MWC 2025: The Rise of Ultra-Slim Phones – Are Consumers Ready to Embrace Them?

At Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, a crowd gathers around one standout booth. It looks like any other smartphone display from afar, but up close, it reveals something special: a super-thin phone that has everyone buzzing.

Introducing the Tecno Spark Slim, a phone just 5.75mm thick—thinner than a pencil—and weighing only 146 grams. After a short wait, I finally get to hold this lightweight device. It’s featherlight yet surprisingly sturdy. I can’t help but pull a pen from my bag to compare, and yes, the Spark Slim is indeed thinner.

But Tecno isn’t the only brand leaning into slim designs. Over a few halls away, Samsung is generating buzz with the Galaxy S25 Edge, which remains hidden behind a barrier and a mob of eager fans. Details about this phone are scarce, but whispers suggest it could launch within the year.

The trend towards thinner devices is also seen with Oppo’s Find N5, hailed as the “world’s thinnest book-style foldable.” When closed, it measures just 8.93mm, while it shrinks to an impressive 4.21mm when opened. It rocked my expectations about foldable phones being bulky.

In the background, there’s speculation around Apple’s upcoming iPhone 17 lineup, which might introduce a thinner version dubbed the iPhone “Air.” A lighter, slimmer design could help Apple distinguish between its models.

However, thinner phones come with challenges. A smaller design often means reduced battery life and lower image quality due to less space for camera hardware. This can be a tough trade-off for buyers, who often prioritize battery, camera, and storage quality.

Samsung learned this firsthand with the Galaxy Note 7 disaster when a quest for slimness led to serious issues, including device recalls. As phone makers jump on the slim trend, they must consider durability—especially since buyers expect long-lasting devices.

“It’s important to balance thickness with premium features,” Nabila Popal, from IDC, points out at MWC. “The challenge is how to maintain quality without sacrificing key aspects like battery life and camera performance.”

Companies are chasing thinner designs to stand out. As generative AI became mainstream, brands are now strategizing new ways to grab consumer attention. A sleek design may appeal to some. In markets like China, brands like Honor and Xiaomi are successfully launching slim devices, though what works there may not resonate elsewhere.

Apple’s entry into the thin phone market could help clarify its product lineup, especially for the iPhone 15 Plus. This model has struggled to find its place among the more advanced options.

Will the phones from MWC 2025 find their way into our pockets? It’s too soon to say. “While thinness might not be essential, it gives a premium feel, a nice feature to have,” Popal says.

What was once innovative can quickly become standard. Just a few years back, larger screens were a big deal, but now they’re the norm. Still, foldable phones remain on the fringes of popularity. Thin phones could take either path; the future is uncertain.

The shift towards thinner phones reflects a nostalgic nod to the Motorola Razr, known for its stylish slimness when it launched in 2004. As brands attempt to revive that spirit, it’s worth considering whether the drive for thinner devices should remain niche and special. “If it becomes mainstream, the allure fades quickly,” Popal adds. The hunt for the next big thing continues.