Apple is sharply cutting iPhone Air production after weak demand, as buyers favor Pro models and foldables. We examine the price and battery trade-offs.
© A. Krivonosov
Apple’s bid to carve out a new class of ultra‑thin smartphones under the iPhone Air banner may be winding down sooner than anticipated. Nikkei Asia reports that the company has sharply trimmed production just weeks after the device went on sale—an unusual retreat for a brand accustomed to steady winners.
According to sources, the iPhone Air’s share of total assembly slipped from 15% to under 10%, and November output could drop to less than a tenth of September’s levels. That trajectory suggests the model may vanish from shelves by year’s end. The chill in demand seems compounded by in‑line competition: priced at $999—only $100 below the iPhone 17 Pro—the Air pairs its slim profile with a 3,149 mAh battery, a hard sell in 2025 when buyers expect a full day on a single charge. That price calculus makes the Air a tough proposition for anyone weighing longevity over looks.
While the Pro and Pro Max versions still face strong demand and ship with delays, the iPhone Air is widely available at most retailers. Analysts note that the craze for razor‑thin phones is ebbing, as attention shifts toward foldable and flip designs. It fits the broader mood: novelty now tends to mean new form factors rather than shaving off another millimeter.
Industry experts say the iPhone Air was conceived as an experimental platform—a testbed for a future iPhone Fold that, according to rumors, could arrive in 2026. Apple likely used the Air to probe the limits of durability and ergonomics in ultra‑slim chassis, groundwork that would be crucial for its first foldable. Framed that way, the Air looks less like a misfire and more like a controlled trial whose usefulness has run its course, paving the way for Apple’s next big swing in smartphones.