The real reason I’m excited about the Galaxy S25 Edge and other ultra-thin phones

We’re barely into the third month of 2025, but already, one of the year’s biggest smartphone trends is taking shape: ultra-thin phones. Samsung teased the Galaxy S25 Edge in January ahead of its release later this spring, Apple may have its own thin iPhone in the works with the iPhone 17 Air, and TECNO just announced the Spark Slim.

Samsung and TECNO’s thin phones are aiming for ~6mm or less of thickness, which is undeniably impressive. Visually, the phones look striking, and compared to handsets like the Galaxy S25 Ultra and Google Pixel 9 Pro (measuring 8.2mm and 8.5mm, respectively), it’s no joke how much slimmer they really are.

I’m looking forward to this new generation of thin phones, but not necessarily because of the thinness. Putting aside the impressive technological feat, it’s another benefit that’ll come with these thin phones that I’m really excited about.

As smartphones go thinner and thinner, a few different things happen. Some are less-than-glamorous side effects, such as having to forgo large camera sensors and big batteries. Since there’s physically less phone available, there’s less room to squeeze in the biggest and best components.

On the flip side, that should also translate to significantly lighter phones. A thinner body means less of everything. Fewer camera sensors and smaller battery, sure, but also — and more importantly — less phone hardware. Glass, aluminum, and other materials that make up smartphone bodies are among the biggest contributors to smartphone weight, and with less of that to go around, phones are naturally going to get a lot lighter.

We don’t have exact weight measurements yet for Samsung or TECNO’s ultra-thin phones, though earlier rumors have suggested that the Galaxy S25 Edge will weigh less than 162g. If true, that’s unbelievably impressive.

For context, that’s the same weight as the regular Galaxy S25, a much smaller phone with a 6.2-inch screen. Remember, the Galaxy S25 Edge has a 6.7-inch screen — the same size as the Galaxy S25 Plus. But the S25 Plus weighs in at a hefty 190g. To get the same large display in a phone that weighs over 30 grams less sounds impossible, but that’s the future we’re headed towards with phones like the Galaxy S25 Edge.

Personally, that’s a future I want to live in. I’ve gravitated toward lighter phones more and more in recent months because I find myself really valuing the comfort they bring. Samsung and TECNO (and maybe Apple) are opening the door to get that comfort without sacrificing display size — and while throwing in the pizzazz of crazy-thin designs. These thin phones might seem gimmicky on the surface, but I also think they come with tremendous practicality that can’t be denied.

This isn’t the first time the mobile industry has looked toward super-thin phones as the future. In 2013, HUAWEI and vivo tried their hands at the form factor, releasing 6.18mm and 5.75mm phones, respectively. Making ultra-thin phones has always posed a unique challenge, and even more so over a decade ago. The 5.75mm vivo X3 had a single 8MP rear camera and a measly 2,000mAh battery.

But smartphone tech has come a long way since then, and that means manufacturers can do more with less space. The recently announced TECNO Spark Slim has the same 5.75mm profile as that old vivo phone, but it still manages to fit dual 50MP cameras on the back. It even has a 5,200mAh battery — 200mAh larger than the battery in the much thicker Galaxy S25 Ultra.

Are we still going to have to compromise for thin phones? Almost certainly. We may not ever see a 5-6mm phone with a telephoto camera, rigorous vapor chambers, or ultra-fast charging. But companies can squeeze a whole lot more into a thin chassis than what was possible a few years ago, and it looks like we’re at a point where it’s enough to mostly replicate a “normal” flagship.

I often choose smaller phones largely because they’re lighter and more comfortable, though that comes at the expense of a more cramped screen. Phones like the Galaxy S25 Edge and TECNO Spark Slim will soon offer the choice of having a bigger display in a much more manageable body — something I’ve wanted for years.

Samsung, TECNO, and any other company that releases an ultra-thin phone in the coming months will almost certainly spend all of their marketing focusing on the impossible thinness of their devices. And while that aspect will certainly be flashy and eye-catching, don’t forget about the very real advantage of having a big screen in a phone that doesn’t feel like a brick. Weight stands to be one of the biggest advantages of these ultra-thin phones — and it’s the sole reason I can’t wait to get my hands on them.