You have to travel across the world to find just how Americans are devoid of choice for interesting phones. At IFA 2025, I went hands-on with Tecno’s Slim phone—or at least I tried to hold onto its incredibly thin frame. It’s an apt name for such an irregular phone, one that has me asking whether Samsung and—potentially—Apple need to rethink what people really want from frisbee-light phones.
China-based Tecno has a penchant for weird mobile devices. The company recently revealed a Phantom Ultimate G Fold tri-fold concept phone that wraps around itself, like the letter “G.” The Tecno Slim, on the other hand, is a real product that people in Asia and Europe can buy, but folks in the U.S. are still out of luck. There are two versions of the Slim, a 4G “Spark Slim” version that’s 5.93mm and a 5G “Pova Slim” model at 5.95mm. Those numbers are largely meaningless compared to actually having the device in hand. Not to put too fine a point on it, but it may be the thinnest mobile phone that I’ve held. There’s just a few millimeters distance from the edge to the bottom USB-C port. The waterfall-type screen, where the edges slope down toward the back, adds to the sensation that I’m holding a thin pane of glass rather than a traditional smartphone.
The $1,100 Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge is 5.8mm thick, so it’s still winning in terms of pure thinness. The difference between the two is the Tecno Slim doesn’t give up much in pursuit of a thin frame. It has an AMOLED display with a 1.5K resolution and a blistering 144Hz refresh rate (Apple, eat your heart out). Despite its light feel, it still packs a 5,160mAh battery that allows for 45W fast charging. The S25 Edge packs a 3,900mAh battery. Rumors for Apple’s ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air suggest the device could also sacrifice battery life on the altar of pocketability.
Tecno promises users will net between 24 and 28 hours of battery life. Tecno also claims it’s figured out thermal issues with a 0.3mm-thick vapor chamber. And to top it off, the Slim is surprisingly cute, too. The rear camera cutout looks like a googly-eyed face. Depending on what actions you take, the rear lights might blink or wink at you. Imagine if the lights on Nothing’s latest phones before the Phone 3 had a little bit more personality.
The two major discrepancies between the Slim and other modern phones are the cameras and chip. The Spark Slim uses a Helio G200 while the Pova Slim is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 6400 5G+—a lower-to-mid-range chip. These are not going to be the fastest, most capable phones around. It’s also an Android 15-based device, which—depending on your appreciation for Material 3 Expressive—is either a point for or against the thin phone.
Every design will have its tradeoffs. Tecno’s device will be worse off if you prioritize phone performance and camera capabilities. The Slim will be available sometime soon, Tecno told me, though there’s no pricing information just yet. And again, sorry, this isn’t coming to the U.S., so folks in the States have to accept bad batteries on thin phones for now.