Samsung reveals slimmest smartphone ahead of Apple’s expected ultra-thin ‘iPhone 17 Air’

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge
Samsung Electronics made public on Tuesday its slimmest flagship model to date, the Galaxy S25 Edge, complete with enhanced artificial intelligence features, as it seeks to get ahead of rival Apple in the premium market.
Reuters:
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Analysts said the launch was strategically timed to pre-empt Apple, which is expected to launch a thinner iPhone in the second half of this year.
“By releasing the product a few months ahead, Samsung could inflict some impact on Apple and attract consumers looking for thinner smartphones. It appears to be a calculated decision to capture that segment of demand,” Ryu Young-ho, a senior analyst at NH Investment & Securities, said.
The S25 Edge will go on sale in South Korea on May 23 and in the United States on May 30, Samsung said, adding it will roll it out to about 30 countries, including China and in Europe.
Starting at $1,099, the model has a 6.7-inch (170 mm) screen and a 5.8 millimetre-thick body, making it larger than the basic S25 model but only fractionally heavier.
The S25 Edge has Samsung’s latest built-in AI functions, including multimodal AI that allows users to interact with the device in real time through vision and voice, using the camera to ask questions.

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MacDailyNews Take: Based on recent leaks and reports, here’s an overview of the key “iPhone 17 Air” rumors:
• Design and Thickness: The iPhone 17 Air is expected to be Apple’s thinnest iPhone yet, with a thickness of around 5.5mm to 6mm, compared to the iPhone 16’s 7.8mm. It will likely feature a titanium-aluminum alloy frame for durability and a single rear camera in a horizontal “camera bar” design. The USB-C port may be off-center to accommodate internal components, and the phone is expected to lack a physical SIM card slot, relying on eSIM globally.
• Display: It’s rumored to have a 6.6-inch OLED display with a 120Hz ProMotion refresh rate and LTPO technology for smooth scrolling and always-on capability. The Dynamic Island cutout may be slightly smaller.
• Performance: The iPhone 17 Air is expected to use the A19 chip (not the A19 Pro, reserved for Pro models), built on a 3nm process, with a vapor chamber heatsink for better thermal performance. It’s rumored to have 8GB or possibly 12GB of RAM to support Apple Intelligence features. Apple’s in-house C1 modem, introduced with the iPhone 16e, is likely to be included, offering better power efficiency but lacking mmWave 5G support.
• Camera: The phone is expected to feature a single 48MP rear Fusion camera, forgoing ultra-wide and telephoto lenses due to space constraints, which means no spatial video or photos. The front camera is rumored to upgrade to 24MP from 12MP for sharper selfies.
• Battery Life: Concerns exist about battery life due to the slim design, with reports suggesting 60-70% of users may get a full day’s use, compared to 80-90% for other models. Apple is reportedly developing a Smart Battery Case accessory to address this.
• Other Features: It’s expected to include MagSafe charging, a Camera Control button, and an Action button. However, it may have only one speaker, potentially impacting audio quality, with an enhanced earpiece to compensate.

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