The Missed Opportunity: How Xiaomi 17 Air Could Have Dominated the Ultra-Slim Phone Market

In the year 2025, I had the opportunity to test three ultra-slim phones, and unfortunately, they did not meet expectations. The iPhone Air, Galaxy S25 Edge, and Motorola Edge 70 all had their flaws, making them less than ideal choices for most people. In the case of Apple and Samsung’s models, the high price tag did not align with the overall user experience.

Although Honor is gearing up to launch the Magic 8 Pro Air in China on January 19th, it seems to be an exception to the disappointing trend. Reports suggest that there will be no Edge phone in the upcoming Galaxy S26 series, and the underwhelming sales of the iPhone Air have reportedly led Xiaomi, Oppo, and Vivo to halt production of their own ultra-slim phones.

As someone who was let down by ultra-slim phones multiple times last year, the news of potential discontinuation was initially a relief. However, my excitement was reignited upon learning about the leaked specifications of the Xiaomi 17 Air.

The ultra-slim phone I’d been anticipating?

Naturally, leaked information should be taken with a grain of salt, as there is no guarantee of accuracy or implementation in the final product. According to Weibo leaker Bold Panda, the Xiaomi 17 Air was rumored to set a new standard for ultra-slim phones, boasting a thickness of just 5.5mm.

Featuring a 6.59-inch display, the Xiaomi 17 Air would have positioned itself between the 6.5-inch iPhone Air and the 6.7-inch Galaxy S25 Edge and Motorola Edge 70.

Another reliable leaker, Digital Chat Station, added to the speculation by mentioning a lightweight chassis weighing between 160g and 169g.

The Xiaomi 17 Air was rumored to feature a dual rear camera setup with a 200Mp lens, possibly similar to the 3.7x periscope telephoto lens found in the Xiaomi 17 Ultra. With Xiaomi’s reputation for impressive photography capabilities, the camera performance was expected to be top-notch.

The battery capacity was estimated to be under 6000mAh, indicating a larger size than 5000mAh and surpassing the 4800mAh capacity of the Motorola Edge 70 – currently the largest in ultra-thin phones.

Additionally, the Xiaomi 17 Air was anticipated to be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip, potentially making it the most powerful ultra-slim Android phone available.

Bored Panda via Weibo / GSMArena (edited)

Despite internal assessments indicating a lack of demand for ultra-thin phones, it is disappointing that the Xiaomi 17 Air may never see the light of day. Personally, I believe this device had the potential to change my opinion about ultra-slim phones.

For now, all eyes are on the Honor Magic 8 Pro Air, with the uncertainty of its global release. If a thicker device is not an issue, there are several excellent options available in our guide to the best phones on the market.