Apple is widely expected to release an ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air this year as part of the iPhone 17 lineup. We’ve seen countless leaks that seem to confirm the phone will be a commercial product rather than a concept that Apple is testing behind closed doors.
The best confirmation came from Samsung last month when the company teased the ultra-thin Galaxy S25 Edge phone. The handset should be released in the coming months, long before the iPhone 17 Air arrives. However, reports say Samsung decided to make the Edge once it discovered that Apple was developing an ultra-thin handset. After all, Samsung has been known to rush rival products to market when it learns that Apple is working on something new.
It turns out that Apple and Samsung aren’t the only companies working on ultra-thin phones. Chinese smartphone vendor Tecno announced the new Spark Slim phone early on Friday, ahead of the start of the MWC 2025 tradeshow in Spain.
From the looks of it, the Tecno Spark Slim is the closest thing to an iPhone 17 Air we can hope for. That is, some of its design details seem to be consistent with Apple’s rumored plans for the iPhone 17 Air.
Unlike Samsung, Tenco unveiled the specs of its ultra-thin device, teasing impressive battery life and great camera performance. These are things you wouldn’t necessarily expect from an ultra-thin handset.
Then again, it’s unclear whether the Spark Slim will become a commercial product anytime soon or if it’s just a concept. After all, Tecno has showcased exciting concepts that never materialized before, including a phone with a rollable display and a tri-fold foldable handset.
The Spark Slim is “the industry’s slimmest device with a 5,200 mAh battery,” according to the company. That’s an impressive battery on a phone that measures just 5.75 mm thick. The Tecno handset packs a 6.78-inch 3D curved AMOLED display, making it about as big as an iPhone 16 Pro Max.
Tecno says the phone features “futuristic sustainable materials that offer a refined yet ergonomic feel.” It’s unclear what these materials are, but Tecno mentions aluminum and stainless steel when describing the manufacturing process:
The device is crafted from fully recycled aluminum using an integrated die-casting process and features a stainless steel unibody– advanced materials that not only elevate the tactile experience with a luxurious feel but also enhance the ergonomic, integrated design. The result is a sleek, lightweight device that ensures a smooth, comfortable grip, offering a perfect balance of refined, futuristic aesthetics and practicality for an effortlessly enjoyable user experience.
The Spark Slim should also offer a high-end experience, considering the specs Tecno offers. The display has a 1.5K resolution, 144Hz refresh rate, and 4,500 nits of peak brightness. A mysterious high-end upcoming octa-core chip powers the Android experience, though Tecno doesn’t mention the type of processor it chose for the handset.
On the battery front, the Spark Slim features a high-density 5,200 mAh battery that’s just 4.04 mm thick. The battery supports 45W fast charging and offers all-day battery life.
On the back, we have a camera bar near the top that packs two 50-megapixel cameras.
All of this tells us that smartphone vendors can make ultra-thin high-end phones right now, Apple included. However, the iPhone maker will probably not go overboard with the hardware like Tecno did. The iPhone 17 Air won’t have a dual camera on the back, and I don’t expect it to feature such a massive battery pack.
But the Spark Slim’s design looks a lot like the iPhone 17 Air renders we’ve been seeing in leaked renders. It’s about as big and thin as the iPhone 17 Air. Rumors say Apple’s ultra-thin phone will be 5.5mm thick and feature a 6.7-inch display.
It’ll be interesting to see whether Tecno launches the Spark Slim in stores before the iPhone 17 Air arrives.
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