Samsung Electronics took aim at rival Apple's ultra-slim iPhone Air (hereafter Air) with an ad for its thinnest smartphone, the Galaxy S25 Edge (hereafter Edge). Samsung Electronics also posted an ad targeting Apple in May, when Edge launched. About a month after Air came out, it has posted a new ad with a similar message.
According to the industry on the 5th, Samsung Electronics posted three ads on its Instagram last week highlighting Edge's camera performance. Air is 48 megapixels, while Edge is 200 megapixels. The first ad stages a young woman's birthday party. A device presumed to be Air is placed side by side with Edge. The ad ends by emphasizing that Edge can shoot everything from close-up shots that highlight the main subject to ultra-wide shots that capture people around and the party vibe.
The second ad also places photos from the two devices side by side. An eye chart you might see at an ophthalmology clinic is set in the background. The ad emphasizes that the eye chart photo taken with Edge is "sharper" than the other device's photo.
In the final ad, the message is that when filming a child jumping on a trampoline with Edge, the "slow motion" effect enables a more dramatic presentation. If you look closely at the three ads, you can see the phrase "edge wins."
Internet users who saw Samsung Electronics' ads reacted by saying, "They didn't say Air, but anyone can see it's Air," and "Keep releasing this kind of ad series." However, some said, "It's childish," and "Blatant mockery doesn't look good."
This is not the first time Samsung Electronics has targeted Apple with a smartphone ad. In May, Samsung Electronics posted an ad emphasizing Edge's "weight and thickness." In that ad, Edge was shown hanging from a cluster of 61 balloons. On the other side, the same number of balloon clusters held up an "other phone." The point was that Edge is that light. It did not specify that the other phone was an iPhone, but the image suggested it.
Both Samsung Electronics and Apple's ultra-slim phones are posting weak sales in the smartphone market. According to market researcher Counterpoint Research, in the first 10 days of initial sales of the iPhone 17 series in the U.S. and China markets, Air accounted for only 3% of total sales. According to Hana Securities, as of Aug., Edge's three-month sales volume was 1.31 million units, fewer than other models. At seven months after launch, Galaxy S25 sold 8.28 million units, Galaxy S25 Plus 5.05 million units, and Galaxy S25 Ultra 12.18 million units.
Some analysis suggests Air is on a path toward discontinuation. Ming-Chi Kuo of TF International Securities, an analyst specializing in Apple, said in a recent report that "Apple's suppliers are highly likely to cut iPhone Air production by more than 80% through the first quarter of next year."