Chinese smartphone companies like Xiaomi, Oppo, and Vivo have quietly stopped plans to make super-thin Android phones that look like Apple's "Air-style" ones.
 |
| Image Credit: Hindustan Times |
They saw weak sales for slim flagship phones this year. These brands paused or canceled projects to compete with Apple's iPhone Air because early sales of the Air were not as good as Apple hoped.
Signs of low demand for very thin phones have shown up for months. Industry reports said the iPhone Air stayed easy to buy after launch, and Apple cut production orders due to less buyer interest. This drop made other companies rethink spending money on phones that give up battery life and features just for a slim look.
Also Read: Realme 16 Pro+ 5G, Realme C81 Tipped for India Launch With Fresh Details on Variants and Colours
Samsung tried a slim "Edge" model too, but it faced the same issues. Reports from earlier this year said the Galaxy S25 Edge sold less than expected, so Samsung thought again about keeping the Edge line going. These poor results from Samsung made the whole industry more careful about ultra-thin designs as a popular choice.
Experts and supply chain reports point to a basic problem: making phones very thin often means smaller batteries, weaker cameras, poorer cooling, and sometimes worse speakers.
 |
| Image Credit: Apple |
For many buyers, especially those who care about value and long battery life, these cuts are not worth the higher price for a thinner body. This real-world issue is the main reason makers are dropping "Air" rival phones right now.
This change comes at a tough time with higher costs for parts like memory and tighter supplies. Phone companies want to spend on things customers clearly like, such as better batteries, stronger cameras, and lower prices, instead of rare slim designs that might not sell much.
Also Read: Sennheiser HDB 630 Debuts in India With Parametric EQ, Hi-Res Audio & 60-Hour Battery
For buyers, this means future top phones will focus on useful features over being super thin. Brands will put more effort into batteries, cameras, and speed soon, not the slimmest shape. They might try slim models again later if new battery or material tech fixes the problems.
In short, the trend for "thin phones" that came back this year is fading fast. The market showed even a big product like the iPhone Air did not sell well, so rivals slowed or stopped their plans to avoid losses. Buyers will get more practical phones that stress battery and camera power over tiny thickness.