A decade ago, it was common for smartphones to undergo significant changes in shape and size within just a year. At that time, major phone manufacturers found it relatively easy to justify their enthusiastic annual marketing events to showcase new designs, while eager consumers camped out overnight to be among the first to acquire the latest models. Today, aside from the niche market for folding phones, design has become much more stable. However, Apple and Samsung are set to reignite some of that past excitement this year with an innovation reminiscent of 2015: ultra-thin phones.
Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 17, 17 Pro, and 17 Pro Max at its annual event, and there are widespread rumors about the introduction of an iPhone 17 Air, which would feature a large screen within a slim frame. This model is intended to replace the underperforming Plus variant, which was a successor to the less popular Mini phone. Apple appears to be aiming for greater success with a device that can easily fit into slim pockets.
On the other hand, Samsung is introducing a similar concept with the Galaxy S25 Edge, which was briefly mentioned during the unveiling of the S25 lineup last month. Details are scarce, but it is confirmed to be released this year and is designed to be slim. Attendees at the S25 event were able to view it without touching.
The question arises: are these slender phones merely superficial attempts to drive upgrades in an age where quality devices can satisfy users for six to seven years, or do they offer genuine utility? Analyst Foad Fadaghi from Telsyte suggests they could serve both purposes. With the smartphone market reaching maturity and consumers upgrading every four years on average, manufacturers must create a variety of models to maintain excitement around their brands.
“It’s about providing something different from what consumers currently own to encourage them to reconsider,” he noted. “Often, it doesn’t take much for a new model to appeal once a handset has aged.” Manufacturers are striving to create as many incentives as possible for repeat purchases.
The trend toward thinner devices is not new. Following the bulky touchscreen phones of the 2000s, each year saw the introduction of sleeker models as manufacturers competed to produce the most stylish devices. However, this focus on thinness often came at the expense of battery life and cooling efficiency, and build quality suffered as well, as evidenced by the 2014 iPhone 6 lineup, which remains the thinnest generation of iPhones but was prone to bending.
While the iPhone 6 is the thinnest and most fragile model Apple has produced, advancements in materials and design have significantly improved since then.
