Nevereatrice
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Samsung Electronics has decided to discontinue its ultra-slim smartphone lineup, the “Edge” series. The decision comes just five months after the company ambitiously launched the “ultra-slim line” in May. The key reason cited is that sales fell far short of expectations. As a result, at the Galaxy S26 series Unpacked event in January next year, it is highly likely that Samsung will return to its traditional three-model lineup: the S26 (Pro), Plus, and Ultra.
According to NewsPim’s coverage on the 16th, Samsung recently notified internal employees of the discontinuation of the slim line and conveyed its decision to scrap the Galaxy S26 Edge. It is expected that once the existing stock of the S25 Edge is sold out, no additional production will take place. Industry observers also believe the chances of reviving the slim line in the future are low.
A Samsung Electronics official, who requested anonymity, stated, “I’m not sure if the slim line will ever return, but as of now, it seems unlikely,” adding, “It’s practically gone.”
However, since development of the S26 Edge has already been completed, there remains a possibility that it could be released later as a separate model.
The Galaxy S25 Edge, launched on May 23, was Samsung’s attempt at an ultra-slim smartphone. However, market response was underwhelming. Its 3,900mAh battery was seen as insufficient, and its price was considered too high. The Edge model was priced at 1,496,000 KRW for the 256GB version and 1,639,000 KRW for the 512GB version. While it was cheaper than the Galaxy S25 Ultra (1,698,400 KRW for 256GB, 1,841,400 KRW for 512GB, and 2,127,400 KRW for 1TB), it was still more expensive than the regular S25 (1,155,000 KRW for 256GB and 1,298,000 KRW for 512GB).
According to Hana Securities, sales of the model reached only 190,000 units in the first month after launch. During the same period, the S25 sold 1.17 million units, the S25 Plus sold 840,000, and the S25 Ultra 2.55 million — showing a stark contrast. As of August, cumulative sales of the Edge were 1.31 million units, compared to 8.28 million for the S25, 5.05 million for the Plus, and 12.18 million for the Ultra.
Until recently, Samsung had identified slim smartphones as a “next-generation trend,” and even planned to make the Edge — not the Plus — its key model starting with the S26 lineup. However, after once again confirming limited consumer demand, the company reportedly decided to bring back the Plus model and, ultimately, to discontinue the Edge line altogether.
This abrupt lineup revision has reportedly caused internal confusion within Samsung Electronics. Another company insider said, “With the Unpacked event coming up in January, the major lineup change has left many employees unsettled,” adding, “The tight schedule is creating significant pressure internally.”
As a result of this decision, the Galaxy S26 series to be unveiled next January is now expected to consist of three models: the S26 (Pro), Plus, and Ultra — with the Edge line scrapped.
Industry insiders view this move as a strategic retreat grounded in market reality. While the ultra-slim phone showcased high technical sophistication, it failed to deliver adequate consumer satisfaction in key areas such as battery life and price competitiveness.
A mobile industry official remarked, “The Edge line wasn’t created out of real necessity for a slim model — Samsung only entered that market because a competitor (Apple) was reportedly developing one,” adding, “Since existing premium smartphones are already quite thin, this confirms that performance and battery capacity are more important factors.”
The official concluded, “Going forward, the Galaxy series will likely pursue an even more premium strategy.”
Meanwhile, this lineup adjustment is also expected to impact Samsung’s chipset deployment plans. Reports suggest that, similar to the base S26 (Pro) model, Samsung may equip the Korean and European variants — excluding North America, China, and Japan — with the Exynos 2600 processor. Previously, the Plus model had been expected to feature Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chipset.
According to NewsPim’s coverage on the 16th, Samsung recently notified internal employees of the discontinuation of the slim line and conveyed its decision to scrap the Galaxy S26 Edge. It is expected that once the existing stock of the S25 Edge is sold out, no additional production will take place. Industry observers also believe the chances of reviving the slim line in the future are low.
A Samsung Electronics official, who requested anonymity, stated, “I’m not sure if the slim line will ever return, but as of now, it seems unlikely,” adding, “It’s practically gone.”
However, since development of the S26 Edge has already been completed, there remains a possibility that it could be released later as a separate model.
The Galaxy S25 Edge, launched on May 23, was Samsung’s attempt at an ultra-slim smartphone. However, market response was underwhelming. Its 3,900mAh battery was seen as insufficient, and its price was considered too high. The Edge model was priced at 1,496,000 KRW for the 256GB version and 1,639,000 KRW for the 512GB version. While it was cheaper than the Galaxy S25 Ultra (1,698,400 KRW for 256GB, 1,841,400 KRW for 512GB, and 2,127,400 KRW for 1TB), it was still more expensive than the regular S25 (1,155,000 KRW for 256GB and 1,298,000 KRW for 512GB).
According to Hana Securities, sales of the model reached only 190,000 units in the first month after launch. During the same period, the S25 sold 1.17 million units, the S25 Plus sold 840,000, and the S25 Ultra 2.55 million — showing a stark contrast. As of August, cumulative sales of the Edge were 1.31 million units, compared to 8.28 million for the S25, 5.05 million for the Plus, and 12.18 million for the Ultra.
Until recently, Samsung had identified slim smartphones as a “next-generation trend,” and even planned to make the Edge — not the Plus — its key model starting with the S26 lineup. However, after once again confirming limited consumer demand, the company reportedly decided to bring back the Plus model and, ultimately, to discontinue the Edge line altogether.
This abrupt lineup revision has reportedly caused internal confusion within Samsung Electronics. Another company insider said, “With the Unpacked event coming up in January, the major lineup change has left many employees unsettled,” adding, “The tight schedule is creating significant pressure internally.”
As a result of this decision, the Galaxy S26 series to be unveiled next January is now expected to consist of three models: the S26 (Pro), Plus, and Ultra — with the Edge line scrapped.
Industry insiders view this move as a strategic retreat grounded in market reality. While the ultra-slim phone showcased high technical sophistication, it failed to deliver adequate consumer satisfaction in key areas such as battery life and price competitiveness.
A mobile industry official remarked, “The Edge line wasn’t created out of real necessity for a slim model — Samsung only entered that market because a competitor (Apple) was reportedly developing one,” adding, “Since existing premium smartphones are already quite thin, this confirms that performance and battery capacity are more important factors.”
The official concluded, “Going forward, the Galaxy series will likely pursue an even more premium strategy.”
Meanwhile, this lineup adjustment is also expected to impact Samsung’s chipset deployment plans. Reports suggest that, similar to the base S26 (Pro) model, Samsung may equip the Korean and European variants — excluding North America, China, and Japan — with the Exynos 2600 processor. Previously, the Plus model had been expected to feature Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chipset.
