Now, slim is in – and Samsung aims to be No. 1 with Galaxy S25 Edge

With the advent of mobile AI, the performance arms race among smartphone makers is reaching diminishing returns, as some market analysts put it.

The battle for dominance in the high-end smartphone market, they say, may hinge less on chipset performance and more on design innovation.

Samsung Electronics Co., the world’s top smartphone maker by volume, has leveraged its early-mover advantage in AI-integrated phones, and now it is betting on a similar strategy in the emerging ultra-slim category.

The South Korean tech giant is scheduled to unveil its slimmest flagship smartphone to date – the Galaxy S25 Edge – on May 13, as the No. 1 smartphone vendor seeks to pull further ahead of Apple Inc. in the intensifying premium smartphone race.

Samsung teased the device in an invitation video released on Thursday, showcasing its side profile alongside the slogan “Beyond Slim,” in a clear bid to position thinness, rather than raw performance, as the next defining metric in premium smartphones.

The Galaxy S25 Edge will be launched in a global livestream at 9 a.m. Seoul time via Samsung’s newsroom, its official website and YouTube channel.

Initially available in Korea and China, the model is expected to roll out in other markets, including the US, in the weeks following.

At just 5.8 millimeters thick, the S25 Edge is set to become the thinnest slab-style smartphone on record, outstripping even Samsung’s own Galaxy S25 base model, launched earlier this year at 7.2 mm.

Industry watchers expect the device to be the benchmark for slim design in the coming years, echoing a broader shift in consumer demand toward sleekness and portability.

Despite its form factor, the S25 Edge will not compromise on power.

It features a 6.7-inch display and the high-end Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset — the same processor used in the S25 Plus, a high-end S25 series model.

Pricing is also expected to be aligned with the Plus variant, suggesting Samsung sees the Edge as a premium alternative rather than a mid-range experiment.

MID-YEAR LAUNCH: A DEPARTURE FROM USUAL FLAGSHIP RELEASE CYCLE

The surprise mid-year release is a departure from Samsung’s usual flagship cycle, which typically centers on Galaxy S series launches in February and foldable Z series unveilings in August.

Analysts said the mid-year launch of the S25 Edge indicates a strategic effort to capitalize on a relatively quiet second quarter and sustain market momentum.

Samsung reclaimed the top spot in global smartphone shipments in the first quarter with 20% share, edging out Apple’s 19%, according to market research firm Counterpoint Research.

With the S25 Edge, Samsung is aiming to consolidate that lead, particularly as Apple prepares to enter the slim-phone fray in September with the iPhone 17 Air – reportedly just 5.5 mm thick.

SLEEK YET STRONG: CORNING GORILLA GLASS CERAMIC 2

Samsung said on Friday that the upcoming Galaxy S25 Edge will feature Corning Gorilla Glass Ceramic 2 for the front cover of the slimmest Galaxy S series yet to enhance durability.

Gorilla Glass Ceramic 2 builds on the legendary toughness that Corning Gorilla Glass is known for, Samsung said.

“To support this breakthrough design, it was essential to develop a display material that was both exceptionally thin and reliably strong – a challenge that brought Corning and Samsung together,” said Bae Kwang-jin, executive vice president and head of the Mechanical R&D Team of Mobile eXperience Business (MX) at Samsung.

Andrew Beck, vice president and general manager of Corning Gorilla Glass, said: “With Gorilla Glass Ceramic 2, we’ve achieved a remarkable combination of thinness and strength, giving consumers the best of both worlds – exceptional durability in a modern, sleek and premium design.”

Write to Chae-Yeon Kim at why29@hankyung.com

In-Soo Nam edited this article.