So here we are again, counting millimeters like they’re medals. In a year where AI is rewriting everything—search results, court rulings, your grandmother’s voice messages—maybe even this article (oops, sorry CW journo!)—Apple and Samsung are still fighting it out on one of the oldest battlegrounds in tech: who can make the thinnest phone that still feels like a full-fat flagship. Apple’s iPhone Air drops to 5.6mm, flaunting a titanium rail and whispering about power through delicacy. Samsung responds with the Galaxy S25 Edge, clocking in at 5.8mm, and dares to ask a different question—what’s the point of being thinner if you start stripping away the muscle?
The S25 Edge isn’t just Samsung’s answer to Apple’s obsession with lightness. It’s a calculated bet that some users still want their phones to do things. It’s thinner than the Galaxy S24 Ultra, sure, but it doesn’t pretend to be a lifestyle object first and a workhorse second. It packs a curved-edge QHD+ AMOLED screen that wraps around the sides like it’s trying to reach for you. The visuals are rich, immersive, and aggressive—the kind of display that makes you want to play something loud and fast, not just scroll through minimalist weather widgets. Inside, it runs either the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 or the Samsung-custom “X Elite” variant depending on your region, and it’s fast—very fast. But unlike the iPhone Air, it doesn’t hide behind minimalism. It leans into power.
And that power shows in choices Apple avoided. The S25 Edge retains a multi-lens camera system, giving users more range—ultrawide, telephoto, macro—because not everything can be solved with computational AI filters. It’s a phone that still believes in optics. Apple, with the Air, seems to have decided that “main camera only” is good enough if your AI can do the rest. But in real-world use—especially here in South Asia, where scenes can shift from sunlight to shadows in seconds, and subjects aren’t always perfectly framed—you still need the hardware. And Samsung kept it.
Then there’s the battery. The Galaxy S25 Edge comes with a 3,900mAh battery, not massive by flagship standards but enough to comfortably last through a normal day without straining. Apple’s battery numbers on the iPhone Air are vague at best—promises of “all-day life” that assume you aren’t streaming, gaming, or running five background tasks. In Pakistan, where load-shedding still isn’t ancient history, and mobile multitasking is the norm, a phone’s battery isn’t a spec—it’s survival. The Edge isn’t just thinner than most Samsung phones. It’s smart about what it keeps and what it sheds. It doesn’t starve the internals for the sake of a spec sheet flex.
Physically, the S25 Edge walks a tightrope. The curved display edges are polarizing—they shimmer, but they’re also harder to protect. The frame, though, is solid. It feels premium, without being precious. The weight is just right—around 163 grams—so it doesn’t feel like a toy. And while it’s slightly thicker than the iPhone Air, it doesn’t creak under pressure. Both phones are fragile in the real world. A Karachi street, a rickshaw ride, or a drop on a tiled Lahore floor will remind you that all that titanium or Gorilla Glass Victus means very little if the repair bill makes you cry. But the S25 Edge at least gives you more back for the risk.
And that’s really the story here. Samsung isn’t just chasing thinness—it’s trying to offer a version of “premium” that doesn’t feel like a compromise. Apple’s iPhone Air is visually stunning, no doubt. It’s a marvel of hardware engineering. But it’s also a bit of a mirage. It hides the trade-offs behind marketing polish and aluminum sheen. Samsung’s S25 Edge doesn’t hide. It embraces the contradiction. Thin, yes. But not meek. Curved, yes. But not delicate. Feature-rich, still. Even if it means being 0.2mm less thin.
In a world obsessed with aesthetics, Samsung’s Edge dares to be utilitarian. And maybe that’s what sets it apart. In Pakistan, where cost, function, and adaptability still rule over hype cycles, a phone like the Edge makes more sense. You get a camera system that can handle rain, crowds, and motion. A screen that thrives on brightness and color. A battery that doesn’t blink when you’re live-streaming, WhatsApp-calling, and running GPS at the same time. And it doesn’t pretend to be something it’s not. It knows you’ll drop it. It knows you’ll push it. And it’s built to take it.
So while the iPhone Air might win the title for the world’s thinnest, the Galaxy S25 Edge wins something else: the right to still be called a phone. Not a design object. Not a status symbol. Just a machine that works hard, looks good, and doesn’t need to disappear into your pocket to earn your respect. In the end, maybe that’s the edge that matters.
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