If you want to see a study in contrasts in how two different phone makers can approach the same concept, look no further than the rumors surrounding the Galaxy S25 Slim and the iPhone 17 Slim (aka (iPhone 17 Air). Both rumored devices sound like they're going to emphasize thin frames that make it easier to tote around a big-screen handset, but early reports suggest there may be more substance to what Samsung's working on.
That's the impression I get after hearing new reports about the cameras each device could feature. While things are far from official, it sounds like Samsung is looking to mimic the camera setup of its best camera phone with the Galaxy S25 Slim. Meanwhile, the iPhone 17 Air/Slim's focus on thinness may limit what Apple can actually include on this new phone — and that covers the cameras as well.
It's too early to draw any definitive conclusions about the differing approaches and what that will mean for the respective devices that Samsung and Apple produce. But from the details leaking out of both camps, it does sound like Samsung isn't overlooking the things that make smartphones such vital devices in the name of making a handset that's thinner.
Galaxy S25 Slim cameras: Better than the standard S25?
The difference between Samsung Galaxy Slim and iPhone Slim models is that Samsung wants to make the camera stronger, stronger than S25, and more similar to the idea of vivo X200 Pro mini, not just thin and light.November 23, 2024
Over the weekend, phone leaker Ice Universe took to the X social networking platform to make a claim about Samsung's Galaxy S25 Slim plans. It's just one person's opinion, of course, though the leaker does have a fairly convincing track record when it comes to insights about upcoming Samsung phones.
"The difference between Samsung Galaxy Slim and iPhone Slim models is that Samsung wants to make the camera stronger, stronger than S25, and more similar to the idea of vivo X200 Pro mini, not just thin and light," Ice Universe posted.
Announced last month for release in China, the Vivo S200 Pro mini features a triple camera setup, with a trio of 50MP sensors serving as the main, ultrawide and telephoto lenses. Drawing comparisons with that device would seem to suggest that Ice Universe expects a similar rear camera setup on the Galaxy S25 Slim.
Whether that means Samsung has figured out a way to include three cameras on the back of its slimmed-down phone is unclear. But the suggestion that the Galaxy S25 Slim will have a more powerful camera setup than the standard Galaxy S25 suggests that we can expect some high-resolution sensors. Rumors tip the S25 to maybe switch to a Sony sensor for its main camera, but otherwise, it's anticipated that the new phone will match the Galaxy S24's rear camera specs — a 50MP main camera, 12MP ultrawide camera and 10MP telephoto lens with a 3x optical zoom.
In contrast, one Galaxy S25 Slim rumor that's emerged thus far tips the Slim to feature a 200MP main camera sensor. That would match what the Galaxy S24 Ultra offers, and it would certainly qualify as being "stronger than the S25." If the Galaxy S25 Slim adds additional cameras like ultrawide and telephoto lenses, all the better, even if those specs are more in line with the standard S25.
iPhone 17 Slim cameras: Only room for one?
Camera rumors are less elaborate for the iPhone 17 Slim, which is also being touted as the iPhone 17 Air in some circles. With Apple reportedly trying to make the thinnest iPhone ever — certainly thinner than the iPhone 16 and its 7.8mm-thin frame — there may not be any room for more than one camera.
A new report on potential iPhone 17 Air specs in The Information is the latest to make that lone rear camera claim. Meanwhile, another report out of Korea details plans for the camera modules slated for the iPhone 17 Pro, seemingly confirming that telephoto lenses will remain a Pro-only feature — in other words, no dedicated zoom lens for the iPhone 17 Slim.
Should Apple go that route, it's unlikely that the iPhone 17 Air/Slim would be like Apple's other single-camera handset, the iPhone SE (2022). That low-cost phone features a single 12MP sensor that doesn't even support night photography. Instead, the general expectation is that the iPhone 17 Slim would adopt the 48MP main camera featured on the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus. Doing so would allow the iPhone 17 Slim to use cropping on zoom shots to effectively mimic a 2x optical zoom, which would take some of the sting out of having just one rear camera.
The iPhone 16 is certainly a formidable camera phone in its own right, so it wouldn't be a hardship if the iPhone 17 Air matches that device's photo-taking capabilities. But part of the iPhone 16's appeal as a camera phone is that it delivers high-quality photos while costing a relatively modest $799. At least one iPhone 17 Slim price rumor tips the slender phone to rival the iPhone 16 Pro Max in terms of pricing. That's a lot to pay for a phone that can only match your least-expensive flagship in terms of camera quality.
Slim phones outlook
Most Galaxy S25 Slim rumors peg that phone to ship close to June 2025, while the iPhone 17 Slim wouldn't arrive until the fall — assuming those phones are coming at all. In other words, we've got many months of rumors that might fill in even more details. The iPhone 17 Slim could offer more than just the thin design that's dominated rumors so far, while the Galaxy S25 Slim cameras could turn out to be not that special after all.
But there's no overlooking the fact that cameras are a critical part of any smartphone, thin or otherwise. And based on the rumors that have emerged so far, only one phone maker seems to be recognizing that.
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