Apple entered the ultra-thin phone market for the first time this year with the release of the iPhone Air, but due to issues such as eSIM, single camera, battery life, and price, its actual sales performance was extremely poor.
Data shows that the number of iPhone Air activations in the first week was only 50,000 to 55,000 units, less than 1/10 of the number of iPhone 17 Pro Max activations in a single week (over 800,000 units). Pre-orders accounted for only 6%, far below the internal expectation of 15%.
Within 5 days of its release, the price on third-party platforms dropped by 100-700 yuan, especially since the resale value of the Chinese version is 20% lower than that of the overseas version.
Due to poor performance, the supply chain plans to reduce its capacity by more than 80% in the first quarter of 2026. Customized chips, special material shells and other components have been shut down by the end of 2025, and the production scale has been reduced to less than 10% of the initial plan, almost to the level of “shutdown”.
To reverse its declining fortunes, Apple plans to make two key changes to enhance the appeal of the iPhone Air 2.
One upgrade is the dual-camera system, adding an ultra-wide-angle lens in addition to the 48-megapixel Fusion main camera, bringing the overall performance closer to the standard iPhone. However, this requires significant changes to the internal space and a balance with the battery and other components.
Secondly, the price is being lowered. The starting price of 7,999 yuan makes the phone’s price-performance ratio extremely low. As a product that compromises in every aspect, it is difficult for ordinary consumers to pay a high price. Therefore, Apple is evaluating lowering the starting price of the iPhone Air 2.
It is worth noting that Apple will also postpone the release of the iPhone Air 2. Originally planned for the fall of 2026, it will now be postponed to the spring of 2027, launching simultaneously with the iPhone 18 and iPhone 18 e.
The iPhone 18 Pro series and foldable iPhones will maintain their release schedule in the fall of 2026, forming a spring and fall release cycle.
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