iPhone Air iPhone Air Lack of Popularity

[justmadeupname]

Just got a Gold iPhone Air 256GB today Upgraded from 2016 IPhone SE Gen 1. Really, really like it so far.

Weight is important for as is a large display as my eyesight is getting worse in my late 50’s. Not much of a camera guy and don’t use the phone that much so battery should be fine for me.

Yes £999 is bit steep consider the mono speaker and lack of macro & ultra wide. But I tend to keep my iPhones for at least 5 years. Each to their own.

 

[Adelphos33]

I was in a store today, and a customer was looking at the blue iPhone Air.

He asked - is that really the blue? The Apple Store employee "No, it may be the white."

But - it *was* actually the blue model. The employee made a mistake. The blue is not noticeable at all. It was right next to both the 17 and the Pro, which are actually real shades of blue.

This is just one example - Apple could have made the colors better, could have added an additional camera to the Air, etc - they just didn't. If the Air doesn't end up selling that well, it is purely because of choices Apples made to make other models more popular.

The most popular iPhone model this year seems to be the Orange Pro/Pro Max - because it is a striking color. If Apple made that exclusive to the Air, it would have been a hit. But Apple intentionally gave the most striking, identifiable color to the Pro/Pro Max. As dumb as this seems, it really matters - and Apple knew it.

 

[MaxVerstappen]

Man the X was a Game Changer. That’s why when people are saying the Air is the best phone made I have to take it with a grain of salt do to their enthusiasm.

It was a cracking phone for sure and it came in at reasonable weight as well. I also liked the size, just under 6 inches. Perfect imo. What a beast indeed.

 

[MaxVerstappen]

This is just one example - Apple could have made the colors better, could have added an additional camera to the Air, etc - they just didn't.

But how? Have you not seen the tear downs. There is simply no more room left for the 2nd camera in that plateau/bump.

 

[AlaskaMoose]

For some the battery, for some the camera. And those are the two most important things for a lot of people. I think it will sell much better to people who just see the in stores.

Good points, but I would add the following: the price for it would turn a lot of customers off.

In my individual case the iPhone Air priced at $500.00 would make great presents for my grandkids or younger family members, but at $900.00 or more depending on options, I could buy an iPhone 16.

 

[Webcat86]

I think it comes down to the price, it $999 vs $799 and what does it offer more than the $799 phone. They probably should have made it $899 instead. Many of us with Pros aren’t that worried about Price but most people are looking for the perceived “Cheap/Free” phone. When you’re a parent paying for multiple phones it adds up.

Well maybe, but I already have one and my question is just a wondering of whether I’ve sacrificed features or quality that I’m not yet aware of. If so, I’d like to find out before my return window closes.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

The easy answer is the limited specs for the rather expensive price tag. We’ve spent years demanding better cameras and better battery life and suddenly Apple have released a single camera phone with a mediocre battery and cheekily charged a grand for it. It looks ok, although I don’t get the hype others do, but for me it’s simply not good enough. If I wasn’t a Pro user, the 17 would be an easy choice over the Air and will be the phone most go for.

 

[LordArchie]

Apple hit it outta the park with the iPhone Air! Everything about it has exceeded my expectations. Can never go back to a Pro Max size..I am now officially spoiled. 😀

This is the answer 👍

 

[Jackbequickly]

The Air expands choice and having choices is always a good thing!

 

[uacd]

“Play stupid games, win stupid prizes”, that can be Apple’s motto this year.

Let’s be real, who is this device for? People who care for fashionable accessories? But Apple scared them away long ago when they started making iPhones look same and boring, and this year was icing on the cake: uselessly large plateaus because they couldn’t find any other way to cool their overheating chips.

Time will show it will be the least popular model across the range, maybe slightly more popular than minis if we compare it with older iPhones.

People asked for thin, light and small iPhones. Instead they make this… I am not sure who asked for this or who is the target audience, it has a single speaker, single camera, USB 2.0 port (in 2025, really????), no Pro features whatsoever despite having seemingly same processor.

I can’t even call pro feature their “ProMotion” displays, because it is just higher refresh rate, that doesn’t even work at 120HZ constantly and would dynamically drop whenever it needs to.

And it costs 1000$. It feels like this phone is Apple’s way of saying “iPhones gonna be even more expensive in future”. But again, the question: who’s gonna upgrade them in this economy? Competition offers cheaper and sometimes more capable devices

 

[Cyberguycpt]

Well maybe, but I already have one and my question is just a wondering of whether I’ve sacrificed features or quality that I’m not yet aware of. If so, I’d like to find out before my return window closes.

That’s tough to answer, the Air isn’t for me but it very well could be for you. Depends on what you do with your phone and how much you use it. If you’re an extreme power user I say put it through the wringer and see for yourself if it meets your needs.

 

[davidjearly]

A world of influencers and YouTubers spreading their views is likely at play. Reviews have not done the Air justice.

It is a beautiful device, with a few compromises compared to something much thicker, heavier, with a less aesthetically pleasing design and folk aren’t happy.

For what it is, it’s an engineering marvel and a glimpse hopefully, of where the iPhone is heading. It’s Apple design of old, with premium materials and about as much current tech as could possibly fit in such an enclosure.

I absolutely love mine and don’t miss a few extra hours of battery or an extra mobile camera one bit.

 

[IJBrekke]

This 1st generation Air may have too many compromises to sell super well. But it’s clearly the future of what an iPhone will look like…you can’t put that genie back in the bottle. When they put a 2nd camera back on it and continue to improve battery efficiency, sales will explode.

Consider the MacBook Air when it started vs. now.

 

[dizmonk]

I can't see the iPhone Air becoming a best seller. As much as I like the phone, it's the best one since the iPhone X in my opinion. I can see it more as of a niche product the same way the original 12" MacBook was. Some people loved it some people hated it.

I'm guessing that Apple never intended a first-Gen product to outsell the regular iPhone or even the Pros. I am surprised at the lack of commercials for the Air. If Apple sticks with this and doesn't just jump to a foldable next year, I think it will do well.

 

[Chancha]

Man the X was a Game Changer. That’s why when people are saying the Air is the best phone made I have to take it with a grain of salt do to their enthusiasm.

When X was out, it did virtually everything the 8 did and A LOT more. FaceID, OLED, edge to edge display, dual lense on a “small phone”, and more. The 8 and even the 8 plus felt so pointlessly outdated side by side.

This is not at all what’s happening with the Air, they have to gimp way too many things to achieve the form factor.

 

[sonicrobby]

Love the iPhone air, given me an experience I haven’t felt since the iPhone X. I think the biggest concern comes down to the battery life.

Photographers and cinematographers would always go to the pro route for the cameras. So the air was never for them. So the question becomes 17 vs air. So at this point we can easily tell the differences between the two. I would argue the battery and maybe the telephoto lens are the two biggest features lacking. The telephoto lens, I’m not sure how popular this actually is amongst daily users, I never used mine much, so it’s loss is no factor for me. But the battery life seems way more significant. Most people deal with the reality of needing a charge in the middle of the day, so why “upgrade” to a phone that you may have to charge more often?

I think that’s where the main miss was. If the air somehow could have a battery capacity between the 17 and the 17 pro, I believe it would have blown through the sales.

Though using it, it definitely I feel it’s more of an experience phone. If one loved the features and benefits of the phones on paper, androids may be the victor. But apple has been one to thrive on user experiences. So the air seems to be drawing more to those who have had “more than enough” with their existing phones for a while, but excited for a new experience. The 13 pro had everything I needed and more. Everything since then has felt incremental and boring for me. Never got the “apple” feel. The air I think is the introduction to that, to gauge how many are interested in something different. Obviously they are doing the fold next year for about double the price, so to launch the air to gauge the level of interest could be a stepping stone for them to predict the manufacturing quantity required for next years phones?

 

[MarkX]

Is it popular on here, certainly seems that way but outwith these forums, Im not so sure.

On Amazon, Curry's or Argos you will struggle to get any iphone 17 Pros, Maxes, or regular Iphone 17's. Except for the odd one but with higher storage options. However, you can pick up the Air in any colour in 256gb no problem for next day delivery/collection.

Stock level is a good indication of popularity.

Now you can say they made plenty of airs expecting big demand but I don't believe that's the case. It's a new product so they had no idea how it would be received.

Just my opinion.

 

[dantay]

I think if you don’t get the Air then it’s not the product for you, fortunately Apple has other options which will hopefully fit the bill.

 

[Chancha]

I'm guessing that Apple never intended a first-Gen product to outsell the regular iPhone or even the Pros. I am surprised at the lack of commercials for the Air. If Apple sticks with this and doesn't just jump to a foldable next year, I think it will do well.

My observation and maybe even hope is that, the Air form factor and the structural detail is not just made for the fold, but also as a foundation for the entire future iPhone line up. In the same way the original MacBook Air did to the MacBook line up, the concept of an ultra thin chassis was first done with minimal performance in mind at first, then after a few revisions Apple could take the understanding in how to cram even more performance into the form factor.

 

[Phone Junky]

... mediocre battery...

What you call mediocre is almost on par with what was Apple's best just a couple of years ago. How soon we forget.

 

[Webcat86]

That’s tough to answer, the Air isn’t for me but it very well could be for you. Depends on what you do with your phone and how much you use it. If you’re an extreme power user I say put it through the wringer and see for yourself if it meets your needs.

What’s the reason it isn’t for you? I only got mine today so mostly been setting up but so far I’ve been impressed.

 

[Cyberguycpt]

What about instead of the Air we had an Ultra instead with same cameras as the Pros, maybe battery between the Pro and Pro Max, 7.0 inch screen but and still super thin but priced $100 more that the base Pro Max, do you think it would have sold better.

 

[one more]

The way I see it, Air is a form over function iPhone. I like its design a lot, but I cannot accept the compromises - a subpar speaker, one camera and just ok battery.

Apple may bend the reality all they want, but when we compare the Air specs to Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge (5.8 mm thick), which has dual cameras (and one of them with a whooping 200 Mpx!), two speakers, a 3900 mAh battery and a Nano-SIM to boot, it is quite hard to get over-excited.

 

[AppliedMicro]

What do you think Apple missed with this phone, and do you think it will have a dramatic turnaround and become a best seller?

Not sure if it was/is a “miss”, cause it feels rather intentional on Apple’s part but I’m going to say:
Selling less for more.

I guess the phone is deemed overpriced by many, compared to their other offerings.
So was the iPhone 5C. And the earliest generations of the MacBook Air. And the 12” MacBook.

 

[one more]

but how is it form over function when it does the same as the other phones barring the cameras? I don’t want a basic phone and have been using Pros for years - that’s my point, what functionality is missing that I’m so far unaware of?

Don’t forget its single speaker and a mid-range battery, both might be quite important for some people.