Is Apple going to force Samsung's Galaxy S26 Edge to return this year?

Samsung and Apple, two of the world's top smartphone vendors, made a miscalculation last year. They thought that there was substantial demand in the market for ultra-thin flagship phones. Samsung went in early with the Galaxy S25 Edge and Apple followed up with the iPhone Air a few months later.

Both would have been taken by surprise after the devices failed to sell as well as they would have hoped. So the rumors began that they would be canceled in 2026. That's all but confirmed for the Galaxy S26 Edge, but could Apple force it to return?

Earlier reports claimed Apple had canceled the iPhone Air 2 for 2026 and that it would only be released in 2027. Though recent rumors suggested that Apple may end up releasing the device this year.

A new leak from China's blogosphere claims, based on information from supply chain sources, that the iPhone Air 2 is on track for a launch this fall. It's claimed that the device will have very minor changes, so think of it as a small evolutionary upgrade, rather than any substantial improvement.

If this is indeed true, would Samsung be content with leaving the ground empty for Apple? It wouldn't be too difficult for Samsung to come up with a similarly less exciting Galaxy S26 Edge if it really needed to. However, will both Apple and Samsung see any renewed interest in their ultra-thin phones? That remains unlikely.