The Air Has Gone Still: Are Ultra-Thin Flagship Phones Like the iPhone Air and S25 Edge Already Obsolete?

It seems that even a titan like Apple can't prop up the 'ultra-thin' flagship smartphone category. The iPhone Air is currently the only iPhone model rumored to have had its production orders slashed just one month after launch—a fate even the much-criticized iPhone mini series managed to avoid. By all accounts, the iPhone Air is a 'failed' product at this stage. However, it's not alone; the S25 Edge, released half a year earlier, was already dead on arrival.

Samsung S25 Edge

The back-to-back failures of two ultra-thin flagship phones raise a compelling question: where did all the users who once complained about phones being too thick and heavy go?

iPhone Air's Cold Reception: Is Xiaomi Backing Down?

The struggles of the S25 Edge and now the iPhone Air seem to have sealed the fate of this product category. Looking back at reports from the first half of the year, the gap between expectation and reality is staggering. Many early articles and comments praised the concept, with users expressing nostalgia for a time when phones were lighter and thinner. The actual sales figures, however, suggest that this vocal group likely makes up less than 1% of the market. Despite immense pre-launch hype and rumors of it being sold out, leaked data suggests the iPhone Air's first-week activations were a mere 50,000+ units.

In contrast, the other three iPhone 17 models, which launched earlier, collectively surpassed 1 million activations in their first week, with even the lowest-selling standard model hitting around 230,000 units. The iPhone Air's 'sold out' status wasn't due to overwhelming demand but simply to extremely low initial stock. This lukewarm reception has reportedly caused Apple to halt over 80% of its production. Following this, other brands like Xiaomi, which were rumored to be developing a similar 'Xiaomi 17 Air', have reportedly suspended their plans. For now, it seems only Huawei might proceed with its Mate 70 Air, leaving many to wonder if it can succeed where Apple and Samsung failed.


Why Have Ultra-Thin Flagships Become Obsolete?

What is the root cause behind the failure of these two ultra-thin flagships? When a female friend who often complains about heavy phones was asked why she didn't buy the iPhone Air, her answer was telling: "Reviews say the battery life is mediocre and the camera isn't as good as the Pro's, but the price is almost the same. I'll wait for a price drop." This sentiment captures the core contradiction: users want a thin phone, but not at the expense of battery, camera performance, or a reasonable price. Unfortunately, better batteries and camera modules are inherently thicker due to physical limitations. Overcoming this requires new materials and technologies that inevitably drive up costs.

The fundamental issue with devices like the iPhone Air and S25 Edge is their ambiguous market positioning. Priced as sub-flagships, their features are often on par with or even inferior to the standard models. For instance, the iPhone Air costs $300 more than the standard iPhone 17 but loses the ultra-wide camera and has 50% slower charging, all for a 2.31mm reduction in thickness and a 12-gram weight decrease. This makes its target audience extremely narrow—limited to those who prioritize thinness above all else, a small fraction of a market dominated by users who value camera, battery, or performance.

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