Several leading Chinese smartphone makers have halted development on their own ultra-thin phones, according to a new report.
The iPhone Air, which was unveiled with great fanfare in September, has failed to attract consumers, causing ripple effects across the global mobile market.
Citing sources from Sina Finance and Jiemian, a DigiTimes report indicates that manufacturers Xiaomi, OPPO, and vivo have frozen or entirely canceled projects intended to compete with the iPhone Air. Xiaomi was reportedly developing a model very similar to the Air but has since scrapped those plans.
The move by competitors serves as a strong market signal that the iPhone Air is widely seen as a failure. Industry observers had noted potential risks, especially after Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Edge faced similar struggles. However, Apple appeared committed to its ultra-thin vision at the time.
Apple marketed the iPhone Air as a revolution in sleek design, promising a rigid frame that would not bend, a sophisticated dual purpose rear camera, and better than expected battery life. Despite these features, customers have overwhelmingly preferred the more familiar and fully featured iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro models.
While Apple does not release specific sales numbers for individual models, evidence of the Air’s difficulties continues to mount. Production sources say the company has significantly reduced its orders for components.
Via: Macworld