Galaxy S25 Edge Is the Closest Android Answer to iPhone Air

Android still does not have an exact copy of the iPhone Air, but Samsung's Galaxy S25 Edge comes closest. The two phones pursue the same idea: keep flagship performance and a large 120 Hz OLED screen while cutting enough thickness and weight to feel noticeably different in a pocket.

That makes the S25 Edge the obvious Android comparison, even though it launched before Apple's Air and is now an older model. The decision is not really about which phone is a fraction of a millimeter thinner. It is about which compromises you would rather live with—and whether the Samsung is discounted enough to justify buying last year's hardware.

The measurements are remarkably close

Samsung lists the Galaxy S25 Edge at 5.8 mm thick and 163 grams. Apple lists the iPhone Air at 5.64 mm and 165 grams. In other words, the iPhone is 0.16 mm thinner, while the Galaxy is two grams lighter. Neither difference should drive a buying decision on its own.

The screens separate them more clearly. Samsung uses a 6.7-inch QHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel with an adaptive 1–120 Hz refresh rate. Apple's 6.5-inch Super Retina XDR OLED also reaches 120 Hz and offers a 2736-by-1260 resolution. Both are large phones with thin bodies, not compact models.

Durability is also more serious than the slim silhouettes suggest. Both use titanium in the frame and carry IP68 water- and dust-resistance ratings, although the manufacturers describe different test depths. Thin does not mean fragile by definition, but a case will erase part of the size advantage. Buyers should decide whether they are comfortable using an expensive phone without one.

Samsung gives you a more flexible camera system

The Galaxy's strongest practical advantage is on the back. It combines a 200-megapixel main camera with a 12-megapixel ultrawide that supports autofocus and macro shooting. The iPhone Air has one 48-megapixel Fusion camera. Apple uses sensor cropping to provide a 2x view, but there is no dedicated ultrawide lens.

That does not automatically make every Galaxy photo better. Image processing, motion handling, skin tones, and video matter as much as sensor resolution. It does mean the Samsung offers more framing options before you press the shutter. Anyone who regularly shoots landscapes, groups, interiors, or close-up details gets more hardware flexibility from the S25 Edge.

Performance is appropriately high-end on both sides. Samsung uses the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy with 12 GB of memory, while Apple uses the A19 Pro. Cross-platform benchmark scores are imperfect and do not predict every app, but neither phone belongs in the midrange class. The thin chassis may matter more during sustained gaming or long camera sessions, when there is less internal room for cooling than in a thicker flagship.

Battery capacity exposes the cost of thinness

Samsung fits a 3,900 mAh battery into the S25 Edge. That is smaller than the batteries in many similarly priced Android flagships, even if capacity alone does not determine endurance. The phone supports 25 W wired charging, and Samsung says it can reach about 55% in roughly 30 minutes with the appropriate adapter.

Apple does not publish the iPhone Air's battery capacity on its specification page. Instead, it rates the phone for up to 27 hours of local video playback or 22 hours of streamed video. Apple also sells a model-specific MagSafe battery that raises those figures, but carrying an extra pack undercuts the appeal of an ultra-thin phone.

This is the central limitation of the entire category. A thinner phone can feel excellent in the hand, but the space saved must come from somewhere. People who travel often, play demanding games, record a lot of video, or rely on hotspot use may be happier with a thicker device and a larger battery.

Price should decide whether the S25 Edge still makes sense

BGR's October 16 comparison lists the Galaxy S25 Edge at $1,099.99 and the iPhone Air at $1,099. Those figures make the phones look like direct rivals, but they do not tell the full story in late 2026. The Samsung launched in May 2025, so availability, carrier promotions, refurbished stock, and remaining color or storage choices can vary considerably.

At full launch price, the S25 Edge is difficult to recommend now. A newer conventional Galaxy can deliver stronger battery life without adding much bulk, and current Android flagships have had another product cycle to improve. At a substantial discount, however, the Edge becomes more interesting: it remains unusually light, offers a flagship chip, and has a more versatile rear camera setup than the iPhone Air.

Other thin Android phones exist, but most change the equation. Honor's Magic 8 Pro Air is a powerful option with a larger battery, yet its limited regional availability makes it a poor universal recommendation. Motorola, Tecno, and Infinix offer thinner or cheaper models in some markets, but they do not match the S25 Edge's combination of flagship performance, camera hardware, and broad brand support.

The short buying rule

Choose the Galaxy S25 Edge if you specifically want a thin Android phone, value an ultrawide camera, and can find it well below its original price. Choose the iPhone Air if you want the thinnest option, prefer iOS, and are comfortable with eSIM-only service and a single rear camera. If thinness is merely a nice extra, neither should be the default choice; a standard flagship will usually trade a little more weight for better battery headroom and fewer design compromises.