The iPhone 17 Air has appeared in reports even before the iPhone 16 came out, and it looks like Apple is making a thinner iPhone than any of its predecessors. Apple has not confirmed anything, but the rumors haven’t disappeared. It’s very likely the iPhone 17 Air is real and coming in September.
Naturally, if Apple does something, Samsung is bound to attempt to replicate it; just look at what has happened in the past six months. The Galaxy Watch Ultra, the new Galaxy Buds, and Project Moohan are new Samsung products that look too much like their Apple equivalents. Even One UI 7, the Android 15 update coming to Samsung devices after the Galaxy S25 launch, looks a lot like iOS 18.
That’s why we’re getting a Galaxy S25 Slim next year, the ultra-thin Galaxy S25 variant that will compete against the iPhone 17 Air. Samsung will not wait for the iPhone 17 series to come out before it launches a Slim flagship. The Galaxy S25 release date is set for the second quarter of 2025, several months before Apple unveils the 2025 phones.
That will give Samsung bragging rights, as the Galaxy S25 Slim will precede the Air. But Samsung will reportedly take a cautious approach with the Galaxy S25 Slim, giving the phone a limited production run.
The information comes from the usually well-informed Korean site ETNews. Samsung will manufacture about 3 million Galaxy S25 Slim units, or about 10% of the combined production for the other three Galaxy S25 models.
The Galaxy S25 Slim will not be released at the same time as the S25, S25 Plus, and S25 Ultra. These three are the main Galaxy S25 phones, which Samsung will unveil in about a month. They’ll be available in stores by early February.
It’s unclear whether Samsung will tease the Galaxy S25 Slim during the Unpacked event in January, but the report notes the phone will get a Q2 2025 release date. That’s a period typically reserved for the more budget-friendly Galaxy A-series phones.
The Galaxy S25 Slim will reportedly feature a 6.66-inch display similar to the Galaxy S25 Plus model. It’s unclear what compromises Samsung will have to make for the handset and how thin it will be.
According to a recent report, the iPhone 17 Air should measure around 6.25mm and pack a 6.6-inch display. The phone will have a single-lens camera on the back, which might be placed centrally.
It’ll be interesting to see how many cameras Samsung gives the Galaxy S25 Slim. Then again, Samsung was forced to learn how to make ultra-thin foldable phones after intense pressure from Chinese rivals. That’s the Galaxy Z Fold SE that’s usually sold out.
The Galaxy S25 limited run would mimic Samsung’s approach for the Galaxy Z Fold SE launched a few weeks ago. ETNews says Samsung produced only up to 400,000 Fold SE units. Also, the ultra-thin foldable is available in Korea and China only.
However, the Fold SE seems to be a success for Samsung. Other trusted sources said recently that the Galaxy Z Fold 7 will get the same design as the Fold SE model.
The report doesn’t say how much the Galaxy S25 Slim will cost, but the price will be a key factor in its success. A different report claims the iPhone 17 Air won’t be more expensive than the Pro models, suggesting a starting price point of well under $1,000.
