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Galaxy S25 Edge vs iPhone 17 Air: Who is copying who and why?

By Adrian Diaconescu

Updated: Jan 24, 2025, 3:27 AM

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They say that there's no smoke without fire, and after seeing that adage confirmed time and time again in the mobile industry over the years, I'm willing to bet that most (if not all) recent rumors on the so-called "Galaxy S25 Edge" and "iPhone 17 Air" will eventually materialize.

Perhaps these new additions to the world's most popular premium handset families will not end up carrying those names, and it's clearly too soon to be certain of their exact dimensions and other detailed specs. But the two phones probably exist, and at least one of them is likely in the late stages of development, eyeing a commercial release during the first half of 2025.

That brings me to (at least) two important questions some of you may have also asked yourselves of late, which are bound to remain without a definitive answer for the foreseeable future. But that won't stop me from speculating, analyzing, and trying to find explanations today, so strap on and hear me out...

Is Samsung copying Apple or the other way around?

Ah, the age-old copycat argument! Who doesn't love a good old fashioned (verbal) brawl between two fan bases as passionate as Apple enthusiasts and Samsung loyalists? Well, I don't, and there's a very simple reason why.

The smartphone market is definitely big enough to accommodate and satisfy both fan bases (not to mention at least one or two more), and nothing useful will ever come from unfounded accusations and meaningless quarrels on trivial topics. In other words, why can't we all get along and focus on pressuring companies like Apple and Samsung into bringing palpable change and key upgrades in areas everyone cares about?

The S25 Edge is all but guaranteed to reduce the thickness of the S24 Ultra and lose the S Pen slot. | Image Credit -- PhoneArena

Yes, if all recent speculation pans out, Samsung will technically beat Apple to the "slim flagship" punch, which no one will remember a year or two from now. And yes, Apple may have started working on the iPhone 17 Air before Samsung magically got the idea to produce a fourth member of the S25 family, which will not matter one bit to the vast majority of the handset's prospective buyers.

Said buyers will instead want to know how this Slim model differs from the other three Galaxy S25 series devices and if they should go for it or wait a few more months to see what the first Air-branded iPhone brings to the table. And that in turn brings me to...

Why does the Galaxy S25 Edge exist?

Now that, my friends and dear readers, is the million (or perhaps multi-billion) dollar question Samsung's marketing department will probably have to answer in a few months. Once again based on current gossip (and my own personal hunch), the S25 Edge is likely to tower above the S25, S25 Plus, and S25 Ultra in terms of camera performance while obviously lacking S Pen support and even more obviously focusing on its appearance more than its aforementioned siblings.

Is there demand for such a product? I guess we'll see soon enough, but I for one have certainly been feeling like there's something missing from Samsung's high-end device roster. That all started with the Galaxy Note family axing a few years back, and as the foldable novelty factor is quickly wearing off, the feeling that a replacement of sorts is badly needed to breathe fresh air into the Galaxy S series grows and grows.

Do we need a much thinner flagship than the Galaxy S24? Maybe not. Do we want one? Absolutely! | Image Credit -- PhoneArena

The key disadvantage to reducing the thickness and weight of the Galaxy S24, however, is quite clear and could prove extremely painful, especially if the S25 Edge ends up costing roughly as much as or even more than the S24 Ultra. Can you imagine spending $1,200 or so on a phone barely capable of lasting 10 or 12 hours between charges?

Of course, those numbers are the result of an assumption on my part, but while Samsung is likely to try (and possibly succeed) in working its software optimizing magic to squeeze the most out of the S25 Edge's battery, it's safe to assume said battery will not be very large or deliver impressive running times.

With all that in mind, I will not change my position from just last week, and if I'm predicting the iPhone 17 Air to become a hit, it's only logical to expect the same from the Galaxy S25 Edge. Still, I can't help but feel like Samsung is wasting precious resources on "copying" the wrong iPhone rather than taking a page out of the SE playbook, for instance, to release a truly affordable Galaxy S25 FE with a hefty battery and respectable overall specs. Now that's the kind of "clone" I'm ready to defend to my last breath.

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Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.