

Despite the S25 Edge's thin design, Samsung claims you'll still get all-day battery life thanks to some cooling and power delivery solutions.

The S25 Edge also comes with Samsung's Galaxy AI platform, including AI agents and Samsung's Now Brief and Now Bar, which provide AI-curated reminders, news updates, and commuting information.

Since the S25 Edge runs on Google's (GOOG, GOOGL) Android 15 software, it gets the company's Gemini services, including Gemini Live, which can provide information about what you're viewing on your screen or looking at through your phone's camera.