This year, brands are focusing on bringing new form factors to the market. We have already seen what Samsung is introducing with the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge. Apple is also rumoured to be working on a new form factor with the iPhone 17 series, the iPhone 17 Air. Reports suggest this could be the slimmest iPhone ever, coming in at under 6 mm.
Based on the information we have so far, here’s how both of these phones compare according to reports.
Snapdragon vs Apple chipset
Galaxy S25 Edge is likely to come with the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chip, which is the same chipset powering the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra and the Samsung Galaxy S25.
As for the iPhone 17 Air, it is likely to offer the latest and greatest Apple chipset whenever it launches, potentially the Apple A19 chip, which could also power the vanilla iPhone 17 models. The Pro models are expected to feature the Apple A19 Pro.
Both are going to prioritise slimness
Both phones are going to be strikingly thin, according to rumours, including those from analysts like Ming-Chi Kuo, suggesting that the iPhone 17 Air could be around 5.5 mm to 6 mm thick. This would make it the thinnest iPhone ever, beating the iPhone 6, which was 6.9 mm thick.
The S25 Edge, on the other hand, will be no slouch either. Reports suggest it could be 5.8 mm thick, which is also remarkably thin. One thing is for certain: both phones are going to be impressively thin. However, whether this thickness will impact their battery life remains to be seen.
Single vs dual camera setup
So far, renders of the iPhone 17 Air have shown a single camera setup with a Pixel 9-like camera bar, compared to the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge. This could be different, considering the S25 Edge has been confirmed to support a dual camera setup, which will likely consist of a 200-megapixel main camera alongside an ultra-wide angle lens.
If you want more versatility out of your camera setup, the S25 Edge, on paper, is looking like the better deal. However, it is more than likely that the iPhone 17 Air could offer Apple’s Fusion Camera technology, which would allow for lossless zoom, as we have seen in the iPhone 16e and the iPhone 16 models.
