Most individuals do not buy a brand new cellphone yearly. At this level within the lifetime of most smartphone traces, the modifications they undergo year-over-year are minor at finest. Gone are the times of dramatic redesigns and big leaps in efficiency. Smartphones are a commodity, even when a few of them are nonetheless priced as a luxurious.
The massive AI push for the Samsung Galaxy S24, the Google Pixel 9, and the iPhone 16 was no less than, partially, an try and discover a new motive for folks to purchase new telephones, but it surely’s nonetheless unclear how profitable it is really been. Whether or not it is improved the slowing development of the smartphone market, the deal with new software program options over {hardware} reveals how a lot they’ve stagnated; they’re commonly upgraded, however solely with a brand new chip or digicam sensor.
Each Samsung and Apple are rumored to have settled on the identical resolution to this downside — new smartphones with dramatically thinner designs. It is an thrilling thought on its face, but it surely places the main focus within the totally improper place. You should not indulge within the skinny cellphone resurgence, and here is why.
It’s time to rethink smartphone design
My Pixel 9 Professional is not a bit of knickknack
Samsung and Apple go skinny
A potential Slim Galaxy S FE substitute
The rumors that Samsung is engaged on a brand new, thinner cellphone began with a report from Korean information group ET News, which cited a number of business sources with information of a Galaxy S25 “Slim” set to reach not lengthy after Samsung’s regular S25 telephones.
Samsung produces extra smartphones than any regular individual can preserve monitor of, however for an excellent whereas now, its Galaxy S telephones have are available 4 completely different varieties: the entry-level Galaxy S, the step-up Galaxy S+, and the premium Galaxy S Extremely, with a extra reasonably priced and streamlined Galaxy S FE arriving a while after.
The FE or Fan Version, as a fourth cellphone, normally addresses the Samsung buyer who did not bounce on the bandwagon with Samsung’s regular numbered launch. It’s going to get you some premium options at a reduction, whereas sporting the brand new design language of its era. The Galaxy S “Slim” appears poised to take that fourth spot, possibly at a premium, however undoubtedly with an attention grabbing design meant to win over anybody who is not moved by a vanilla Galaxy S25.
There aren’t a ton of particulars when you get past the cellphone’s existence, however there are rumors that make sense. Ice Universe, a Samsung leaker, claims that every one the Galaxy S25 fashions (together with the Slim, presumably) will ship with the Snapdragon 8 Elite, a extra highly effective Qualcomm chip Samsung has already began utilizing.
The leaker also suggests that the Galaxy S25 Slim may ship with an “Extremely” digicam, which some have taken to imply it would have a 200-megapixel sensor just like the Galaxy S24 Extremely.
That is not a ton to go off of, however Samsung has been slowly scaling down a few of its telephones over time. One of many few modifications launched with the Galaxy Z Flip 6 was that it was ever so barely thinner than earlier than. Thinness is a rising pattern, from Huawei’s new phones and Honor’s new skinny foldables, to rumors of an Apple iPhone 17 Slim.
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Galaxy Z Flip 5 |
Galaxy Z Flip 6 |
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Open: 165.1 mm x 71.9 mm x 6.9 mm |
Open: 165.1 x 71.9 x 6.9 mm |
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Closed: 85.1 mm x 71.9 mm x 15.1 mm |
Closed: 85.1 x 71.9 x 14.9 mm |
Within the case of Apple’s cellphone, the corporate is making an attempt to exchange the iPhone Plus with one thing that may promote higher, Bloomberg stories. Apple’s attempting to create a brand new cellphone with a flashy look that will not match up with the iPhone Professional or Professional Max, however ought to attraction to somebody who cares about how their cellphone appears.
In response to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the brand new gadget may include a smaller 6.6-inch show and could be made with new supplies in order that it could actually have a smaller body, but it surely ought to in any other case share the A-series chip of the traditional iPhone 17.
Slimness comes with advantages and trade-offs
A brand new design may show to be impractical
These sorts of aesthetic modifications do not come with out a drawback. Samsung and Apple will do all the pieces of their energy to not make this the case, however a thinner cellphone naturally leaves you with much less room for a bigger battery. The truth that the rumored iPhone 17 Slim may ship with a smaller display screen implies some compromises are already being made.
These telephones will look completely different as a result of they finally exist to squeeze the previous few drops of cellphone gross sales blood from the stone, not as a result of these thinner designs will make utilizing the iPhone 17 or Galaxy S25 higher.
That is to not say new developments will not naturally be connected to those engineering achievements. Apple’s first in-house 5G modem will reportedly be within the iPhone 17 Slim and is considered one of a number of methods Apple is saving house on the brand new design. I would not be shocked if Samsung did some wild materials science to make its thinner cellphone potential, too. And but, even with these advantages, I nonetheless can not help seeing this as a headphone jack second.
Associated
I’m utterly bored by modern mainstream smartphones
Since when did expertise develop into so conformist?
It is subtler, however the quick acceptance of smartphones with out headphone jacks feels related as a result of it was additionally a trade-off bought as a profit. Certain, it is good to not have a cable connected to your cellphone to take heed to music. However it certain looks as if eradicating headphone jacks primarily occurred so it could be simpler to promote wi-fi earbuds. What can we surrender in the long run for a thinner smartphone?
And but, even with these advantages, I nonetheless can not help seeing this as a headphone jack second.
We want telephones that work first, and look cool second
When you translate ET Information’ report, one of many issues it mentions is that Samsung’s S25 Slim is a check. If it goes over properly, it may affect the course of the corporate’s future telephones. There’s little motive to assist that occur when there are such a lot of different methods the common smartphone can get higher. Whether or not that is having a battery that lasts for multiple days on a single cost or being less complicated to restore and simpler to make use of for a fair longer time frame.
A smartphone is probably the most private gadget that most individuals personal, but it surely nonetheless needs to be useful in the beginning. New options ought to begin from what is going to make a cellphone higher to make use of first, and the way it appears second. Nothing about Samsung or Apple’s plan seems like they’re doing that.
