iPhone Air Flop Sparks Industry Retreat From Ultra-Thin Phones

Apple's disappointing iPhone Air sales are causing major Chinese mobile vendors to scrap or freeze their own ultra-thin phone projects, according to reports coming out of Asia.

Since the ‌iPhone Air‌ launched in September, there have been reports of poor sales and manufacturing cuts, while Apple's supply chain has scaled back shipments and production.

Apple supplier Foxconn has reportedly dismantled all of its production lines for the ‌iPhone Air‌, while Luxshare, another supplier, stopped production at the end of October.

As a result of the device's poor reception among consumers, rival smartphone manufacturers including Xiaomi, Oppo, Vivo, and others have either canned or adjusted their development plans for Air-style models, and reallocated eSIM solutions intended for the devices to other production lines.

Xiaomi reportedly planned a "true Air model" to rival Apple's offering, while Vivo targeted thinness within its mid-range S series. Both companies are now said to have halted related projects but have yet to officially comment.

Apple relied on the iPhone Air's new look to generate excitement – it's the first major redesign of the iPhone since the iPhone X introduced Face ID and an all-display front in 2017. However, achieving a super-thin 5.6 mm profile required trade-offs. The iPhone Air uses a smaller battery and a single rear camera, yet still carries a premium price.

Starting at $999, it seems too expensive for what many buyers view as style over substance. It sits only $100 below the $1,099 iPhone 17 Pro, which offers a triple-lens camera system and far better battery life.

The tepid consumer response is also said to have forced Apple back to the drawing board: a report from The Information claims Apple has delayed the second-generation iPhone Air while it redesigns the device to potentially fit in a second camera and improve battery life.

Apparently it's been a similar story for Samsung's Galaxy S25 Edge, the Korean company's equivalent ultra-thin offering. Samsung has reportedly cancelled the Galaxy S26 Edge and halted the production of the Galaxy S25 Edge, owing to poor sales.

(Via DigiTimes.)