New Delhi: Apple turned its head during its September event with the iPhone Air, the slimmest iPhone ever designed by the company. At a time when phones were getting bulkier, the iPhone Air brought a 5.6 mm-thick design and looked completely different from everything else. In some reports,d that the likes of Xiaomi, Oppo, and Vivo were planning their own ultra-slim flagships to take on the Air. But whoever, following the disappointment in sales of the iPhone Air, the Chinese brand has held all their plans for now on bringing the slimmest devices.
According to some sources, Xiaomi, Oppo, and Vivo have either stopped or adjusted their plans for the development of ultra-thin phones. The shift strategy for Xiaomi, Oppo, and Vivo reflects broader industry apprehension following the iPhone Air’s poor market performance. Apple had unveiled its thinnest iPhone to date, banking on a significant redesign to attract buyers. However, the device struggled to resonate with the consumers. Apple suppliers Foxconn and Luxshare have already dismantled or stopped production lines for the iPhone Air. The reports also stated that following the disappointing sales of the Air, Xiaomi, Oppo and Vivo have reallocated resources, including eSIM technology, away from Air ultra-thin phone projects to focus on more conventional devices.
As per some reports, Xiaomi has planned to launch an accurate Air model as a direct competitor to Apple’s device. At the same time, Vivo was going to bring an ultra-thin device with its mid-range S series. Both manufacturers are now stated to have halted work on these models, with no official statements released regarding the future of their ultra-thin projects. This comes at a time when Samsung has already been reported to have cancelled the Galaxy S26 Edge, the successor to its ultra-slim flagships, the Galaxy S25 Edge. Apple itself is rumoured to have delayed the second-generation iPhone Air. The Cupertino giant is reported they be planning a significant redesign to address consumer feedback on battery life and camera functionality.
