Xiaomi talks down on the iPhone Air, says it's only a niche product

Xiaomi's president, Lu Weibing, has shared some candid thoughts about the new wave of ultra-thin “Air” phones. He admitted the idea is impressive but said it comes with trade-offs that can’t be ignored.

“From a design angle, the Air phone is a really bold and creative move,” Lu said. “But making a phone that thin means you have to give up things like battery life, cooling, performance, and even camera quality.”

He added that sales numbers speak for themselves. “If we look at the actual data, it’s clearly a niche product,” he said. “The real question is whether people will keep using it after a while.”

The buzz around thin phones started picking up after Apple released its iPhone Air in September. It’s being marketed as the slimmest iPhone ever, just 5.6mm thick, with a 6.5-inch 120Hz screen, a 48MP rear camera, and the A19 Pro chip. Prices in China start at 7,999 yuan.

But even with all that hype, early sales haven’t been great. Tech blogger @Digital Chat Station reported that Apple only sold around 50,000 units in the first week, calling it “a disappointing start.” During Apple’s Q4 2025 earnings call, CEO Tim Cook avoided answering questions about how the Air is actually doing.

Huawei’s Mate 70 Air, with its slogan “More than just thin.”, is also in on the action. Rumour has it that the device, focused on finding a better balance between design and daily use, is expected to launch soon.

Another tech insider, @Smart Pikachu, recently mentioned that one brand is testing a super-slim flagship with a 200MP main camera, a 6.6-inch curved display, and a one-piece sculpted design. From the clues, it looks like this could be the Xiaomi 17 Air.

Still, judging from Lu Weibing’s latest comments, Xiaomi isn’t in a rush. The company seems to be watching how users react to these ultra-thin models before deciding whether to launch one of its own.