The iPhone Air 2 is indefinitely postponed due to low demand
The future of the iPhone Air seems bleak. According to a report from The Information, Apple has indefinitely delayed the development of its ultra-thin smartphone successor, dubbed the iPhone Air 2, due to demand being significantly lower than anticipated.
iPhone Air: A lukewarm commercial launch
Two months after its release, the iPhone Air—once praised for its ultra-thin and sleek design—struggles to attract consumers.
- Sales have fallen well below expectations,
- The assembler Luxshare halted production at the end of October,
- Foxconn has scaled down operations to one and a half lines, which are expected to cease by the end of the month,
- Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo had predicted an 80% drop in production, a prediction that seems to have been validated.
As a result, Apple has decided to remove the iPhone Air 2 from its planned launch schedule for fall 2026.
What caused this failure?
The iPhone Air was intended to fill a new niche between the standard iPhone and the Pro model: thinner, lighter, with an “airy” design, yet priced at €1,229, almost on par with the standard iPhone 17. However, the latter offers a larger battery and a dual-camera system—two compelling features for consumers.
Consequently, most buyers opted for the iPhone 17, which was seen as a better value for the price.
What the iPhone Air 2 was supposed to deliver
Before its delay, the iPhone Air 2 (codenamed V62) was expected to feature several enhancements: an even lighter weight, a larger battery, a vapor chamber cooling system similar to the iPhone 17 Pro, and a dual-camera module.
These upgrades could have addressed the shortcomings of the initial model.
However, according to The Information, Apple has now “paused the project indefinitely,” although some engineers continue working on it on a smaller scale.
A completely disrupted schedule
Apple’s original plan for fall 2026 included: iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, iPhone Fold (the first foldable iPhone), and iPhone Air 2. Now, only the first three models remain confirmed.
The iPhone Air 2 may potentially make a comeback in spring 2027, alongside the iPhone 18 and the new, more affordable iPhone 18e. However, nothing is certain.
Apple is not completely giving up
According to sources cited by The Information, Apple has not officially canceled the project. The company has merely “removed the iPhone Air 2 from its roadmap” to reassess its strategy.
Nonetheless, the lack of public interest may lead the brand to consider eliminating the Air line altogether, similar to what it did previously with the iPhone mini and the iPhone Plus, both of which experienced poor sales.
The iPhone Air was supposed to signify a blend of design and extreme portability, but it faced the reality of the market: users favor battery life, versatility, and power over mere slimness.
Apple aimed to create a “design-centric iPhone”—a device that impresses with its thinness—but the market reminded them of a simple truth: the general public prioritizes durability, battery life, and cameras over a few millimeters of extra thickness. Unless there is a significant strategic shift, the iPhone Air 2 may end up as the first ghost iPhone of the Apple Silicon era—a product designed, tested, but never launched.
