It was all about the Galaxy S25 during Samsung's January Unpacked event.
That's no surprise since this is always the season for new Galaxy devices, but just because the phone fanfare was expected doesn't mean there wasn't any novelty.
While much of the new news came courtesy of a slew of Galaxy AI updates (and boy, was there a lot of AI), the biggest, most tantalizing bit was actually, technically, the smallest.
I'm talking about the Samsung Edge.
The cutting Edge
Samsung's Edge, teased as a "one more thing" announcement at the end of Galaxy Unpacked, is precisely what it sounds like — a slimmer, maybe even lighter, Galaxy phone.
While we don't know much about the Edge, Laptop Mag got a preview of the device after Samsung's Unpacked event concluded. And to the eye, it looks pretty damn thin.
While I'd love more information about the Edge, we have very little concrete information right now. However, its very existence says almost everything you need to know: smaller phones are returning.
And that's something I couldn't be more excited about.
Bigger ain't always better
Sure, big phones are pretty popular, but not all of us love the idea of hauling around a brick of titanium and glass.
I count myself among Big Phone detractors, which is why I still use (for my everyday carry) the iPhone 13.
Is it the latest or greatest iPhone? No, it is decidedly not — it wasn't even technically that when it was released in 2021. But it is one thing: compact.
I've always appreciated the compactness of that particular generation of iPhone, especially as I've watched phones from Apple and Samsung balloon in size over the years.
And who could blame them? Big phones sell, but even big phone lovers have their limits, and clearly, the Samsungs of the world are taking note of that with the Edge.
Again, I can't say how far the Edge moves the needle in the thin and light direction, but Samsung isn't the type of company to not back up a claim like that, especially regarding its most successful flagship line of phones.
Miniaturizing without sacrificing performance is one of the most impressive feats of any technology. If the Edge does that, I'd say Samsung probably has a hit on its hands. And the best part? It's likely not alone in its endeavor to shrink our ever-growing phone sizes.
The era of slim phones is here
Samsung isn't the only one chasing a slimmer smartphone.
Apple is rumored to be working on the iPhone Air 17, which occupies a similarly slimmer space.
According to recent rumors from frequent Apple leaker Mark Gurman, the iPhone 17 Air "will be about 2 millimeters thinner than existing iPhones." For comparison, a nickel is 1.95 millimeters thick. For context, the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus measure 7.8 millimeters thick, and the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max are 8.25 millimeters thick.
This is all to say that rumors suggest Apple aims to make the iPhone slimmer and lower-profile.
We don't know if the iPhone Air is real yet and probably won't know until September. However, these rumors and the very real Samsung Edge make for a clear trend: slim phones are in.
Whether or not either phone will be slim enough to make its case to consumers is entirely different. Still, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't legitimately excited by the prospect of a smaller device. Here's to hoping the future is thinner.
