From iPhone Air to Galaxy Z tri-fold and Ray-Ban Display: Check out the biggest tech launches of 2025

2025 was the twelvemonth when a lot of young and exciting tech bust continue, and we eventually got glimpses of what the future may look like, especially from a tech standpoint. Apple finally launched its slim and lightweight flagship, the iPhone Air, Samsung went on to showcase the Trifold, compact phones made a comeback and look like they are here to stay, while Meta Ray-Ban Glasses got a display and a Neural Band to control them.

In case you missed any of these launches, here’s a recap of what they offer:

1) iPhone Air:

Apple’s latest attempt to revitalise the middle member in its flagship lineup saw the company replace the ‘Plus’ model with the iPhone Air. The new phone measures just 5.64mm in thickness and weighs only 165 grams.

The iPhone Air features a 6.5-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and up to 3,000 nits of peak brightness. The panel comes with Ceramic Shield 2 protection and support for HDR and True Tone.

Under the hood, the device is powered by the A19 Pro chip, with support for 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB storage options. The phone runs on iOS 26 and supports all Apple Intelligence features.

The trade-off with this form factor, however, is that Apple was only able to add a single 48MP wide-angle lens to the iPhone Air. The front of the device, however, retains the 18MP Centre Stage camera with autofocus, like the other members of the iPhone 17 series.

2) Samsung Galaxy Z Trifold:

While Apple is scrambling to launch its first-ever foldable, Samsung upped the ante this year with the unveiling of its Galaxy Z Tri-Fold, which has already begun hitting the shelves in a few markets. The phone features a massive 10.0-inch QXGA+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X main display with a 120Hz refresh rate and 1,600 nits of brightness. The device also sports a 6.5-inch FHD+ cover screen with a 21:9 aspect ratio and 2,600 nits of brightness.

It is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Mobile Platform for Galaxy, paired with 16GB of RAM. The foldable device is backed by a 5,600mAh battery with support for 45W wired and 15W wireless charging.

In terms of cameras, it features a 200MP primary sensor with OIS, a 12MP ultra-wide lens, and a 10MP telephoto shooter with 3x optical zoom. The device comes with an IP48 water and dust resistance rating.

3) Compact phones:

2025 saw the return of compact phones in the market, which are easier to hold in hand while being targeted at the upper mid-range segment. The first device to hit the shelves this year with a compact form factor was the OnePlus 13s, featuring a 6.32-inch LTPO AMOLED display and the Snapdragon 8 Elite processor.

The phone soon faced competition from Vivo, which launched the X200 FE with a 6.31-inch 1.5K LTPO AMOLED display, Dimensity 9300 processor, IP69 rating, and a larger 6,500mAh battery. The battle for compact flagships is only expected to get better in 2026, with both OnePlus and Vivo expected to unveil successors to these devices in the coming year.

4) Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses (Gen 3):

Meta gave a big upgrade to the Ray-Ban glasses this year with the launch of Ray-Ban Display, which features a full-colour, high-resolution display baked right into the lens, along with a Neural Band to control them.

They feature a 600x600-pixel monocular display with a 20-degree field of view. There is also support for a six-mic setup and open-ear speakers for calls and listening to music.

The Neural Band, on the other hand, uses EMG (electromyography) technology to allow users to control the glasses with subtle hand gestures like clicking or scrolling.

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