Discouraged by lower-than-anticipated demand for the iPhone Air, Apple may not release a successor, says The Information.
iPhone Air manufacturers are halting production
Two months after its release, demand for the iPhone Air remains low, despite the initial hype.iPhone Air assembler Luxshare reportedly halted production of the iPhone Air in October. Foxconn, the only other producer, has slowed down production, keeping only one and a half assembly lines running. These are expected to grind to a halt by the end of the month.
This is in line with analyst Ming-Chi Kuo’s prediction that Apple would cut down production of the iPhone Air by 80 percent.
The successor to the iPhone Air was apparently set to arrive in fall 2026, but Apple has put the launch on hold. In fact, the iPhone Air 2 may never see the light of day.
Apple hasn’t entirely given up hope. Codenamed V62 internally, the iPhone Air 2 is still under active development, though fewer engineers are now seemingly working on it.
Apple is cutting its losses
The iPhone Air was never expected to be a huge seller, and made up only 10 to 15 percent of the total production capacity. With Apple ending production so soon, it looks like the model is doing even worse than the Plus and mini form factors.When the iPhone Air was first announced, it was the center of attraction due to its sleek design. However, compromises such as a lone 48MP rear camera and a small 3,149mAh battery prevented that appeal from translating into sales.The iPhone Air 2 was expected to be lighter, and feature a bigger battery, a vapor chamber like the iPhone 17 Pro, two cameras, and a design revamp. These changes could have removed some of the market hesitancy.
Apple still hasn’t cancelled the iPhone Air 2, but has told engineers and suppliers that it’s taking the device off the schedule. If it does arrive, the earliest it is expected is spring 2027, when the iPhone 18 and iPhone 18E will also be unveiled.
The third model should sit below the standard iPhone
iPhone 17 | Image Credit – Apple
Apple is struggling to nail the fourth model. The iPhone Air experimented with more than just thickness, yet demand remains almost non-existent. However, its $999 starting price was a little too steep; especially when the $799 iPhone 17 was perceived as a better value because of an additional rear camera and bigger battery. Instead of cancelling the iPhone Air 2, Apple should position it to slot below the iPhone 17 and lower its price.
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