Recently, a report from DigiTimes indicated that at least three Chinese smartphone manufacturers abandoned their projects for thin and lightweight smartphones following the disappointing sales of the iPhone Air. Among the brands mentioned was Xiaomi, which developed a prototype for the Xiaomi 17 Air, intended to compete directly with the iPhone Air.
Tipster Bald Panda shared a video showcasing the chassis of the rumored Xiaomi 17 Air, highlighting a distinct visor on the back that accommodates two camera modules. The rear features matte glass, while the camera island is adorned with a shiny metallic finish.
Xiaomi 17 Air Prototype
As per the tipster, the Xiaomi 17 Air was designed with a 6.59-inch display and an impressively thin profile of just 5.5mm, making it 0.1mm slimmer than the iPhone Air. Additionally, Digital Chat Station revealed that the 17 Air would have been equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset, a battery capacity of almost 6,000mAh, and a 200MP main camera.
Xiaomi 17 Air Prototype
Unfortunately, it appears that the Xiaomi 17 Air will not come to market and will remain merely as an unlaunched prototype.
Source 1 • Source 2 (both in Chinese)
