The ultra-slim smartphone trend that some brands tried to launch seems to be dying before becoming a thing. The engineering prowess required to make devices thinner than ever is not enough to drive sales. Recent market data and industry whispers suggest that the ultra-slim-phone form factor is struggling to find its feet, as the Honor Magic8 Pro Air also failed in sales, leading several major manufacturers to pull the plug on their upcoming projects.
Honor Magic 8 Pro Air sales: An ultra-slim iPhone that failed when it shouldn’t have
The failure of the Honor Magic8 Pro Air is particularly notable. To keep their sleek look, thin devices usually compromise on hardware. However, Honor managed to pack impressive specs into its device. It features a 6.31-inch display and a substantial 5,500mAh battery. So, theoretically, it addressed poor battery life and tiny screens, the two biggest fears of slim-phone buyers, right?
Well, even with these “pro” level specs, the market response has been cold. According to data shared by reliable tech tipster Digital Chat Station on Weibo, the Honor Magic8 Pro Air has managed only about 50,000 activations. This suggests that the lack of interest in these phones isn’t necessarily about technical drawbacks. It seems that people simply don’t seem to prioritize extreme thinness when making a purchase.
Apple’s lonely bet
Even the biggest names in the business aren’t immune to this trend. Within the iPhone 17 series, which has surpassed 20 million activations, the iPhone Air model accounts for a mere 700,000 units. Meanwhile, more than half of the series’ total sales come from the Pro Max model.
Despite these underwhelming numbers, Apple appears to be the only company willing to double down. Recent reports suggest that the Cupertino tech giant will move forward with a second-generation iPhone Air. On the other hand, brands like Xiaomi and OPPO have reportedly canceled their own “Air” smartphone launches after seeing the current sales climate.
More factors against ultra slim phones
The ongoing global RAM shortage may also have accelerated the premature demise of ultra-slim phones. In a scenario where every high-speed memory chip is worth its weight in gold, brands have to manage their available components more efficiently. For them, it’s much more profitable to integrate these memory chips into “ultra” premium phones and high-end devices than in niche handsets.
Be that as it may, with the exception of Apple, the ultra-slim phone, as a mainstream category, appears to be effectively dead.
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