It seems that smartphone manufacturers are launching a new thickness race. First, there are rumors about the Apple iPhone 17 Air, and now about the slim Samsung Galaxy S26.
South Korean publication ETNews cites industry insiders who claim that the new smartphone will focus on minimal thickness. Samsung will launch this phone to gauge user response to a thin yet powerful device.
Samsung traditionally prepares three variants of flagships: basic, plus, and ultra. The slim variant will be the fourth and will have a limited run. The smartphone will arrive around April, three months after the launch of the S25 series. If the market response is positive, the company will consider changes to the Galaxy S26 series. The release of a slim model in a few months is interpreted as an intention to prevent cannibalization within the main line and to confirm the demand for slim models.
Obviously, the launch of a slim smartphone will be a response to the conditional Apple iPhone 17 Air (or Slim), which has been rumored recently. According to them, iPhone 17 The Air can become thinner thanks to OLED TDDI technology — touch surface and display in one layer. But the camera can only get one lens.