If you think most phones have looked the same over the last few years, you’re not alone. In fact, with the exception of foldable phones, the general slab form factor has barely changed.
The only noticeable design differences between one generation and the next these days is maybe the size of the bezel and the camera bump.
In 2025 phone makers seem to be jumping back on the thickness bandwagon, offering phones that are noticeably skinnier than their flagship counterparts. Samsung is one of the companies attempting that with the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge, a phone that is rumored to be just 5.84mm thick.
But having seen the phone on display at MWC 2025, I’m feeling pretty underwhelmed by the design. Here’s why.
The Galaxy S25 Edge doesn’t look that special up close
Back when Samsung first teased the Galaxy S25 Edge in January, right at the end of Galaxy Unpacked, it made grand promises about the phone’s design. It’s supposed to be a phone that’s “packed into a form that is sleek, powerful and unlike anything you’ve seen before.”
Shortly thereafter, Samsung revealed the official Galaxy S25 Edge design to attendees, with a display showcasing what the phone will actually look like when it releases. A similar display was also on show at MWC 2025, featuring 14 identical versions visible from just about any angle you can think of.
And to be perfectly honest, I’m not so sure I can see the appeal. Sure, the phone is thin, considerably thinner than my (admittedly rather chunky) Pixel 9 Pro. But it doesn’t look particularly special.
I look at the Galaxy S25 Edge and go “yep, that’s a Samsung Galaxy phone.” with my next thought being “is that actually much thinner than a Galaxy S25?”. It’s difficult to tell when a phone is suspended from the ceiling, and you’re not actually able to hold it or make proper comparisons with other devices.
Really the only interesting thing I can see from that hands-off view is that the phone only has two cameras. I use the term Interesting lightly there, because the number of cameras is hardly a novelty in 2025. But it is rather rare to see a Galaxy phone that doesn’t have three, even if the third lens is a terrible 2MP macro camera or something similar.
S25 Edge isn’t even the thinnest phone at MWC
Chinese phone maker Tecno could be pushing the limits of thinness even further with the 5.75mm Tecno Spark Slim. This is phone that people at MWC, myself included, have been able to get their hands on.
Not only does the Tecno Spark look thinner, seemingly aided by its curved edges, it’s extremely light. It’s just 5.07-ounces, and the company claims they actually had to artificially inflate the weight to stop the phone from feeling cheap and toy-like.
Admittedly, there are some problems with the Spark Slim that Samsung could easily outmatch. For starters, Chinese phones don’t have the same level of availability on the global market, especially in the U.S. Plus, as thin and light as this phone is, it’s design is not the best.
The rear camera bar, complete with dual lenses on opposite sides of the phone, looks pretty wonky compared to the neater S25 Edge.
Likewise ,we don’t actually know how the phone will perform compared to flagship devices. The S25 Edge, as best we can tell, should offer an experience similar to the rest of the Galaxy S25 series.
Then again, Apple is rumored to launch the iPhone 17 Air later this year, with a reported thickness of 5.5mm. Apple’s not the kind of company to nerf one of its flagships for the sake of it, and I’d be surprised if the phone wasn’t comparable to the standard iPhone 17.
Needless to say, Samsung’s biggest mobile competitor offering its own ultra-thin flagship does not bode well for the S25 Edge’s prospects.
There’s a lot to like about the Galaxy S25 series that’s already on sale. You get strong performance, a great set of cameras and excellent battery life, plus Galaxy AI features. I have no doubt that the Galaxy S25 Edge will offer all this as well — complementing its new design.
But, as it stands, I don’t feel like the Edge’s design will be enough for the Edge to stand alone. Pricing might be a factor, but my feeling is that it’s not going to be cheap — certainly not cheaper than the standard Galaxy S25. That’s what the S25 FE will be for.
And with that in mind, and the rather milquetoast design that Samsung has been showing off, I can’t help but wonder who this phone is going to be marketed at.
Here’s hoping Samsung is only being so coy about the Galaxy S25 Edge because it’s going to have some exclusive or specialist features you can’t get elsewhere. Otherwise, I’m not so sure why anyone should care about it.
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