iPhone 17 Air might be challenged by special Galaxy S25, says report
According to a report, the Galaxy S25 FE could rival the iPhone 17 Air in a key way
📱 Samsung might be readying its own iPhone 17 Air
🤏 The Galaxy S25 FE could be super slim and have a big screen
📅 The phone is expected to debut later in 2025
🤔 It’s convenient that it’s leaking now just as the 17 Air is starting to heat up
Apple is rumored to be working on a super-slim iPhone 17 Air for next year, but it looks like it’ll face some unexpected competition. Samsung will introduce a thinner version of the Galaxy S25 later next year, according to a report from The Elec whose forecast for the rest of the S25 series lines up with what we’ve heard from previous rumors.
The device in question is the Galaxy S25 FE, which, like most Galaxy FE phones from Samsung, will follow the rest of the S25 series later in the year. The Elec says that the device will feature an ultra-thin body with a larger screen to boot, giving you extra room for multitasking and watching movies while also providing a bit of room for a longer, wider battery (which will likely shrink anyway given the thickness of the phone).
The report mentions the display will be 6.7 inches, which is the same size we expect to see on the S25 Plus. It’s also the same size as the iPhone 16 Plus, which we expect Apple to take inspiration from for the size the iPhone 17 Air.
As for other specs, The Elec doesn’t mention anything besides a smaller battery in the S25 FE. The phone is expected to debut later in 2025, though, which makes sense.
Interesting timing
We don’t know how thin this phone will be or whether the battery will actually shrink, but it’s interesting to hear rumors about a super-thin Samsung phone at a time like this. The 17 Air continues heating up in the rumor world since we heard about Apple’s super-thin iPhone back in August when a report detailed how it would sacrifice camera quality, battery life, and display quality for a thinner body.
All of that sounds like something Apple would do to prove a point about its engineering chops and deliver something flashy to show off to customers. It could also mean the iPhone 17 Air will be positioned similar to the Galaxy S25 FE as more of a premium entry-level flagship rather than a big, flashy phone that steals the spotlight from the upcoming iPhone 17 Pro and Galaxy S25 Ultra. Previous reports indicate the Air could be positioned somewhere between the regular 17 and 17 Pro, and while we can’t say for sure, that might be how Samsung positions the new S25 FE to better compete.
We’re still a ways away from seeing the iPhone 17 Air or Galaxy S25 FE, but these are both rumors we’ll be watching closely heading into 2025.