From late last year to the present, the buzzword in the domestic mobile phone market has been "price drop." Almost every smartphone on the shelves has joined this price war, even Apple. To attract more users, Apple has even proactively reduced prices for some models, bringing them within the reach of national subsidies. These repeated price adjustments are a testament to Apple's anxiety over sluggish sales growth, as confirmed by reports from reputable research institutions. Fewer people are opting for iPhones compared to previous years, a direct consequence of diminishing innovation and subsequent loss of novelty.

However, while the word "innovation" is easy to utter, it's challenging to execute, especially for a globally renowned brand like Apple. Any minor flaw in an iPhone can elicit a significant backlash, prompting Apple to tread cautiously with its innovations. This sentiment applies to all smartphone manufacturers. Nonetheless, minor, less technically demanding innovations are still feasible, such as reducing the phone's thickness.

Apple has similar plans for this year. Current rumors suggest that the iPhone 17 series will forgo the Plus version in favor of an ultra-thin Air variant (some speculate it might be named Slim), boasting a sleek 5.5mm thickness. While Apple ponders this move, Samsung is proactively taking the lead. Samsung has officially confirmed the existence of an ultra-thin S25 version, likely to be named S25 Edge, a nod to its classic dual-curved models of yesteryears.

Samsung's decision to revive this naming convention could be seen as a homage to its past classics. The S25 Edge's primary selling point is its thinness, with a design tweak in the works. Perhaps realizing that the initial 6.4mm thickness wasn't enough to compete with the iPhone 17 Air, Samsung plans to slim down the S25 Edge to 5.8mm. However, this reduction comes at a cost: the rear camera setup will be downsized from three to two lenses, potentially eliminating the telephoto lens.

The S25 Edge's ultra-thin profile introduces another issue: its battery capacity will not exceed 3500mAh. To address battery life concerns, rumors suggest the phone will use a Snapdragon 8 Ultimate variant with one less performance core. Nonetheless, potential S25 Edge users should be prepared to carry a charger or power bank at all times, especially if they use the phone intensively for activities like gaming.

The trade-off for being thinner isn't just the loss of a lens and reduced battery capacity. With the overall thickness remaining largely unchanged, the rear camera will protrude more prominently. It remains to be seen whether users will embrace this design. As for whether the S25 Edge can compete globally with the iPhone 17 Air, sales projections are uncertain, but Samsung will have the advantage of being first to market. We'll have to wait and see what the public thinks.

The latest news indicates that the S25 Edge will be released in April this year. For those of you considering an upgrade, will you opt for Samsung's model or wait for the iPhone 17 Air in September?