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They need to rethink doing another one.

I thought it would sell well too, but people are prioritizing value over luxury these days (understandably).

I'm actually glad Apple just added it to the lineup instead of making this the only iPhone 17.
Luxury isn't bad specs..lol It's the worse performing iphone 17 variant of the pack. Even worse than the base iphone 17. It does less than the base. There's nothing luxury about it.
 
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I admit I am kind of surprised. I thought the sales would be much better than the Plus for sure because judging by what I see here on MacRumors the Air has actual fans, more like the mini, not the Plus. The Air has a new form factor and thinness and lightness that are unique and there are people who seem to love it and are actually excited to have it. I didn’t see that for the Plus.

The Plus was a compromise between the pro max and the base model and didn’t have any other extra selling point going for it. Even though I think a 17 Plus would have been a great phone and personally I would have chosen it over the Air, it would be for pure pragmatic reasons, and nothing to be excited about.

But then that’s what today’s mature phone market is. A balance between function and price. People may be willing to pay more for over the top specs for eventualities and future proof but not for form which is subjective anyway.

It really just reminds us once again echo chambers like this forum does not represent the average user. And not just for iPhone, for everything these days.

The extremely poor sales of S25 Edge already foreshadowed the Air's general reception. What made Air different? If you think objectively - the answer is basically nothing and in fact, it has far fewer features than S25 Edge.

Most comments from Air users on MacRumors were noise. They proposed ideas that were ridiculous and contrary to established marketing theory - e.g. mainstream (wait and see, risk adverse) users would adopt Air as time went on, users preferred thinness when no survey supported that, people prefer form over function, etc.

Smartphones are essential communications tools and screen time is increasing each year. The Air solves a problem that never existed. It reduced battery life and camera - that's contrary to what most people want.
 
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This is according to 9to5mac's report:

"The second-generation iPhone Air was initially set to launch next fall alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Fold. According to The Information, the device was planned to be even lighter than the current iPhone Air and have a larger battery capacity.

Apple was also working on bringing the vapor chamber cooling system that first debuted on the iPhone 17 Pro to the iPhone Air 2. A separate supply chain rumor last week said the iPhone Air 2 may have also had two cameras.
"

"It’s possible the product is undergoing a significant redesign, and one person said Apple could still release the second-generation iPhone Air as soon as spring 2027 alongside the standard iPhone 18 and budget-friendly 18e"


If true, and Apple was going to fix all the shortcomings of the first iPhone Air, they should go ahead and release it.
They're not going to fix all the shortcomings of the first iPhone Air - one they simply cannot fix is the camera.


A bigger problem is: It's thinner, with a lot of compromises. But is "thinner" really worth that much? Smaller - so it fits in more pockets etc - sure. But just thinner isn't always better or useful. Same as with the iMacs - it doesn't really matter.
 
Simply not true.

You should tell Apple that.

1762891911410.png
 
I said it doesn’t reduce battery life. That’s a comparison to old 16 series.

No new phone can reduce something if there hasn’t been a same model before

People compare the models in lineup against each other. That’s how the real world works.

They don’t go “oh, there was no iPhone Air before, let me reset my expectations about battery life to zero.”
 
People compare the models in lineup against each other. That’s how the real world works
Yes I know. But there is no reduction in battery life for the air as it’s the first model at all.

And I can say it is better in battery lugs than a 16 pro brick or a 16.
 
Yes I know. But there is no reduction in battery life for the air as it’s the first model at all.

And I can say it is better in battery lugs than a 16 pro brick or a 16.

Again, you can be technical about it but that’s not how the real world works. People look at the display table and think, “compared to the base model technology and features, I’m getting a reduction in battery life and camera.”

Nobody is comparing against 16/Pro because they’re buying today’s iPhone technology, not last year’s.
 
They're not going to fix all the shortcomings of the first iPhone Air - one they simply cannot fix is the camera.


A bigger problem is: It's thinner, with a lot of compromises. But is "thinner" really worth that much? Smaller - so it fits in more pockets etc - sure. But just thinner isn't always better or useful. Same as with the iMacs - it doesn't really matter.
An updated report came out today by The Information stating that Apple's delaying the 2nd gen iPhone Air to 2027 in order to add a 2nd camera

Report: iPhone Air 2 is delayed until 2027 so Apple can add a second camera to it - 9to5Mac
 
They should’ve released it with dual rear cameras and a silicon carbide battery. It’s a beautiful feat of design and engineering but even casual users I know are stymied by the single camera and decent-but-not-great battery life.
My thinking exactly. I understand there are challenges with silicon carbide batteries (it's longevity and making it at scale). I'd have hope Apple would have solved those and used the saved space to give users a dual camera system.
 
For me it is never about the price. I would hate it if everyone went with popularity, this world does need niche products. I am spending more than I should on technology and I am often buying things I want, not things I need - I just can't help it, like many others. So, when I am buying Apple I already expect that I am going to overspend and I am going to compromise on privacy and openness. The real problem with Air is not the price or even the lower camera specs, it is the smaller battery life and the ugly camera bump that doesn't make sense.
 


The thin, light iPhone Air sold so poorly that Apple has decided to delay the launch of the next-generation iPhone Air that was scheduled to come out alongside the iPhone 18 Pro, reports The Information.

iphone-air-thinness.jpg

Apple initially planned to release a new iPhone Air in fall 2026, but now that's not going to happen.

Since the iPhone Air launched in September, there have been reports of poor sales and manufacturing cuts. Apple's supply chain has scaled back shipments and production. Apple supplier Foxconn has reportedly dismantled all but one and a half of its production lines for the iPhone Air, and all production is expected to be stopped at the end of the month. Luxshare, another supplier, stopped production at the end of October.

Apple was counting on the novel look of the device to spark interest, because it features the first substantial design update that we've seen to the iPhone lineup since the iPhone X added Face ID and an all-display design in 2017. Creating a super thin 5.6mm iPhone required compromises, so the iPhone Air has a smaller battery and a single-lens rear camera, but it still has a high price tag. Apple priced it starting at $999, and that appears to be more than customers are willing to pay for style without substance. The iPhone Air is only $100 cheaper than the $1,099 iPhone 17 Pro, which has a triple-lens rear camera and much better battery life.

Apple has not been able to land on a fourth iPhone that will sell well alongside the standard iPhone and Pro iPhone models. Apple experimented with a smaller 5.4-inch iPhone mini that suffered from disappointing sales, then moved on to the larger "Plus" iPhone that served as a more affordable version of the Pro Max. Plus models also failed, leading to the iPhone Air.

Apple has already been planning for a split launch for the iPhone starting with the iPhone 18 models. The iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and foldable iPhone are planned for fall 2026, while the iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e will be held until early 2027. It's possible that the next-generation iPhone Air will come out alongside the iPhone 18 in the spring.

Apple has been working on a second-generation version of the iPhone Air with a lighter weight, vapor chamber cooling, and a larger battery capacity, but Apple could rethink the design.

Article Link: iPhone Air Sales Are So Bad That Apple's Delaying the Next-Generation Version

https://www.macrumors.com/2025/11/10/next-generation-iphone-air-delayed/
You just know that there are many learned people pouring over why this is such a flop, and why Apple didn't see it coming.



The thin, light iPhone Air sold so poorly that Apple has decided to delay the launch of the next-generation iPhone Air that was scheduled to come out alongside the iPhone 18 Pro, reports The Information.

iphone-air-thinness.jpg

Apple initially planned to release a new iPhone Air in fall 2026, but now that's not going to happen.

Since the iPhone Air launched in September, there have been reports of poor sales and manufacturing cuts. Apple's supply chain has scaled back shipments and production. Apple supplier Foxconn has reportedly dismantled all but one and a half of its production lines for the iPhone Air, and all production is expected to be stopped at the end of the month. Luxshare, another supplier, stopped production at the end of October.

Apple was counting on the novel look of the device to spark interest, because it features the first substantial design update that we've seen to the iPhone lineup since the iPhone X added Face ID and an all-display design in 2017. Creating a super thin 5.6mm iPhone required compromises, so the iPhone Air has a smaller battery and a single-lens rear camera, but it still has a high price tag. Apple priced it starting at $999, and that appears to be more than customers are willing to pay for style without substance. The iPhone Air is only $100 cheaper than the $1,099 iPhone 17 Pro, which has a triple-lens rear camera and much better battery life.

Apple has not been able to land on a fourth iPhone that will sell well alongside the standard iPhone and Pro iPhone models. Apple experimented with a smaller 5.4-inch iPhone mini that suffered from disappointing sales, then moved on to the larger "Plus" iPhone that served as a more affordable version of the Pro Max. Plus models also failed, leading to the iPhone Air.

Apple has already been planning for a split launch for the iPhone starting with the iPhone 18 models. The iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and foldable iPhone are planned for fall 2026, while the iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e will be held until early 2027. It's possible that the next-generation iPhone Air will come out alongside the iPhone 18 in the spring.

Apple has been working on a second-generation version of the iPhone Air with a lighter weight, vapor chamber cooling, and a larger battery capacity, but Apple could rethink the design.

Article Link: iPhone Air Sales Are So Bad That Apple's Delaying the Next-Generation Version
You just know that there are many learned people pouring over why the Air is such a flop, and why Apple didn't see it coming. It could simply be that Apple are so detached from the ordinary person that they assumed style was enough (and it IS stylish), and the substance was good enough, but the substance is poor, making the balance all wrong.
The Air is like an overpriced, super-thin SE, and not good value.
If they've spoiled the Air for good only time will tell, but I think there's still plenty of good things to come from Apple.
We don't mind if they make a mistake, or two along the way really. That's life.
 
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The reality is your phone is now important, and nobody wants a smaller battery, if anything they want more battery.. This was an obvious outcome for a slab phone..

But, given the value isn't in the amount sold, its is value as a test mule for the foldable, apple needed a heap of real world beta testers.. The foldable will sell. If they do it well, and the price isnt to stupid, it will become apple most popular phone. at least most popular high end phone.
It’s the same battery life as the 16 Pro. You guys are really overblowing this aspect.
 
Heh, vocal minorities thinking they were the whole world yet reality strikes and slap them in the face. Rational people don’t just look at form. They USE their iPhone, not worshiping it. iPhone Air may be a good art piece but not so much of a functional device unless you really know what you are doing. Apple has targeted too small of a niche again, except this one is even smaller than iPhone mini.
 
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Luxury isn't bad specs..lol It's the worse performing iphone 17 variant of the pack. Even worse than the base iphone 17. It does less than the base. There's nothing luxury about it.
This is not true at all, there is more better about it then not, faster processor, better Ceramic Shield, better build, better modem, bigger screen, etc. and titanium build, when no other model of the phone lineup is, is most certainly luxury. And expensive to produce.
 
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