iPhone 17 Reason for Apple poor Air sales and people’s dislike of Pro camera bar

[Iridescent Caterpillar]

Biggest mark against the Air is simply the camera system, everything else is a minor issue. It's hard to go back to a basic 1x/2x camera after using a pro camera for so many years.

My friend was interested until they found out about the camera setup.

I was interested, and really liked the Air when trying it in the store...except I use the macro camera too much. No macro no buy.


The smartphone market is basically mature. Maybe we'll get a few more years more if foldables take off in a big way.

 

[Larry-K]

They sold us same phone for years small updates now people either dislike the lack of cameras or they dislike the Pro camera bar. They release the same phone every year so my question is has the smart phone market matured like smart TV’s? Do we need a switch to an 18 month cycle like IPad? I think people like familiar phones and dislike these redesign changes

And the way Apple have ditched this is worrying Vision Pro got the update despite low sales. Apple TV doesn’t get yearly updates now either.

I wonder if the fold will be a poor investment and could get cancelled too? Perhaps Apple will go back to “one single release” iPhone Pro every September but with small updates?

Apple has always had an Obsession with "Thinness", most of us have an obsession with Function.

I remember them bragging about how thin an iMac was, and I thought "how much of the day does anyone spend looking at the side of their computer?".

 

[Ctrlos]

The simple matter is the Air is positioned at the wrong price point. The only real difference anyone should be bothered about between the 17 and the Air is the lack of a 0.5x camera. If there were only a $100 price gap between the two it would be an easy exchange: one camera for a thinner device with a larger display and better long-term performance.

As it stands $200 for that exchange is too high, especially when the 17 Pro is only $100 more. If the Air were $899 leaving a $200 gap between it and the Pro it would be less of a deal. Because the Air has the same chipset as the Pro, YouTubers are constantly comparing it to the Air which also doesn't help things.

Market the push the Air as a better version of the standard iPhone (like they do with the iPad) and all of a sudden it makes a lot more sense.

 

[Kjabean]

If it didn’t have the pro chip, but it does. It costs to have the latest chip plus the build. It is closer to the pro then it is the regular.

 

[fatTribble]

They release the same phone every year so my question is has the smart phone market matured like smart TV’s?

I believe some TV manufacturers still release yearly updates. I bought an LG OLED C2 3 years ago and the one at Best Buy is a C5. Happy to be corrected if someone knows otherwise.

 

[ayephoner]

No, I would disagree.

Air solves a problem that never existed - thinness.
16e is $200 less than 17 and suitable for those who don’t need camera or storage.
Base 17 is great for mainstream users. It’s $300 less than Pro and not close in features.

Delete the Air and everything is fine.

From previous generations, there were a good deal of users with an SE or a mini that want a smaller phone (and/or less expensive). The Air is thinner rather than having a smaller footprint, but there is no small footprint phone at all anymore. So fans of the SE or mini phones are left to choose between the budget E, the thin Air, or the goldilocks 17.

The regular 17 is absolutely very close to the Pro. They have closed the gap a little each year. But the 16E really isn't that far behind the 17 either. They simply have too many similar products.

And the air wasn't really about 'solving' the thinness problem. It was about tackling thinness in a non-foldable before they tackle it in a foldable. They had to figure a lot of that stuff out anyways, so they decided to go with the Air. It's unfortunate, it's a cool phone, but just doesn't really need to exist.

 

[jclardy]

Air isn't selling because it was put into a stellar lineup.

The base model iPhone has never been this good. It is so good, that even I considered downgrading to it and I buy a pro every year (except this one, and the mini years.) So for most people, why spend 200-300 more for better design or an extra camera. The Pro also got a design change and super flashy colors. So everyone who wants everyone to know that they have the newest, most expensive iPhone bought the orange Pro Max.

If it was up against the 16 and 16 Pro last year, the Air would have crushed it. But it was released in a Pro redesign year instead.

 

[Student of Life]

Too often I see comments like "very ugly, thick and heavy phones". There are many iPhone users in the world, Apple has so many customers for iPhone that they can afford to make different models which appeal to different users. I personally appreciate that. I've reached the age where I have a problem reading the text on my iPhone 11 Pro Max. I'm thinking of buying the iPhone 17 Pro Max because with a bigger screen I'll be better able to read what's on the screen. And I also use just under 200 GB of the 256GB in mine. I do that because I like to have a lot of things immediately available. And I like the opportunity to take better photos with the new camera system. Yes the 17 Pro Max is bigger and heavier. You might think it's ugly, but there are enough of us who will buy it that Apple will make it for us. However I do agree with you, I would like it better if it wasn't so heavy.

Before you even consider getting a new phone, try changing the font options to make the text size bigger. That might solve your dilemma and save you from getting a phone for now. That said the new 17 pro max does have a bigger size, better battery etc. The 11 should be good for two more years or more.

 

[uacd]

Do we need a switch to an 18 month cycle like IPad? I think people like familiar phones and dislike these redesign changes

I think they better move to 24 or 36 month cycle… Most upgrades are very basic anyway.

Also as other users in the thread noted, Apple is shooting themself in their legs by selling all those models - e, 17, Air, 17 Pro, 17 Pro Max, even 16! I mean, what is the point of so many devices? Sell one or two. Back in iPhone 6 days they only had two models and everyone was fine, and even earlier - only one, small and pocketable 5s, 5, 4s, 4 etc.

With Air Apple totally missed the market. People want compact device, not only thin and light device. Look at Galaxy Flip. Yes, the screen is plastic fantastic, but you can fold it in two and get a pocketable device! Not exactly what I personally dream of, but why not create something smaller than they have? For me Air is no go because of how large it is.

Most people buying regular 17 because it is the cheapest one, not because of some mindblowing capabilities. Obviously people would love telephoto in this phone, but there is none, or a better sensor from pro. People are just tired of paying extra for something “extra”

 

[Kjabean]

I think most people don’t even really think about things like people here do.. they just expect a $30-$50 added payment for the phone from the carrier and just get the phone that they suggest or think looks the coolest. They get a iPhone as a status symbol and the air is not recognizable as a iPhone enough, it looks like a pixel to most probably.
Apple are smart, they know people want a smaller device but they are going to make the folding phone smaller so you have to pay for that.

 

[Qu1ckset]

I absolutely loved holding the air in person , beautiful device , thin/light and felt amazing to hold for its size.

But at that price point missing a camera lense , mono speaker , and usb2.0 huge miss.

A lot of people either said pass cuz of price or wait till the next model!

 

[Ctrlos]

The 3 greatest smartphones ever made are the iPhone 4, Samsung Galaxy S8 and the Lumia 1020. I 'coped' with one camera lens on them and I continue to do so with the iPhone Air. Honestly its actually quite nice to have a phone without the pretension of trying to be something its not.

If I want DSLR-quality images I'll grab my actual camera with its 18-200mm lens and outshoot any phone on the market. If I want to listen to music in stereo I will do so through a Homepod or headphones, something with actual audio quality. If I want to play videogames I will use my Xbox.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

The 3 greatest smartphones ever made are the iPhone 4, Samsung Galaxy S8 and the Lumia 1020. I 'coped' with one camera lens on them and I continue to do so with the iPhone Air. Honestly its actually quite nice to have a phone without the pretension of trying to be something its not.

If I want DSLR-quality images I'll grab my actual camera with its 18-200mm lens and outshoot any phone on the market. If I want to listen to music in stereo I will do so through a Homepod or headphones, something with actual audio quality. If I want to play videogames I will use my Xbox.

As someone who uses a DSLR for a hobby, thats great to point out that its a better camera than the one on a phone, but I don't always have that camera with me or at hand when out and about. I don't always want to carry it and having a very good camera on a phone is the second best option.

Having a phone with a single lens in 2025 is simply not an option for many people as the limited functionality is something that was already left in the year 2018.

 

[Ctrlos]

As someone who uses a DSLR for a hobby, thats great to point out that its a better camera than the one on a phone, but I don't always have that camera with me or at hand when out and about. I don't always want to carry it and having a very good camera on a phone is the second best option.

Having a phone with a single lens in 2025 is simply not an option for many people as the limited functionality is something that was already left in the year 2018.

In 2018 we never thought of it as limited though. Thanks to mainstays like manual focus apps and panorama mode there isn't much you can't do with it. If you shoot everything at 5x then fair enough, but my phone has only ever really been a replacement for my old Canon IXUS 50. The images are pleasent but ultimately disposable.

 

[Kjabean]

Panorama and magnifier got you basically the same functionality. Not quite as great but close.. haters will hate though.

 

[RRC]

People hate big change, until it's the new normal and then they're fine again...

 

[bill-p]

Nah, most people simply prefer not to live on the edge in terms of battery life or camera.

Forget to charge at night? You might be screwed the next day. Want to take an ultrawide or macro? Can't do it.

Funny this was not a problem at all for all previous generations of iPhone but suddenly is a major problem now for Air, which factually matches iPhone 16 Pro. Are you saying people lived on the edge of battery life with the 16 generation?

Too often I see comments like "very ugly, thick and heavy phones". There are many iPhone users in the world, Apple has so many customers for iPhone that they can afford to make different models which appeal to different users. I personally appreciate that. I've reached the age where I have a problem reading the text on my iPhone 11 Pro Max. I'm thinking of buying the iPhone 17 Pro Max because with a bigger screen I'll be better able to read what's on the screen. And I also use just under 200 GB of the 256GB in mine. I do that because I like to have a lot of things immediately available. And I like the opportunity to take better photos with the new camera system. Yes the 17 Pro Max is bigger and heavier. You might think it's ugly, but there are enough of us who will buy it that Apple will make it for us. However I do agree with you, I would like it better if it wasn't so heavy.

Are you making this comment realizing that the iPhone Air is factually only 6% smaller than iPhone 17 Pro Max in screen size? My eyes are old now too and I am in a similar situation as you. But I obviously picked the lighter phone with a very slight compromise in screen size. I think you're thinking Air is like the 17 Pro, but it's not. It's a bigger screen.

It doesn’t.

You are wrong. Let's keep it at that.

 

[JPack]

Funny this was not a problem at all for all previous generations of iPhone but suddenly is a major problem now for Air, which factually matches iPhone 16 Pro. Are you saying people lived on the edge of battery life with the 16 generation?

Because people don't want last year's technology or performance. They don't want to choose a phone with the lowest battery life in the line up.

I'm not sure why some people keep bringing up iPhone 16 Pro. It's a silly comparison.

It's like saying, "People didn't have a problem with A18 chip last year, why do they have a problem if Apple uses A18 again this year?" Well, duh, nobody wants last year's tech.

 

[bill-p]

Because people don't want last year's technology or performance. They don't want to choose a phone with the lowest battery life in the line up.

I'm not sure why some people keep bringing up iPhone 16 Pro. It's a silly comparison.

It's like saying, "People didn't have a problem with A18 chip last year, why do they have a problem if Apple uses A18 again this year?" Well, duh, nobody wants last year's tech.

So your only rebuke is "nobody wants last year's tech"?

Then this is not a problem with the phone. This is a problem with people wanting more.

And that's why I mentioned that people are now so addicted to their phones that they must want "more" of everything, regardless of whether it makes sense or regardless of whether they were fine with "less" before.

 

[dmdcash]

So your only rebuke is "nobody wants last year's tech"?

Then this is not a problem with the phone. This is a problem with people wanting more.

And that's why I mentioned that people are now so addicted to their phones that they must want "more" of everything, regardless of whether it makes sense or regardless of whether they were fine with "less" before.

Uh, if I'm paying a PREMIUM price for a new star product you damn well better believe I expect the top of the line tech. Just my .02.

 

[Kjabean]

That is silly.. having it so light and thin is top quality tech, just not the tech you prefer.

 

[JPack]

So your only rebuke is "nobody wants last year's tech"?

Then this is not a problem with the phone. This is a problem with people wanting more.

And that's why I mentioned that people are now so addicted to their phones that they must want "more" of everything, regardless of whether it makes sense or regardless of whether they were fine with "less" before.

What's the point of launching a new iPhone each year if there are no improvements? Of course people want more. Most people expect performance, camera, and battery improvements each year.

Battery charging is a nuisance and people will take all the battery life they can get.

 

[JPack]

Uh, if I'm paying a PREMIUM price for a new star product you damn well better believe I expect the top of the line tech. Just my .02.

That's a completely normal expectation. You're buying technology, not a piece of furniture.

 

[bill-p]

Uh, if I'm paying a PREMIUM price for a new star product you damn well better believe I expect the top of the line tech. Just my .02.

I guess to laymen, "top of the line tech" now is simply "more battery, more cameras" even at the expense of thickness. Personally, I think it's "same tech or better than last year in a smaller package". But I can see I'm alone in that.

What's the point of launching a new iPhone each year if there are no improvements? Of course people want more. Most people expect performance, camera, and battery improvements each year.

Battery charging is a nuisance and people will take all the battery life they can get.

An improvement in overall carry weight is there in iPhone Air. But you and many obviously do not understand that at all.

We are going in circles.

Personally, I see absolutely zero improvements in stuffing more battery and cameras in a thicker and heavier body, but I can see you and many others seem to think that's the best thing since sliced bread.

So sure, let there be options. I'm not against the Pro Max. What I see as absolutely disgusting is how you and many others dismiss the iPhone Air as "no improvement" just because it does not fit your narrative.

 

[CaféPicasso]

That's a completely normal expectation. You're buying technology, not a piece of furniture.

A funny thing to say in an APPLE forum