Samsung Electronics has launched its slimmest flagship model to date, complete with enhanced artificial intelligence features, as it seeks to get ahead of rival Apple in the premium market.
The S25 Edge launch is designed to tap increasing demand, especially from consumers in their 20s and 30s, for more portable smartphones.
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“The feedback was clear – users wanted something slimmer and easier to carry without sacrificing performance,” said Samsung, which made structural changes to reduce the thickness of internal components, including the printed circuit board and thermal systems.
Strategic Timing to Pre-empt Apple
Analysts said the launch was strategically timed to pre-empt Apple, which is expected to launch a thinner iPhone in the second half of this year.
“By releasing the product a few months ahead, Samsung could inflict some impact on Apple and attract consumers looking for thinner smartphones. It appears to be a calculated decision to capture that segment of demand,” Ryu Young-ho, a senior analyst at NH Investment & Securities, said.
The S25 Edge will go on sale in South Korea on May 23 and in the United States on May 30, Samsung said, adding it will roll it out to about 30 countries, including China and in Europe.
Starting at $1,099, the model has a 6.7-inch (170 mm) screen and a 5.8 millimetre-thick body, making it larger than the basic S25 model but only fractionally heavier.
The S25 Edge has Samsung’s latest built-in AI functions, including multimodal AI that allows users to interact with the device in real-time through vision and voice, using the camera to ask questions.
