The smartphone industry has witnessed a sudden wave of shocking decisions in recent months, after it became clear that iPhone AirThe phone, touted as the thinnest iPhone in history, didn't live up to Apple's expectations. Despite a strong marketing campaign and the hype surrounding it, sales fell far short of forecasts, leading the company to drastically reduce production before halting it entirely on some manufacturing lines. However, it seems that Chinese smartphone giants quickly learned their lesson and began canceling or freezing their plans to produce similar models. The question now is, has the era of ultra-thin phones come to an end?
iPhone Air
From the very first days of its launch, the iPhone Air was readily available for immediate shipping, while other models like the iPhone 17 Pro were experiencing long waiting lists due to stock shortages. This rapid disparity was indicative of weak demand. Apple wasn't alone; Samsung faced a similar issue with its slim Galaxy S25 Edge, with reports suggesting the Korean giant has canceled next year's model altogether. These combined signs sent a clear message to the market: ultra-thin phones are not a priority for consumers.
Chinese companies' reaction
The iPhone Air, which Apple had touted as an ultra-thin model, proved not to be the innovation the market needed. Following a series of disappointing sales reports and massive reductions in manufacturing orders, this failure appears to have sent shockwaves through global supply chains. More importantly, this setback has not gone unnoticed. Chinese companies have split into two camps: one has halted projects entirely, while the other has frozen development indefinitely.
As for Xiaomi, which is known for launching devices very similar to Apple products, it was working on a device very similar in design to the iPhone Air, but it canceled the project after seeing the disappointing sales results of Apple and Samsung.
Vivo, which had been preparing to launch two models in this category, quickly reassessed its plans and decided to freeze the project to gain a clearer picture. Meanwhile, Oppo decided to halt work on its ultra-thin Android phone due to the disastrous results experienced by the iPhone maker.
Some analysts suggest that this move by Chinese companies could save them millions of dollars in research and development costs. This is especially true since ultra-thin phones require costly engineering solutions to shrink the battery and internal components without compromising the design or performance.
Is the era of ultra-thin phones over?
Why aren't users interested in thinner phones? The answer is simple: users seem to have become more realistic in their preferences. Phone thickness is no longer a primary criterion as it was a decade ago. Today, users are looking for other, more important things, including:
- long-lasting battery
- More powerful cameras
- Higher performance
- Better cooling
- Longer lifespan
All these elements require more space inside the phone. Therefore, significantly reducing the thickness often comes at the expense of battery life or performance, which is something users are unwilling to sacrifice.
Finally, it's not safe to say that ultra-thin phones will disappear entirely, but it's clear the market isn't ready for them at the current price point. Users feel that raising the price for a few millimeters of thickness isn't worth the investment, especially given the current global slowdown in some phone markets. Considering the failures of Apple and Samsung, and the early collapse of Chinese companies, it seems ultra-thin phones will remain an attractive concept on paper but impractical in reality, at least for now.
Was the iPhone Air's failure just a temporary setback, or proof that the era of ultra-thin phones is over? Let us know your opinion in the comments!
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