Apple delays next iPhone Air due to weak demand

Apple has decided not to release a new version of the iPhone Air in 2026, as originally planned. The decision is linked to lower-than-expected sales of the current model, Reuters reports citing The Information.

The iPhone Air, introduced in 2025 as a thinner and lighter alternative to the flagship iPhone, ultimately fell short of the company’s expectations. While the concept initially generated interest, the device lagged behind in several key areas: shorter battery life, no 8x telephoto lens, a single speaker instead of two, slower USB-C performance, reduced charging speed, and a 5-core GPU instead of the 6-core GPU used in the iPhone 17 Pro.

As a result, the iPhone Air became more of a marketing experiment than a commercial success. Analysts note that demand for the model was significantly lower than forecast.

The device performed particularly poorly in China. Sales began only after regulatory approval of the eSIM-only version with no physical SIM slot, but consumer interest remained limited.

According to sources, development of the next-generation iPhone Air has been put on hold indefinitely. Apple may return to the project only if the concept is reworked.