They already tried this three times. Each time it flopped. It’s clear that they should instead focus on the phones that sell well, mainly the Pro phones.
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iPhone Air Flop Sparks Industry Retreat From Ultra-Thin Phones
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I love my air. Some big 250lb dude stepped on mine at the gym by accident and it was completely fine. All I had to do was wipe off the dirt. I don't use a case or a screen protector.
This is the problem. None of these things are crap. But people believe it to be true.
The speaker is loud and clear. It’s not as good as two speakers but that doesn’t make it crap. How many people are using built in speakers as their primary fill-the-room-with-audio source?
The battery gets me two full days. Not sure how this is perceived as crap. I’d be more than fine with less. Actually, what I often do is just sit it on the charger for fifteen minutes a day and that’s all I ever need.
The camera is the same as the other 2025 phones. It just doesn’t have more than one. So, “crap”?
Yes. I absolutely prefer a thinner phone over excess capabilities I have no need for. I would rather pay more for the innovation of making it thin and practically indestructible.
I upgraded from having an iPhone 16 and before that a Mini. There’s no chance I ever would have bought a Pro. I find it, especially this year’s, to be the ugliest phone on the market. I would pay more to not have three cameras and a heavier thicker four-day-battery phone.
Totally agree with you, I'm pretty sure no one asked Apple or Samsung for thin gimped phones at high prices.
The non experts I know who bought one have all taken them back. Keep pumping that Apple stock though! 😄
20 years trying to sell thiner iphones and macs and stuff and they never did a market research to see what people wants? I think they want an extended battery for a day or two and good features like camera. Carring 200 grams instead of 250 is not as different.
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
Thinness in tech is good to a point. But I can't think of many devices that still need to get thinner. My iPhone 17 and my MacBook Air M2 are plenty thin enough.
I tried the "Air" and the iPhone 17 Pro Max at the local Apple Store. I use the full capabilities of the iPhone 16 Pro Max camera. The iPhone 17 Pro Max increased the telephoto capability as compared to my iPhone 16 Pro Max. The Air's camera is fine for a shared image on some media site, but not as a primary for quick access for a travelers use.
To each their own. At least Apple has more than one choice for consumers.
We have travel plans that start just before the iPhone 18 is announced so plan to acquire a iPhone 17 Pro Max despite hoping to skip a model year this year.
Never seen a U-Haul trailer behind a hearse, so I won't be taking this stuff with me. Enjoy while I can..
Will have my iPhone 13 mini with us because of the actual SIM card capability. Many carriers in the UK and elsewhere do NOT allow "pay as you go" plans on eSIMs so an actual SIM card capability is necessary for local calls is necessary.
To each their own. At least Apple has more than one choice for consumers.
We have travel plans that start just before the iPhone 18 is announced so plan to acquire a iPhone 17 Pro Max despite hoping to skip a model year this year.
Never seen a U-Haul trailer behind a hearse, so I won't be taking this stuff with me. Enjoy while I can..
Will have my iPhone 13 mini with us because of the actual SIM card capability. Many carriers in the UK and elsewhere do NOT allow "pay as you go" plans on eSIMs so an actual SIM card capability is necessary for local calls is necessary.
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genuine question - what do you use those stereo speakers for on a phone specifically?
Im assuming in public places you wouldnt be blaring out music and instead using headphones - and at home who would use a device that small to play music?
Im not asking to be antagonistic, because I myself have the Air and casual listening to YouTube videos etc the speaker is very good and you really cant tell much of a difference only having one. Any use case where sound is even vaguely important I wouldnt be watching on a phone at all - one, two, or twenty speakers - Id be using a decent bluetooth speaker at the very least.
There are many valid reasons why people wouldnt choose an air, and thats good each to their own - but of the 'big 3' i.e. battery, camera, and speaker...... speaker is so far down the list and when you actually use and hear the quality its all but irrelevant.
It’s amazing how many forum members will continue to dismiss the speaker issue. I see people talking all the time in public on their speakerphone. Annoying yes but that is reality.
The Air won’t sell well until it gets a second speaker. And a second camera would also help as well.
The Air won’t sell well until it gets a second speaker. And a second camera would also help as well.
The iPhone speaker that is relevant is located by the user's ear when talking to another on the phone. I could care less about "stereo"when the speakers are barely an inch apart and pointed in the same direction. Stereo speakers seem to be just a marketing claim.
Even though I personally went with the 17 Pro Max (solely for the fact that I want the biggest screen and battery available) I don't think that the Air deserves all the hate that it's getting. It's a really nice device that I think is probably just fine for 90% of consumers! It came very close to winning me over.
I do hope that the product line continues, and like the the Macbook Air, maybe becomes the mainstream entry model.
I do hope that the product line continues, and like the the Macbook Air, maybe becomes the mainstream entry model.
Shame, because the Air is my favorite iPhone yet. For those of us who are practically attached to our iPhones, it makes a ridiculously huge difference over time ergonomically, in ways that are very valuable to me and worth losing a camera and some battery life. If I need to, I attach the battery pack and get battery life that is better than the iPhone Pro Max. Then I disconnect the battery and return to the best feeling iPhone in the modern day.
Maybe those who aren’t constantly working with their hands can’t understand the value of such a light phone. Somebody will say “but it’s only 68 grams lighter than the Pro Max!” or something inane like that and not have actually used one in their hands for weeks or at this point months on end. My 16 Pro was “only” 34 grams heavier but that difference multiplied over my entire day is actually huge for me. YMMV.
It’s going to be rough waiting for the Air 2, if/whenever they decide to get around to it.
Maybe those who aren’t constantly working with their hands can’t understand the value of such a light phone. Somebody will say “but it’s only 68 grams lighter than the Pro Max!” or something inane like that and not have actually used one in their hands for weeks or at this point months on end. My 16 Pro was “only” 34 grams heavier but that difference multiplied over my entire day is actually huge for me. YMMV.
It’s going to be rough waiting for the Air 2, if/whenever they decide to get around to it.
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Honestly, that's such a pet peeve of mine. I don't know why so many people walk around in public, holding their phone just inches from their face anyway, talking on speakerphone.
Personally, the speakers are probably the hardware feature I care about the least. It's very rare that I'm not using AirPods/earbuds/bluetooth speakers to listen to anything on my phone, and for calls, it's either through my AirPods (90% of the time) or holding the phone to my ear. I think I had my 17 Pro Max for a couple of weeks before I ever heard sound through the speakers!
It’s the price that’s really doing this phone dirty. Had it been priced even $100 cheaper I think sales, and general interest, would be MUCH higher…
With that said, I did see TWO in the wild yesterday.👀
With that said, I did see TWO in the wild yesterday.👀
Probably best they wait to produce an Air if it had the Pro camera.
Battery is fine, magsafe battery kit is a good idea.
Apple radio is fine, no mmWave is a small compromise and they can just add that in next model.
Camera is a major step back.
I have an Air, my wife too. Best iPhone purchase I have ever done in years. Don’t see myself changing it anytime soon.
Not a gamer, not a video logger, not a YouTuber, just a tech employee sometimes working from home.
Battery and speakers very false problems, but definitely not the right handset for gamers or “pro” users or for who wants to go to sleep with the phone at still 30% of battery
I love it and the way bumper and MagSafe battery go well together adding minimal thickness is pure beauty.
The battery will degrade, sure. I’ll optimise my settings, will replace it or will charge it at lunch, I don’t care!
Not a gamer, not a video logger, not a YouTuber, just a tech employee sometimes working from home.
Battery and speakers very false problems, but definitely not the right handset for gamers or “pro” users or for who wants to go to sleep with the phone at still 30% of battery
I love it and the way bumper and MagSafe battery go well together adding minimal thickness is pure beauty.
The battery will degrade, sure. I’ll optimise my settings, will replace it or will charge it at lunch, I don’t care!
Thin phone manufacturers clearly do not read threads in MR because there are many threads about the Air and whilst have not read through every single thread, the many I have one specific reason for it's dislike stands out and that is users want another camera and a much better camera in the phone and because it only has one camera people are deciding not to buy it.
Yes. Since the iPhone 13 mini was such smashing success that Apple couldn't handle the excess profits and discontinued it after 2 years. /s
