The Galaxy and the iPhone finally go their separate ways, maybe to never come together again?

Every year, phone makers do their usual routine of pretending not to copy each other while releasing handsets that could pass for relatives, but somehow this round feels like they finally changed the choreography.

A new frame

The iPhone 17 lineup is already out there, solid frame and all, and now a new leak claims that Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S26 family is heading in a slimmer, lighter direction across the board. If this leak holds up, it might be the moment the two biggest players in the industry take totally separate paths.

The numbers paint a pretty clear picture.

The base Galaxy S26 is expected to land at 164 grams and 6.9mm thick. Compare that to the iPhone 17, which sits at 177 grams with a chunkier 7.95mm body.

Move up a tier and the gap widens: the Galaxy S26 Plus supposedly checks in at 191 grams and 7.3mm, while the iPhone 17 Plus hits 204 grams and 8.75mm.

And at the top end, the maxed-out Galaxy S26 Ultra reportedly weighs 214 grams with a 7.9mm profile, going up against the iPhone 17 Pro Max at 231 grams and a 8.75mm thickness.If this chart is real, Samsung isn’t nibbling around the edges. It’s coming out with phones that are slimmer and lighter at every level, almost like it’s taking aim straight at Apple’s design direction.

Originality is on life support

Seeing the iPhone and the Galaxy going in different directions is a big plus in my book.

When it comes to design, bold ideas have generally vanished. Sure, Huawei drops something exotic every once in a while, but let’s be honest: almost nobody in the US cares about Huawei anymore. And yes, gaming phones exist, and some of them look wild, but I don’t want every phone to resemble a sci-fi gaming station.

I just want devices that don’t blur together in my mind.

Honor’s iPhone-like, Pixel-like blend

Speaking of blurring and blending, let’s not forget about the Honor 500 – this recently leaked phone looks like a direct blend of Apple’s iPhone 17 and Google’s Pixel 10:

We get a metal frame, a flat display and large rounded corners, paired with a rear camera setup that strongly resembles the Pixel’s Visor design, but with an iPhone 17 twist. The tipster claims the build feels more premium than some flagships, but that only makes its familiar appearance stand out even more. With those Apple-style curves and that unmistakably Google-inspired camera bar, the phone almost feels designed to blend in rather than stand out.And while it’s true that a phone can’t suddenly take the form of a harp and still function, making them all look this similar doesn’t help when performance and features are already so uniform across the board.

Slim phones or bigger batteries?

Of course, Apple too is in the sleek game with its brand-new iPhone Air: but that thing is having some hard times at the markets… and it doesn’t sell as well as expected. Similarly, the super thin Galaxy S25 Edge didn’t do well in the past months. But we’re not talking about those wasp-waisted devices.

Samsung going slim with the S26 line could end up mattering more than it seems. If Apple sticks to its thicker, sturdier frame again next year with the iPhone 18 Pro, set for September 2026, the two companies might finally be chasing separate visions of what a flagship should be. Samsung leaning into the sleek, ultra-refined look, while Apple leans into heft, durability, and battery capacity.

But here’s the catch: a slim phone sounds cool until you remember the one thing people actually care about – battery life. The difference between 6.9mm and 7.9mm isn’t going to change anyone’s life in the hand. Most people won’t even notice. A couple of extra hours of screen-on time? Everyone notices that. Everyone wants that. Everyone complains when they don’t get that.

So if Samsung is really shaving down the frame, it raises the question of whether it’s cutting battery capacity along with it or relying entirely on software tricks and new battery tech to make up the difference.

Personally, I want phones that look and feel distinct again, phones that aren’t afraid to make a statement. If Samsung wants to make thin cool again, fine. If Apple wants to embrace thicker builds for bigger batteries, also fine. Let them try different things. At least for a while.

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