Xiaomi Almost Built an iPhone Air Rival — Then Cancelled It
Xiaomi Almost Built an iPhone Air Rival — Then Cancelled It
https://www.gizchina.com/xiaomi-phones/xiaomi-almost-built-an-iphone-air-rival-then-cancelled-it
Publish Date: 2026-05-17 03:26:00
Source Domain: www.gizchina.com
The project was real. A 5.5mm prototype existed. It nearly reached mass production.
Summary
- a]:text-primary dark:[&a]:text-white [&a]:underline md:text-lg text-base”The cancelled prototype measured 5.5mm thick and would have featured dual cameras and premium materials, but the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip runs too hot for a 5.5mm chassis without a vapor chamber, making sustained performance impossible to guarantee.
- a]:text-primary dark:[&a]:text-white [&a]:underline md:text-lg text-base”In place of an Air-style device, Xiaomi is launching the 17 Max — a full-power flagship with an 8,000mAh battery, 200MP Leica camera, and Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 — framing the Max category as a comprehensive upgrade across imaging, performance, and battery, not just a size increase.
