Apple pulls plug on iPhone Air 2 after weak sales – Business News
Apple has delayed the release of the next-generation iPhone Air after disappointing sales of the ultra-thin smartphone prompted manufacturing strains to grind to a halt, (*2*)in line with The Information.
The follow-up model — internally generally known as “V62” — had been slated to debut in fall 2026 alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and Apple’s first foldable iPhone.
But Apple has now pulled it off the release schedule with out setting a new date, The Information reported Monday, citing three people concerned within the project.
Apple has delayed the release of the next-generation iPhone Air after disappointing sales of the ultra-thin smartphone prompted manufacturing strains to grind to a halt. ZUMAPRESS.com
The choice is the newest signal that Apple’s effort to broaden past its flagship iPhone lineup is faltering.
The iPhone Air was touted as the company’s thinnest and most sturdy handset but when it launched in September, however reviewers and shoppers criticized its single-camera setup, short battery life and weaker audio system in contrast with the Pro fashions.
Manufacturing companions Foxconn and Luxshare have already stopped or drastically decreased manufacturing of the present iPhone Air.
Foxconn has dismantled all however one and a half of its manufacturing strains and plans to halt the remainder by the tip of November, in line with the report. Luxshare ended its manufacturing run in October.
People aware of Apple’s provide chain advised The Information that solely about 10% of its iPhone manufacturing capability was dedicated to the Air, however even that restricted output has proved troublesome to sell.
The model stays broadly stocked in shops and online — a sharp distinction to Apple’s top-tier iPhone 17 Pro, which continues to sell out in some markets.
The iPhone Air was touted because the company’s thinnest and most sturdy handset but when it launched in September. REUTERS
In September, the iPhone Air accounted for simply 3% of whole iPhone sales, in contrast with 9% for the iPhone 17 Pro and 12% for the iPhone 17 Pro Max, in line with Consumer Intelligence Research Partners information cited by The Information.
Apple had been developing the iPhone Air 2 with plans for a lighter body, a bigger battery and improved cooling utilizing vapor chamber technology already discovered within the iPhone 17 Pro.
Engineers have been additionally exploring a redesign that might add a second rear digicam — a characteristic absent from the primary model and broadly cited as a dealbreaker for a lot of shoppers.
In September, the iPhone Air accounted for simply 3% of whole iPhone sales, in contrast with 9% for the iPhone 17 Pro and 12% for the iPhone 17 Pro Max. REUTERS
Some engineers and suppliers are persevering with work on the system, raising the likelihood that a revamped iPhone Air 2 may floor as quickly as spring 2027 alongside the usual iPhone 18 and lower-cost iPhone 18e, The Information reported.
While the transfer stops short of an outright cancellation, taking a main iPhone model off the release calendar at this stage is very uncommon for Apple, present and former workers advised the outlet.
The company had solely begun early manufacturing trials of the new model this summer season, simply as the primary iPhone Air hit store cabinets.
The follow-up model — internally generally known as “V62” — had been slated to debut in fall 2026 alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and Apple’s first foldable iPhone. SYSPEO/SIPA/Shutterstock
Apple declined to remark on the report.
The delay marks one other setback in Apple’s years-long seek for a profitable midrange iPhone.
Previous experiments — the compact iPhone Mini and the large-screen iPhone Plus — have been each discontinued after sluggish demand.
