The iPhone Air killed one particular smartphone model. And I already miss it.

The iPhone Air has been out for a couple of weeks now, and according to early reports, there's virtually no demand for Apple's ultrathin phone. I personally don't find this piece of news surprising, especially after Samsung adjusted its manufacturing plans for the S25 Edge and lowered the number of Edge units it initially planned to produce.

The future of ultrathin phones may be in shambles, but there's another problem much more important than people not buying into the thin hype. These ultrathin models are killing another smartphone, and as an avid user of that particular model, I already miss it.

The demise of the iPhone Plus

Most of you have guessed by now that I'm talking about the iPhone Plus. When Apple announced its iPhone 17 series, the Air virtually took the iPhone 17 Plus’s place. But it wasn't a fair trade. We lost the $899 way to get a big-screen iPhone, and in return, Apple offered a compromised model that costs $100 more.

I used several iPhone Plus models over the years, starting with the iPhone 14 Plus, and all I can say is that the overall user experience was always great. You got the big screen, the power, and most importantly—the battery life.

I remember the iPhone 14 Plus beating the Pro Max model in battery life, and for some people (including myself), this mattered the most.

Now we have to pay $100 more for a model that has only one camera, the worst battery life in the series, and a smaller 6.5-inch screen. If you want a big-screen iPhone with good battery life, the Pro Max is your only option—and it starts at $1,200.

Why did Apple ditch the iPhone Plus?

Reports say the main reason Apple axed the iPhone Plus is poor sales. The iPhone 16 Plus accounted for only 9% of all iPhone 16 series sales, a number that mirrored the performance of the iPhone 15 Plus.

Another often-cited reason is the model’s awkward market positioning. The $899 iPhone Plus was too expensive to be a budget option and not “Pro” enough to serve as an alternative to the top models.

People either chose the $799 base model or decided to spend $100 more for the iPhone Pro. That sounds like a valid argument, but this year—with the Air entering the lineup and prices reshuffled—things have changed.

The base model is still $799, but there’s effectively no middle ground now. You either go for the $999 iPhone Air or add another $100 for the Pro. And given how niche the iPhone Air is at the moment, the gap between the $799 iPhone 17 and the $1,099 iPhone 17 Pro feels even bigger.

Samsung following suit?

If you thought the iPhone Plus would be the sole victim of the ultrathin hype, you might be in for a nasty surprise. According to rumors, Samsung is planning a major reshuffle for the Galaxy S26 series, taking a few pages from Apple’s notebook.

This is still in the realm of speculation, but apparently Samsung will axe the Galaxy S26 Plus to prevent it from cannibalizing the Galaxy S26 Edge. The two models coexist in the same generation and are so similar that one of them had to go. Sadly, it’s the device that makes more sense.

Another rumor suggests that the base model will be called the Galaxy S26 Pro, with no vanilla S26 in sight. And, as you might’ve guessed, with the “Pro” moniker, a price hike is inevitable. So, just like with the iPhone 17 series, we might end up with a more expensive Galaxy S26 lineup with no Plus model.

Are the Plus models gone for good?

Let’s hope not. Given the poor sales of both the Galaxy S25 Edge and the iPhone Air, Samsung and Apple might reconsider their “life choices,” so to speak. The rumor mill has already produced another story suggesting Samsung is thinking about ditching the S26 Edge and opting for the Plus, but given the time needed to design and manufacture a smartphone, it might be too late.

Either way, nothing convinces big corporations to act and change direction more than losing money. The iPhone Air and the Galaxy Edge are getting a second chance for sure, but if the sales don’t back up this ultrathin idea, these two are bound to be dropped. We saw this with the iPhone Mini—it took Apple two generations to run out of patience and axe the model.

Which one would you choose?

Sales numbers paint one picture, and it's not good for either the ultra-thin iPhone Air and Galaxy S25 Edge or the Pluses. This begs two questions. Do we really need either of those, and if yes, which one should we choose?

It's down to personal preference, of course, but for me, the Plus models in Samsung and Apple portfolios have always added a layer of choice. Would I rather have a thin and more expensive substitute? No, not at all.

What about you? Do you miss the iPhone Plus, and do you think the iPhone Air is a worthy successor? What about the Galaxy Plus vs the Galaxy Edge in the S-series lineup? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

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