2025 will go down in history as the year of thin and light smartphones. From the TECNO Slim concept phone to the iPhone Air, almost every manufacturer on the planet wants to have a thin and light model of their own.
But as the smoke settles, we are left wondering if this trend is really here to stay or if it is just a design exercise meant to show what a manufacturer can do.
A Little Bit of History
Thin and light phones have been around for quite some time, but the trend never truly took off. Maybe that’s because these phones came with huge tradeoffs that made the design not really worth spending on.
After all, to achieve these groundbreaking design feats, manufacturers had to cut corners wherever they could. These compromises often involved the battery, camera, or even the materials used to build the smartphone.
Although I cannot say we have finally found the perfect formula for making a thin and light phone without sacrificing key user experience elements, I can confidently say that today’s models are a lot better than they were a few years ago.
What are the trade-offs?
Battery
In thin and light devices, the first thing manufacturers cut back on is usually the battery. It’s only logical since space is limited. To make up for it, some brands use newer battery technologies like Silicon Carbon, which allows for higher capacity without the usual bulk.
However, major manufacturers like Apple and Samsung seems to be still on the fence on the technology. Which is why you’ll see their thin and lights only come equipped with smaller batteries such as 3,100 for the iPhone Air and 3,900 for the S25 Edge.
Camera
Another major compromise is the camera. Cameras take up a lot of space, and fitting in a larger sensor can eat into the already limited room inside. For instance, Samsung decided to skip the telephoto lens on its thin model, opting instead for digital zoom. Meanwhile, Apple’s iPhone Air only comes with a single 48 MP Fusion camera.
Price
The last and most substantial tradeoff is the price. Since thin and light phones are often treated as showcases of a manufacturer’s design skills, they’re usually packed with flagship level internals, and the price certainly reflects that.
The exception here is the TECNO SPARK Slim, which measures just 5.93 mm at its thinnest while still packing a 5160 mAh battery. Performance wise, it runs on a MediaTek Helio G200 chipset, a pretty capable 4G processor, all that for just under 10K.
What Happens Next?
According to industry insiders, this year’s flagship thin and light phones have not been performing as well as manufacturers hoped. The Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge, for example, has struggled to gain traction, casting doubt on the possibility of an S26 Edge.
Then there is the iPhone Air. While it sold out within hours in China, its overall performance still hasn’t replicated the success of that of the other models in the iPhone 17 Series.
But unlike Samsung, Apple looks to hold out on the judgement just a bit longer. Historically, Apple isn’t known to cut and run after just one cycle. The iPhone Air’s fate could play out like the Mini Series has, holding out for a few cycles before being axed due to minimal sales.
Final Thoughts
In my honest opinion, thin and light phones are more of a status symbol than a practical choice. After all, why else would you buy a 60 to 80K-peso phone if not to show off? When compared to a similarly priced flagship, the regular one usually wins in almost every aspect.
Granted, I have held the iPhone Air myself, and yes, it’s a stunning piece of design. But I still don’t think I could bring myself to spend that much on a phone that sacrifices so many of the creature comforts offered by standard flagships.
Do you think thin and light phones are worth the tradeoffs?
Let us know what you think!