Xiaomi justified its decision not to release the 17 Air model with a seamless chassis that is 5.5 mm thick.

Xiaomi—why the ultra‑thin flagship Xiaomi 17 Air was cancelled

In an official statement the company announced that it will not launch production of the Xiaomi 17 Air smartphone, whose body would be just 5.5 mm thick—0.1 mm thinner than the iPhone Air model. This became one of the few cases where Xiaomi disclosed details about its decision‑making process for a product release.

What the company’s head said
During an online broadcast, Xiaomi Group president Lu Weibing answered a user’s question about why the project was cancelled. He noted that the decision was made just days before the planned start of serial production of the ultra‑thin flagship.

> “The developers concluded that the constraints associated with an ultra‑thin body would negatively affect battery life and stable operation, thereby degrading the user experience,” Lu explained.

Instead of bringing to market a phone with reduced functionality compared to its predecessor, Xiaomi decided to abandon the project entirely, even though planning, research, and initial production preparations had already been completed.

Technical details and code name
The new model was assigned the part number 26023PN08C and the code name pecan. Images of the prototype circulating online confirmed its similarity to the iPhone Air: an ultra‑thin body and a horizontal dual camera layout. Earlier reports indicated that due to weak sales of the iPhone Air, Chinese brands had abandoned plans to release super‑thin smartphones.

Why the 17 Max instead of the 17 Plus
Lu Weibing also clarified the choice for the next generation model: Xiaomi 17 Max instead of Xiaomi 17 Plus. According to him, the Xiaomi 17 Plus is simply a version of the standard model with a larger screen, whereas the Xiaomi 17 Max represents a significantly more advanced phone. It combines improvements in photography, performance, battery life, and a large display.

What to expect next
The company officially confirmed that it will unveil the Xiaomi 17 Max by the end of this month. It is expected to feature:

- a 200‑MP main camera with Leica optics,
- a periscope telephoto lens with three‑x zoom,
- an 8000 mAh battery.

Thus, Xiaomi has chosen to abandon the ultra‑thin flagship in favor of a more balanced and powerful device.