We can say that tech companies are known for their “borrow” capabilities. Whenever Apple or Samsung releases a new phone or software update, you can be sure that there will be debates among hardcore fans about who is first or better.
It may be reported that when Apple plans to debut the iPhone 17 version this fall, it may hope its competitors see something that resonates with consumers. If so, some features on the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge on my wishlist are the rumored iPhone 17 Air. Reports show that the thicker iPhone could eventually replace the iPhone Plus, and it costs $900. However, it is unclear whether the tariffs will affect the price.
Samsung's Super-Thin S25 has a 5.8mm edge, 163g. It costs $1,100 and is available for purchase now. Thanks to the fresh look, this is one of my favorite phones I have ever used. In fact, despite my initial skepticism, I now firmly believe that a thin cell phone is the way to go. You can check out my reviews for a more in-depth breakdown of my experience with my phone.
However, for the moment, I want to share the five Galaxy S25 Edge features I hope to see on the iPhone 17 Air. Apple may not have confirmed the existence of this slim device, but that doesn't stop girls from dreaming.
Titanium frame
Despite the spacious 6.7-inch display of the Galaxy S25 Edge still feels impressive. Despite its thinness, it is also sturdy and it doesn't feel like my hands or pockets will catch.
The lightweight durability is thanks to the titanium frame of the phone, which is something I hope Apple adopts for its thin iPhones as well. Apple uses a titanium frame in its Pro model phones, so it's nice to see treatments for thin iPhones. Since I'm sure it will also have a high price, it will definitely require additional reinforcement to prevent bending.
Rumors about whether Apple's upcoming iPhone will have an aluminum frame or a titanium frame are coming back. However, analyst Jeff PU said in February that the iPhone 17, 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max will all have aluminum frames, and that the iPhone 17 Air may be an outlier with a titanium frame. I really hope that is true.
120Hz refresh rate
Samsung's S25 Edge has a 120Hz refresh rate for smooth scrolling. Honestly, for $1,100 I would be very angry if I didn't. If the iPhone Air is sold as a premium device, it also needs to have a high-quality display. That's so simple.
Asking for a 120Hz refresh rate in 2025 doesn't sound like a luxury request – until you remember Apple's baseline 16 and 16 plus the iPhone's only 60hz refresh rate, which is really incredible. Hopefully Apple can remedy it through the entire iPhone 17 lineup, especially the iPhone 17 Air.
Please multiple cameras
The third place on my wishlist is the camera of the iPhone 17 Air – Note that I say “camera” with “S” because I don't want to use just one.
One of the compromises of a thinner phone is that the camera hardware can scale. The Galaxy S25 Edge has two rear cameras that are smaller than the rest of the S25 lineup. However, Samsung is impressive, it carries on a 200-megapixel main camera, which you can also find on the S25 Ultra and pair it with a 12-megapixel speeding camera. This makes some great shots-the images are clear, the colors are balanced, and the portraits are really popular.
Some rumors suggest that the iPhone 17 air can follow in the footsteps of the iPhone 16e with only one rear lens. But it would be a huge frustrating because technically the 16E is a “budget” phone – even the $600 price tag is recommended.
Although the iPhone 16E has a 48-megapixel camera with 2x magnification, I'd still be fooled if that's all I get with a more advanced device with the iPhone 17 Air (such as the iPhone 17 Air). If I were to spend about $1,000 on the phone, I would like the camera to reach the price tag.
Beat Samsung on battery life
Another feature you have to compromise on when choosing a slim phone is battery life. A smaller room means a smaller battery, which means a shorter battery life. The S25 edge has a 3,900 mAh battery, which is the smallest capacity in the S25 series. It lasted me all day, even though I had too much screen time, but not just more.
I challenged Apple to go beyond that limit and gave us a thin phone that didn't call the battery. This could be a great way to separate the iPhone 17 Air from its competitors – which in turn can also push those competitors to improve their products.
Generous storage and RAM
I was surprised that the Galaxy S25 edge packs 12GB of RAM, with 256GB and 512GB storage options. Since scalable storage is so rare – it's actually a problem without thin phones, so don't worry too much about filling your phone's memory with photos, videos and games. All this RAM helps power many of the S25 Edge's AI capabilities and are shared with the rest of the S25 lineup.
The entire iPhone 16 lineup has 8GB of RAM, which seems to work just fine even when powering Apple Intelligence features. So maybe you don't need to require 12GB of RAM on the iPhone 17 Air. But what I really hope is that the thin iPhone won't shrink in memory and will also include a 512GB storage option. This way, you can really enjoy a thin phone without restricting it.
We'll see Apple's sleeves and whether it will really launch cutting-edge competitors to Samsung's S25 Edge.
