iPhone 17 Air rumored to be thinner than Galaxy S25 Edge — but with a tiny battery that might not last the day
Apple’s upcoming iPhone 17 Air is shaping up to be the thinnest iPhone ever, possibly even stealing the spotlight from the sleek Galaxy S25 Edge — but there’s a major catch: the battery.
According to reports, the iPhone 17 Air could launch with a 6.6-inch 120Hz LTPO OLED display, packed into a featherweight frame just 5.5mm thin — that’s 0.3mm slimmer than Samsung’s already-skinny Galaxy S25 Edge. It’s also expected to weigh just 145 grams, 18g lighter than its Galaxy rival.
But Apple’s obsession with thinness may come at the cost of power. Rumors suggest the iPhone 17 Air will carry a 2,800mAh battery, a significant drop from the 3,900mAh cell inside the Galaxy S25 Edge — that’s 1,100mAh (or nearly 28%) less.
Internal Apple tests reportedly indicate that only 60–70% of users will get a full day of battery life from the device, compared to 80–90% for most other iPhones. Apple is expected to counter this limitation with AI-powered battery optimizations in iOS 19, though it remains unclear how effective those software tricks will be.
In terms of optics, the iPhone 17 Air is rumored to feature a single 48MP rear camera with a large 1/1.56-inch sensor — similar in physical size to the Galaxy S25 Edge’s 200MP main shooter. No ultrawide or telephoto cameras are expected, but the phone may support 2x optical-quality zoom. A 12MP front camera rounds out the package.
Apple’s design compromises don’t end there. To shave off millimeters, the iPhone 17 Air may omit stereo speakers and a physical SIM card slot. It’s reportedly targeting a sub-$1,000 price point and is slated for release in the second half of this year.
The Galaxy S25 Edge, while thinner and lighter than most flagships, appears to maintain a more balanced spec sheet — offering better endurance without going ultra-thin. Still, with Apple’s brand appeal, the iPhone 17 Air might outsell Samsung’s sleekest device yet, even if it runs out of juice by dinner.