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The market of ultra-thin and light-weight telephones is formally at its tipping level, as Apple threw its hat into the ring this week with the brand new iPhone Air.
The most recent and arguably most progressive iPhone options the corporate’s slimmest design but, measuring at round 5.6mm thick. How did the oldsters at Cupertino obtain such a report? By choosing a smaller battery, fewer cameras, and a few design parts that disrupt the norm, particularly by iPhone requirements. In different phrases, it is a completely completely different beast.
Additionally: Everything Apple announced at its September iPhone event
Its closest competitor, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge, is one other one. The S25 Edge follows the same design philosophy, serving customers a burdenless {hardware} expertise with some questionable omissions. Between the 2 telephones, which one must you purchase? That is what I am right here to reply.
Specs
| Function | Apple iPhone Air | Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge |
| Beginning worth | $999 | $1,099 |
| Show measurement | 6.5″ | 6.7″ |
| Processor | A19 Professional | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite |
| Entrance digital camera | 18MP Heart Stage, Twin Seize | 12MP ultrawide |
| Rear cameras | 48MP Fusion digital camera | 200MP Primary, 12MP ultrawide |
| Battery | 2,800mAh (estimated) | 3,900mAh |
| Storage | 256GB, 512GB, 1TB | 256GB, 512GB |
| Weight | 165g | 162g |
| Finishes | Sky Blue, Gentle Gold, Cloud White, House Black | Titanium Icyblue, Jetblack, and Silver |
You should purchase the iPhone Air if…
1. You need the much less dangerous skinny cellphone
What do I imply by that? For starters, the iPhone Air begins at $999, undercutting the S25 Edge by $100, so it is already an funding that must be simpler to handle. That cash will get you 256GB of inner storage (the identical because the Samsung), Apple’s repubtable software program replace coverage that retains the cellphone feature-relevant for years down the street, and an iOS experience that has confirmed dependable for app assist and fluidity.
Additionally: Apple iPhone 17 Pro vs. iPhone 16 Pro: Here are the main differences
It goes with out saying that in the event you’re a present iPhone person, the iPhone Air would be the better option of the 2, with advantages like simpler knowledge switch (together with these pesky contacts that by no means save correctly) and entry to a well-known suite of iOS apps like iMessage and FaceTime.
Apple’s retail presence can also be a lot stronger than Samsung’s, with a number of shops centralized throughout widespread cities within the U.S. (and outdoors) for smoother servicing.
2. You are continuously open air (and need one of the best view)
Apple says the iPhone Air can attain a peak brightness of three,000 nits, beating the S25 Edge’s 2,600-nit ranking. That merely means the iPhone will seem brighter when open air or below intense lighting, making the gadget simpler to learn, browse, and navigate.
Additionally: Every iPhone 17 model compared: Should you buy the base model, Air, Pro, or Max?
So far as different show specs go, the iPhone Air competes squarely with the S25 Edge, from the 120Hz show to the sturdiness of the glass layering. You may as well argue that the iPhone’s smaller 6.5-inch display screen measurement makes it simpler to wield and function with one hand in comparison with the S25 Edge’s 6.7-inch display screen.
You should purchase the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge if…
1. You desire a extra versatile digital camera system
Whereas each producers had restricted type elements to construct cameras round, Samsung presents extra artistic freedom with the S25 Edge. That begins with the 200MP principal sensor (in comparison with the iPhone Air’s 48MP), which permits high-resolution pictures when cropped or captured in RAW.
Then you definately issue within the extra 12MP ultrawide sensor that stretches the width of the pictures you possibly can take. I count on Apple to closely market the iPhone Air’s “Fusion Digicam,” however belief me once I say that no synthetic modifications will ever beat pure, bodily optics.
2. You desire a extra feature-packed cellphone
Android phones have all the time been extra useful than iPhones, and that holds true for the S25 Edge. In comparison with the iPhone Air, the Samsung handset encompasses a extra expansive AI toolkit, backed by each Galaxy AI and Google’s Gemini companies. That features shopping instruments like Circle to Search, a extra in depth picture enhancing suite, system-wide translation capabilities, and extra.
The S25 Edge additionally helps bodily SIM playing cards, whereas the iPhone Air is eSIM solely, irrespective of which area you buy the handset from. This can be a deal breaker for frequent vacationers who require the usage of native SIM playing cards or prospects who merely do not wish to digitize their SIM playing cards.
Additionally: Finally, a Samsung phone that I’d put my S25 Ultra away for (especially at this price)
For audio-listeners, the S25 Edge packs a stereo speaker system versus the iPhone’s mono audio channel. It will be very tough for the iPhone to output a louder and richer sound than the Galaxy, even when Apple embeds some display screen vibration know-how to assist amplify the audio.
Lastly, the S25 Edge has a bigger 3,900mAh battery in comparison with the iPhone Air’s estimated 2,800mAh capability. Nonetheless, these numbers do not inform the total endurance story, so we’ll have to check the iPhone to see precisely how optimized the gadget is.