OPINION: Chances are you’ll not have observed it, because the tempo of the change has been gradual, even glacial, however telephones have been steadily getting bigger, heavier, and thicker for the reason that early 2010s. Maintain an iPhone 16 Professional Max up subsequent to a comparatively slimline iPhone 4 and also you’ll see what I imply; it’s not only a larger display, but it surely’s manner bulkier and heavier.
Nonetheless, reviews circulating the net counsel that each Apple and Samsung are set to sort out this situation in 2025 with the iPhone 17 Air and Galaxy S25 Slim.
Whereas not a lot is understood about Samsung’s alleged slimline S25 other than the truth that it might launch someday between April and June 2025, we do know a little bit extra about Apple’s Air-branded iPhone allegedly due for launch subsequent September.
On-line rumours counsel that the iPhone 17 Air might exchange the iPhone 16 Plus in Apple’s subsequent smartphone line-up, providing a a lot thinner design than present iPhones.
It is sensible from a branding perspective, not solely as a result of it’s stated to be thinner and lighter however as a result of Apple’s iPad Air acts as a bridge between common iPads and the iPad Professional assortment with extra premium options, however not fairly Professional.
Take the newest iPad Air for instance; it’s the one non-Professional iPad to be out there in the identical 11- and 13-inch sizes because the new iPad Professional line, and it’s additionally the one non-Professional iPad to function an M-series chipset, albeit a barely older one.
That might place the iPhone 17 Air as a midway home between common iPhone 17 and 17 Professional, presumably providing the identical elevated 6.9-inch display measurement because the 17 Professional Max and perhaps even a better refresh charge, if not the complete 120Hz therapy. Apple is alleged to be engaged on a 90Hz display for its non-Professional iPhones, in order that’d line up properly with what an Air-branded iPhone might supply.
It might additionally sport this 12 months’s A18 Professional instead of (what I’m assuming might be) the entry-level A19 within the common iPhone 17, however that’s pure hypothesis on my half.
The query is, does anyone really want a slimmer smartphone?
Sure, there’s little doubt in my thoughts that smartphones within the early 2010s had been extra pocketable, simpler to make use of one-handed, slimmer and lighter than what you’ll discover within the 2024 market – however let’s take these rose-tinted glasses off for a second, as a result of let’s be trustworthy, the expertise from these telephones wasn’t all that nice.
That begins with battery life. Do now we have collective amnesia about how unhealthy battery life was on smartphones after they had been so slim and lightweight? As a result of I keep in mind the fixed battle of making an attempt to make my cellphone final till the top of the day, particularly with earlier iterations of iPhone.
Heck, I keep in mind watching my iPhone 3Gs battery go down by 1% a minute when taking part in music via my headphones.
It wasn’t any higher on the Android cellphone entrance both, with a big swathe of customers carrying an extra cellphone battery with them to swap out as soon as the primary one inevitably ran dry someday through the day.
In comparison with one thing just like the iPhone 16 Professional Max that may final a full day, if not two full days of use, on a single cost, the expertise actually is night time and day. Certain, the iPhone 16 Professional Max is manner thicker than older iPhones, however I’m very happy to sacrifice a couple of millimetres if that’s the end result.
Lowering the thickness of telephones gained’t solely impression battery life both; it’ll additionally probably have a knock-on impact on digicam efficiency.
The explanation that so many telephones have pretty massive digicam bumps is that trendy smartphone cameras want a little bit extra space to function correctly. That’s very true of telescope and periscope lenses which want far more house to amplify the picture than common smartphones, so it’s probably {that a} slimline iPhone or Samsung would fully forego zoom lenses.
It’d additionally shut the door on introducing extra superior digicam tech like a variable aperture or superior OIS, additional lowering simply how efficient the cameras on a very slim cellphone could possibly be.
With rumours that the iPhone 17 Air will solely function a single 48MP rear digicam, it appears to be like like this might certainly be the case for Apple’s skinny iPhone.
Then there’s additionally efficiency to think about, as present flagship smartphones get sizzling sufficient of their present iteration to decelerate efficiency after some time, not to mention one which’s slimmer, extra compact and thus has even much less house to maneuver warmth round throughout the machine to maintain issues operating easily.
Oh, after which there’s sturdiness; 2024 smartphones are nonetheless inclined to the age-old ‘Will it bend?’ take a look at (thanks JerryRigEverything), but it surely’s actually not as unhealthy because the likes of the iPhone 6 that might get bent from one thing so simple as placing it in your pocket.
So, by my estimation, you’ll be getting a thinner smartphone however one which probably gained’t final as lengthy on a cost, be capable of energy lengthy gaming classes and even take close-up photographs. Yeah, I’m sorry Apple and Samsung, however I don’t assume we really want slimline smartphones in 2025.
