This article may contain personal views and opinion from the author.
If I have to describe the development of the smartphone market in 2025 in as few words as possible, I’d only say, Well, duh.
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think I’m the smartest man alive, but some of the biggest releases of the year led to the least surprising outcomes I could imagine. Of course, I’m talking about the so-called ultra slim smartphones, which turned out to be less popular than any manufacturer could’ve hoped.
Actually, it’s so bad that the whole industry seems to step back from the idea. Reportedly, most major brands, including Xiaomi, Oppo, and Vivo, have frozen or altogether ditched their ultra slim phone projects.
I think that’s great news.
Even the biggest companies can be wrong sometimes
The sales of the iPhone Air and the Galaxy S25 Edge were also thin. | Image credit – PhoneArena
Of course, it all started with Samsung and Apple. Launched with great fanfare, first the Galaxy S25 Edge and then the iPhone Air turned into two of the loudest flops of the year. The disappointment was so big that Samsung went back to the drawing board and changed the Galaxy S26 line to exclude the Galaxy S26 Edge. Apple also decided to delay the iPhone Air 2 and is even contemplating a significant redesign.
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If you have paid attention to what people want from their phones, you shouldn’t be surprised by those results. Both the S25 Edge and the iPhone Air look and feel fantastic, but they’re full of compromises. They come with small batteries, inferior cameras, and performance limitations that are unacceptable for such expensive devices.
Probably the bigger issue is that Apple and Samsung couldn’t find a way to explain why those compromises are worth it. Most people looking for a flagship phone find precisely those features very important. They are more than eager to trade a millimeter or two for a larger battery and can’t understand how different a thin phone is.
Before using them, slim phones don’t make any sense. The 205 g iPhone 17 Pro may feel very different from the 160 g iPhone Air, but on paper, that feeling doesn’t make sense. Hence, people didn’t find a reason to buy the super slim phone.
While the slim phones were failing left and right, the two leading smartphone companies in the world were enjoying the success of some of their other devices. The Galaxy Z Fold 7salesexceeded even Samsung’s expectations, and the iPhone 17 series launched Apple back into the number 1 spot on the global smartphone market.
The common thread of those successes is that both companies answered to people’s desires. After years of complaints and jokes, the iPhone 17 finally got a ProMotion display, double base storage, and faster charging. Apple didn’t stop there and launched the iPhone 17 Pro with a big leap in performance and a notable battery upgrade.
What improvement would make you consider a super slim smartphone?
A larger battery
40%
Better cameras
10%
Improved performance
5%
Lower price
20%
Even thinner body
5%
Nothing, I like thick phones
20%
Samsung caught up to the competition and thinned down the Galaxy Z Fold 7. It also fixed its cover screen, making it so comfortable that you can easily use it like a normal phone.
Those changes were exactly the opposite of what the iPhone Air and the Galaxy S25 Edge offered. Instead of addressing user problems, they exacerbated users’ biggest worries. Unsurprisingly, that approach doesn’t sell phones. Bigger batteries, good designs, faster performance, and better pricing do.
It could be a lesson
As unsurprising as 2025 has been, it could serve the smartphone industry a great lesson. Good phones lead to good sales, and I believe everyone is happy with that.
That lesson could lead to a better future for the slim phone concept. Apple is likely to launch the iPhone Air 2 in 2027, and Samsung may continue developing the Galaxy S26 Edge. If they manage to fix the most glaring issues with the concept, who knows, they might become a niche success. After all, both companies have felt how good things can be when you meet the needs of your users.
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Ilia, a tech journalist at PhoneArena, has been covering the mobile industry since 2011, with experience at outlets like Forbes Bulgaria. Passionate about smartphones, tablets, and consumer tech, he blends deep industry knowledge with a personal fascination that began with his first Nokia and Sony Ericsson devices. Originally from Bulgaria and now based in Lima, Peru, Ilia balances his tech obsessions with walking his dog, training at the gym, and slowly mastering Spanish.
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