Apple and Samsung are already bitter rivals, but next year a whole new front in their war could open up with the Galaxy S25 Slim vs iPhone 17 Air, two rumored new lightweight flagship phones.
Both of these phones look to be in development for next year, with the Galaxy S25 Slim seeming to be a distillation of previous Plus and Ultra models in a smaller package. The iPhone 17 Air (or possibly the iPhone 17 Slim depending on who you ask) instead appears to be a simpler version of the iPhone 17, but one that'll still be technologically impressive by being so light and thin.
Rumors are still churning. But we can't wait to see them, and chances are neither can you. Read on for all the rumors so far.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Slim vs. iPhone 17 Air: Price and availability
While we have rumors supporting the development of a Galaxy S25 Slim and of an iPhone Air, launch dates, and especially pricing, have not been forthcoming.
In Samsung's case, the Galaxy S25 Slim could appear at Galaxy Unpacked, which will likely happen in January. That's when we expect the regular trio of S25s to make their debut. But the Slim could instead get its own June 2025 launch date, allowing it to have the spotlight to itself, or at least share it with other Galaxy products.
It's claimed that Samsung could be building Galaxy S25 Slim units in limited quantities to gauge interest before making it a full part of the Galaxy S26 line-up in the following year (via ETNews). This reminds us of the launch of the Galaxy Z Fold 6 Special Edition that Samsung brought to select markets recently, although rumors claim there will be a global release for the S25 Slim, unlike the Korea-only limited run of the Z Fold 6 Special Edition.
Assuming the iPhone Air is indeed an iPhone 17, then we would most likely see it in September 2025 when the other iPhone 17 models are expected to appear. Apple has only broken this release pattern with one flagship iPhone series in the past seven years (the iPhone 12 in 2020). The iPhone SE line has previously received its own launch in Spring.
Pricing for both of these slim phones is a complete mystery. These could be treated as small, cheaper models or more expensive, lightweight but still capable devices. One iPhone Air rumor says it could be more than an iPhone Pro Max, meaning $1,200 or higher. That's the price of a major redesign, I guess.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Slim vs. iPhone 17 Air: Design and display
You may think the answer to the design question of these alleged Samsung and iPhone devices is answered in their name. But the rumors paint a picture of two different definitions of "slim" being used in Cupertino and Seoul.
In Samsung's case, it seems like the Galaxy S25 Slim could be related to the Galaxy S FE series, or even be its direct replacement (The Elec reports), acting as a relaunch of the current entry-level flagship line as a new, slimmer breed of Galaxy. This could explain why the rumored launch date is midway through the year - this tends to be when Galaxy FE models launch.
Rumors suggest the Galaxy S25 Slim will measure 6.7 inches across, but we don't know how slim it'll be. The slimmest Galaxy S model right now is the 7.6mm Galaxy S24, with the foldable Galaxy Z Fold 6 opening to 5.6mm. To deserve the name "slim," but also function as a standard smartphone, the S25 Slim would probably have to fit between these two models.
The iPhone 17 Air is being claimed to be a replacement for the Plus model Apple's made for the past three generations of iPhone. The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus tie for current slimmest iPhone at 7.8mm thick, but rumors suggest Apple wants to make the iPhone Air 6mm or slimmer, making it the thinnest iPhone ever (beating the current thinnest iPhone, the iPhone 6 at 6.9mm), and perhaps even matching the thickness of the iPad Air and iPad Pro.
Other than the thickness, the iPhone 17 Air will apparently feature a 6.6-inch display, with a smaller version of the Dynamic Island cutout we see on current iPhones and new underlying OLED screen tech. We can apparently also look out for a 120Hz ProMotion refresh rate in line with Pro iPhone models, and aluminum sides.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Slim vs. iPhone 17 Air: Cameras
The Galaxy S25 Slim has been tipped to feature a 200MP main camera, like the Galaxy S24 Ultra. There's no mention of other cameras, but having a high resolution like this would help with lossless digital zoom up to a point.
While the phone may not fully be up to the standard of the next Galaxy S25 Ultra, there will still be a focus on making the Slim model's cameras stronger than the basic Galaxy S25 according to tipster Ice Universe.
Meanwhile, the iPhone 17 Air could surprise everyone by using just a single camera, perhaps a 48MP main sensor as we see on other flagship iPhones. That means no Pro–style telephoto camera, and apparently no ultrawide lens like a regular iPhone either, leaving this phone with more in common with an iPhone SE than its fellow iPhone 17s.
Hopefully, the 48MP main camera would give the Air night photography and 2x in-sensor zoom unlike the SE though. It's also tipped that the iPhone 17 Air will get a 24MP selfie camera, a higher resolution than the current iPhone 16 and an upgrade tipped for other iPhone 17 models, too.
Weirdly, the iPhone 17 Air is depicted with dual central cameras according to one render. This is such a departure from Apple's current and previous designs we have a hard time believing it.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Slim vs. iPhone 17 Air: Specs
If the Galaxy S25 Slim takes after the other Galaxy S25 models that have been rumored, then it should use the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, which would give it excellent performance. It could also use Qi2 wireless charging, a new standard that offers magnetic alignment for easier charging.
We've heard rumors for as much as 16GB of RAM for the Galaxy S25 Ultra series but there's not any intel on the S25 Ultra yet.
Applying a similar rule to the iPhone 17 Air, we would expect it to use a 3nm Apple A19 chipset, 12GB RAM for better AI processing with an Apple-built modem just like its siblings. It's also due to use the same battery tech as other iPhones, despite attempts to try a thinner solution, which could impact the phone's final size for the worse. But at least there could also be new glue to make it easier to replace the battery.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Slim vs. iPhone 17 Air: Outlook
Despite using similar names, the Galaxy S25 Slim and iPhone 17 Air/Slim couldn't be more different based on the rumors. Apple seems to want to simplify its Air phone, while Samsung wants to keep more flagship features intact, even if that means a thicker frame.
That said, the rumors for both phones are still incomplete, and contradictory in places. We'll keep looking out for more and update this page as we get more info.
