As yesterday's Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event came to a close, we were surprised by an announcement asking everyone at the event to pay attention to their nearest screen. A brief introductory video for an unexpected fourth variant of the Galaxy S25 then played, teasing a razor-thin form factor, swiftly followed by the title "Galaxy S25 Edge" flashing up on the screen.
The Edge suffix has been a staple in previous Samsung lineups, usually in reference to a curved display that melts over the frame of the device. Samsung ended this naming convention with the Galaxy S7 series and converted its lineup to entirely flat displays with the Galaxy S24 series. Unfortunately for fans of curved screens, this new Edge naming convention doesn't signal the return of this form factor but instead hints towards a new ultra-thin design.
Little is known about this device currently aside from it being the thinnest Galaxy smartphone to be released by Samsung. It also appears to drop one of its cameras, with a new vertically stacked dual lens system on the rear. We presume that it will leverage Samsung and Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon Elite for Galaxy processor for the comprehensive suite of Galaxy AI features too.
As for the AV-specific features, we anticipate an OLED display (in true Samsung fashion) with a 120Hz variable refresh rate and HDR10+ support. However, considering how slim this device is, we have to wonder if Samsung will leverage a new panel technology to achieve this super slender design. Apple notably launched its slimmest-ever iPad Pro last year, and it accredits tandem OLED for this achievement; could we see Samsung use the same panel tech for a similar use case?
Speaking of Apple, the Galaxy S25 Edge announcement follows substantial rumours that Apple will launch an iPhone 17 Air later this year alongside its usual standard, Plus, Pro and Pro Max models. While a futuristic form factor is a plus, we are mostly concerned with picture and sound performance, so we sincerely hope both Samsung and Apple are keeping these crucial factors in mind.
Interestingly, no price or release date was shared for this device. We have no idea when to expect this new phone, as it has not officially launched alongside the Galaxy S25, S25 Plus and S25 Ultra, nor do we know where it will be positioned within the new lineup.
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