According to sources within Asia's industrial supply chain, the underwhelming sales of Apple's ultra-slim iPhone Air following its release have spurred several Chinese smartphone makers to suspend or abandon their own ultra-thin smartphone initiatives. Since its debut in September, the iPhone Air has struggled with persistently low sales, compelling Apple's supply chain partners to scale back shipment volumes and trim production capacities. Foxconn has entirely dismantled its iPhone Air assembly lines, while Luxshare Precision halted production by the end of October. Industry analysts note that in pursuit of extreme thinness, the iPhone Air sacrificed key hardware features—such as downgrading speaker performance and simplifying camera systems—while maintaining a premium price point, ultimately leading to poor market reception. Meanwhile, smartphone giants like Xiaomi, OPPO, and Vivo have also scrapped their respective "Air" model projects, opting instead to integrate eSIM technology into their standard product lines.
