The ultra-thin phone era was supposed to be the next big design shift. Apple was going to lead it, Samsung was going to chase it, and the Chinese brands were going to undercut it. Funny how that turned out.
What the new leak actually says
A fresh Weibo post from leaker Digital Chat Station claims the iPhone Air barely scraped past 700,000 activations, even after Apple cut its price multiple times. That is barely a footnote in the grand scheme of the numbers that Apple sells. However, in a new report, one unnamed Chinese ultra-thin rival did even worse, landing at just 50,000 activations.
So now we have a strange situation. The company that arguably normalized the "thin is premium" pitch is also the company whose flop scared everyone else out of the pool.
What's your honest take on ultra-thin phones now that the iPhone Air flopped?
I bought the iPhone Air, but not for the reason Apple wanted me to. I picked it up because the sky blue colorway looked almost translucent in person, sleek in a way that no Pixel or Galaxy in my rotation could match. It was my way of giving Apple another shot at pulling me away from Android, and honestly, it earned its spot.
It still has a SIM in it, and it still rotates in with my Pixel 10 Pro Fold . That said, I get why most people passed. At $999 with one camera, mediocre battery, and a single speaker, "thin and pretty" is not a compelling pitch when the standard iPhone 17 exists for less.
Apple did not break the ultra-thin trend on purpose, but it definitely showed the rest of the industry that style alone will not move units. If the Air 2 actually nails the fixes, it might prove the concept was never the problem, only the execution.
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Johanna 'Jojo the Techie' is a skilled mobile technology expert with over 15 years of hands-on experience, specializing in the Google ecosystem and Pixel devices. Known for her user-friendly approach, she leverages her vast tech support background to provide accessible and insightful coverage on latest technology trends. As a recognized thought leader and former member of #TeamPixel, Johanna ensures she stays at the forefront of Google services and products, making her a reliable source for all things Pixel and ChromeOS.
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