Report: Sales fell short of expectations, Apple delays the release of the next generation iPhone Air

On Monday, The Information reported, citing informed sources, that Apple is delaying the release of next year's iPhone Air, the company's thinnest smartphone, due to disappointing sales of its first product. Although the specific duration of the delay is unclear, the iPhone Air will not be released in the fall of 2026 as previously planned.

Multiple sources also stated that Apple has significantly reduced the production of the first-generation iPhone Air. Foxconn, one of the two assembly manufacturers for the iPhone Air, has dismantled all production lines except for one and is expected to completely halt production by the end of this month. Another assembler, Luxshare Precision, has fully ceased production by the end of October. In contrast, Foxconn and Luxshare Precision are still investing dozens of production lines for the best-selling iPhone 17 Pro series.

Reports indicate that although Apple has reserved only about 10% of its production capacity for the iPhone Air (with the majority still allocated to the base model and Pro series), a considerable portion of its output remains unsold. This model has ample inventory and can be easily purchased through both online and offline channels, in stark contrast to other models.

The marketing focus of the iPhone Air is on its lightweight and durability, but many reviewers have criticized that in pursuit of a thinner body, Apple sacrificed battery life, camera performance, and speaker quality.

Media analysis suggests that the poor sales of the iPhone Air once again highlight Apple's challenges in finding new popular iPhone variants. Apple attempted to launch the smaller, lower-priced iPhone mini in 2020 but discontinued it in 2022, opting instead for the larger but lower-spec iPhone Plus. Both product lines have performed poorly in the market, and production of the iPhone 14 Plus was cut shortly after its launch due to weak sales.

According to Consumer Intelligence Research Partners, in September this year, the iPhone Air accounted for only 3% of all iPhone sales, while the iPhone 17 Pro accounted for 9% and the iPhone 17 Pro Max for 12%. In comparison, the iPhone 16 Plus, which had a similar price last year, held a 4% share.

iPhone Air Project Delayed

Apple originally planned to launch the second-generation iPhone Air next fall alongside the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro series and Apple's first foldable iPhone. However, recently, Apple management has informed engineers and suppliers to remove the next-generation iPhone Air from the release schedule, without providing a new release date.

Individuals involved in the project stated that the new iPhone Air was expected to be lighter than the first generation and to increase battery capacity; it would also adopt the VC (Vapor Chamber) cooling technology used in this year's iPhone 17 Pro to enhance heat dissipation and performance during heavy use According to sources, Apple has not canceled the internally codenamed iPhone Air 2, and some Apple engineers and manufacturing partners are still continuing development. The new model may be undergoing a significant redesign and could still be released as early as spring 2027 alongside the standard iPhone 18 and the budget-friendly 18e. Apple is permanently adjusting its annual release rhythm: launching lower-priced models in spring and high-end models in autumn.

However, several current and former Apple employees have stated that withdrawing a major iPhone model from the release plan at this development stage is a rare and even unprecedented move. Notably, just as the first-generation iPhone Air was mass-produced and launched at the end of September, Apple only began collaborating with suppliers this summer to develop the next-generation model