TL; DR
- Samsung ditched the triple-camera setup to make the S25 Edge just 5.84mm thin, competing with Apple’s rumored iPhone 17 Air.
- The ultra-thin design comes with a major trade-off—no telephoto lens and a smaller 3,900 mAh battery.
- Samsung has used a clever design trick to make the massive camera bump look less awkward against the slim frame.
Before Unpacked 2025, we revealed an early teaser of the Galaxy S25 Edge, what we believed to be Samsung’s ultra-slim flagship. At the time, the design featured a triple-camera setup and a 6.4mm thin body. But as always with early leaks, things can change. So, we teamed up with OnLeaks to investigate further—and what we found was surprising.
Samsung had been testing two different prototypes. One followed the triple-camera approach we initially saw, while the other was something entirely different: a phone designed to be thinner than ever, even if it meant sacrificing key features. And that’s exactly the direction Samsung chose.
With Apple’s upcoming iPhone 17 Air rumored to be between 5.5mm and 6mm thick, Samsung made a bold decision—cutting a camera, reducing thickness even further, and fully committing to being the thinnest flagship on the market.
Why the Triple-Camera Design Was Scrapped
The original 6.4mm prototype—the one we saw earlier—was already incredibly thin. But for Samsung, that wasn’t enough. The problem? Apple’s rumored dimensions meant Samsung’s design could still lose in the thinness race.
The solution? Drop the third camera and slim the device down to a staggering 5.84mm, with the dimensions being 158.2 x 75.5 x 5.84 mm. It’s a significant design shift that makes the S25 Edge one of the slimmest smartphones Samsung has ever created. We already got our first look at the S24 Edge at the Galaxy Unpacked 2025.
The Camera Bump Problem—and Samsung’s Optical Illusion
Of course, thinner phones come with a trade-off. With such a slim body, the cameras now protrude significantly, creating a stark contrast between the ultra-thin frame and the thick camera rings. The result? A total thickness of 10mm when factoring in the camera bump—nearly double the body thickness.
To solve this, Samsung has used a subtle design trick that probably nobody noticed… until now. The oblong section surrounding the cameras isn’t just an aesthetic choice—it’s a visual illusion that makes the camera bump seem less pronounced. By extending the surrounding area, the cameras blend in more naturally, making them look less awkwardly large against the ultra-thin frame.
ALSO READ: Should You Buy the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Now or Wait for Galaxy S25 Edge?
Galaxy S25 Edge Expected Specifications and Release Window
Despite the shift, the S25 Edge still packs flagship-level (sort of) hardware:
According to Ice Universe, the S25 Edge will feature a 200 MP ISOCELL HP2 sensor—the same as the S25 Ultra—alongside a 12 MP ultra-wide sensor. However, there’s no dedicated telephoto lens, as Samsung is relying on the 200 MP sensor for zooming, likely to maintain the phone’s ultra-thin profile.
Under the hood, the S25 Edge is set to run on the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy with 12 GB RAM and 25W charging, matching the base S25. For the battery, it is said to pack a 3,900 mAh cell, making it lighter than the base S25.
The absence of a telephoto lens and the smaller battery are clear trade-offs, but Samsung is betting big on thinness over everything else.
The Galaxy S25 Edge is expected to launch in April or May 2025, possibly alongside Samsung’s upcoming Android XR-powered VR headset, which was also showcased recently. But what’s more interesting is the strategy behind it.
Samsung vs. Apple: The Thinness Battle Is Just Beginning
By making this last-minute pivot, Samsung is ensuring that the S25 Edge will be the thinnest flagship (or among the thinnest) smartphone—at least for now. But if Apple manages to push even further below 5.84mm, the competition could take yet another unexpected turn.
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