iPhone Air 2 Expected to Launch Early Next Year With Five New Features

[RaoulDuke42]

It's amazing how many people are chiming in how everything with the Air is "just fine" or folks have only one particular nit to pick.

It did not sell well, so something is off with the folks praising it here vs the reality of the wider market.

Should be fascinating to watch.

I expect a very minor revision and continued tepid sales (at best), especially in our new pricing environment.

If there were a smaller version, even with just one camera, I'd have considered it.
The width in hand is way too much for me when I've spent time with it. I found myself shifting it around in my hand when demoing it and knew after 5 mins ... no way. "You'll hate this once the novelty wears off"

I so want to spend money on new shiny, but nothing competes with my 12 mini. It's lighter than the Air, has two cameras and two speakers, no camera bump with a minimal leather case on it, so I can stick it to any metal surface. Oh and it's (nearly) properly sized (could be shorter!) for unparalleled one handed use. Incredibly this six year old device runs iOS26 just fine and 27 is supposed to be even smoother so uh, third battery here I come. Apple ought to offer the Air in two sizes (lose the "mini" branding, sells itself short with that word). 5.6" and 6.5" has a certain symmetry to it.

 

[Dark_Omen]

I so want to spend money on new shiny, but nothing competes with my 12 mini. It's lighter than the Air, has two cameras and two speakers, no camera bump with a minimal leather case on it, so I can stick it to any metal surface. Oh and it's (nearly) properly sized (could be shorter!) for unparalleled one handed use. Incredibly this six year old device runs iOS26 just fine and 27 is supposed to be even smoother so uh, third battery here I come. Apple ought to offer the Air in two sizes (lose the "mini" branding, sells itself short with that word). 5.6" and 6.5" has a certain symmetry to it.

If I could say what I wanted about this entire post, I'd be banned for life.

I'll be nice and just say congratulations on liking a mediocre product that's way too small I guess.

 

[RaoulDuke42]

If I could say what I wanted about this entire post, I'd be banned for life.

I'll be nice and just say congratulations on liking a mediocre product that's way too small I guess.

I applaud your restraint!

 

[shinkansenwarrior]

It’s not necessarily the appeal of thinness but it’s more the reduced weight in my opinion…

THIS. While pro users don't mind extra weight if it means more longevity juice inside the battery, some don't want to build arm muscle holding a brick. They want a sleeker phone easier to carry around but can still enjoy using a gorgeous easy to view screen. It would be nice if Apple could bury those cameras a bit more flush similar to an enlarged iPhone XS.

 

[ab2c4]

It's amazing how many people are chiming in how everything with the Air is "just fine" or folks have only one particular nit to pick.

It did not sell well, so something is off with the folks praising it here vs the reality of the wider market.

Should be fascinating to watch.

I expect a very minor revision and continued tepid sales (at best), especially in our new pricing environment.

If there were a smaller version, even with just one camera, I'd have considered it.
The width in hand is way too much for me when I've spent time with it. I found myself shifting it around in my hand when demoing it and knew after 5 mins ... no way. "You'll hate this once the novelty wears off"

I think it comes down to this: most people just looked at the spec sheet and made the assumption it was a bad phone. Those of us that bought one and of course use it daily got to see for ourselves how the phone performs in real life useage.

Iphone users are a weird bunch and I think its because they are not as knowledgeable on average when it comes to tech as the rest of the world. Look at the iphone 14-16 Plus phones. They were very good performing phones, I know because I had a 15 Plus, and yet they sold pretty bad. Look at the Mini as well. While I didn't own one I have used one and that was a pretty sweet device and yet those iphones were hated as much as the Air. Go figure.

 

[ctklein]

These are all welcome however without an increase in battery life and/or better speakers I won't consider this sadly

 

[mlayer]

I think it comes down to this: most people just looked at the spec sheet and made the assumption it was a bad phone. Those of us that bought one and of course use it daily got to see for ourselves how the phone performs in real life useage.

Iphone users are a weird bunch and I think its because they are not as knowledgeable on average when it comes to tech as the rest of the world. Look at the iphone 14-16 Plus phones. They were very good performing phones, I know because I had a 15 Plus, and yet they sold pretty bad. Look at the Mini as well. While I didn't own one I have used one and that was a pretty sweet device and yet those iphones were hated as much as the Air. Go figure.

There is a strange conformity involving the recent iPhone lines. It seems to be largely related to the cameras. Whether it's the inferiority of the Air's single shooter or kids and even adults looking down on people that don't have three cameras, it is weird. Personally I'd love for the technology to evolve to the point where there can be a single lens system again that doesn't require as much space as the "plateau." Maybe down the road.

 

[eifelbube]

iPhone Air is 165 grams.
iPhone 17 is 177 grams
iPhone 17 Pro is 206 grams.
iPhone 18/Pro will likely be heavier.

iPhone 13 mini was 141 grams
iPhone 18 mini could have been < 140 grams

 

[eifelbube]

Those are great features/upgrades, but I gotta ask: Stereo speakers?

Subwoofer plateau on opposite end to balance out camera plateau?

 

[darkslide29]

This is the main reason I didn't get one, even though I really like the Air. It's not like I'm using my phone as a party speaker but sometimes I come in from the car at the end of a podcast and I like to just play the end on my phone's speakers and I've heard the Air just sounds tinny. But to be honest I haven't tried to listen to one myself.

I really like my Air and can’t imagine going back to a brick of a phone. I still sometimes panic that I forgot my phone at home, but no, it’s just so light and thin in my pocket. I don’t care for the second camera myself and would rather get the stereo speaker.

That being said, it sounds absolutely fine when holding the phone portrait. Especially for a podcast. But when I go landscape and sound is only coming out from one speaker, that’s when I notice it. Even though I use my AirPods 90% of the time, the rest of the time really sticks out. That’s my only gripe for my own usage.

 

[James6s]

I really like my Air and can’t imagine going back to a brick of a phone. I still sometimes panic that I forgot my phone at home, but no, it’s just so light and thin in my pocket. I don’t care for the second camera myself and would rather get the stereo speaker.

That being said, it sounds absolutely fine when holding the phone portrait. Especially for a podcast. But when I go landscape and sound is only coming out from one speaker, that’s when I notice it. Even though I use my AirPods 90% of the time, the rest of the time really sticks out. That’s my only gripe for my own usage.

There’s been many times where I’ve had to check I have my Air in my pocket! Lol.

The thinness and lightness constantly impresses me every time I pick it up 3 months in, a 6.5” display on a device shouldn’t be this comfortable to hold for long periods resting on your little finger.
The polished titanium band also makes it very grippy vs the matte aluminium bands on others, it also looks and feels very premium.

My worry is if Apple add more cameras, bigger battery etc then the weight will shoot up. Even putting a screen protector in the Air makes the weight increase noticeable.

A second speaker would be nice when watching stuff in landscape, although you don’t have to worry about how you’re holding the Air and if you’re covering the bottom speaker.

 

[DavidDoyle]

If I could say what I wanted about this entire post, I'd be banned for life.

I'll be nice and just say congratulations on liking a mediocre product that's way too small I guess.

The 12 mini is incredibly small, thin and light. I have a 13 mini and it has a smaller island, bigger battery etc and it's the perfect form factor for my use. In recent months I've handed my phone over to an airport lounge attendant and a shop assistant for them to check something and their reaction is quite incredulous - they really want a smaller and lighter phone than ones available now.

The ever increasing size and weight of iPhones is perplexing to me. For years we wanted smaller and lighter phones to make them easily portable and usable, with every year of the iPhone they became bigger and heavier and bigger and heavier - and thus more expensive - and it's trumpeted as if this was all some kind of major advancement 🤔

Phones are becoming the new cars. We've seen over decades cars get bigger and heavier yet not able to carry or tow any more than those from years before and seemingly without any consumer demand for bigger and heavier vehicles. Manufacturers make bigger vehicles because they are more profitable. As an Apple shareholder I guess I should be happy at increased profits, but the actual consumer in me hates how inflexible the iPhone lineup now is, where the seeming solution to big heavy phones is to create - a phone that's bigger than the Pro.

Hopefully an Ultra phone may have potential for me (at huge cost) but I think I would settle on a standard 17 if I had to replace now.

I get that opinions will differ, but I don't think those who want a phone that's smaller than the existing line up deserve contempt. I just don't need a phone that can playback a video for 31 hours, with all the compromises to design that brings.

 

[mlayer]

iPhone 13 mini was 141 grams
iPhone 18 mini could have been < 140 grams

View attachment 2650433

If an 18 mini was released that weighed <140 g, it would've had abysmal battery life. I loved the 12 mini, but I did not love having to charge it 2 PM. That was a fatal flaw.

 

[Dark_Omen]

The 12 mini is incredibly small, thin and light. I have a 13 mini and it has a smaller island, bigger battery etc and it's the perfect form factor for my use. In recent months I've handed my phone over to an airport lounge attendant and a shop assistant for them to check something and their reaction is quite incredulous - they really want a smaller and lighter phone than ones available now.

The ever increasing size and weight of iPhones is perplexing to me. For years we wanted smaller and lighter phones to make them easily portable and usable, with every year of the iPhone they became bigger and heavier and bigger and heavier - and thus more expensive - and it's trumpeted as if this was all some kind of major advancement 🤔

Phones are becoming the new cars. We've seen over decades cars get bigger and heavier yet not able to carry or tow any more than those from years before and seemingly without any consumer demand for bigger and heavier vehicles. Manufacturers make bigger vehicles because they are more profitable. As an Apple shareholder I guess I should be happy at increased profits, but the actual consumer in me hates how inflexible the iPhone lineup now is, where the seeming solution to big heavy phones is to create - a phone that's bigger than the Pro.

Hopefully an Ultra phone may have potential for me (at huge cost) but I think I would settle on a standard 17 if I had to replace now.

I get that opinions will differ, but I don't think those who want a phone that's smaller than the existing line up deserve contempt. I just don't need a phone that can playback a video for 31 hours, with all the compromises to design that brings.

They'd like the smaller form factor for a few days and then realize it has cruddy battery life and you can't do a whole lot of tasks with it. The novelty wears off quickly. The iPhone 4 was the perfect phone... Besides the tiny screen, and as a result of it being tiny, the garbage battery it came with.

 

[RaoulDuke42]

They'd like the smaller form factor for a few days and then realize it has cruddy battery life and you can't do a whole lot of tasks with it. The novelty wears off quickly. The iPhone 4 was the perfect phone... Besides the tiny screen, and as a result of it being tiny, the garbage battery it came with.

That's just like, your opinion, man. Ergonomics matter more to some people than you it would seem, and that's all right. I won't begrudge you your giant phablet if that's what you're into. I just want Apple to offer options for all hand sizes. I also prefer (*Apple) trackpads to mice if you want to fight about that.

 

[DavidDoyle]

They'd like the smaller form factor for a few days and then realize it has cruddy battery life and you can't do a whole lot of tasks with it. The novelty wears off quickly. The iPhone 4 was the perfect phone... Besides the tiny screen, and as a result of it being tiny, the garbage battery it came with.

You mean a smaller phone can't access TikTok and Instagram....?

The iPhone 13 Mini has 17 hours of video playback from a 2,406 mAh battery which is 76% of the size of the iPhone Air battery but with a smaller screen, and it's A15 processor is 5nm compared to the more efficient 3nm of the A19. A newer mini based on later battery and processor technology would be far superior to previous models.

I think it's fair to say peoples use cases are different, it really is the case that not everyone needs to carry around a Pro / Pro Max to do the things they want to do, and they'd have more money in their pocket.

 

[RaoulDuke42]

What with Apple finally experimenting with aspect ratios other than 21:9 on iPhones with the upcoming foldable, I got to fantasizing about a slightly shorter and wider iPhone than my 12 mini. A 16:9 5.5" diagonal screen would result in better one handed use and video viewing. So I ran the pythagoreans in Numbers and came up with 4.85" by 2.72." And then I found the cleaning cloth that came with my original iPhone almost twenty years ago, and yup, perfect. Make that in the Air style please! ...or in the style of a regular iPhone either really, thicker means more battery.