Weibo leaker says Apple plans at least two iPhone Air generations

The leaker's claim

A Weibo leaker cited by The Apple Post wrote that Apple is prepared to "grit its teeth and push through with at least two generations" of the iPhone Air before deciding the product line's long-term direction. The report said a second-generation model is expected next year.

The first iPhone Air launched in September 2025 alongside the iPhone 17 lineup. It is 5.6mm thick, has a titanium frame and a 6.5-inch display, and starts at $999. Its 48MP main camera matches the one on the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro, but The Apple Post said the Air lacks a second rear camera and a larger battery. Analysts cited by the publication said those omissions may have hurt sales.

Production cuts

Nikkei Asia reported in October 2025 that Apple was cutting iPhone Air production to levels "bordering on end-of-life." A supply chain manager said November orders would fall below 10% of September's volume. The phone went on sale on 9 September 2025. Apple's website still listed the Air as available for immediate purchase in all colors at the time, while other models showed shipping delays of up to three weeks, ExtremeTech reported.

Mizuho Securities, as spotted by The Elec, expected Apple to order 1 million fewer iPhone Air units by the end of 2025, 2 million more iPhone 17 units, 1 million more iPhone 17 Pro units and 4 million more iPhone 17 Pro Max units, AppleInsider reported. The firm also said Apple had already raised overall production from 88 million to 94 million units. The report said the figures did not cite supply-chain sources and that Mizuho had no track record in Apple analysis. Apple does not publish iPhone production plans or sales figures, the report added, and the situation cannot be determined without significant supply-chain sources.

Ming-Chi Kuo said most suppliers would cut iPhone Air stock by more than 80% by the first quarter of 2026. Components with longer lead times were expected to be discontinued by the end of 2025, he said. Kuo said Apple initially projected the Air at 10% to 15% of total iPhone 17 production. He also said the standard and Pro models already satisfied most high-end buyers.

One survey cited by ExtremeTech found "virtually no demand for iPhone Air." Separately, Ynetnews reported that a KeyBanc Capital Markets survey found interest in the Air was minimal. Demand faded after the China launch, and in other markets demand never materialized, according to Nikkei Asia.

Why the Air struggled

The $999 starting price was just $100 below a Pro model with better cameras and battery life, The Mac Observer noted. The single rear camera hurt perception in a lineup full of multi-camera phones, the publication said, and the gap pushed buyers toward the cheaper base phone or the more capable Pro. Apple sells a $99 MagSafe battery pack that can push total runtime to 40 hours, ExtremeTech reported.

Ynetnews reported that Apple's 5.4-inch iPhone Mini debuted in 2020 and was discontinued in 2023 due to weak sales, and that the iPhone 14 Plus, launched in 2022, suffered from low demand and was ultimately phased out.