Home > Business > Tech

Thinner than Samsung? Why Apple is highlighting form over function

Published: 23 Sep. 2025, 11:16 Updated: 23 Sep. 2025, 11:30

Apple's latest slim smartphone model, iPhone Air [APPLE]

From AI to Air, Siri to Slim — Apple has shifted focus from its trademark software to hardware innovation with the launch of its latest iPhone 17 and the iPhone Air series released worldwide, including in Korea, on Sept. 19.

Competing with Samsung Electronics’ Galaxy S25 Edge, the iPhone Air is Apple’s first ultrathin model. It measures 5.64 millimeters (0.22 inches) in width and weighs 165 grams (5.8 ounces), making it 0.16 millimeters thinner but 2 grams heavier than the competing Galaxy Edge. To achieve this, Apple completely redesigned the phone’s internal structure and core chips.

The design led to what Apple calls a “plateau zone” on the upper back of the device — a slightly raised oval-shaped area where the modem, Wi-Fi, speaker and camera are concentrated to maximize battery space while maintaining the slim profile.

Apple also eliminated the physical SIM card slot to free up additional room for the battery, meaning the iPhone Air operates solely on eSIM. Removing the slot creates enough space to add around two hours of extra battery life, according to insiders. Apple did not disclose the phone’s exact battery capacity, but said it can play video for up to 27 hours, compared to the Galaxy Edge’s maximum of 24 hours with its 3,900 milliamp-hour battery.

The iPhone Air runs on Apple’s self-developed A19 Pro application processor, the same high-performance chip found in the iPhone 17 Pro, while its modem chip, the C1X, was designed specifically for the Air. Apple said premium components were necessary to ensure power efficiency in such a thin device. The result is a higher price: The iPhone Air starts at 1.59 million won ($1,140), about 300,000 won more than the base iPhone 17, which starts at 1.29 million won.

The ″plateau zone″ for Apple's latest slim smartphone, iPhone Air [APPLE]

A citizen takes a photo of Apple's iPhone Air, the slimmest smartphone released by the U.S. tech giant yet, at an Apple store in Myeongdong, central Seoul, on Sept. 19. [YONHAP]

Notably, Apple’s press release for the iPhone Air did not mention its voice assistant Siri at all, except in footnotes describing health features in its new earbuds and watches. Instead, the iPhone 17 series introduced a new “visual intelligence” feature, which lets users circle part of a screenshot with their finger to search the image. Google and Samsung introduced a similar “Circle to Search” function 20 months earlier.

Apple has faced recurring skepticism in recent years, with shares often dipping after product announcements due to complaints of a lack of innovation, only to rebound once sales begin. This time was no exception. Compared to its closing price on Sept. 10, the day of the product reveal, Apple’s stock had risen more than 8 percent by the Sept. 19 launch. As of the first half of this year, Apple accounted for 43 percent of global smartphone sales and 62 percent of sales in the premium smartphone segment, defined as models priced above $600, according to Counterpoint Research.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY SHIM SEO-HYUN [[email protected]]