who is we? I think people are content to have a battery that works for the entirety of their day without feeling like they are going to run out. Plug your phone in at night and away you go the next day. It is like an EV, you plug in every day and when you leave the next morning you always have a full charge that for vast majority of people is more then enough.
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iPhone Air Flop Sparks Industry Retreat From Ultra-Thin Phones
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Right, but if you are telling me you wouldn't want the same phone you have today, but with a 7 day battery life...you'd be lying to me.
Maybe the next Apple CEO will be brave enough to have the company build an iPhone with the 12/13 mini form factor, make it a millimeter thicker (which is still thinner than a 17 Pro) to fit a bigger battery, and give it a pro camera system.
Some people want power and battery life that fits into pant pockets, and aren't myopic enough to need a massive screen.
Some people want power and battery life that fits into pant pockets, and aren't myopic enough to need a massive screen.
iPhone 5.7" 6.3" 6.9"
iPhone Ultra 5.7" 6.3" 6.9"
no numbers, no older models, no sub-naming, no bs
just a normal phone and a thicc boi in three sizes
They should have asked me. I'd have told them that phones are thin enough already and no one will want to buy it. Fortune saved.
Apple's disappointing iPhone Air sales are causing major Chinese mobile vendors to scrap or freeze their own ultra-thin phone projects, according to reports coming out of Asia.
Since the iPhone Air launched in September, there have been reports of poor sales and manufacturing cuts, while Apple's supply chain has scaled back shipments and production.
Apple supplier Foxconn has reportedly dismantled all of its production lines for the iPhone Air, while Luxshare, another supplier, stopped production at the end of October.
As a result of the device's poor reception among consumers, rival smartphone manufacturers including Xiaomi, Oppo, Vivo, and others have either canned or adjusted their development plans for Air-style models, and reallocated eSIM solutions intended for the devices to other production lines.
Xiaomi reportedly planned a "true Air model" to rival Apple's offering, while Vivo targeted thinness within its mid-range S series. Both companies are now said to have halted related projects but have yet to officially comment.
Apple relied on the iPhone Air's new look to generate excitement – it's the first major redesign of the iPhone since the iPhone X introduced Face ID and an all-display front in 2017. However, achieving a super-thin 5.6 mm profile required trade-offs. The iPhone Air uses a smaller battery and a single rear camera, yet still carries a premium price.
Starting at $999, it seems too expensive for what many buyers view as style over substance. It sits only $100 below the $1,099 iPhone 17 Pro, which offers a triple-lens camera system and far better battery life.
The tepid consumer response is also said to have forced Apple back to the drawing board: a report from The Information claims Apple has delayed the second-generation iPhone Air while it redesigns the device to potentially fit in a second camera and improve battery life.
Apparently it's been a similar story for Samsung's Galaxy S25 Edge, the Korean company's equivalent ultra-thin offering. Samsung has reportedly cancelled the Galaxy S26 Edge and halted the production of the Galaxy S25 Edge, owing to poor sales.
(Via DigiTimes.)
Article Link: iPhone Air Flop Sparks Industry Retreat From Ultra-Thin Phones
As I’ve stated a few times about the iPhone air - nobody was asking for this product. Probably didn’t help that a better AND more affordable option with the base model is out there.
Depends.Right, but if you are telling me you wouldn't want the same phone you have today, but with a 7 day battery life...you'd be lying to me.
All other things equal, a phone with more battery is either a thicker, heavier device, or it could be thinner and lighter simply because most people are not in a situation where they get to charge their phone only once a week (and for those that do, options like power banks exist).
Life is ultimately all about tradeoffs, and different people value different tradeoffs differently.
This was my only concern too. The single speaker is more than sufficient. Don’t let this hold you back.
I said it would be the same phone the OP had today, but with superior battery life. Everyone wants a better battery, and to be honest we should be way further ahead in this regard than we are today.
why stop at 7 days then? I would like an iPhone that lasts a year..... or wait, I want it to last the lifetime of the phone. I am not a heavy user of my iPhone. This is a 17 Pro Max and it sits on a mag charger most of the day so battery is never an issue.Right, but if you are telling me you wouldn't want the same phone you have today, but with a 7 day battery life...you'd be lying to me.
The "mini" name was a marketing mistake. On two separate occasions, unrelated people told me they’d never buy a “mini iPhone” (because it sounded so tiny). Both times I pulled out my 13 mini, handed it over, and got the same surprised reaction: “Oh, it’s not actually mini.”
The 12 mini’s weak battery killed perception of the diminutive model before it got started.
Had Apple released a 5.4-inch phone as part of the iPhone 14 line (with its modern battery chemistry) and never uttered “mini” perceptions would have been a bit different.
Demand for smaller flagships exists. A modern 5.7-inch model would hit the sweet spot—same size down from the flagship the Max is currently (0.6-inches).
Drop “mini” and “Max” entirely. No sub-naming. Just clear logical sizes across consumer and prosumer lines.
As per my other comment:
iPhone 5.7" 6.3" 6.9"
iPhone Ultra 5.7" 6.3" 6.9"
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I never said we should stop at 7 days. We should be a lot closer to that 7 day battery life than we are today, that is for sure. It's sad. Besides, the less we have to charge them, especially wirelessly, the less the battery will degrade over time.
“Apple relied on the iPhone Air's new look to generate excitement – it's the first major redesign of the iPhone since the iPhone X introduced Face ID and an all-display front in 2017. However, achieving a super-thin 5.6 mm profile required trade-offs. The iPhone Air uses a smaller battery and a single rear camera, yet still carries a premium price.”
I believe Apple have succeeded with the “new look generating excitement” bit, with Air adopters going for it exactly for its fresher look and feel.
The battery might be ok for most people, however the lack of the second camera and speaker is less difficult to accept, considering it’s been the “norm” for quite a while.
I believe Apple have succeeded with the “new look generating excitement” bit, with Air adopters going for it exactly for its fresher look and feel.
The battery might be ok for most people, however the lack of the second camera and speaker is less difficult to accept, considering it’s been the “norm” for quite a while.
>As a result of the device's poor reception among consumers
Do we have data from iPhone Air owners? What are the return rates and satisfaction grades?
I’m just shocked at the “reception”. Holding the Air feels like this is what all phones should feel like by 2025 (although a bit large). Is it owner feedback that’s poor or is it that reviewers had to compare it to another device and didn’t recommend it?
I get two days out of the battery so for me the battery “issue” doesn’t exist. I rather have a thinner phone than four days of battery life. Honestly, they could make it thinner and cut 30% of the battery life and I’d still be happy.
I’d prefer no camera bump so I’m glad I got this single camera phone. I would not want two or three cameras. Although, if I had to pick between a thin phone with a bump or a thick and flat phone, I’d pick the flat one. Still, with one camera and no concern with the battery.
I can understand the concern over the perceived value - more money for “reduced capability” - but you’re paying for the innovation. I’d pay even more money if they could innovate a phone without a camera bump.
Do we have data from iPhone Air owners? What are the return rates and satisfaction grades?
I’m just shocked at the “reception”. Holding the Air feels like this is what all phones should feel like by 2025 (although a bit large). Is it owner feedback that’s poor or is it that reviewers had to compare it to another device and didn’t recommend it?
I get two days out of the battery so for me the battery “issue” doesn’t exist. I rather have a thinner phone than four days of battery life. Honestly, they could make it thinner and cut 30% of the battery life and I’d still be happy.
I’d prefer no camera bump so I’m glad I got this single camera phone. I would not want two or three cameras. Although, if I had to pick between a thin phone with a bump or a thick and flat phone, I’d pick the flat one. Still, with one camera and no concern with the battery.
I can understand the concern over the perceived value - more money for “reduced capability” - but you’re paying for the innovation. I’d pay even more money if they could innovate a phone without a camera bump.
For me the main dealbreaker is actually the USB 2 transfer speeds. I'm never going back to that ever. The speaker and camera come second to that. Third is battery life but I could have probably lived with that since I was coming from a 15 Pro with 87% battery health. Now that I've had the battery life of a 17 Pro for a couple of months it's a whole other story though. The bar has been raised!
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I think you mis-wrote “brave” in place of “stupid”. The market for the mini iPhone is microscopic.
I never understood who this iPhone was for. Granted, I give them credit for trying something new, but the goal should just be to slowly make the standard iPhone lighter. The base iPhone 17 is already an incredible device and the 2nd generation N2 fab along with the new WiFi and Bluetooth chips + advancements in battery could see them shave 15% or more of the iPhone in a couple of years while slightly increasing battery life.
The battery life is awful which requires the stick on external battery which in turn makes it look like any other iPhone. If you add a case then it bulks it up so lose form again. It also costs a grand. A GRAND! For a telephone. Now I'm sure that the original intent was to sell it cheaper but Apple Marketing. The phone didn't fail due to form but price. Apple needs to stop price gouging.
They did that with the 12 and 13 mini, but it was the same story. In spite of the mini’s popularity in this forum, in YouTube reviews etc. it just didn’t sell enough. There’s a reason it was discontinued.
I don't really see the advantage of having a phone that is only 80% thin. What benefit do you get from the thinness that isn't immediately undone by the big plateau at the top end? It's not going to slip into a suit pocket any easier. People don't want novelty phones. They want phones that make their lives better in some tangible respect - and the Air doesn't seem to have that killer application yet.
This is true if you only use your iPhone in your isolated bubble, but some people want to share something on their iPhone with others around them. And yes, I also have AirPods. 😉
There’s a psychology in pricing and perceived value. The iPhone is probably the most expensive individual item most people are going to own. A lot of them will be paying for 18months + for this. And because of that they don’t just “want” value they “need” it.
So just like getting a 2 seater sports car for the same price of a 4 seater hatch seems crazy even if they rarely ever have pasengers, the perception of value and need for price is always there.
I don’t think people hate the air, I just think they find better value in the pro. If I remember correctly even then largest size pro phones outsell all the other models. Even for people where the screen is practically too big for their hands! It’s all about perceived value.
I still think this can’t have come as a surprise to Apple. My thought is that Apple, just like fashion houses need to make “couture” products that fewer people buy just to keep the brand value of the company high. And to also stop themselves being outflanked by competitors. Meta is already gaining brand value for AR glasses Apple could have released years ago. But for apple those sales are nowhere near mass market at present so they don’t go there.
Lastly, I think the “air crisis” is overblown. It’s still an iPhone. Just like high price baked beans from the same company as low cost ones are still a baked beans sale. All Apple cares about is you don’t buy a galaxy s instead of an air, but you buy a pro instead of the air. That’s all that matters. And they won’t break out model sales for that reason. It’s all a bit meaningless in the grand scheme of things.
So just like getting a 2 seater sports car for the same price of a 4 seater hatch seems crazy even if they rarely ever have pasengers, the perception of value and need for price is always there.
I don’t think people hate the air, I just think they find better value in the pro. If I remember correctly even then largest size pro phones outsell all the other models. Even for people where the screen is practically too big for their hands! It’s all about perceived value.
I still think this can’t have come as a surprise to Apple. My thought is that Apple, just like fashion houses need to make “couture” products that fewer people buy just to keep the brand value of the company high. And to also stop themselves being outflanked by competitors. Meta is already gaining brand value for AR glasses Apple could have released years ago. But for apple those sales are nowhere near mass market at present so they don’t go there.
Lastly, I think the “air crisis” is overblown. It’s still an iPhone. Just like high price baked beans from the same company as low cost ones are still a baked beans sale. All Apple cares about is you don’t buy a galaxy s instead of an air, but you buy a pro instead of the air. That’s all that matters. And they won’t break out model sales for that reason. It’s all a bit meaningless in the grand scheme of things.