Despite Samsung’s ambitious launch of the ultra-slim Galaxy S25 Edge last month, the device has underperformed at retail, with unsold stock reportedly piling up in the channel.

Now, according to insider reports, Apple appears poised to step into the same space with a sleek contender of its own: the iPhone 17 Air.

Though Apple has yet to officially unveil the device, rumours and leaks paint a picture of a phone designed to outdo Samsung in the thinness race. The Galaxy S25 Edge comes in at just 5.8mm thick—impressive, but not unbeatable.

Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claims the iPhone 17 Air may be just 5.5mm at its slimmest point. While that would give Apple a slight edge, it’s important to note this measurement may exclude protrusions like the camera housing. A separate source from Apple’s supply chain corroborates the 5.5mm figure.

Adding to the speculation is a leaked dummy unit, supposedly based on a prototype mould from China, which measures around 5.65mm thick—still marginally thinner than Samsung’s device.

If Apple can pull this off, the iPhone 17 Air could not only be the thinnest iPhone ever but a statement piece in a niche where even style-forward rivals have stumbled.

In other Apple news ther Companies upcoming iPhone 17 Pro could finally see a much-needed improvement in thermal management. According to recent leaks, the company is preparing to introduce a vapor chamber cooling system—a technology long adopted by Android flagships and even many mid-range models. This move aims to better manage the growing heat demands of gaming, AI processing, and other high-performance tasks.

Unlike the copper heat spreaders and graphite sheets found in current iPhones, vapor chambers rely on fluid evaporation and condensation to rapidly transfer heat from internal components to the chassis, offering significantly enhanced cooling efficiency.

 

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